It is noteworthy, though natural, that the first considerable defeat
of the Unionist Government has been incurred through its dread of extravagance. The Volunteers require for complete efficiency certain equipments which they either cannot or will not provide for themselves. The Government, on the other hand, will not provide them, holding that the money should be raised by subscription from the men who ought to volunteer but do not. Sir E. Hamley, therefore, on Thursday moved a resolution affirming that all deficiencies of absolutely neces- sary equipment should be made good by the State. Mr. E. Stanhope stoutly resisted, but thirty Conservatives, counting sixty on a division, deserted him, and the Government was beaten by 125 to 102. We confess that we are not sorry. The division means nothing politically, and the notion of main- taining one part of the Army of Defence out of subscriptions strikes us as altogether bad. We might as well maintain the Yeomanry by collections at street-corners. The Government contention that absentees should tax themselves sounds well in theory, but the tall lads who ought to join the corps and do not, have usually no money. If economy is so needful, it can be enforced in other directions.
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