§ COLONEL A. C. EARLE WELBY (Taunton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that all great Continental nations make public the names of commanders and staffs of their field armies, and give those officers opportunities for practising in peace time the duties they will perform in war; and what special military advantage is gained by us in keeping secret the names of our field army commanders and staffs, and by not affording them opportunities for unitedly practising their duties?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. W. ST. JOHN BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordIn all great Continental armies the troops are maintained in peace in the same formations—Army Corps, Divisions, or Brigades—in which they would take the field, and under the same commanders. The distribution of our troops does not admit of their being grouped in peace in their war formations. Accordingly, except at specially organised 799 manœuvres, only military district commanders can exercise the troops. No advantage would, therefore, arise from publishing the names of the field army commanders and staff.