In the resumed debate on Wednesday Mr. Arthur Lee made,
some very effective criticisms of the existing system, and advocated great district depots instead of the linked battalions. Mr. Brodrick intervened early, but he did not add to the arguments which he had used on the previous day. He was followed by Sir Edward Grey, who asked whether we could not in fact get a more effective Army with fewer numbers, and suggested that we did not under the present system obtain the best value possible for the money expended. Mr. Balfour ended the debate on the Ministerial side, but he did not show the argumentative force he often displays, and it is difficult to believe that he is absolutely convinced that we have yet secured the system hest suited to the needs of the Empire. In the end Mr. Guest's amend. ment reducing the numbers proposed by twenty-seven thousand men, on which the debate took place, was lost by 91 votes (215 to 154). Nearly thirty Unionists voted in the minority, while almost the whole Irish party abstained. The so-called Unionist " malcontents " are naturally elated at this reduction of the Government majority ; but we who want, not to bait Mr. Brodrick or to drive the Government out of office, but to see our military system reformed and placed on a securer basis, cannot feel that the business has been well managed. The attack on Mr. Brodrick has been far too personal, and so a good excuse has been given to many Members other. wise inclined to be critical of the state of the Army not to take the side of military reform.
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