WAR OFFICE REFORM.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sta,—The signs of the times lead one to believe that the talk about War Office reform will end in talk Ministers' speeches have mentioned it, but only vaguely and half- heartedly. People are saying that what is wanted is improve- ment in the regimental officers. If necessary improve them by all means, though that does not touch the real point; and allow me to say, by the way, that I do not believe any Continental army, either officers or men, would have done as well as ours has in the struggle of the last twelve months. It is reform at the top that is wanted, a reform that is not likely to come from people whose one reform
ments report direct to the Secretary of State; a plan as sensible as it would be to make a regimental quartermaster report to the general commanding the district, ignoring all responsibility to his own commanding officer. Is any grasp of the problem to be expected from them, men who are proud of themselves because they sent two hundred and fifty thousand men and seventy thousand horses out, and dumped them down anywhere and anyhow on the coast of Africa, and think that is the way to organise an army ? How different from our Indian troops ? They arrived complete with every store for three months, and those who were in Ladysmith throughout the siege will tell you that it was greatly their completeness that saved the situation. Lord Salisbury has shuffled his Ministry, but not to much purpose. He himself is supposed neither to know nor care very much for the Army. If, therefore, the British public does not make its voice heard, and loudly too, nothing will be done. We shall be as unprepared for the Mercier of the future as we were for the Kruger of the past.—I am, Sir, &c., 0. M.
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