The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUG. 11, 1905. SATURDAY, AUG. 12, 1905. INDIAN ARMY REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7897, 12 August 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUG. 11, 1905. SATURDAY, AUG. 12, 1905. INDIAN ARMY REFORM.

■■' -0- ■ A curious commentary on the- rapid march of events in these days is aiforded by the object lesson which Japan has given to the world in ho marvellous system of military organisation and tactics as evidenced by the severe test which the Russo-Ja-panese war has imposed onjthe Mikado's troops. Jt seems 'jut yesterday that Japan was a painstaking pupil in the school o! military science and to-day we find her teaching the oldwerld Powers the art of success ir. warlike operations. When such a high authority as Lord Kitchener is moved to take drastic steps for the re-organisation of the Indian Ami) consequent on the exhibition of the enlightened up-to-date methods of Japan's army administration wc ma) be sure that the matter is weil worthy of consideration. At ali events, so far as our Indian Army is concerned, the lessons to he drawn from Japanese methods arc likely U. be fraught with great results. It was somewhat unfortunate that one o; the first results of Lord Kitchener':. movement in the direction oi reform led to friction with the Viceroy, and that, this has been followed by Lord Curzon's resignation, in consc quence, it is supposed, of the endorse ment by the Home Government 01 the scheme of re-organisation propounded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. The Blue liool. which has recently been published reveals a scathing indictment by Lord Kitchener of the present patchwork and rotten system in existence in India, and ample reasons are given for the proposed reforms. Lord Kitchen er's opinion of the present system, expressed in a minute dated in January last, is that it is "faulty, inefficient, and incapable of the expansion necessary for a great war ii. which the armed mighi of the Kinpin would be engaged in a life and dcali. struggle." The system of. dual control is condemned absolutely. Lord Kitchener pointed out that it had already received its death Mow at Home as the outcome of the South African War, and that althougn the system wherein the War Office and Hoist Guards were separate offices was abolished some thirty years ago in England, a very similar system had been maintained in India ever since the Mutiny. "The fact is," wrote Lord Kitchener, "our military administration has been framed mainly to meet peace requirements, and the consideration that an army exists for war has been /mile overlooked. In war the present system must break down ; and unless it is delHierately intended to court disaster, divided counsels, divided authority and divided responsibility must be aboltsiied. A confusrou of ideas regarding ' executive' and ' administrative ' functions has, I think, been responsible in a large measure for the condition of affairs.' Lord Kitchener did not make bis scathing indictment against dual control without reason, and the instances he gave of the evils resulting therefrom certainly justify the condemnaliion which the system received. Much as Lord Kitchener dislikes change, he is far mote averse to continuing a rotten system sooner than stretch out his hand to take a sound one. He points out that India is no longer in her former fortunate position of comparative isolation, as slowly,'but surely, the deserts of Central Asia, which were once believed to be an impenetrable barrier, have bvui crossed by a great European Power, being novy spanned by railways which have only one possible siguifo-ancc—-that our northern neighbour is pressing forward her preparations for the contest in which we shall have to tight for existence. The scheunl which he advocates embraces the institution of an Advisory Council for the whole War Department, consisting of the Commander-in-Chief as President, the other members being the Chief of the General Stall, the Adjutant-General, the QuartermasterGeneral, the Director-General of Ordnance, and the Financial Secretary, with the Secretary to the Government War Department as ex-olficio Secretary to the Council. This should constitute a council of experts- who would work harmoniously and be assured of the confidence of the nation. The supreme importance of having the army complete in every preparation for war i.iiiih foresight and singleness of purpose can suggest demands the reforms insisted on by Lord Kit', hener, and lenders it imperative that the Imperial Government should not hesitate any longer to break the chain of custom and the tolerance of admitted defects which arc so strong in India. The time for such a reform has auived, and it is to be hoped that the present an- I liquated and defective system will now give place to an up-to-date system, tlie advantages of which have i been so strikingly exemplified in the Russo-Japanese conflict..