Mr. Brodrick at the Lucknow Dinner on September 26th made
a most interesting speech. He said the past fifty years- had been marked by almost annual little wars. We had, in particular, in the last sixteen years organised sixteen military expeditions in Africa alone. Practice makes perfect, and we had gradually raised the organisation of expeditions into a fine art, the last one, that to Omdurman, being the most suc- cessful. Much of our improved strength is due to the increased size and improved condition of our Army, but much also arises from the enlargement of our levies among the races we rule. We have accepted the services of fifty thousand troops from the native Princes of India ; we have raised a fighting force of twenty thousand men among the sturdy races of North Africa and the fellaheen ; we have added a fresh black battalion in the West Indies and a battalion in West Africa. We intend to raise another in East Africa, and a second battalion of Maltese Artillery has been added to the defences of the island. All these things are good, especially as the supply of com- petent officers does not fall short ; but we hope Mr. Brodrick and his friends do not forget that the Empire depends in the last resort upon the Army that is more strictly British. We must keep that in full strength somehow, or by and by, after a day of difficulty like Ferozeshah, we may find our auxiliaries—we will not call them mercenaries—all turning upon us. This country must not be a Carthage even in military affairs.
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