'Russia and India in 1903' [‎14r] (27/68)

IS INDIA READY?
25
upon the platform for sending Lord Kitchener “to the
Himalayas” when he is so much wanted at home.
But it is perfectly certain that he has ample scope for
much-needed work as Commander-in-Chief in India.
What are his functions in that capacity ? . Of course
the answer will be that the Commander-in-Chief is
wholly and solely responsible for the Army in India,
both British and Native, and everything connected
with its training and work in peace and in the field.
That is quite incorrect. The Commander-in-Chief is
certainly an extra-ordinary member of the Viceregal
Council. But he only sits thereon with the Military
member, the Finance member, the Home member, the
Public Works member, and the Legal member. In a
military sense he is responsible for the military staff
only of the Army, and in the matter of military accounts,
military works, supply and transport, ordnance, and
the Indian Medical Service he is practically sub
ordinate to the Military member of Council, who
occupies an analogous position to that of Secretary of
State for War, and whose authority upon expenditure
and the Services under his charge has to be sought by
formal application through the Secretary to the Military
Department.
There is neither Chief of the Staff nor General Staff.
When the South African War broke out generals were
often given staff officers whom they did not know, and
some of whom were inexperienced in staff work. The
result history records. Similarly, during the campaign
staffs grew to the most inordinate size. A brigadier
would have ten or a dozen staff officers. The “ intelli
gence” officer was, more often than not, picked up on a
letter of introduction or from a casual acquaintance.
The staff of Lord Kitchener himself was almost the
only small one, consisting of two or three hard-working
members. In India numbers have been and are the
rule. Sometimes they have one set of titles, some
times another, and then on mobilisation the experienced