Lord Rosebery'e speech was as sound as Lord Salisbury's was
unsound. He rightly refused to deal for the present with the past conduct of the war, but he expressed himself as "appalled "—as well he might be—at the tone and temper of the Prime Minister's speech. What, be asked, are the Govern- ment going to do ? We regret to say he obtained no answer. We can only trust that he will continue to press his question
in season and out of season. If he does, he will certainly have our whole-hearted support, and the support, we believe, of nine-tenths of the nation, without any thought of party. Lord Rosebery has, indeed, a great opportunity open to him. If he will insist on the need for the Government taking the broadest and most serious view of the situation, and on their making military preparations which will ensure our being able to carry on the war in spite of any fresh disasters six months hence, and in spite of any threats of interference, he will obliterate that sense of weakness of aim and vacillation of purpose which he contrived to create in our minds during his tenure of the Premiership. No former doubts and mis- givings can or will be allowed to prevail if Lord Rosebery will only show strength of will and steadiness of aim, as well as what we never doubted as his possession,—the aspiration to serve his country.
