The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-18 00:00:00

QUALIFICATIONS OF STAFF OFFICERS.

AIDES-DE-CAMP.
To write a distinct and legible hand and compose
English correctly.
To have a good colloquial knowledge of one
foreign language.
To have a good eyo for a country, and to be able
to produce an intelligible sketch of it.
To know the use of the sketching compass, or
pocket sextant, in order to lay down and protract
the leading features of a country to be described.
To have a thorough knowledge of regimental
duty and tactics, and field movements on an
extended scale.'
Also a knowledge of field fortification, both as
regards construction and correct description on
reconnaisance.

BRIGADE MAJORS.

To have all the qualifications of a good Adjutant,
the same acquirements as are exacted from an
Aide-de-Camp, and thorough knowledge of military
law, and the army and war office regulations.
The following further acquirements will be
required to qualify for Deputy Assistants Adjutant
General, and Deputy Assistants Quartermaster
General, viz. :
Practical sketching, both on horseback, called
" flying sketching," as well as correct and finished
plotting ; practical trigonometry and geometry,
with knowledge of logarithms.
To write, read, and speak at least one foreign
language ; to judge of ground and its proper
occupation by all arms ; to have a perfect knowledge
of castrametation, and the principles of permanent
fortification.

And to be thoroughly acquaintei with geography
and military history, especially as relates to the
campaigns of ancient and modern commanders,
To the whole of the foregoing will be added, for•
assistants adjutant and assistants quartermaster
general the elements of mechanics, hydrostatics,
and geology ; the construction of military bridges,
dams, &c. ; an acquaintance with the principles of
strategy, and statistics of the army.
All staff officers should be able to ride well.
By command of his Royal Highness the General
Commanding in Chief,
G. A. WETHERALL, Adjutant General.

LEADEN PIPES.—The effects of lead pipes upon water
are thus described by Dr. Angus Smith, of Manchester :
The use of lead is common enough, and although the danger
from this metal has oftea been pointed out, there is no
diminution in the amount used. It is acknowledged that
with soft water lead is very dangerous, but I am disposed
to think that it is clang, roue even with hard, except when a
crust forms upon it. When a lead pump is used, no matter
how hard the water is, there is still lead to be found in it.
In one case I found lead when there were sixty tsso grains
of lime salts in a gallon : the family filtered the water, but
that did not quite remove it, although it was improved.
This shows the lead to have been in complete solution,
although the water was hard. The pump was made of
lead, so that there was a constant friction, preserving ths
surface clean, and assisting comminution. In another case,
where there was a lead pump and well, the water coming,
also, from a badlydrained and putrid underground, the water
was acid, and an acid salt of lead was found in the water
strong enough to have a destinct plumbous taste, and other-
wise nauseous from the other salts, such as nitrates and
chlorides (of the alkalies). A few bubbles of sulphide of
hydrogen made the whole of a deep brown instantly, and
it was lamentable to find that the persons who used it did
not expect any evil from this source. The use of zinc in
lead pipes has been proposed as a remedy, but it is not
desirable to drink even zinc. There is a lead pipe made
in Manchester covered with tin ; a very thin filter protects
it considerably from the action of water aeidalated with
acetic acid (I since find it does not last above three to four
years in Manchester). Probably for water pipes it may be
useful. It is time that some change should be made in the
small water pipes now made of lead, and that the use of
lead pumps and cisterns should be done away with, unless
they can be protected."