At last the Royal Commission to inquire into the military preparations for the war in South Africa, for which the Opposition were constantly clamouring while the war his been in progress, has been appointed. The announcement of the names of the Commissioners has not been received with enthusiasm, but an examination of their qualifications will make it difficult to see how a better selection could have been made. As announced a month or more ago Lord Elgin is to be the Chairman. By common consent he Was an excellent Viceroy of India. Lord Esher has been for many years the permanent head of His Majesty's Office of Works and Public Buildings. As regards the Army and Navy, it would, of course, have been impossible to appoint men who are still on the active list, and therefore it would be difficult to select better men than Sir Henry Norman and Sir John Hopkins. Sir George Taubman Goldie is an expert in African adminstration; Sir John Jackson probably has as great experience as any man living in the matter of Government contracts; and Sir John Edge, a distinguishd ex-Indian judge, will supply the legal knowledge. War Office Blundering.
_Just, before the Royal Commission begins its sittings, a curious instance of blundering on the part of War Offic officials has come to light. Some two Years ago or more the country was ringing with indignation against a certain firm of War Office contractors, Messrs. Underwood and Ca., who were alleged to have supplied bad hay for the horses in South Africa. The firm was denounced by Ministers in the House of Commons, it was struck off the list of firms allowed to tender for Government contracts, and one of its members was actually removed by the Lord Chancellor from the Com-
the Royal sanction to. take. proceedings Underwood petitioned for and obtained mission of the Peace. Thereupon
against the Secretary for War; and the result' has quite recently been made Imon. It takes the form of a letter to Underwood from the War Office en-500, with an intimation that "this disposes of all the allegations made against you of having supplied bad. defective hay." It appears that after
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.