THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE ON MILITARY REFORM.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1010, 6 May 1871, Page 2

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE ON MILITARY REFORM.

In proposing the toast of " The Army, Navy, and Reseryed Forces," at tbe annual dinner of the London Orphan Asylum on 15th February, his Royal Highness said :—As I have not had an opportunity of saying anything on the subject for some time,. l cannot.help re« marking incidentally that I have been somewhat perplexed as to why it should be surmised that I am an individual who* has been, above all others, opposed to every improvement and every change in the army! It ouly shows how little one knows of one's self. I have beeu living in a fool's paradise; I had the impression that I was rather an advanced reformed on army matters, and that, so far from setting myself agaiust the spirit of tl|e age, I was extremely anxious to go before it. However, I suppose I must have been in error; at least, lam frequently told so now. I am quite prepared to. meet any charge of the sort; but I cannot help saying incidentally, in proposing this toast, that I feel as strongly as sny man in this room or out of it that the efficiency of the service is the first thing to be considered, and that, in comparison with that, everything else is of secoudary importance. These being my opinions, I hope I shall always be found to encourage, and not to discourage, improvements, which are essential, not only in army matters, but also in every province of life. lam not going to dilate now upon the condition of the army, navy, and reserved forces; as far as they go I trust they are in a very efficient state ; and if your liberality and that of Parliament will add to their efficiency, no one will, rejoice more than I shall. In the position which I hold I have generally been told to keep down expenditure ; and it is, therefore, a nuvelty to me to hear that the keeping down of expenditure is not so importaut a matter as it to be thought. I don't deny that doctrine ; I go along with it; but it is a new doctrine j and lam a very ready convert to it. I think it is quite a mistake to imagine that military and naval men are extravagant men j I don't think so, although they may often spend money in a way different from that which civilians would spend it. A military or a naval man who knows what he is about, and wh.o. has only the interest of his country and of his profession at heart, is not giveu to extravagance; at all events, I do not belong to those who have been schooled in extravagance; and I trust as long as { have the honor of being connected with the services, they will be maintained iu such a condition as to do honor to the country and to deserve the good opinion which the people of England have always entertained of them. Subsequently, in responding to the toast of his own healthy the Duke of Cambridge said : —ln the position in which I am placed I shall endeavor to do my duty; and I beg to assure you I am quite prepared to give a challenge to answer any charge of shortcoming which may be brought against me at any time from any quarter.