PROPOSED ARMY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 22

PROPOSED ARMY COUNCIL

LONDON, February 1. The Times suggests the selection of Sir George Clarke a<> Permanent Secretary of the Defence Committee, provided he is given adequate inducement to abandon the Governorship of Victoria. The experience he has gained in Australia would help to keep the colonial aspects of the problem more closely before Ministers.

The Times says that under the new scheme the In^pector-generar.s staff would consist of inspectors-general of cavalry, artillery, etc. The Inspectorgeneral would be the chief umpire of mancauvres and president of the Selection Board, consisting of the generals eomimnding. Lord Roberts obvicwly was designed for t^e position, but whether ho can be induced to accept or whether it be offered to some ether distinguished toldbr — aSj for instance^ the

Duke of Connaught, who is both popular and successful — the appointment should not be delayed. The Daily Express mentions the Duke of Connaught for the post, General Greiifell succeeding the latter in Ireland. The War Office Commission's report incidentally acquits the Government of remissness during the late war, declaring that they possessed no adequate means of obtaining a seasoned opinion en which to base a war policy in 1899, owing to the defective system then prevailing. February 2. Military circles at Home, in America, aud on the Continent are commenting favourably on the War Office reorganisation scheme.