In the winter of 1927–8, the late Professor Graham Wallas delivered a series of lectures on “Army Control” to the members of the Army Class then attending the London School of Economics. He remarked that this subject was of considerable interest but, as far as he knew, no one had published a study of it. He added that possibly someone in the Class might feel inspired to write such a book. This small volume is an attempt to carry out his suggestion, and the author hopes that it may be useful to students and others who are interested in the subject of the relations between Parliament and the Army.

Apart from Professor Graham Wallas' lectures, the materials from which the following pages have been compiled are to be found scattered in histories, biographies, memoirs, letters, debates in Parliament, newspaper articles, etc., covering the whole two hundred and sixty years which elapsed from the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 until the establishment of the Army Council in 1904. My authorities are fully indicated in the footnotes.

Without Professor Graham Wallas' encouragement and advice, which only ceased a few months before his death, the book would never have been written.

My thanks are due to W. Y. Baldry, Esq., O.B.E., the Librarian of the War Office, for valuable criticism and advice.