The death of General Sir William Lockhart, Commander- in-Chief in
India, is a great disappointment to all Anglo- Indians. They believed him to be not only an excellent general and a good organiser, but a soldier-statesman who could be trusted to advise the Government wisely on complex questions like the defence of the frontier, the relation of the Queen's troops to the native soldiers, the distribution of the Army, which has been materially affected by the development of railways, and, above all, the reorganisation of the supply and transport services. That his advice as to frontier defence has already had great weight is evident from the change of policy recently adopted by the Indian Government, but Sir William was grievously hampered throughout his short term by the state of his health, which he would never allow to interfere with his official duties. He might have lived years in retirement, but the labours of an Indian Commander-in- Chief, which never end, and grave heart disease, are incom- patible.
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