The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-20 00:00:00

CAPE OF GC
THE

system.
The general answer to the second question ap
pears to us therefore to be that, considering the
small benefit, if any, arising to officers from the
proposed alterations in pay and allowances (the
subalterns only gaining and regimental officers of
higher rank losing), and looking to the loss all
would sustain by the greater time it would take to
attain successive steps of regimental promotion, the
advantage in a pecuniary sense to each officer would
be diminished by the proposed changes. The pur-
chasing officer would save the interest of the money
he, under the present system, invests in commis-
sions, but would lose the accelerated promotion
attainable by purchase, with the increased pay and
other advantages previously referred to which that
early promotion would secure him.
111. What -would be the maximum charge of full-
pay retirements and half-pay under Sir Charles
Trevelyan's scheme, estimated by him at—
Full-pay retirements . £210,622
Half-pay
After giving our best consideration to this ques-
tion, and after making careful calculations upon
the best data to be procured, we have arrived at a
result greatly differing from the estimate of Sir
Charles Trevelyan.
We estimate that the annual maximum cost of
retired full-pay of the army, founded upon the
establishment of 1857-8, exclusive of the House-
hold Cavalry, Foot Guards, and scientific corps,
would amount to £512,271, but as the number of
officers has since been greatly increased, this
amount will be largely increased also.
In calculating thin amount we have carefully
considered the cost of retirements, whether on Ell
or half-pay, in the Royal Artillery, the Royaln-
gineers, the Royal Marines, and the East India
Company's Service, and are of opinion that they
corroborate the estimate we have arrived at.
We think it expedient here to advert to the com-
pensation for the general officers now on the list,
whose prospects of succeeding. to the emoluments
derived from regiments would be taken away by
the change, as well as for the colonels of advanced
age, whose prospect of attaining the rank of gene-
ral officer, -with its present contingent advantages,
would be indefinitely postponed. It is impossible
to enter into any calculations on these heads, but
assuming from Sir Charles Trevelyan's explanatory
statement, that some compensation is intended, the
expense of it must clearly be added to the cost of
the measure, and will form a considerable item
beyond the amount here stated.
With regard to half-pay, the conditions upon
which it is proposed to be granted render the
cost so uncertain that we cannot offer any satis-
factory opinion as to its probable amount ; but we
s
the
ei
cn Appendix
popf reasonecnodmi
xtnolt
Commissions'),
hjo enecst,, to)it,
te
hpt lefi
gross
sumo n the,e estimated iusineaal
otefe
and
bynhae
Pur-
chasee Sirom
Charles Trevelyan as a conjectural amount.
IV. What would be the probable cost of com-
pensating officers now in the service who have
purchased their commissions, and who may wish
at any time to retire from the service ?
The cost of this compensation, though generally
alluded to, has not been included in Sir Charles
Trevelyan's financial statement, but it is an im-
portant element in the expense of his scheme.
According to a Parliamentary return (No. 2 of
missions of officers then serving amounted to
£'7,126,030. But it is impossible to estimate
exactly the number of officers who would be dis-
posed to avail themselves of the opportunity of
selling their commissions to the pubic in preference
to continuing to serve under the proposed ar-
rangement. We have, however, calculated the
probable amount in the best manner we arc able,
and have arrived at a total of £2,355,288, which
would allow of about one-third of the whole num-
ber retiring.
" Sir C. Trevelyan proposes in his statement to
compensate officers at current prices, but it is not
possible to calculate with accuracy the compensation
contemplated. in consequence of the uncertain value
of commissions arising from the varying and excep-
tional character of the service of the British army.
There are also many officers who have purchased
their commissions who have been placed upon half
pay by reductions, whose claim to realise their out-
lay could not be refused if the commissions in the
army became purchaseable by the public, and which
would require to be added to the above amount.
V. Would there be any, and if any, what expense
thrown upon the War-office by the abolition of army
agents ?
We have no doubt that some expense would be
ttht hh ees
arayeds
dut
ioltt of s i
whaton aluc
expense
eh a
xtecnht a
;1
wi gem,o,
lbdbu
et
lse i ve
absorb
eare n d
, ah
large
pr:
however,
erep ,
portionar
thate
of the saving estimated by. Sir C. Trevelyanb under
this head.
Having thus determined, to the best of our abi-
lity, the answers to the questions proposed, we next
proceed to show their bearing generally upon Sir
Trevelyan's statement.
Sir Z. Trevelyan has estimated that a .net reduc-
tion of £81,866 a-year, as compared with the present
expense of the purchasing portions of the army,
would result from his propositions, but differing as
we do from him in the important item of the ex-
pense of full-pay retirements, we estimate that an
increase of about £220,000 per annum would be
thrown upon the public, to' which must be added
the cost of compensating officers who have purchased
their commissions, or obtained by service a claim to
sell. This estimate, being based.upon the regulation
prices, would be greatly increased should it be ad-
mitted that officers would have a fair claim to be
compensated at such additional rates as are well
known to have been generally paid by them.
We have, however, to observe that there are
circumstances which May not improbably add
still more to this increased expenditure arising
out of the proposed discontinuance of widows'
pensions, which are proposed to be discon-
tinued, on account of which a saving is credited in
favour of the new scheme. It appears to us that
even if they were discontinued by regulation, the
Government would feel itself bound in justice, or
would. be compelled by public opinion, in numerous
instances, to admit the claims of widows and chil-
dren whose husbands and fathers had died from the
effects of climate or service, leaving their families
in distressed circumstances.
In conclusion, we have to remark, that we have
confined our inquiries mainly to the financial bear-
ing of Sir C. Trevelyan's proposition, and have not
considered it our duty, nor the intention of Lord
Panmure, that we should give an opinion upon the
expediency of the other changes involved in the
proposition under consideration, such as the aboli-
tion of agency, the discontinuance of a variety of
allowances, the establishment of a staff corps, the
system of voluntary- and compulsory full-pay retire-
ments, &c., still less upon the general question of
the purchase and sale of commissions in the army.
We b ave thought it desirable to obtain the opinion
of a qualified actuary in corroboration of the several
calculations we have made, whose statement is
appended. (Signed)
B. IlawEs.
11. K. STonKs.
ALEX. M. TuLLocu.
JOIIN CROOMES.
W. 0. MARSHALL.
W. MARVIN.

lee, June 3, lB5B.

'"-----------2--------
HARBOURg OF REFUGE.—The Commission ap-
pointed by her Majesty to inquire into the necessity for the
construction of harbours of refuge on the coasts met on Sa-
turday in the Sessions House, Liverpool, to receive evi-
dence on the subject of the commission. As only pardad
publicity had been given to the inquiry, but few witnesses
came forward to tender their evidence. The evidence, how-
ever, which was adduced went to show that a harbour of
refuge was necessary at the Skerriw ; that Ramsey, in the
Isle of Man, would be the best post for a harbour in that
island ; and that if the bar "at Carlingford harbour Were
• deepened it would form a moat important subsidiary liar-
bour for the shipping going south up the Irish channel.
The inquiry was adjourned till one o'clock to-day (Mon-
day.)
SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL MERCIIANT.—The
Liverpool coroner held an inquest yesterday (Friday) on the
body of Mr. Henry Killock, 30 years of age, who destroyed
himself by firing a pistol into his month, at the house of a
Mrs. Headley, in St. James-street, Liverpool, where he had
taken temporary lodgings.. It appeared that Killock, who
a. the son-of a West India merchant, had a wife living in
Cornwallis-street, Liverpool, but for some time had been
keeping company with a prostitute, who was with him at
the time he took the lodgings, and whom he represented to
be his wife. It would appear that pecuniary circumstances
led to the committal of the rash act. The jury returned a
verdict that the deceased committed suicide while labouring
L under temporary insanity.

,PE A

" Good," as theologians say, " is ever educed from
evil," and the atrocious mutiny just suppressed in
Our Indian empire has, among other benefits, pre-
sent and prospective, elicited some valuable and
highly interesting information on the subject of
horseflesh. A blue-book which we have just re-
ceived from the Cape of Good Hope—for the Cape
has its blue-books, as well as the Palace at West-
minster—purports to contain "Papers relating to
the Purchase of Remount Horses at the Cape for
the Army in India," compiled from voluminous
documents presented to "both Houses of Parlia-
ment" (how home-like is the phrase !) by his
Excellency the Governor of the Colony.
It hence appears that between the 12th of Aug.,
1857, and the 15th of May last 2,067 horses were
shipped at the Cape of Good Hope for Calcutta, of
which a very few died at sea ; that 502 were shipped
for Bombay (between October, 1857, and April,
1858) ; that 250 horses were at the date of the
return shipped on board vessels fitting in Table-
grand total of 3,059 horses, accord-
bay, and that 40 remained in the remount stables,
thus making a
ing to the return of Lieut.-Col. C. E. Goad, the
" assistant remount arsent." 104 mules were also
shipped and despatched on board the Henry Ellis
tin December, 1857 (of which 99 were
good condition), and 200
landed°
C a Calcutta, a ,
"remounts"
have been purchased since the publication of the
papers before us.
Mr. W. Hope, in a report from the Audit-office
at Cape Town, dated June 12, 1858, states, in fine,
that the number of horses hitherto purchased
amounted to 3,300 ; and he refers to a letter of Col.
Apperley as supplying valuable information on
the subject of the breed of horses. The Cape
horse, says Mr. Hope himself, is better than
he looks, and ought not to be judged by his ap-
pearance only, or by books, as the endurance of
many is far beyond what might be supposed from
their appearance. The horses which had been
hitherto shipped to India by private persons
were entirely stallions, and these are in gene-
ral use in and about Cape Town as saddle
and carriage horses.. The officers of the Indian
service were the best and chief customers for the
handsomest of these stallions, and 'many were
shipped to India. The sleekness of coat; the round-
ness of shape, the fine appearance, the docility, and
high carriage of these noble stallions make them
very attractive to the eye, compared with the
' rougher coats, shyness, and general " ruggedness"
of the geldings, whose show and appearance are very
inferior. Hence the gelding was a " despised and
rejected" beast among those who looked to appear-
ance only. But the gelding makes up for lack of
" looks" by other excellent qualities, due to the dif-
ference of his early rearing, for horses, like children,
must be " trained up in the way wherein they
ought to go." The most promising colts at the
Cape are generally kept at stallions. They are
stabled at two years of age, and never more run
loose. They are often badly fed while growing,
and seldom regularly exercised at the farmhouses,
and hence their muscles are not fully developed, nor
does their bone increase as it should do. The stal-
lions are round-barrelled, plump, and full about the
quarters, but deficient in depth of chest and ribs ;
they are low in the withers, and when fat apt to be
too heavy im the fore-hand to be " pleasant" as
saddle horses, but as beasts of traction "or draught
horses none can surpasS, if equal, them. The stal-
lions, if reared as the geldings are, would be a far
finer animal: -
The geldings, on the contrary, are left to nature ;
they .run loose in the field' all day, inhaling the
purest and driest air ; their bones and muscles
increase and develop as they grow ; they
are :exposed to all weathers and extremes of
temperature, and the consequence is' that they be-
come very hardy, and admirably adapted for mili-
tary service. " A stallion," adds Mr. Hope, rather
" is more of a gentleman, and has been ac-
customed to better (more artificial) 'treatment, and
the fineness of his coat makes him feel exposure at
night." •
The shape of the gelding is superior to that of the
stallion ; he is deeper in the chest and in the ribs,
broader in the hips, lighter and deeper in the
shoulder, and often not so straight ; he has more bone
and muscle in his legs, and is stronger in the fetlocks
and pasterns. He is lean and oft wry-necked, which
is considered a proof of endurance. He carries a fine
head, if well bred, and his eye and ears are " game "
and intelligent. In a word, he is hardier andmore
useful than the stallion.
The gelding shies under the saddle when putinto
" condition," but he is courageous in a team, and in
a body, as a trooper, will face the very devil.
Eight or ten geldings attached to a wagon will
a-
think nothin of plunging into a flooded river up
to their breastsz' or backs, swimming across without
swerving, and dashing up the opposite steep bank
in the finest style.
The fitness of the geldings for troopers
was tested at reviews last year, when the
farmers' horses charged repeatedly up to the
squares of infantry under their fire and that of
two 'howitzers, and stood (many of them) while
their riders cut at the bayonets of the square. The
Governor expressed his marked approbation," both
of the horses and their riders, in a general order of
the day issued on the occasion.
The majority of the horses sent out to India by
the remomit agents were geldings, and, although
in that country there is a feeling in favour of
stallions, the excellence of the geldings as troopers
or artillery.horses has only to bestested to be freely
acknowledged by all impartial persons.
The superiority of the gelding is due to his being
reared as nature intended, and it is admitted that
if a stallion were similarly trained he would be the
superior steed. Upon the whole, says Mr. Hope,
the gelding will be found the most serviceable horse
for the army. Mr. Hope's opinions are based on 12
years' experience and observation of
.Cape horses,
and he is willing and desirous, for the good of the
service, that they should be well " ventilated."
Mr. Hope's remarks are folloWed by the letter ad-
dressed to him (June 8,1858) by. Col. AV. W. Apper-
ley," the remount agent. This officer fully testifies
to the excellence and especially to the wonderful
" bottom" of the Cape horses, which will travel
60 or 70 miles a day (on the journeys of the
farmers) with only an occasional drink of water
and a roll in the sand, which is supposed to make
them quite fresh again. For the present breed of
horses the colonists are indebted to the late Lord
Charles Somerset and the present Mr. T.. B.
Bayley, who infuSed valuable English blood into
the native stock of steeds. To the many good points
possessed by the. Cape horses may be added a
wonderful soundness of constitution. Fever in
the feet is exceedingly rare, although hundreds
of horses in work "have never' been shod in
their lives, while ; blindness and broken wind
are unknown. Colonel Apperley has the highest
opinion of the present Cape horses, particularly as
regards their fitness for the ranks of flue Indian
army, but there is much, he says, for the breeders
to consider with reference to the parent stock, and
the use of Arab stallions is strongly deprecated.
Colonel Apperley adverts to the necessity of
keeping the horses in good condition, in the event
of any remount agency being set up at the Cape,
as no agent is justified (he observes) in buying
a single horse if lie is not in proper condition
for immediate shipment. The farmers appear to be
very remiss in the " keeping" of their steeds during
many months of the year, and this is one great
drawback to the SUCCSO 4 of horse-dealin,r, in the
colony. If the farmers would but feed their stock
liberally, their horses would be larger and stronger,
and their returns certain. At the moment when
Col. Apperley wrote he was actually forced to sus-
pend his purchases, because " all the horses in the
country were out of condition, and as thin as
hurdles."
Colonel Apperley refers to the report of Colonel
Bower and Captain Gall as containing much
valuable information of Cape breeders and farmers.
War prices, lie adds, must now cease, and the con-
tinuation of the deman- from India for horses will
become a mere matter of s. d. The Colonel thus
concludes :---
"The unsatisfactory results from the committees
at different times assembled to report upon Cape
horses in India have been so ably explained away
by both Lieut.-Col. Bower and Ca pt. Gall that I
shall only record my opinion that I feel satisfied
when the Cape horses that I have sent on have had
time to recover after the sea voyage, and have been
fairly tried in the ranks, they will be as favourably
reported upon as those formerly purchased by Col.
Havelock were after eleven years' service. They
arrived in the Crimea in better condition than any
other horses in the regiment ! A committee had
disapproved of these horses. And much fault was
found at first with the horses the 7th Dragoon
Guards were mounted upon during the Caffre war.
After a period that regiment was reported by Col.
Richardson to be as well mounted as the average
of cavalry at hoinc, and no privation or fatigue could
make Gen. Cathcart's horses snecumb, although the
men in marching order averaged over 19 stone ! In
the face of such facts members of remount commit-
tees should pause before they condemn untried
horses, and the professional gentlemen should bear
in mind that Professor Coltman's opinion of what
constituted a sound horse was a horse that could
perform the ordinary labours of an ordinary horse,'
beyond which he could not pronounce any horse
sound. If the Cape gentlemen will accept my
humble advice, I hope they will continue to breed
from as much good English blood and bone as
their money will procure, and cross their mares
that have Arab blood with the_best description of
Norfolk trotting or Cleveland stallions procurable.
No other cross will restore size and substance