ked him to assist me in
getting Harman's appointment. He handed me a copy of my own report of
1890, recommending that an officer _on_ the active list of the Royal
Artillery should hold the position, on which recommendation the Premiers
had acted. "Now," he said, "you are not on the 'active list of the Royal
Artillery'; how can I possibly assist you?" I had had plenty of time on
the way from Albany to Melbourne to think over this difficult point,
which I had foreseen. I had my answer ready. I suggested to him that I
should be appointed on loan, as it were, from Australia, for a term of
one year, during which time I should be granted leave of absence from my
appointment of Commandant of South Australia, to which position I would
return at the end of the twelve months, and then an officer of the Royal
Artillery on the active list could be selected. It was a big concession I
was asking for, and I knew it. I said no more. I knew my man. Kingston
grasped a point quicker than any man I have ever known, except perhaps
Kitchener. Both disliked superfluous words. Well, Kingston just smiled
and said: "Come and lunch with me to-morrow. Good morning."

At lunch next day there were four of us--Kingston, Sir Edward Braddon,
Premier of Tasmania, Sir John Forrest, Premier of Western Australia, and
your humble servant. Both Sir Edward and Sir John were old friends of
mine. After lunch Kingston asked me if I knew the Premiers of New South
Wales, Victoria and Queensland well. I told him I knew George Reid (New
South Wales) very well, but I knew nothing much about the Premiers of
Victoria or Queensland personally. "Well," he said, "see George Reid at
once, tell him what you want and the reason why, and let me know what he
says about it." I saw George Reid during the afternoon, explained the
situation to him, and asked him for his support. He informed me that he
had already been approached on behalf of another officer by some of his
supporters, but had not given a definite answer, and he felt that he
could not very well support me, who was in no way connected with New
South Wales. "You see," he added, "there are six colonies concerned. Now,
have you got three Premiers to support you?" I said "Yes." (My three
friends at lunch.) "Well, then," he went on, "if I remain neutral and
decline to vote you will have three votes to two in your favour, and thus
carry the day, even if the other two vote against you." With a hearty
shake of his hand and gr