After Lord Rosebery had intervened with the rather unpractical suggestion
that a representative of each com- batant might go through the papers (like two solicitors in a family quarrel) and select those which were relevant, and the Duke of Devonshire had declared that since Lord Wolseley had accused the Government of reducing the office of Commander-in-Chief to a cipher they were obliged
to take the matter up and show his accusation to be un- tenable, the Howe of Lords divided on the Motion for the papers. The Government carried the day by a majority of 24 (62 to 38). The incident, it is to be hoped, is now closed. It has been a most painful one. It was a great pity that Lord Wolseley should have been the person to bring up the matter of the position of the Commander-in-Chief, for the discussion was bound under such circumstances to take a personal form. But granted that he did bring it up, it was, we think, a still greater pity that Lord Lansdowne yielded to the temptation to make a personal retort, even though the retort was effective. What makes the case specially painful is the fact that in the past Lord Wolseley rendered great and notable services to his country. It is deeply to be regretted that his official career should close, not with befitting dignity, but in an angry squabble in the House of Lords.
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