THE MEN WHO MAKE THE ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 4

THE MEN WHO MAKE THE ARMY.

With the. manoeuvres of the .Aldershpfc :, . Command last week," (says. "the--Times'!'of ■'"•' September 23), "which'may bo'regarded, as a landmark in the . progress of tile army,there came'to a practical conclusion the re'markable work, iii their, present-appoint-, ments, of two sojdiers who have rendered- '.-■' very signal service to the military forces of the Crown. "The Duke of Counaught',' as Inspectordenpral, and Sir John French, as Com-maudor-m-Chief at Aldershot, were' called, upon to undertake duties which .demanded the exercise _of iio nieaii powers. It fell to them to initiate and give vitality to a new order of things. The venerable system' of the army had broken down when they assumed office, and a complete breach had been made with the past. A- now army had to. ' be created out of the elements of the old, and in doctrine , and in organisation was tobecome permeated with the spirit and provided with the necessities for success in modern war. . . : : ■ . . ■ The Duke as Inspeotor-Ccneral, ' "In these circumstances it was eminently desirable that the Duke of Connaught should hold a high appointment. His Royal Highiiess possessed in the fullest degree t the confidence of officers of the .army; and had passed with the greatest credit to himself and the utmost advantage to the forces through every rank from the lowest to the ' highest. His new office of lnspectorrGeneral was.the necessary consequence of tho • abolition of that of Commander-in-Chief, bo- '• cause the Army Council administers, but doos not command, the army, and it was ■ therefore necessary to institute an efficient ■ system of -inspection and report upon which thp action of tho Council -.might bo based. The Inspector-General also, as the depository of knqwledge concerning the army, •'■ was mado president of the selection board, Upon the operations of which the pareers of His Majesty's officers dej)end. : . . "Since ho assumed the office he will soon vacate, the Duke has.never spared himself in his endeavours for r tbo good'of the ser-• ' vice. In every command at home,, and in ; many of those abroad, his influences and : authority have boen felt and valued. Many times, as at the conference last week, he has had to speak of tho fine spirit and high military qualities, displayed by the troops; but there Jiavo been some occasions on which ho has criticised, while ho has encouraged, in. unmistakable terms. The army univer- , . sully recognises the high attainments and . strict justico of the Duke, and the permanent value of . the . services ho hag ■ rendered. . . . What General French has done. . "General Sir John French, who is to.suo* ceed His Royal. Highnoss in the office he ' relinquishes, took uver the Aldershot Command iii 11102; *.' ..,. Sir John French in- ' spired his staff with his own zeal; and when the light of Manchuria fell upon'tho lessons of South Africa, a work was undertaken . which marks a most striking advance in tactical training. A very high ideal vrai set from tho beginning. Speaking in reply to aii address presented to him m August, . 1902, Sir John French said -,'tliat mode™ warfare differed from that of the past,' in that it required the highest order of training in peace. "When he assumed tho command at Aldershot, he required his troops to bo able to meet with success an' enemy half as strong again as themselves, and he now belioves that object has been attained. It is a; proud thing to say; and, much as there, may bo to'regret in the attenuated stato of some, battalions, or in the restricted size of manoeuvring areas, there is reason to believe that Sir John-French is'justified, and that in individual qualities British". officer:) nhd men are equalled in few, if any, foreign armies."