The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-09 00:00:00

PEOMOTIONS IN THE ARMY.

The subjoined. important general order was pro-
mulgated yesterday

" Horse Guards, S.W., Nov._29, 1858.

" The following regulations in regard to the ex-
amination of officers preparatory to promotion in
the army are to be substituted for those promul-
gated by the Circular Memoranda of the 14th May,
1850, 14th July, 1851, and 19th July, 1858.
" Before officers are recommended for promotion
to the rank of lieutenant and commanding officer
they will apply to the senior officer in the district
or station for a board to examine and report upon
their qualifications.
" The board is to consist (if possible) of three
field officers, but on no occasion, when it can pos-
sibly be avoided, is any officer of the same regi-
ment as the candidate to be placed on the board.
"This board is to report* to the military secre-
tary, for the information of the General Command-
ing in Chief, that the officers about to be recom-
mended for promotion to the rank of lieutenant
have been instructed in the following points, viz.,:
" 1. They must have a thorough knowledge, and
must give an account of the duties they have to
perform as regimental and orderly officers, as offi-
cers commanding guards, or as subaltern officers of
guards under officers of superior rank.
"2. They must have a thorough knowledge of,
and be able to put a company through, the manual
and platoon exercise, and be capable of exercising
both a squad and a company in the drill and evo-
lutions as prescribed in the first two parts of the
regulations for the field exercise of the infantry.
"3. They must know exactly the place of all
the company's officers in every situation of the bat-
talion, and be able to command a company in
battalion exercise.

" 4. They must be acquainted with such parts of
the Queen's reelations and orders for the army as
relate to the duties and conduct of a subaltern officer,
and with the Mutiny Act and Articles of War, so
far as is necessary for the performance of their duties
as members of a court-martial.

" 5. They must be acquainted with the Queen's
regulations in regard to the pay and messing of the
troops, and the supply of necessaries.
" 6. They must know the weight of the knapsack,
the weight of the soldier's firelock, with and with-
out the bayonet, of his pouch, with and without
ammunition, the quantity of ammunition it is cal-
culated to carry and the weight of his accoutrements.
" 7. Those who have passed through the course of
instruction at Hythe must be thoroughly acquainted
with rifle drill and practice, and the theoretical
principles of musketry, as defined in the authorised
book of instruction.

" 8. In addition to such portions of the above as
may apply to the cavalry service, it is necessary in
the case of comets :

" 1. That they shall have learnt the foot drill
and sword exercise, and have been instructed
in the single and double rifle.
" 2. That they shall be able to put a troop
through the carbine, lance, and sword exercise,
and to exercise both a squad and troop in the
drill and evolutions prescribed in the cavalry
exercise book.
" 3. That they shall be able to command a
troop in squadron exercise.
" 4. That they shall have made themselves
masters of the details of saddlery, the mode of
fitting the saddle, bridle, &c., and of the whole
equipment of the cavalry soldier and his horse.
" Lieutenants who may have entered the service
subsequently to July, 1849, and all who may here-
after enter the army will, in addition to the above,
before they are recommended for promotion to the
rank of captain, be required to have :
9. A thorough knowledge of the provisions of
the Mutiny Act and Articles of War, and of the
forms and proceedings of court martial ; and must
give evidence of having studied some of the standard
works on that subject.
" 10: They must understand perfectly the evolu-
tions of a regiment of cavalry, or a battalion of in-
fantry, as laid down in the regulations for those
services respectively.
" 11. They must be acquainted with the light in-
fantry drill, outpost duties, patrols, escorts, ad-
vanced and rear guards.
" 12. They must perfectly understand the inte-
rior economy of a troop or company, and the estab-
lished system of keeping their accounts.
" 13. They must be thoroughly acquinted with
the Queen's and War-office regulations.
" 15. It must be ascertained that they are com-
petent to take charge of a troop, company, or de-
tachment, in every position in which it may be
placed.'
" 15. And they must be required to Qhow that
they have a sufficient knowledge of field fortifica-
tion and reconnoissance to be enabled to fulfil the
important duties detailed in the field exercise book,
from page 313 to 317.
" The examination of officers for the rank of cap-
thin is to be made by boards of officers, to be ap-
pointed by the general officer commanding the dis-
trict or station, one of the senior officers in each
station or garrison being present, and of two field
officers (if possible) not belonging to the same regi-
ment as the candidate.
" In all cases the board of examiners will ascer-
tain by practical examination, and not by the
acceptance, merely, of verbal or written answers
for
-questions, whether the officer is instructed in
the subjects specified in paragraphs 2,3, 8, 10, and
11 of this general order.
" The general or other officer commanding the
district or station will forward the report of the
board (with the written questions and replies) to
the military secretary, accompanied by his own
observations thereon.

" Every cornet or "ensign is to be examined on
the different points herein specified before he has
completed eight months' service, and, should he fail
to qualify himself for promotion within that period,
his commanding officer must report, for the infor-
mation of the General Commanding in Chief,
whether it is owing to a want of diligence on the
part of the officer, or to circumstances (such as
sickness or otherwise) over which he could have
had no control.
" The General Commanding in Chief hopes that
the subalteons of the army will see the necessity of
using their utmost exertions to acquire a knowledge
of their professional duties, as his Royal highness
will not hesitate to promote (either regimentally
or from other corps) officers who may have passed
the required examination, in the place of the idle
and incompetent.
" It is the imperative duty of all commanding
officers to pay close attention to the instruction of
young officers, and his Royal Highness will hold
them as responsible for the performance of this
duty as for the due instruction and training of the
non-commissioned officers and soldiers under their
command.

" By command of his Royal Highness the General
Commanding in Chief,
" G. A. WETHERALL, Adjutant-General."

N.B.—The written questions and replies are
to be sent with the report of the board.

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