In the House of Commons on Monday Mr. George Wynd-
ham made his statement on the Army Estimates. The Royal Reserve battalions are, he declared, proving a magnificent suc- cess. Up to Saturday last seventeen thousand four hundred men had applied to be enlisted. We hope Mr. Wyndham is not too sanguine, but we cannot help saying that if the War Office get in the men it will indeed be "magnificent," for they took very little trouble to pat their offer before the old soldiers of the Queen. In regard to the Auxiliary Forces, Mr. Wynd- ham announced that in future there would be a separate official and a separate Department at the War Office to deal with them. We have dealt with the matter elsewhere, and will only say here that we greatly regret that the new Department was not confined to the Volunteers and Yeo- manry, who ought to be treated apart as a home army, fully equipped and organised. It is also proposed (1) to increase the bounty, and make the Militia available without volun- teering for service abroad ; (2) to train the Militia recruits for six months ; (3) to create a real Militia Reserve ; (4) to give the Militia full regimental transport.
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