The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 12, 1869.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GUARDIAN.
GR. GLENIE, of the SPORTING LIBRARY,
• 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde park, London, W., begs to
inform his customers, and the Licensed Victuallers in genera
that he has been appointed Agent to the above-named paper in
addition to his agency for the Sporting Edition of "THE Surf,"
and can supply th same on Friday evening, if required, in town
or country.
G. R. G. begs to inform the Trade that he is Agent for the
LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN," and can supply it earlier
than any other man in London or Country the evening of publi-
cation. No connection with any other persons. Baily's, Ruff's,
Wright's, and I,l•Call's Guides. All the Daily Papers, Magazines,
and Periodicals as soon as published. Agent for the Joint-Stock
Coal Company. Orders by post attended to.

WH O'S GRAIN GER? LICENSED
VICTCIALLBRS' TOBACCONIST, SHEPHERD'S-BUSH.
The SPORTING EDITION of "THE SUN" can be seen at
GRAINGER'S Establishment, as above, every evening by Eight
o'clock.

rHE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN "
supplied, as soon as published, Every Evening, by W
ALEXANDER (late Brooks), Newspaper Agent, M. 4, Old
Osvendish street, Oxford-street.

THE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN "
supplied as soon as published, every Evening, by S.
WILSON, newsagent, and special agent for the North-western
district, 24, Delancey-street, Camden-town, N.W.

THE SUN.—LATEST EDITION to be seen in
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are freely discussed.

--
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11HE LATE EDITION of "THE SUN" at
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THE LATE EDITION of " THE SUN' at
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THEATRE-ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
,tole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton.
Ting EVENING, at 7, BELLES OF THE KITCHEN. At 8,
FORMOSA : Messrs. Barrett. H Irving, David Fisher, Brittain,
Wright, John Rouse: Mrs Billington, Misses M. Brennan, Mac-
donald. and Katharine Rodgers. Conclude with BORROWED
PLUM ES

- 519- N
(V/ 410 f(1-0
S-

purpose of educating a limited number of young
men about to enter the Cavalry, Guards, and
the Line, who, instead of proceeding at once to
their regiment, as do the purchasers of direct
commissions, spend eighteen months in special train-
ing. Some are admitted free, and commissions with-
out purchase are granted to the most proficient.
Such is the outline of the present system. Its
details look well on paper, but, unfortunately, their
practical effect is not satisfactory. The entrance
examinations have not been found to work
well ; they give too much scope for
" cramming," and, in fact, do not permit
a boy to come straight from school to either
the Woolwich or the Sandhurst College. He
must spend some time under the care of a master of
the stuffing art before he can fairly meet his compe-
titors. The subsequent training is not less defective.
It is confused, too extensive, and mixes theorywith prac-
tice. "In one establishment is attempted to be combined
an elementary school, a school of high theory, and a
school in some degree of practical application, and
military discipline. It is a mere high-pressure jumble
throughout." Worse still, the moral tone promoted
at these establishments, and particularly at Sand-
hurst, is far from good ; the Commissioners find that
low slangy habits prevail, the discipline is bad, and
unfortunately much immorality is not wanting to
complete the degradation of the instruction at Sand-
hurst.

The Commission has left existing institutions very
much as they are. It has overturned none, but has
vigorously remodelled all. With regard to the first
examination previously to entering either Sandhurst,
Woolwich, or proceeding straight to the army, the
Commission has decided in favour of a
liberal education. It is desirable that a youth
should proceed direct from the public school to his
technical training, and that he should escape those
patent establishments for the manufacture of know-
ledge which are now so baneful. The Com-
missioners think it best that no technical
element whatever should be involved in this
preliminary test. The subjects they prescribe
are mathematics, classics, modern languages, &c.
—the preference being given only to the first subject.
In order to check " cramming " the ingenious device
has been adopted—not for the first time—of sub-
tracting the minimum number of marks from the
sum total gained by the candidate. It is now a
common practice for students to so " cram " in
a subject as to just pass the minimum number.
But if this be taken from the sum total gained, it is
clear that only great proficiency will enable the candi-
date to make any effective score. The minimum
must be left far behind in order "to pay." Isere,
then, are two valuable conclusions : the Commission
is opposed to teaching the young military idea to
technically shoot at too early an age, and it is
not only opposed to cramming, but resolves to
stop it as much as possible. A. boy's education up
to the age of 16 or 17 will be the same for the army
as for any other vocation.

Having passed this preliminary, which is not com-
petitive—everyone fulfilling the conditions being ap-
proved of, the regular military training comes next.
Those cadets who enter the Royal Academy at
Woolwich, and qualify for the Artillery or the
Engineers, will undergo very much the same training
as at present. The Academy has worked well, and
its system requires little alteration. No one can
enter it without passing a severe preliminary test,
and as the Artillery and Engineers are non-purchase
corps, every student who perseveres in his work
being rewarded by a commission, there is little
idleness and less demoralisation than at Sandhurst.
The Commission recommend only that more power
be given to the head of the Academy, that better
facilities for religious duties be provided, and that in
general a higher moral tone be sought after. Sand-
hurst is visited by severe condemnation ; it
has, in fact, narrowly escaped abolition.
This college, as we have seen, is for the
higher instruction of a limited number of candidates
for the Guards, Cavalry, and Line. These corps can
be entered for the most part only by purchase ;
but about eighty commissions are granted
free to the most proficient. Now, those
cadets who find, soon after their arrival,
that they are not likely to be amongst the fortunate
eighty, soon relapse into idleness and indifference.
There is likewise a body of " Queen's" and " Indian "
cadets—sons of deceased officers and civil servants—
who are promised a free commission on easy terms,
and who relapse into even more confirmed idleness
than the incompetents. These two classes affect
the whole number of students. To remedy the
evil it is proposed .to limit the number of
students to the number of free commissions, and thus
by giving a reward to every one who fulfils certain
conditions, to remove the sediment of idlenesss. It
is likewise thought well to increase the power of
the resident chief, to give him, in fact, a position
similar to that of a master of a public school. The
moral tone which is of so much value in education is
almost wholly wanting in these military establishments.
It is proposed to attach such a salary to the
office of Governor as will secure a gentleman of
superior attainments. Lastly, to make the reform of
the college quite complete, it is laid down that all
admissions should be by open competition. The pur-
chasers of direct commissions have likewise been
cared for. These have hitherto passed their
preliminary, and have then gone direct to their
duties. Provision for these neglected officers is made
by the appointment of military "instructors,"
who, either in particular regiments or par-
ticular garrisons, are to superintend the
military education of officers on service. Such
instruction will be in branches more or less
practical, and will be tested by special examinations.
Some important modifications in the system of pre-
paration for the Staff service complete this compre-
hensive scheme.

BRITISII HOSPITAL FOR DISEASES OF THE

SKIN.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sits,—l trust that at this season of the year, when
the inclemency of the weather renders the condition
of the poor more than usually pitiable. You
will permit me to plead with your readers on
behalf of a charity whose efforts to re-
lieve one of the most pressing distresses of this
great city have already met with considerable suc-
cess, but whose success would be still greater if the
benefits it confers on the sick poor were more gene-
rally known.
As this season of the year the commonest forms
of that very common affliction amongst the sick
poor, nisease of the skin, are greatly aggravated by
exposure to coin and damp, and by the other priva-
tions to which, at this season, the poor are nrces-
sarily subjected. The loathsome appearance of
many of the sufferers from this distressing class of
diseases too often excites so much disgust that no
one is willing to employ them, and even when they
chance to find occupation the fear and disgust of
them felt by their fellow workmen causes them
again to be driven forth.
The only hope of such unfortunates is to get
quit of their disease, and this blessing, under
Divine Providence, has been
conferred on the
majority o f those who have made applica-
tion to it, by the British
Hospital for Dis-
eases of the Skin in (ire It ";\ larlho:ough-street,
Regent-street. This institution has already within
the last four years relieved over 6,000 poor persons,
many of them having travelled from distant prts
of the country to seek its I,CIICfitB.
It is now languishing fir want of funds. Will
any of your readers kindly help it ?-1 am, sir, your
most obedient servantA
ALEX. lltvlSciToti, lion. See.
56, Great Marlborough-street,
Nov. 10, 1869.

NEW PEEr.s.—We have reason to b-ilieve that
th fillow'ng gentlemen will shortly bo raised to the
Peerage of the United Kingdom :—The Earl of Southesk,
the Earl of Listowel, Lord Edward Howard, the Right
Hon. J. Fitzpatrick, M.P., Sir John Acton, Bart., C. R. M.
Talbot, Esq., M.P., Colonel Greville-Nugent, M.P., Geo.
Carr Glyn, Esq., T. Agar Robarts, Esq., and Edward
Ellice, Esq., M.P.

A JAPANESE PROTEST AGAINST

CHRISTIANITY.

The Indipendance Beige says that the following protest
is being extensively circulated in Japan. It purports to
be signed by a number of Bonzes, or Buddhist bishops:—
" The perverse religion of Jesus;the teacher from Heaven,
is a calamity which menaces the empire. It is useless to
repeat it once again, and for a long time there
have been everywhere protests borne against it.
In spite of that the fools who submit themselves
to this doctrine are found in no small number among the
populace. Furthermore, the men of foreign countries seek
in every way to propagate it, and it is difficult to say that
they will not resort to violence and force of arms. We
have learned that the Mikado if full of anxiety on this
subject. We are profoundly afflicted about it, and, with
the desire of bringing to bear a perpetual prohibition
against this doctrine, we, most unwor. :ly as we are, who
have already with Buddhism made the strength of Japan,
are determined to live and die with the empire ; and,
despite our uselessness, are resolved to serve it at the cost
even of lives. For this reason we beg and request
upon our knees that this protest may ho published and
posted everywhere."