The debate on the Army Estimates, which was taken on
Thursday night, illustrated the tendency of the Government majorities to dwindle as the Session proceeds. In the division taken to report progress, and taken after the Govern- ment had full warning of what to expect from the Opposition, their majority fell to 24; and later on, in various divisions on matters of detail, the Ministry only obtained majorities of 28 and 26. Considering that their normal majority is well over 80, this is a very significant fact. On the same day Lord Selborne issued his Naval Memorandum, which shows a gross daving of over 25,000,000 on the year's Estimates. Since, however, some 22,000,000 is added to increasing naval efficiency in other particulars, the net reduction will only be 23,000,000. If this saving can he justified, and be shown not to impair the strength of the Navy and its fitness to do its work, the nation will owe a debt of gratitude to the present Board of Admiralty.
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