The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-29 00:00:00

opportunity of conversing with two gentlemen connected
d
with one of the colleges which he had mentioned, he
learned from them that the candidates from that institu-
tion were the sons of clergymen, barristers, baronets,
military officers, physicians, bankers, merchants, and
members of the civil service. There was no ground,
therefore, for making depreciatory remarks with respect
to their social position. A high authority—he believed
Col. Smythe, one of the commissioners sent to inquire
intse the state of the colleges abroad—had stated that—
" The young men who have obtained provisional commis-
sions have surprised the authorities by the extraordinary pro-
gress which they have made in acquiring a knowledge of the
specialities of their profession, while their bearing and con-
duct have been most exemplary."
There were other passages which he could read in sup-
port of his views, but he thought he had stated enough
to justify him in expressing a hope that the system of
examination would not be hastily abandoned. A few
weeks since 30examications for militia commissions were
advertised, and no less than 120 candidates from the va-
rious schools and colleges of the country presented
themselves for examination, double the number that ever
appeared before. He hoped, therefore, that for the pre-
sent at least an ample trial would be given to the system.
It was very important that men of the highest talent
should be attracted into our scientific corps. One of
those corps—the Engineers—at present laboured under
A considerable disadvantage from the circumstance that
its best men were withdrawn from it to serve in civil em-
ployment. It was no doubt convenient to the Govern-
ment to obtain the services of those officers, but it led to
the same complaint that was made of the Indian army,
that all the best officers were withdrawn from military
duties for civil service or for staff service. He would
desire that officers of Engineers should be employed
strictly upon military duties. A certain result also
should be made to attend upon proficiency in study and
testimonies of general ability, that for particular profi-
ciency an appointment on the staff, or, if possible, a step
in promotion should be the reward, as was the case in
the French army. Tbcee, however, were matters of de-
tail, with which his resolution did not deal ; but he could
not avoid expressing a desire that there should be a cer-
tain encouragement held out for proficiency and intellec-
tual acquirements. He might be told, indeed, that there
were other qualities besides those of intellectual know-
ledge required from officers of the army, and he quite
admitted it. He believed no school could be so efficient
as that of war in instructingofficers in the duties of their
profession, and in time of war those who proved them-
selves to be fitted for the staff would be the best of all
officers, but in peace it was necessary to take the next
best te-t. The last preposition which he had to make was
the appointment of a council of military and civilian
members to carry out the objects he bad in view. He
had only the highest opinion of the officers who com-
posed the present board, but at the same time he did not
think that any body of comparatively subordinate offi-
cers could be completely unbiased and independent
while the Commander-in-Chief sat at their head. More-
over the report of the cemmittee of that houee hailstated their opinion that officers holding high positions
at the Horse Guards had not sufficient opportunity for
paying due attention to the subject. He wished to add
two civilians to the board, persons skilled in examina-
tion, to assist the military officers in examining the can-
didates+. He bad no other proposition to make, and had
only to observe that our army was a very small one, and
yet had to perform duties more arduous than any other
in the world. (Hear, hear.) Tuere were some old-
fashinned objections still raised about a standing army,
but he believed if we had nut some sort o! a standing
army the country would soon cease to stand by itself,
and would fall under the power of some foreign State.
Again, it ha I been said that we were a pure'y naval
nation, and n)t a military nation ; but when he glanced
at the map of the world and saw how many places and
what vast territories the British army was called upon
to defend and guard he could not reconcile it with com-
mon sense to hold that we were not a military nation.
If they !coked back to the history of our army they
would find some of the greatest achievements ever p +r-
formed had been performed by our army. But, as it was
small, it was absolutely necessary to make it as efficient
ae possible ; and if steps were taken to do justice to ail
officers by guarding as much as possible against fa-
vouritism, and by making arrangements to afford the
highest amount of instruction to all classes of the army,
then be thought that our array, small as it was, would
be found adequate to its duties and invincible by any
other. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and gallant member
concluded by moving—
" That in the opinion of this house a higher standard of
professional instruction and more complet3 provision for it
than hitherto deemed requisite o-'ght to be established for
the commissioned ranks of the army, but especially for the
staff; that this will be best promoted by recourse to competi-
tive examinations of officers desiring to qualify themselves
for the staff, by adopting the same principle with such
qualification as may be necessary in examination of candi-
dates nominated by the Commander-in-Chief for commis-
sions in the cavalry and infantry, by preserving the present
system of admission of cadets for the Ordnance Corps, by
assured encouragements for proficiency and general fitness
for advancement, and by appointment of the commissioners,
or a council of military and civilian members, empowered to
direct the measures for accomplishing these objects."
The motion having been put,
Sir F. SMITH said it was no doubt desirable that a
considerable amount of instruction should be given to
officers, but he was not one of those who considered
theoretical instruction equalty valuable as practical in-
struction. (Hear, hear.) Officers in the army generany
Came prepared with a certain amount of knowledge of
the elements of the art of war. He believed that the
knowledge of two foreign languages was necessary for
an officer, but he did not think a high degree of mathe-
matical attainments was essential either for officers of
the staff or of the army at large. Neither did he consi-
der the amount of mathematical knowledge now required
from officers in the special corps to be insufficiently high.
Very few officers brought into any practical use the
attainments they acquired at the academy. lie believed
that for officers of the line and the staff a knowledge of
field fortifi. ations was necessary. They should be able
to trace the front of a fortification, and when they say
an attack laid down they should be able to comprehend
the objects of it. Practically he thought they ought to
be instructed in the art of making trenches, faccines, and
gabions, of making bridges with casks and boats, and
other operations which might become necessary at any
time. But that would not require the high standard of
attainments which the hon. and gallant General appeared
to desire. It had been a matter of discussion whether
the afters of the army generally and officers of the
special corps should not be instructed at one establi.h-
ment, and he believed that to be a most desirable ar-
rangement. The plan had been tried 'at the East India
Company's college at Addiscombe, and had been found
to answer exceedingly well. Formerly it was not easy
to carry. out a scheme of this kind, but now that the
whole patronage of the army rested with the Secretary
for War he saw no reason why it should not be resorted
to. Every officer of the line should have a knowledge
of the power of the musket and of the artillery. It was
easily attained, and officers of the line should be allowed
to go to Woolwich for that purpose. (Hear, hear )
Then, as regarded officers of the staff, he thought it was
quite essential that they should be good topographical
draughtsmen, able to draw with ease, accuracy, and
rapidity. The more staff officers were educated tee
better ; but in selecting men for the staff they must go
beyond mere education, and have regard to physical
considerations. (Hear, hear.) They must be men of
robust constitutions, able to endure fatigue and to
"rough it" when not in quarters, for they were often
not so comfortably placed as the officers of the line.
The staff officer should al.o be a man of quick sight, a
good horseman, and a good swordsman. He required
to be a good swordsman, for he might not unfrequeeily
have to defend himself with his single arm. A. son of
Lord Raglan, when in action in India, had to defend
himself against five or six of the enemy who surrounded
him, and cut his way through them with his sword in
safety. • (Hear, hear.) He thought it was of the greatest
importance that the officers of the army should receive
instructions of a practical kind, and that their military
education should not be merely theoretical. A know-
ledge of modern languages, such as French and German,
was of great consequence, and ought also to form part of
the education of every officer. (Hear, hear.)
General WINDHAM thought that in these ex imi-
nations much more ought to be considered than mere
education. He would suppose that two youths were
brought to be examined—one brave, generous, good-
humoured, full of good sense and zeal—in short, a flue
fellow, and just the man they wanted for an officer,
but not particularly well educated ; the other a young
man of high attainments as a scholar, but possessing
none of the good qualities of the first. The instant
these t‘wo men came before the Board of Examiners they
would take the one that had been educated, and leave
the other entirely out of the question. (Hear hear.)
Now, surely the examination should extend a little be-
yond ascertaining the fact whether a man could speak
French or not. (Hear.) Ho was convinced that these
examinations were excellent in so far as regarded the
education of candidates ; but they were not such as to
secure the selection of the beet men for the service.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the staff it would be very
different. Officers wishing to qualify themselves for
the staff would be known. Having been long in tlie
service—perhaps seven years—there would exist the
means of kbneepwnitni what sort of men they were, and
they could
with advantage, through
ea a good stringent examination
was a great deal myo. But he thought there
re_nfr'eshseaabro.)ut education in the army
tome
woafstnheeceeesswahr o
were
had observed in the field.that
Possessed o(fHgeraerat) atHtaeinamremnitys
turned out to be the worst o
believed that the officers of theeeEslish army were quite
as well educated as those of the French army, and that
which
in the part of the service ineod owing
re
most deficient—the staff—the deficiency was were said to be
to the want of practice than to the want f more
(Hear, hear.) Our staff was not well occupied,
thought the Government would act wisely if they oopihel
the French system, which was established by on; cf
their most eminent Generals during the great war. In
the Crimean campaign a great error was committed in
not having the chief of the staff and the quartermaster.
general independent of each other. There ought in all
cases to be an independent quartermaster-general and
an independent chief of the staff, just as the Minister of
War and the Commander in-Chief were independent of
each other. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the Geyer:-
* meet would
give the chief of the staff prop r
officers attached to that staff, and not make ar-
Z) rangements of a mixed kind, which were neither
one thing nor another. (Hear, hear.) Mt
with regard to military education one great advantage
which he hoped would arise from it was that it would
lead the people of this country to consent to a general
system of military organisation. (Hear.) This was not
the time to discuss such a question, but he could ot
elp saying that what we wanted was not such a generall
military organisation as fitted the continent, but such
a rational systeta as became a free country.' (Hear.)
What we wanted was regular militia, and reserves volun-
teering from that militia, which would form a constant