§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War what steps Lord Lansdowne proposes to take to ensure that the lessons of the war, as much in peace preparation as in strategy and tactics, shall not be lost at the War Office in either the administration or training of Her Majesty's Army.
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverI do not know that the war in South Africa has revealed any new principle of strategy; but it has certainly suggested many points of interest in respect of tactical movements, and the matter is not being lost sight of by the military authorities.
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENTDoes the hon. Gentleman propose to appoint a Committee to receive evidence upon it; or in what way does he propose to deal with it?
§ * MR. WYNDHAMTo deal with the new and important considerations which have arisen out of the tactical movements is a matter for the Commander-in-Chief. The moment has not yet come, in the opinion of the Commander-in-Chief, for making any fundamental change in tactical instruction. I doubt whether a Committee is needed. The War Office will have reports of the war from time to time, and on those it will act.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Will the question of revising and rewriting despatches also be taken into consideration?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!