The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-27 00:00:00

ROYAL MARINES.

We are glad 'to End the recommendations of the mili-
tary commission, in reference to this gallant branch of
the public service, have been confirmed by the following
order in council:—

" At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 13th day
of Sept., 1854. Present, the Queen's Most Ex-
cellent Majesty in Counoil.
"Whereas there was this day read at the board a
memorial of the Right Honourable the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty, dated the sth day of August
last, in the words following, viz. Whereas we have
had under our consideration the report of the commis-
sioners appointed by your Majesty to inquire into the
several modes of promotion and retirement i■ your Ma-
jesty's military forces, and it being highly desirable that
i❑ any changes that may be adopted in reference to pro-
motion in the army the condition of the' Royal Marine
corps should not las overlooked, we would venture, raost
humbly, to submit to your Majesty, with the view of
keeping alive in that meritorious corps the spirit and
zeal so essential to tkeir efficiency, the following propo-
sitions :
" 1. That officers, after actually serving in the rank
of lieutenant-colonel, or on the staff, in situations neces-
sarily held by lieutenant-colonels for three years, be
given the rank of colonel.
" 2. That field officers, whose commissons as such
date prior to the 19th June, 1854, be allowed to rise by
brevet, as under the regulations now in force ; but no
officer, not then of the rank of lieutenant.colonel, to rise
to that of colonel, otherwise than by three years' service
in the former rank, or as a reward for distinguished ser-
♦ice, or by appointment as aide-de-cramp to your Ma-
jesty.

-3, That the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, with the sanction of your Majesty, or the Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Forces, should exercise the power
of appointing colonels of Marines to commands as major-
generals, without reference to seniority ; or that colo-
nels or lieutenant-colonels may be selected to serve as
field-officers of Marine; embarked in the fleet, without
reference to seniority. _ _

" 4. That periodical brevets be prospectively abo-
lished.
" G. That there shall be a fixed establishment of 10
general officers of Marines, of whom two may be gene-
rals, three lieutenant-generals, and five major-generals.
' 6. That in addition to the above established list of
general officers of Marines, the rank of major-general
shall be given to all qualified officers holding the rank of
colonel on retired full pay of the rank in which they
were last serving, whenever any officer, originally junior
to there in the rank of colonel, may become major-gene-
ral
on the established list of general officers of Marines,
but without further increase of pay.
." 7. That those general officers who may henceforth
be allowed to receive the retired full pay of the rank in
which they last served, shall be placed, according to
their seniority, in the same list with the other general
officers of Marines, but their names, for convenience of
reference; to have an asterisk prefixed is them, or to be
printed in italics.
" 8. That every vacancy on the fixed list of general
officers be filled either by the senior major-general, or by
the senior colonel serving on the strength of the corps,
unless there should be a supernumerary officer (as here-
after explained), in which case the supernumerary should
fill the vacancy ; and if there be more than one super-
numerary, a promotion shall take place in every second
vacancy only, until the supernumerary number be re-
duced.
" 9. That promotions shall be made in the ranks of
field officers below the rank of colonel, from time to
time, or as vacancies occur in the major-generals' list,
with a view to secure to those officers that promotion
in the Marines which they would have obtained under
the present system.
"' 10. That an addition to the colonels promoted to
be major-generals under the foregoing rules, colonels of
Marines shall be eligible for promotion to the rank of
major-general, lieutenant-general, or general, either for
brilliant service in the field or afloat, or in consequence
of having hold commands with temporary rank, as gene-