At a Committee meeting held at the Spectator Office on
Thursday, as announced, it was agreed to proceed forthwith with the experiment, in the confident belief that the remain- ing £500 would be forthcoming before the close of the training. In answer to a question by Sir Howard Vincent on Thursdays Mr. Haldane announced that the Army Council had agreed to lend arms and accoutrements, and barrack accommodation and a drill-ground at Hounslow. Sir Howard Vincent had suggested that the Government should make up the deficiency in our Fund by a grant of £500; but though we gratefully recognise the kind intention of the proposal, we are glad that the Army Council declined to agree. In our opinion, it is in the true interests of the experiment that its nature should be purely voluntary and unofficial. If, as we believe, the practical results prove to be of great value, it will be for the military authorities to make use of them; but till those results are actually achieved they are right, we think, in refusing to take any responsibility for the experiment. Meantime, we desire to express our sincerest thanks to Mr. Haldane and the Army Council for the liberal spirit in which they are regarding our experiment, and for the very substantial help they are giving us in the matter of barracks and equipment. It is to be hoped that by the middle of March the men will have been engaged and the training begun.
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