The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-04 00:00:00

ARMY OFFICERS.

The Army and Navy Gazette points out that the
officers of the army are forming an opinion that they
are at times not fairly treated ; that they hint that
the appellation of a "Queen's Army" is fast losing
its proper signification ; that what one Government
promises, another Government may not carry out,
and that there is no depending with any certainty on
any future that may come to them. They suggest that
they are at the mercy of any gentleman who may
for the time being hold the office of Secretary of
State for War, and who almost invariably is not,
.and never has been, in their profession. The same
paper says :—" It has often been said, and sometimes
wondered at, that officers are still to be found in any
numbers for our Army. Some time since it was
hard enough to get cornets for our cavalry. Let us
hope that in the hour of need we may never be in
want of officers because, when not needed, they had
reason to feel they were not well treated."

ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY.
The Duke of Cambridge presided at a lecture that
has been given at the Royal United Service Institu-
tion by Capt. H. Brackenbury, R.A. The subject
was " The Hanoverian Campaign," and the
battle 'of Lanzensalza, was well described. It was
remarked by the Duke after the lecture that he
hoped the consideration of this campaign, and the
allusion of the lecturer to the disastrous effects of
the want of preparedness, would weigh at this grave
moment against the feelings of economy which
naturally exist, but which ought also to be con-
sidered in relation to the many momentous interests
which are at stake on behalf of the nation.

OUR INDIAN ARMY.
Lord Napier of Magdala takes command of an
army in India that is said to have been left by Sir
W. Mansfield perfect in all its ways and parts.
The Army and Navy Gazette cannot but remember a
famous speech :of Lord Dalhousie, who thought he
left the Indian army " without any just cause of
complaint." The unfortunate commentary on his
lordship's text was the Sepoy mutiny. General
Mansfield, however, is not likely to make any
great mistake in reference to the army he has
commanded. If he has deficiencies in the
field, he is "an excellent organizer, a master of
detail, and a prodigy of work." We may, therefore,
presume that his estimate of the state of our army
in the East, justifies a belief on our part that, come
what may, we are fully able and prepared to ex-
ercise proper control over our important Indian pos-
sessions. No false principle of economy, however,
should be allowed to cause a risk of a recurrence of
the events of 1857. And the opinion of those who
ought to know, such as General Mansfield, who
is said to be vehemently opposed to a reduction of our
strength in India, should be considered on such an
important subject.
A FRENCH VIEW OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
A work entitled Les Usages du Parlen2ent Anglais,
by M. Maurel-Dupeyre, gives us the pleasure of
for once " seeing ourselves animateds and others see ucourteous
s." This
essay is enlivened by an
treatment, M, Dupeyrd was certainly startled at
what he raw at Westminster, but he
was by no means startled out of his amiability. He
was perpl_exed by the, to his eyes, undignified habits
d the House of Commons, and especially. by the
sight of Mr. laughingly. receiving and
returnin some Goodg- thumoured badinage across the
g
table, still an excuse is found in the fact
that " l'Anglais rest© sportsman, Moine a
la Chambre.: It is admitted that the
Speaker commands respect and awe ; and admiration
is expressed of the right possessed by private mem-
bers of putting questions to the Government.
The writer, however, does disapprove of one
feature of our Parliamentary procedure, He remarks
that the clauses of a bill can be but awkwardly con-
sidered by ay nolo Una Maus amollection, of tnen as