The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-26 00:00:00

which a conscription and a reserve supply ? The
answer is happily in the affirmative, but the methoi
is different. And, first of all, let us see what it is
that is really required. How long does it take to
make a raw recruit into a soldier? In our regiments
of Guards he takes his place in the ranks in
three months, and is relieved from extra drills
in
six. But the Guards pique themselves on their
precision on parade, and the time required t°
qualify a man for this hair-breadth accuracy to
step, time, and position is six times as much as
is
required to teach him all that he needs to know or
ever will practise. on the field of battle. 'lO
to front, flank or rear—to wheel, to form fours, W
extend, and to close—ar 11 the movements the
soldier has to perform ; alrbesides is the work ,
officers and sergeants. The value of veterans is in:
deed great, but it is of veterans in the field and Do'
in the barrack-yard. Their value consist:4 not i 0
their fighting better, or standing steadier, for the
rawest levies will do as well in these respects, bat°
keeping their beads cool, looking to their officers,
and rallying after being broken ; and these gut-
will be learned as rapidly by the recruit as by
the three years' service man when both come into
the emergencies of actual service. And it is in ev.l;
dence by eminent artillery officers that even in their
more technical branch three months are sufficient o
make a good gunner. Hence it follows that if we
,
have proper organisation to make recruits into soe
diers, we need not fear but that in a month of warn-
ing we can make first-rate infantry, and two
months more increase our artillery and cavalry {c
any requisite extent. The comparatively loge
time required by the latter arm is, of course, a real;
son for keeping them comparatively stronger
peace, but it does not affect the question of tit
strength of the line. But what is organisation ?
is the having in readiness the system on which wnt
are to work, and the men who are to work
those on whom they are to work. Our need, then'
is a system which shall give us officers and sergeants
qualified to train recruits when the recruits maybe
required. Sucha system can never be, without eil°rs
mous expense, while purchase is maintained, an
promotion from the ranks denied. But it might
,easily be if our regiments in time of peace wiere
looked upon as the schools in which are being cc:tic!'
cated the officers we should want in war. •°..13„r
this might well be done. Nothing would be easier
than to make the regimental commander so IN°4rtk
his non-commissioned officers that they would be '0
to take command, and so work the best of his 133,hee
that they would be fit at a day's notice to wear 'r
sergeant's stripes. There would be no necessity 1.,
creating new regiments requiring new field-office's
when the army had to be enlarged. The battabobn!
in peace need not exceed four companies' streDo
there are some eminent French authorities whothin;
that strength the best for a peace footing. 1/713;es
placed on a war footing the number of comPlit'he
would be doubled, the lieutenants promoted to the
vacant captaincies, the sergeants promoted to s,
new subalternships, the cot porals to the sergeantel,„..
and in three weeks the new recruits would be Wilt
roughly welded with the mass, and the reginieb,
ready for any service. The process is obvilr,
capable of indefinite expansion ; and to supply, ion
ing a long term of peace, the hope of prora° of
which would be so attractive to a higher 011°4
men to enter the ranks, it would only be necessary
to give them, besides an occasional cornmissi°D'is,
recognized prospect of getting posts in the commit
sariat, the arsenals, the military offices, or o°o,
suitable services. No doubt these ideas are rep
°"
of established Horse Guards' prineiP e,
The question is, however, whether they are bad
inevitable. The present system of relying upon (Di
characters to keep up the army has confess the
broken down. Characters are now too high for..
ranks, as the ranks are rated. Compulsion is ire
possible. The public will not pay for au iiiereol
in our army what it would cost to bribe men 01, g ins
character to enter a degrading trade. What reitis,
but that we try to remove the stain, to substit.,t'os
hope for reckless despair, and to provide the I°3o
by which, on emergencies, if emergencies arise, of
may teach a whole population to stand in line
are
battle, knowing they are under officers wb°
competent for their work.