§ Captain CLIVEasked whether Colonel a Court Repington is to be the editor of the new official publication called the "Army Review"; if so, what salary he will receive; whether he will have access to documents not available to the Press generally; and whether he mill continue to hold his appointment on the staff of "The Times"?
§ Colonel SEELYColonel à Court Repington has been appointed Editor of the "Army Review"—salary £500 a year. His duties will be confined to editing the "Review" under the direction and control of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He will, of course, not have access to any confidential documents. He will be at liberty to engage in any other literary work for which he has time.
§ Lord BALCARRESWill this officer have access to documents to which other journalists will not have access?
§ Colonel SEELYHe will only have access to such papers as are necessary to conduct the journal, in the same way as the editors of similar French and German publications have access to those papers; but he will not have access to any confidential documents. I do not see how it 128 could be possible to have an editor under terms different from those which I have explained to the House.
§ Lord BALCARRESWill this officer have access to documents to which other newspaper editors will not have access?
§ Colonel SEELYIt is rather difficult to explain what the duties of the editor of a new publication will be, before we have experience as to how the thing will work. I do not think that there can be either inconvenience or injustice to other journals, since the scope of the journal will be similar to that of the "Revue Militaire" and the German quarterly publication of the General Staff.
§ Mr. HUNTCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether criticisms adverse to War Office policy will be allowed?
§ Colonel SEELYI hope the fullest liberty to expressions of opinion will be allowed consistent with good order and discipline. Of course, the editor himself will, as I have said, have the duty of editing the review under the direction of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, who will be under the control of the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. GEORGE LLOYDMay I ask if other journalists will be allowed to see all these documents?
§ Colonel SEELYI do not think it is a question of seeing documents. This distinguished officer will be the editor of "The Review," and he will receive articles from officers in the Army and will collate other information which he will obtain with regard to foreign armies on the higher region, and generally on the higher aspects of the art of war, if I may use the word higher. I do not think it is a question of documents.
§ Mr. G. LLOYDAm I to understand that he will not see any War Office documents at all?
§ Colonel SEELYHe will see no confidential documents of any kind; but supposing for any purpose he wanted to see any War Office paper of a non-confidential character, of course, if it would be convenient, he would be allowed to do so. He will be the editor of "The Review" like editors of the French and German journals.
§ Captain CLIVEWill it be permanently established?
§ Colonel SEELYThe appointment is terminable on short notice on either side. It has not been made at all permanent yet. We will see how it goes on. I hope the publication will be of great use to the officers of the Army.