Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/224

 216] ENGLISH HISTORY. [ocr.

seven cavalry regiments remaining at home to the higher estab- lishment of men and horses, and to raise nineteen batteries out of the field and horse artillery remaining at home to the six- gun establishment. He claimed that our military system was proving itself "at once elastic and elaborate," and thus "well adapted to the exigencies of an empire dispersed over every continent, and yet united by the command of the 8ea. ,,

At the outset of his speech Mr. Wyndham had explained that the vote for 35,000 additional men asked for covered 5,800 borrowed from the Indian establishment, 9,000, or thereabouts, who under ordinary circumstances would have gone into the Reserve but were now retained with the Colours, and 21,000 Reservists called back to the Colours. The Militia Reserve would not be called out till we had exhausted the Army Reserve, and he had no expectation of such a contingency, though it was thought expedient to provide against it. Our Army Reserve was far stronger than in the days when we were obliged to pool it, and draw indiscriminately from a common source for every regiment. Now the men rejoining the Colours would in all cases serve with their old regiments. In conclusion, Mr. Wyndham paid a high tribute to Lord Wolseley for the manner in which he had presided over the military preparations; to all our self governing colonies for their spontaneous offers of help, which had been gratefully accepted; and to the employers of labour for the manner in which they had facilitated the calling up of the Reservists, by promising to keep places open, and in many cases to help those left behind by the men. The attitude of the two latter, he said, constituted an epoch in the history of our imperial defence.

During Mr. Wyndham's speech telegrams arrived which he read to the House as to the successful attack on the Boers outside Dundee made by the British troops under General Symons; and Mr. Balfour subsequently read a despatch an- nouncing the mortal wound received by that gallant officer. The House of Commons, like the country, was inspired by the news with feelings of sadness, indeed, on account of the sacrifices, but of something like exultant confidence in the speedily victorious issue of the war. The tone of the subse- quent debate, led off by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, was mainly congratulatory in regard to the achievements of the War Office, though Sir Charles Dilke maintained an attitude of reserved criticism. The vote was carried by 200 to 35, the minority being almost entirely Nationalist ; and a supple- mental vote of 10,000,0002. was granted the same evening.

In Committee of Ways and Means, on October 23, the Chancellor of the Exchequer explained the manner in which he intended to meet the expenses of the war. In the first place they might reckon upon a surplus of 3,000,000Z. for the current financial year, leaving a balance of 7,000,0002. to be found. He hoped no member of the committee would suggest