The third and last Report of the Geddes Committee, published
last Saturday, recommended savings on various departments amounting to £8,782,300, and making, with the reductions previously proposed and a further saving of £3,000,000 in the Pensions Ministry, a total of £86,844,175. The Committee de- clared that at least £13,000,000 mere could be saved on the Navy, as a result of the Washington Conference, on naval oil stores and on British garrisons overseas, thus making the reduction of £100,000,000 which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had desired. The fall in prices and in the cost of living might enable the Navy and Army Estimates to be cut down still further. The Committee described their Report as " the unanimous recommendations of five men of goodwill, desirous -of advising you as to how, having regard to the revenue, the national Budget can best be balanced." Critics should make concrete alternative proposals.
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