In the House of Lords on Thursday the Duke of
Bedford obtained from the Government a most important concession ifi regard to the Militia. He had moved an amendment that the Militia should have a moratorium of two years before it should be affected by the new Army Bill, bin chief ground for this demand being that it would be very dangerous to throw the whole of the Auxiliary Forces into the melting-pot at the same moment. Lord Portsmouth and Lord Crewe, on behalf of the Government, met the Duke of Bedford's pro- posal in a conciliatory spirit. Though they could not agree to a two years' moratorium, they would agree to one for a year. On this assurance the Duke of Bedford withdrew his amendment. We feel sure that the Government have acted prudently, and we congratulate the Duke of Bedford most heartily upon the success, or at any rate the partial success, which has crowned his efforts to save the Militia. It should also be noted that on Thursday Lord Esher obtained the assent of the Government to a compromise in regard to school corps, under which the County Associations, though they will not be allowed to expend any public money on boys in Cadet corps under the age of sixteen, will be able to spend on them sums raised by private subscription. Though we greatly preferred the original clause, it is some- thing that the County Associations should be able to support school corps out of private subscriptions if such subscriptions can be obtained.
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