The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-06 00:00:00

BRITAIfIRA.

Tug Emma, SCARLITIVAV; 02, ME ROAD AND ITS
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LANTKRS. Mr. Reynolds and Min K. Mules.

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LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 6.

A VERY important Report has just been issued
by the Select Committee on the system of retire-
ment in the three non-purchase corps of the Army
—the Artillery, Engineers, and Marines. These
branches of the service have long maintaired
themselves as an example of the possibility of
keeping up an army even in England, without the
adoption of the purchase system. Their officers do
bard and various service, and at least in the two
former branches they are distinguished by passing
through a complete professional education. Yet
these corps are as much as any others composed of
gentlemen, and the vacancies in them attract a far
larger crowd of candidates than the Line. They, too,
have however laboured under their disadvantages.
Promotion, being by seniority alone, has been
very slow. At certain periods, notably at present,
from the effects of the extens;on given to the
service in years of war, and subsequent reduc-
tions, advancement conies almost to a standstill.
And as promotion in them is not regimental, it
affects too wide an area to admit of the applica-
tion of the Indian method of securing a reasonable
rapidity of rise in separate regiments. In these
circumstances it was natural that grumbling
should reach the House of Commons, and
it was proper that it should receive the
attention of a Committee. This body comprised a
large proportion of military members, and in
addition the Marquis of HARTINCION, Mr. CULL-
DKR; and Mr. TILZVELYAN represented the com-
mon sense of the public. Its recommendations
come with more weight because they are in the
main unanimous, the Report, drawn by Mr. Cam-
DERN having been adopted with immaterial
variation by the Committee.

The way in which the matter is at present
managed is, like many of our other arrangements,
at once complicated and imperfect. For the two
corps of Artillery and Engineers, an annual sum
of 48,000/. is provided for retiring pensions.
When by death of pensioners any part of this
amount is set at liberty, it is applied to give an
annuity to the senior officer of the rank to which
the sum available is considered applicable. Thum,
if there is a pension amounting to 6001., it is
given to the senior major-general or regimental
colonel ; when between GOO/. and 4001., to the
senior brevet colonel ; when below 4001., to the
senior officer of Tower rank who has applied for
retirement. The Marines have a sum of 35,0001.
applicable to their corps ; but from their smaller
number this is found more than sufficient to give a
pension of 7001. a year to everycolonel commandant
retiring after 30 years' service, and a pension
equal to his pay to one of any other rank retiring
under like conditions ; while in the case of
officers above sixty years of age, the Ad-
miralty has power to compel retirement on
the same terms. But these regulations are
supplemented by others. Under a warrant of
1854, six officers of Artillery and three of Engi-
neers may annually retire on half-pay. The like
privilege was given last year to every officer after
25 years' service. And the inscrutable army re-
serve fund has also been employed to create va-
cancies, by buying out officers of Artillery or Engi-
neers, thus introducing the thin endof the purchase
wedge eveu into these corps.
The Committee propose, in substitution for all
this machinery, a few simple rules. They would
make retirement from regular service compulsory
at 60, leaving power to Government to employ
an officer so superannuated on any staff or spe-
cial service. They would give a graduated rate of
retiring allowances, commencing at the period of
22 yews' active service, irrespective of rank, with
an annuity of 2501., and increasing to the amount
of 6001., when 40 years' active service has
been reached before retirement. To those sums
any special pensions for wounds or distinguished
service would be added, and a step in rank would
besides be given on retirement. Finally, they
propose that Government should, in the option of
the officer retiring, commute his service annuity
for its value in cash, having regard to his health
and age. In this case his connexion with the ser-
vice would be considered as thenceforth severed,
and he would be ineligible for any further employ-
ment.

This plan introduces two novelties. The first
is the Absolute right to withdraw from the service
on a pension as soon as 22 years' active service is
reached. The second is the proviso fur com-
muting the pension for its value in cash. We are
disposed to think that these methods—which, in-
deed, we have before now advocated—will solve
the difficulty. If the pensions are adequate—and
this is a matter of detail to be settled by expe-
rience—they will present an alternative which a
considerable number of officers will be disposed to
accept. The system also will be self-adjusting,
fur whenever a period of stagnation is seen to be
impending, there will be an additional motive to
accept the retiring pension, and by the operation
of this motive promotion will be quickened
among those who remain. Since also the slug-
gishness of rise is greatest as the higher ranks are
reached, it is well that in them there should be
presented the additional motive of a very consi-
derable increase of retiring allowance. But while
we reserve any definite opinion on the adequacy of
the amounts proposed till they have been tested by
experience, we are inclined to think that they will
prove sufficient. An officer leaving the army at
40 years of age, with a secure income of 250 L.