§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURasked the Secretary of State for War, If he will adopt all requisite measures within his administrative powers, and further if he will apply to Parliament to grant the funds, and to pass such legislative enactments, as will ensure the provision of the means to enable commanding officers to enforce and carry on Military discipline without the aid of flogging; and if he will add to the establishments of Corps, and to the Army, an efficient provost police body to aid in preventing or checking those few offences which soldiers are too prone to commit; also if he will place all employed men, such as the lance sergeants, lance corporals, pioneers, bandsmen, artizans, standard guard, on such a footing as regards rank and pay as will constitute them non-commissioned officers, bound by duty to aid in enforcing discipline; finally, if he will pass stringent rules, requiring all recruits to be thoroughly trained, and before being passed into the ranks, reported on by a responsible officer of rank, as to their fitness by age, bodily powers, and Military instruction to perform all the duties of a soldier in the field as well as in garrison; and, whether he will make known to Parliament any failure in so preparing recruits for the ranks, or if the recruit depôts be insufficient as regards training establishments or numbers of recruits, whether that inefficiency will be brought under the consideration of Parliament, and the requisite funds asked for, to ensure that high degree of efficiency so essential for our small Army?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, any Question by my hon. and gallant Friend is well worthy of consideration; but his present inquiry covers so much ground that I could not possibly answer it in less than half an hour. All the points he raises relate to matters of administration and discipline of the importance of which I am fully conscious, but on which I think the House would hardly wish to form a judgment on an answer to a Question.