Note 1 — Chapter XVI · THE ILLNESS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Nothing did more to sap and undermine the popularity of the Government than an evasive statement of Mr. Cardwell’s as to the arms in store. On the vote for increasing the army by 20,000 men on the 1st of August, 1870, Sir John Hay asked what was the use of voting the money when the Government “had not 20,000 breechloaders ready for service for the army, the militia, and volunteers.” Mr. Cardwell, in reply, said he had 300,000 rifles “in store,” and left the House of Commons when it rose, under the impression that the weapons were ready for use as surplus weapons on any emergency. Of these, however, it was subsequently admitted by Mr. Cardwell in an interview with Lord Elcho that 100,000 were needed to meet existing demands, and that a considerable number of the rest were in Canada.