The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-05 00:00:00

ARMY REFORM.

The following extract from a letter of a distin-
guished loreigner, deserves attention at present :

This leads me straight to your question, if I can give yon

come notions on the organisation of a war department /
Cc riskily no one an give them bettor thadmyselt, as I had
s great share in organishig the - army, in 1842;
sed, subsequatly, organised the whole army, and war de-
partment of -, almost without the aseistance of
lea Amuses de slider. Having at that time been obliged to
make use of civilians u seeretuies and clerks, I know how
dillicult it is for them to enter fully into a military view of
things. I can of course only smile when it is imagined that
great improvements in this branch can be made by Palmer-
ston, Panniers, sad °then. All these, and aU others,
do not tee where the fault lies. It is in the oustitutioe,

in the infatuation of your own perfection, in the slavery to
fashion, in the want of nerve and intelligence in the are
tocreey, and in the general disorganisation of the higher,
euthorities, in all that relates to the army, and in the army
itself. If, then, you would organise a war department you
must re-organise ell the other departments. The crown
must have direct power over the army through the War
Slinttsr. This minister must be a soldier, not the ma-

matador of a militia regiment, for none but a soldier knows
the duties and wants of the privates as well as of the
officers. He must have everything belonging to the army,
ordnance, commissariat, medical department, transport—
in short, bing in his hand ; of course divided
inta their separate trenches, with technical men at their
head. Ho•mast nominate all commanders and salters, so
that he can select the mao most competent for the particular
object or service required. He must not be removed by a
vote of the house affecting pasty, but should be a permanent
minister, as it requires a long military career to qualify him
for his post. To Ibis your constitution opposes an obstacle,
which makes me declare that if you will‘have a really gOOO
organisation of your army, it would lead to a general
reform of administration in England, which I believe

will tyke place in a few years. England is
an aristocratic republic, but her aristocracy has
shown itself inadequate in the army, imbecile
in parliament, infatuated in ordinary life, and
it will now show itself incapable to save the
country from Ws end dishonour. What drew forth
the hostile vote of the Commons? Not the stalest of
sending the fleet to the Black Sea when the Russians
crossed the Froth in 1863, not the wrong policy of the go-

',foment in respect to Poland, Germany, and Scandinavia;
but the private losses that had been sustained is their own
families, or throughout the nation. If a real and general
feeling of the inefficiency of the government had laid bold
of the nation how could it tolerate to be so trifled with, that
every branch of the administration remained in the heads of
the men they had outvoted. Under such circumstances, it
is a farce to talk of the English co•stitetion. Aberdeen
was the only man who retired, the others remaining to
t►e satisfaction of the country. Aberdeen is declared by
the nation at large to be • miserable, incompetent minister,
sod even suspected to be • dangerous traitor; and at the
SIMS time the highest honour of the crown—the Riband of
the Garter, is conferred upon him.
I return to the consideration of the army. That is now
clearly demonstrated which I have always snarled, that
the Duke of Wellington was not • great statesman.
His antiquated tory principles made him neglect the
reforms required in the system. He wished to keep
the army as an aristocratic institution for younger
cons of nobility. Teri duke knew that they would never
be needed in time of peace to drill and take care of the sli-
thers. Therefore, notwithstanding his experience in
Spain, where hr saw the difference in the German Legion,
be continued to leave everything, except macouvring,
in the bands of non-commissiored officers ; and this at once
is the reason why you have ready neither commander, nom•

,
mimarist, war minister, nor nnything. All that your soldiers
understand is lighting; yet it is neesseary that they should
le taught foraging, collecting fuel, making huts, Ac. The
officer who is unacquainted with then details, can neither
help his men, nor suggest them to his troops. He takes
no interen in them, and whenever any

the army, he loses everything in the eyes of
the private, even to outward respect. An officer
mot go through the same drill as • private.
I myself, for sample, was five =oaths so employed before
mitering service, Gleaning my horse, saddlieg, packing him,
Amino all my arms and equipment., my saddle, my har-
ems, carbine, pistols, sword, dress, ito.; besides cooking
and tinging. The officer should pass through all grades,
for it is necessary to learn to obey in order to command ;
for it is essential to know the duties and feelings of the
soldier to understand what he can do or he required to do.
The traffic in commissions must be abolished, and every
°Zest should pare an examination in order to see that be
knows all the manual of a private, as well as the theorstiesi
knowledge of a subaltern officer. He should undergo
second elimination before he could rime to his majority sr
become • field officer. He should lAN a great deal of gad-
-1141 and barrack duty, in order to bring him in contact with
the privates, and enable hint to appreciate each man's
character and powers. When I commanded a squadrea fee
five years, I knew all my 146 rasa and bones so perfeetly,
met I could have placed each man to the special duty, or at
the poet be was best qualified to fill. The regiments should
sea be given to old generals who see them, bat to
soles& who constantly remain with them, sad command
them. From this arises the considered°s whether brigades
and divisions should be standing or temporary. It is better
for the generals to be employed, bet there are many °betas
elm to it, en mama of your colonial serails. I now pets
to the erasideration of the "staff." Yoe have nose ; yea
have sot even the idea of one. You call all generals and
sidraderemp the staff, but they have nothing to do with
the "fitat major."
The lied major (der generelatab) is a corps et picked
alleen, who, after a special examination, prove that they
have the requisite qualifications. They have at their hoed
&chef, who gives orders for their different employment..
They me required to make topographical and atatistieelre
ports of the whole world, and draw up historical and aided
reports and examinations of all the greet semegsigite sad
generals of ancient and modern times. They mot Mew
km to besiege or defend a fortress ; in short, Ore dimmest
possess all the theoretical and practical knowledge, dm thit
drill of a troop to the leading of an army. A ociameader•
is-chief represents the head of the army ; and hi staff,
selected from the eke maim of the army, is its hands and
arms, its feet and eyes.
Bads a staff, from which the sidecile.ramp and galopins
are kept spent, is headed by a chef, who receives the u-
psets, transmits the order,, and transacts all the basin.m
with the essamander-iu-chief, and with him is responsible
Ise everything except the result of battles. The rule is that,
when the commander.ia-ehkf and his chef d'/far metier are
of different opinions about the position or movement of the
army, the latter asks for a council of war, which Is con-
sulted, and either its opinion is followed or recorded, in
seder that the whole responsibility may then devolve on the