ABSTRACT
The Staff College made a notable contribution to the Army's enhanced reputation for it had put behind it much of its reputation for pedantry. It was attracting some outstanding students; and, above all, the magic letters p.s.c. were seen to be worth having since they opened up opportunities not only of coveted appointments, but also of accelerated promotion. As Sir Frederick Maurice had emphasized, if the Staff College were to make a significant impact on the intellectual level of the Army, it was essential for it to secure outstanding men for its Commandant and instructing staff. The Staff College aspired to little more than laying the foundations for a useful career, and of course it could not ensure that the habits of study and thought cultivated during two fairly arduous years would be permanent. The Colonial Defence Committee was an inter-service departmental body which was set up on a permanent basis in 1885 and lasted until 1904.
