It was announced on Wednesday that the Duke of Connaught
had been appointed to the post of Inspector-General. The Inspector-General cannot, it should be noted, initiate policy ; he can only report on facts; and though he is to act as the President of the Selection Board, that body only deals with promotions up to the rank of Colonel. We have no fault whatever on personal grounds to find with the appointment. The Duke of Connaught is universally recognised to be a most zealous and capable officer, sincerely devoted to his profession. None the less, we cannot but regard the choice as a mistake. To begin with, an Inspector-General who has not seen active service on a large scale, and against white men armed with modern weapons, cannot understand the requirements of efficiency so well as a soldier who has been more fortunate in this respect. We know well that no man in the Army more bitterly regretted his want of employment during the Boer War, but that cannot alter the fact. But the chief and insuperable objection is that in case of the inadequate discharge of his duties he will either escape censure altogether on the ground of his close relationship to the King, or if he is censured, it will react prejudicially on the Crown. It is impossible, that is, to exact in the case of a Royal Duke that full and hard responsibility for his acts which ought to be exacted from all soldiers in positions of great authority. That the Duke in this par- ticular case is not likely to make mistakes does not affect the principle involved. But though we feel obliged to make this protest, we would avoid any appearance of imputing blame to the Duke of Connaught for accepting the appointment. The responsibility rests solely with those who advised the course taken.
Previous page
