General Sir Lintorn Simmons writes to the Times a long
letter, published on Tuesday, upon the best plan of organising the defences of the country both military and naval. His idea is that there should be a separate Ministry of Defence, supported by a professional Council analogous to the Council of India, and including the Minister of War and the First Lord of the Admiralty. Sir Lintorn Simmons thinks this new corporation would consider the question for the whole Empire, and that as its recommendations would inspire confidence, they would be generally obeyed. We do not see, how- ever, why the Defence Ministry should command more con- fidence than the Cabinet, which contains both the Ministers named, and can call for any amount of professional assist- ance ; while if it were trusted, it would nearly destroy the responsibility of the Departments. If it is necessary to compel Army and Navy to act together, the appointment of a Constable wielding the whole power of the Crown over both services would be a far more effective device ; but we do not believe in all these changes of tools and workshop. What is wanted at present is an improvement in the article turned out, which can be made, and must be made, with the instru- ments we possess. If the House of Commons distrusts them, it must change the Ministry.
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