The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-20 00:00:00

MILITARY COLLEGE, ADDISCO3JBA

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.
The half-yearly distribution of prizes to the gen'
, tlemen cadets at the above school took place yester.
day ; Sir J. W. Hogg, Bart., presided.
The following
1.
--Thomas
iioit
listiodftchhe, l
prsitzes awarded
good :---
Ist fortifications, Ist military topography, ca°anddlifstl
mathematics ; C. Shepherd, 2d good conduct ; John
Trotter. 2d Hindostanee; J. Temple, Ist civil draw
ing ; E. Cattermole, French.
Class A.—Kellow Pye, the Pollock medal, Ist
military topography, 2d fortifications, 2d civil draw.;
ing ; Ralph Brockman, 3d good conduct, Ist civil
drawing, 2d Hindestanee, 2d military topography'
Andrew Jopp, 2d mathematics and geology; J.es.
Brough, Ist mathematics; Alfred Turner, Ist Hon"
dostanee and Persian ; B. Blood, Ist fortifications
and French ; Robert 111'Clure, chemistry. The
prize list of the junior terms was as follows
Coussmaker, 4th good conduct, Hindostanee art",
French ; William Williamson, mathematics and
fortifications; George Al‘Gall, civil drawing;
ton Beauchamp, geology ; T. Griffin, chemistry,.
Six gentlemen were appointed to the Indian.,
service as Engineers, ten to the Artillery, and
twenty-one to the Infantry.
The prizes having been delivered to those who
had won them in the presence of a select company
of ladies and gentlemen,
Sir J. Weir Hogg, Bart., said he regretted the
absence. of the Secretary of State for India, Sir
Charles Wood ; it was his intention to have been
present, but at the last moment unavoidable cir'
cumstances prevented him. In that gentleman's
absence it would be his duty to make a few observe'
tions which the reading of the paper before hint,
suggested. First, on behalf of the Secretary (?,
State and Council for India, he had to express hr
great satisfaction at the, general result of the exanir
nation. He observed that the entire of class A, consisv
ing of 16 cadets who entered the college in February
had been declared qualified, and it was most credits."
ble to those gentlemen that after one year's residence
in the college they had been so declared for the Bela'
tific branches of the army—six for the Engineers,
and the rest for the Artillery. This was a great
encouragement to others. It perhaps might be
supposed that these young men could not attain to
the full extent necessary qualifications in the time;
but no doubt the council had considered the
period during which these gentlemen had been
in the college, in canvassing their qualifications-
They had availed themselves of the benefits
afforded them, and they would reap the advantage,
and others by equal exertion could do likewise.
With regard to class B, it was impossible that he
could speak too highly of them ; they entered the
institution in August last, and the lieutenant gover-
nor of the college, in his confidential report to Sir
C. Wood, spoke in the highest terms of them. fie
joined with the lieutenant governor in his regret
that this institution would lose the benefit of the
presence of
_those gentlemen ; they would go to
Woolwich to complete their education, accompanied
by their good character, and he was sure they would
pursue the same course there, and that it would be
attended by the like beneficial results. With re'
gard to the other classes there were many instances
of distinction ; but he considered it most creditable
that out of a class of 22 who entered the college in
February ten were declared qualified for the public,
service. Having regard to the shortness of the
time, he considered this a very fair proportion.
But he should ill discharge his duty if he did net
make some observations relative to a statement
contained in the confidential report to Sir C. %Vood,
by the lieutenant governor. There were a few, he,
was happy to say very few, whose conduct has
been reprehensible; they had been idle and die'
orderly, and the lieutenant governor had reported,
them to the Secretary of State and the Council of
India last October. The result of that was that s
warning, and a very strong one, was given to those
cadets. He ventured to express a hope that that
warning had had a beneficial effect ; whether it bad
or not, he gathered from the confidential report
that it would be the duty of the lieutenant gover-
nor to report !Uri her of these cadets, and he hoped
the report would be a favourable one. He knee'
the lieutenant governor would be as lenient a%
his duty would permit—they all knew it—they
all knew that his feelings towards them were of the
kindest character, but his duty would not admit of
his disregarding outbreaks of temper or conduct
which were reprehensible. In every school con-
trol and subordination were of the highest import-
ance. In every institution that was for the pa'
pose of education this was essential ; but in all
institution intended to train gentlemen for the
military profession, he must not only say it was
important, it was more than that—it was the very
essence, it was to the fullest extent essential that a
soldier should be orderly and subordinate. Let then'
take the aggregate of soldiers—take an army : with-
out obedience and subordination it became a rabble---
harmless towards the enemy and injurious only to
those whom it was its duty to supp'rt. Absolute and
uninquiring obedience is the most important element
in a soldier. They must not deceive themselves by
saying this loss of temper was a mere youthful folly
or eccentricity, they might depend upon it that it
was in youth that they must learn to control it, orit
would grow strong as they grew old, and it would
become a habit hopelessly confirmed. Here they
were under the control of authorities, they dwelt in
an atmosphere of discipline, and if they could not
control their tempers under these circumstances, he
appealed to their own good sense and experience,
and asked them how they could hope to do so here-
after, when they might be placed in circumstances,
as military men were liable to be frequently,
more particularly in India, where they acted
entirely on their own responsibility? How fart,
they would avail themselves of the advantages 01
this institution or of that at Woolwich mainly
depended upon themselves. Under Providence,
their destiny was in their own hands; he did not
believe a man in any position, certainly not in the
army, had never an opportunity of doing well for
himself ; it was for them, by attention and good con-
duct to be prepared for the opportunity when it,
arrived. He made these observations, not by way 01
stern admonition, they were made in the spirit of
kindness, and he hoped and trusted that they would
be received in that sense by the f©w individuals to
whom they were more particularly addressed ; be
desired that they should have an influence not
in the way of a threat, but a better influence, that
of raising in them a sense of the duty they owed to
their families and to their country. He hoped that
happiness and advancement in their profession
awaited them all, as he had said. Under Providence
the realisation of this depended on themselves. ,They
were about to disperse. He wished them all a
merry and a happy Christmas, and he added his
hope that the recreation they were about to have
would refresh and renew their energies, that they
c
( might(Cheers.)
s.t e better commence their future exertions.
This concluded the business of the day.

TILE GRAND uctlY OF _HESSE

DAR.MS T.4.D T.

A correspondent writes :—I have just read is
your valuable paper the announcement of the en-
gagement of marriage between the young Prince of
Hesse and the Princess Alice, upon which occasion
you express the hope that the little court of Darm-
stadt will not walk in the footsteps of its neighbour,
Electorate Hesse. Permit me to send you some pre-
cise information about the matter, which I am welt
the
see
eianet
cousin,
urho essi
able to give, having served as an officer for 20 years
differencesist this,
ahtbrahrsbt
eioeetl tsuhGwteo
reeuae
ttnn tyranny,
Electorr
as
Den
otnuwwbykyon:Hessian,hayisodi
°el evbn:
wmrwineiiel
lieewsvxdehoeus
refcc:hoiehysnaie.si
issilshe'
11,
to the will of a most absolute war-minister, who
has ruled for the last
ten years. The seine
system obtains in both countries, but in one it is the
monarch himself, while in the other it is the
minister who carries it out, and who acts towards
his master as Metternich for instance did to the
Emperor Francis. Thus the autocracy of the
Electorate is transplanted into the Grand Duchy-
This favourite's grandfather was a butcher, and
with something of the hereditary mode of proceed-
ing ho sends to the right-about any officer that
happens to displease him, and the pension that has
to be paid the officer in retreat being so frequently
required, the resources of the state now feel the
infliction. The poor prince himself sighs at and
laments the arbitrary conduct of his general, but
consoles himself with some new change in the
uniform of his officers or costume of his officials.
In the year 1850, during the space of three
months, the Chamber of Deputies was dissolved
twice, and an Electoral ;law was then granted, by
the stipulations of which the seats in the chamber
can only be filled by officials, or persons slavishly'
devoted to the Crown. The constitution of this
Grand Duchy is, therefore, quite as rotten as that,
of the Electorate. Great discontent continues, a
course, to prevail against this state of things, but
the love for the sovereign's family is great and
general, as far as this love is compatible with the
great and general regret, that Germany should he
governed by some thirty and odd rulers. This
small court resembles, in fact, more the abode of a
patriarch by its simplicity and purity, and by the
education of the youthful scions of the dynasty,
than a royal court filled with courtiers and retainers:
The mother of the young Prince Ludwig, a most
excellent lady, presided herself over the education
of her son, whose tutor, a thorough gentleman !a
every sense, reared
hispupil in those sound pill'
ciples that form the best ornaments of your ow°
royal family.

NON,

The
coeseq,