Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-21 00:00:00

is at hand. At the same time it is asserted at
Paris that M. d e Rayneval, the French Ambassador
at Rome, has a 'ecently been again instructed to
urge on the Pc. pe, on his return to Rome, the
-tressive reforms. As it is well
necessity for pr©t
known from the
state papers written by M. de
k
Rayneval which fol.
tn(' their way to publicity that
he thinks the popula.
Lion of the Papal States unfit
for constitutional govt miment, the reforms he is to
recommend are probat ly not of the most sweeping
kind.
The news concerning the health of King Oscar
of Sweden is still unhap oily not of a nature to
remove apprehension. P. cotestant bigotry has
again won the day in Swedt Even the limited
proposals for a reform of lea vs referring to creed,
in particular thot obnoxious 1, tw which enacts that
whoever abjures the establishe Lutheran creed is\
to be expelled the country, have all been rejected
by the Diet.
The Pope was to leave Bologna on the 17th for
' Florence, where great preparations are making
to give him a brilliant reception. He will enter
the Papal States on the 29th, and reit ch ROM," on
the sth of September. The municipaiiity of Rome
instead of spending the money voted h v the coun-
cil in triumphal arches and illuminatioos, intend
to distribute it amongst the poor to red eem their
beddings from the Mont de Piete. The Lnembers
of the Chamber of Commorce, and some of the
principal merchants have subscribed to erect a
magnificent triumphal arch. The Pope's min.isters
have been lately doing all that possibly could be
done to lower the price of bread. A baker of
Rome, who was the first to lower his prices, has
been rewarded with a medal of gold.
The screw steamer Kangaroo arrived here frota
New York yesterday forenoon, with 51,000 dollars
specie, and advices to the 6th inst. inclusive. The
difficnity between the States Government and
New Granada was said to have been settled, and
hopes were entertained that Lord Napier and
General Cass would speedily come to friendly
agreement about the Central America question.
We publish our usual summary, political, miscel-
laneous, and commercial, in another column.

ON Tuesday we published an abstract of the
Report of the Commissioners on Purchase in the
Army. Since that we have had an opportunity
of perusing the document in extenso, as well as
reflecting upon the evidence on which the report
is based. Generally speaking, the Report is in
favour of the existing system. Sir DE LACY
EVANS, however, dissents from his colleagues,
and in a supplementary statement impugns in
emphatic terms, the expediency or justice of traf-
ficking in military commissions, and promises to
prove his position, as well as draft out a scheme
which will put an end to a system that has worked
perniciously in the public service, and is not only
unbecoming hut discreditable to a great country
like England. The other Commissioners base
their opinions, or rather judgment, in the matter,
and in support of the existing state of things, on
the fact that the vast majority of officers, of all
grades, are opposed to any change. This, no
doubt, is all very well in its own place ; but as
the reform of either the Army or the Navy are
questions of national concern, the individual
opinions of interested parties have not—or, at
least, should not possess—controlling influence.
Besides, the fact of collecting the votes or opinions
of officers who have purchased their commissions,
and expect to purchase promotion, is nothing
but a farce. A 9 well might we ask the opinion
of the freemen of a rotten borough whether a
new Reform Bill was requisite, as to expect that
military officers would desire to throw the service
open to men of talent and military genius without
payment for their commissions.
The Licensed Victuallers of the United King-
dom have raised a hue and cry throughout the
length and breadth of the land, against the im-
policy and injustice of throwing open the trade,
on the ground that it would be nothing but
national robbery to interfere with their vested
rights and interests. No doubt the army
officers on whose evidence the Duke of SOMERSET
and the other Commissioners rely for a justifica-
tion of the plan now in operation, would contend,
in support of their ideas, upon grounds similar to
the Licensed Victuallers in arguing against the
proposal of throwing oven their trade. It is
not to the opinions, of military men we have to
look for a solution of the question='. Shall army
commissions and promotions continue to be
purchased ?" The best guide and authority to
which we can refer is actual experience ; and
here we are met by the inquiry—Has the
present system answered the purpose, and pro-
moted the well-being and effective administration
of the military affairs of the country ? We say
not. Everything considered, the entire system
of purchase is an abuse and a scandal.

Let us examine this assertion. We know full
well, that from the moment a young mut pur-
chases the rank of ensign or lieutenant, the race
before him is one of money competition. Take,
for instance, the case of a rich but ambitious
junior officer, who yearns for the day when he is
to get the command of a regiment. His resources
are boundless. He associates with the most
elevated of our nobility ; has abundance of direct
and indirect influence at the Horse Guards,
and senior officers ready to give up their
turn, and make way for him. The wealthy
stripling hies off to his ar.oy agent, and
deposits the price of a colonelcy some 2,5001.,
and any further amount which may be necessary
to bribe off the senior officers, so that he may
become a mounted officer prancing to and fro on
a mettled charger, with u. cocked hat and gold
lace. Cases of this kind are by no means
unusual, true the Horse Guards have posted at
Whitehall a denunciatory notice against selling
commissions above the " regulation value."
Nevertheless, the regulation is disregarded, as
every officer in the service knows. Nay, more,
it is a well-known fact that there is a certain
plan whereby an officer can be brought from the
unhealthy climate of Sierra Leone, and put to do
duty at WindSor or the Metropolitan Parks.
Many can do, and does it all. Any fond doting
father, or anxious mother, who has the meanF,
and desirous that his or her sprig of a wealthy
family shall pull off his marching boots, lounge
about in the clubs, taking daily exercise and