On Friday week, at a meeting of the Royal Institution,
Lord Roberts delivered an earnest and statesmanlike address on Imperial defence. Our criticism in the past had been largely misdirected, since we had been busy on the problem of the Regular Army, instead of that more important matter, an adequate Reserve. The need of the latter was the supreme lesson of the South African War. He yielded to no man in his admiration for the Navy, but it was little short of madness to suppose that in all circumstances the Navy could alone secure the defence of the Empire. We must, therefore, set about creating a Reserve by means entirely apart from those by which our small long-service Army was created, and as a step in this direction we must Bee to it that boys and youths were taught the elementary duties of patriotism, and fitted to take a part in defending their country.
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