In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. Brodrick pre-
sented the supplementary Estimate of sixteen millions for the war in South Africa and the military operations in China. In the course of what the Opposition leader correctly described as a "frank and manly speech," Mr. Brodrick admitted that their expectations as to the reduction in the number of troops and the cost of the operations in South Africa since July had been too sanguine. Our troops in Africa could not yet be reduced in number, nor was there any prospect of any material reduction of expenditure during the remainder of the financial year,—that is, before April 1st. The only consolation he could offer his hearers was that guerilla warfare had never been successful in the long run unless aided by external intervention. The Estimate in- cluded £1,000,000 for General Baden-Powell's new Transvaal Police, who would number ten thousand, and £1,000,000 for the repair of the railways, £13,500,000 being devoted to the purposes of the war. The vote having been carried by 284 to 8, the Chancellor of the Exchequer subsequently
explained that he would not have to make provision for more than eleven out of the sixteen millions required, inasmuch as the Treasury had about five and a half millions in hand from a previous provision for the war. These eleven millions he now proposes to raise either by a war loan or by the issue of Exchequer bonds or Treasury bills.
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