ployed upon
Government work. It introduced the system which enables so many men to
devote a part of their time to soldiering, and the rest to various other
kinds of Government work. But, of course, its main reason of existence
is the triumphant fact that it has done away with the loafer, as a
class, and reduced the chances of genuine employment to a minimum. Some
of the best mechanics and artisans in England to-day are men who learned
their trade, along with soldiering and general good citizenship, in one
of the Disciplinary Regiments.

Despite the increase of population, the numerical strength of our police
force throughout the kingdom is 30 per cent. lower to-day than it was
before the Anglo-German war; while, as is well known, the prison
population has fallen so low as to have led to the conversion of several
large prisons into hospitals. The famous Military Training School at
Dartmoor was a convict prison up to three years after the war. There
can be no doubt that, but for the Discipline Bill, our police force
would have required strengthening and prisons enlarging, in place of the
reverse process of which we enjoy the benefit to-day.

Its promoters deserve all the credit which has been paid them for the
introduction of this famous measure; and I take the more pleasure in
admitting this by token that the chief among them has publicly recorded
his opinion that the man primarily responsible for the introduction of
the Discipline Bill was John Crondall. At the same time it should not be
forgotten that we have John Crondall's own assurance that the Bill could
never have been made law but for that opening and awakening of the
hearts and minds of the British people which followed the spreading of
the gospel of Duty by the Canadian preachers.

XIX

THE GREAT ALLIANCE

Truly ye come of the Blood; slower to bless than to ban;
Little used to lie down at the bidding of any man.

. . . . .

Deeper than speech our love, stronger than life our tether;
But we do not fall on the neck nor kiss when we come together.

. . . . .

Draw now the threefold knot firm on the ninefold bands,
And the law that ye make shall be law after the rule of your lands.

RUDYARD KIPLING.

During all this time I was constantly with John Crondall, and saw a good
deal of Constance Grey; yet the announcemen