PROGRESS OF BARRACK REFORM.
IF anything were needed to prove the useful influence exercised by the Press, it could be furnished by the debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening on Lord Ebrington's resolutions about the Army and Barrack Reform. Some time since her Ma- jesty appointed a Commission to investigate the sanitary state of the Army ; one of the results of that inquiry was a great blue- book, a species of document which is read by some few persons deeply interested in the subject, or capable of grappling with great labour, but not generally perused even by Members. For reasons which we have already examined, Commissions and Com- mittees are gradually sliding. into a habit of doing almost nothing but reporting the evidence in extenso ; and although in this ease the Committee did not thus evade its duty, but presented an ana- lytical report, our own pages have proved that the evidence went far beyond the report. The journal of the greatest circulation, the Times, laboured in the same work ; other journals have done so, and the consequence is that the mode in which the soldier spends his life, his lodging, clothing, cooking, occupation, and family economy, have been familiarized to the general reader, and the Members. A further consequence is, not only that the lournals expressed their opinions upon the subject-matter, the journals themselves representing an ex post facto constituency in their readersibut correspondents have proved the interest taken in the subject; and that great unrecognized debating which goes on in the conversation of society, has also assisted in rearing and ma- turing a strong public opinion. What is the ultimate effect ? It is that when Lord Ebrington brings forward the subject in the House the Members know what he is taking about ; they have the salient facts at their fingers' ends; they know that others know as much ; having seen that society has made up its mind, they speak with trained thought, with a sense of moral support, with well-considered courage; and from Lord Palmerston to Ge- neral Peel, from Mr. Sidney Herbert to Colonel Knox, the main object is to introduce a sound economy by enabling the soldier to live in decency, comfort, and health.
There is, however, as we have always kept in view, a deeper question. Although so much as three or four millions has not
expended on barrack accommodation during the last three or four years, as Mr. Pease imagined, very considerable sums have been laid out, without securing so much improvement as the money should have purchased. The reason is, that when public money is granted, those into whose hand it floats are too prone to consider that the work which is to be done is simply an oppor- tunity for the advantage and emolument of some friend. The House grants the money for the sake of the work, the work is undertaken for the sake of the money, and the public does not always get the intended improvement. On this point, however, General Peel, that is the War Secretary for the time being, knows that the public eye is upon him, knows that he is under the sur- veillance of the press ; and while we demand improved accommo- dation for the soldier, we are resolved that the bill for improving the barracks shall be audited.
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