In the Commons, on Monday, after Mr. Gladstone's speech, Mr.
Osborne made a vigorous onslaught upon the reserve of Government. As to the Draft Treaty, "the guilt of its concoc- tion was only equalled by the shabbiness of its concealment." There are times when strong language is suitable, and at this time the phrase, "armed neutrality," is not too strong. As to our home preparations, the Navy was efficient, but in the Army it was nonsense to talk of efficiency when a battalion meant 450 men, when out of 34 batteries only 14 are efficient, and when our Re- serve only reached 21,000 men not bound to serve abroad. Why not call out 200,000 Militia ? Ile was for neutrality if preserved with honour, but neither honour nor neutrality could be preserved by stifling Parliamentary opinion. We have analyzed Mr. Card- well's speech in reply elsewhere, but may say here that his main idea was to show that we were better prepared than we had ever yet been.
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