The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-31 00:00:00

THE FOREIGN LEGION.

VIM • 11P11111•L
In my former letter to you I endeavoured to point
out the nature of the contract entered into between
the English government on the one band and Bona
Blut•erheim, ein,maccliog the Germ's legion, on the
other—namely. that, io consideration of a stipulated
ism, to be paid by the English people, a given mas-
ks, of televise meressaries were to be found by the
Garman cootric•ora I turthar endeavoured to show,
by means of a few simple figures, essay verified, how
math more than sufficient the sum allowed by go-
vernment was to ensure the enlistment of the 10.000
men io question. Were this all, it might be urged
with justice, as far as foreign powers are concerned,
that John Bull bad a perfect right to pay dear for
his whistle if he chose to do so; bat unfortunately
the evil does not end here, and another, and, if pos-
sible.. greater one Galata, which, though it doss not so
directly teach the pecuniary interests of the English
people, harts them in a more vital point of view.
The facts are simply as follows:
The ',crafting agent stationary on the frontier is,
es a matter of coarse, in correspondence with a som-
ber of minor agent., scattered about the country, and
who are salted, is the phraseology of the country,
sesercheed camases, sad a more appropriate weed
could, perhaps, hardly be used t them. These
sellers of men receive usually from five to fifteen
francs per man, according to the quality of the mer-
ehandise they can deliver at bead-quarters. The
quality most in demand is the deserter; it is, taw-
quietly the best paying, and the suboodisate spat
displays his greatest activity, puts forth his greatest
powers, in order to decoy the Prussian or Ger-
man soldier into his net. Not bemuse he is
in reality a better man, for what is that to him, bat
bemuse be receives a greater recompute for the
trained soldier than for the raw cosatrynian. The
soldier enticed to desert has cost time,paine,and mosey
to train him into fitness for the service, under whose
eolours he his enrolled ; bat in thus seducing him from
his allegiance, do we act honestly ? The English
people hear of the arrest of their agents in vanes
continental countries, and it doubtless appears at first
view a hard case that the men of other lands, bound
by the same considerations and ties as ourselves, wil-
lies and able to aid in a task which is partly their
own, for we love to believe now that England is not
spilling her best blood and spending bee treasure for
private aims and for personal ambitious ends, that
men who will reap with us their fair share of the
reward in view, should be prevented from
fighting side by side with their English 'I
brethren in the cause of freedom. Superficially
viewed, I repeat this seems a hard case; bat it is not
'known that, urged by promised reward, the merchant
in men is everywhere: that it is part of his duty to
pick up the discontented soldier, to aggravate that
dtseoatent and to profit by it, to pick up the man on
furlough, who has perhaps spent the money given
him to rejoin his regiment. to hold up before his eyes
the sure punishment which awaits his return. and,
on the other hand, the high bounty and the hearty
welcome but asking his acceptance the other aide the
frontier. He gives the man mossy, and facilitates
his escape, and your readers have not seen as I have,
the recruiting office?. eye sparkle, and his mouth
smile, as le sees from the certificates of the two men
before him, that they are deserters, in fact criminals,
and as such the more welcome additions to the British
Foreign Legion.
Such are the reasons why our recruiting is
have been hunted like vermin, and im like
culprits, despite the cloak of England's protection
considerately thrown over them, not in one, but in all
the continental countries where they have pat their
het. In many a garrison town the presence of these
seen ever working and counselling towards evil has
become a perfect plague-spot; and will the man, who
for the love of gain, who for the 'skeet the E;iglitd;
bounty, has doerted from his regiment, moaned
hie country, and insulted his colours by the act, be
converted at once into a good and faithful soldier the
moment he takes British pay ; or will he not, should
the opportunity offer, play England the some trick
with Russia as he bay already played his own
mostly injavonr of England P At all events his
character cannot be a very good one, and yet
though Ido not believe any one will be found to up-
hold the policy, much less the honesty of this system,
it is at this very moment in full operation, and I have
had myself ocular proof that a higher rata of head
money is systematically given to the agent for the
deserter than for any other recruit.
I remember bearing a lady say that, when &child,
a tea drir king reunion was called together, the mem-
bers of which were to enjoy tea, then a fresh import&
Um from China, for the first time. Not knowing
how it was to be drunk, they poured boiling water on
the leaves, and then draining off the water pro-
seeded to eat the leaves, miaow' with salt and
pepper, and naturally thought it abominable. Jost
ne me we 'sting respecting our German Legion.
Mime might be found in profusion were proper in-
ffeements Sigrid them. England is the only Euro-
pese pewee 'amble of offering them those attractions.
Meade landing the German recruit in England
WWI simeant, on an average, to BL, the bounty of
tR included ; yet are we content to pay a reach
=rate I sad was, ponny-wise, though pound.
we encourage wimsality and desertion to
&Min trained men.
If Ragland needs usemelibe does amil ems
—why not establish a paper nesektng mookelen
on the French frontier, sorkig a kb losity, fair
treatment, and the future *thuds* of Baines of
colonisation under English protection IP Theseed
men of the country, who an in het in nem we
vast, would Rock to us, am wadi coy Iliteer•
able to our cause object be soft so We
should drink the infusion, mot sat Se bike leaves of
our tea, and what reason can there east why we
should prefer an increased cost of some 2.l!_per =Me
which, in a legion to be maintain(' at 10,0ffil einem
becomes a very serious consideration, not to boat the
man himself bat simply cover the expellee mimed
by mismanagement and to swell the pocket of the
trafficker in his fellow-men, to induce him, to
render odious the name of the English service in
continental eyes, and to foster a system which, by
a premium on *rime, adieu-
Lll;ctairrhen, on the other hand, by a ids straight-
forward, well organised system, we might benefit
both ourselves and others. In writing thus strongly,
lam but re-echoing the sentiments of the whole con-
tinent.
What, too, is England's present volition se regards
her foreign legions ? The system tlf the Osman_
recruiting, with its unnecessary =pewee and delibe-
rate errors, I have endeavoured. :bough per-
haps but feebly, to portray, bet still I trait to have
succeeded in at least showing how it is am agents
tail, and why their subordinates are iniprieond-
The Swiss commission has succeeded, and well and
arerced worked, has already furnished a cootie nut of
p men, but those men, many of them ree,ly for
service, remain idle at Shorneliffe, and the Wows
become dissatisfied. A schism has sprung up amens
them. ending in the secession of three of the officer.',
sans of the leading aristocracy of Berne, who, con-
sidering themselves ill treated by the English govern-
ment, are about to appeal to the judgment of their
00111
IntiTinurk;y, the Turkish cavalry enlisted in our
service are in open and undisguised revolt, have in-
sulted their officers, trampled down the British
mimes ander their feet, and are now being domi-
nated by the grapeshot of a French corvette. It
would seem, indeed, that it is the bitter tea leaves
we are doomed to eat, and it will require a most in-
ordinate quantity of seasoning to make the mess
palatable either to the English people or to their
Continental neighbours. at present suffering from the
errors of our recruiting system.

TEI Fames AaxL—The Iran Lamp goss
hits agues to show that Prwabe needle set fear Fteedi
demeastreties on the Shia*; Au, Tame has 101 Wintry
Mir. of this. 41 have bees NO to the lot, 2 ere
et Rome. 12 et leers nest be is Ateks. SID that 'sly 46 sea
reuela I. Prase.. At keit 10 regisaile is treated let
Pule mad ether popsies. team, hs,w brat ishatil
reclasate, es. 11:6 battalion", hoe he ether melee. These
salted with e doe properties et troops of ether sem, would
tarnish ea may of et tweet 120,000 .es, decidedly Is. few.
the Krim ZeActey Wake, to extinguish Patois. • mist
nialeteesteet of UN curiae if Btreeboory, sad eras re-
meths themes is s Boyden rawer, have soiled kw*
WI *day II OMNI Thillte7 lOgiC