The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-08 00:00:00

WORKING OS THE PURCHASE SYSTEM.

General Sir James Simpson is a stout champion
of the purchase system. In his evidence before
the commissioners, he advocated it ct l'outrance.
No fault could be found to it. To be sore, when
pushed hard in cross-examina4 ion, he confessed to
a few flaws. But on the whole, he would not hear
of giving it up. General Sir James Simpson, then,
will be credited when his evidence goes to show
that the purchase system does not always save us
from commanders in their dotage. Here is what
he says on this point
Sir Harry D. Jones—ln the course of your service
have you ever met with any field officer in command of
a regiment that was very much tolow par in point of
age, and who tinny have attained that rank by pur-
chase ?—I have known several officers who were un-
equal to the command of the regiments that they held.
I cannot say whether they purchased or not.
Generally speaking, you do not find that field officers
in command of regiments are boys —No, some are
young men ; but some that I have had to deal with are
pretty old and useless, but whether they purchased or
not, I cannot say. I have had to report upon cases of
that kind several times.
You would say, that taking the British army gene-
rally, without regard to purchase, the field ()Caceres may
be generally considered as a very efficient set of men
—I think so.
And generally, so far as age goer, quite capable of
performing their duties ?—I should say so.
Sir H. J. W. Bentinck—You stated that you have
bad occasion to report cases where officers were ineffi-
cient ?—Yes.
Was your report attended to t—ln two instances that
I recollect, not very long ago ; one man died, and ano-
ther is serving now. It is not very easy, I believe, for
the authorities to deal with this subject,
Chairman—Why ?—I think it is difficult for the Com-
mander-in-Chief just upon an inspection report of a ge-
neral officer to score a man's name out of the army.
Sir De Lacy Evans—But out of the command of a
regiment 'I
—Even to do that, they are more anxious to
try them on a litt'e while.
Chairman—When an officer is reported even as unfit ?
—Yes.
Then the public service suffers very much from that,
does it not ?—Yes ; no doubt of it.
Then the good-nature of the commanding officer puts
the public to great disadvantage in that case I—The
officer may have redeeming qualities.
The command of a regiment is a very important situ-
ation ?—Yes.
Mr. G. Carr Glynn—ln point of fact that neutralised
the value of the reports I—An inspecting-general gets a
new regiment into his bands, and very likely he has not
had it more than two or three months before his inspection
report becornee due, and then he finds an old gentleman in
command of this regiment, not very acute, unfit, and
useless, and he is bound to notice it. In those two in-
stances that occur to me now, I did notice it ; one of
those mentioned died and the other remains.
Sir De Lacy Evans—The man who died was not re-
moved f—No ; I think he would have been removed. I
do not know how that, might have been.
Col. E. R. Wetherall— Would it not be very hard to
remove a man from the command of his regiment, except
upon some specific charges against him ?—There is the
thisee The Commander-in-Chief very likely says, " It
is all very well, General Simpson, reporting this man as
unfit, but I must have something snore tangible than
that ; something that I can act upon.
Or unless they increased the retirement very largely,
you would send a man to poverty 1--Yes.
Mr. G. Carr Glyn—The commissioners have been told
in evidence that there is great value in the reports of the
inspecting general officer; but it turns out that, in point
of fact, those reports are not regarded at the Horse
Guards, and their value goes for nothing f—There is
great attention paid to the inspecting-general's report in
most cases ; but that is a very difficult point to deal
with, that a man is to be ruined and scored cff upon this
mere ipso dixit ; they would naturally wait until they
had a second report from another general. I think that
is the feeling in the Horse Guards.
Colonel E. R. Wetherall—Do you think that if retire-
ments were increased, and an officer could retire urn
the full pay of his rank which he h. ii, it would be less
objectionable I—Yes ; only an officer would probably
take offence upon a report. Those are just. the men who
give trouble, and who would require a court-martial, and
then it is very difficult to deal with them.
Sir De Lacy Evans—ls it necessary to have a court
Inertial to remove an officer from the command of a
regiment I—No, I do not say that it is ; but most of
them men value themselves just as highly as the best

men do, and they would try to have an investigation
into the reasons of their dismissal.

In the case of the two reports commenting upon those
two officers that you made to the Horse Guards, was any
further inquiry made by the Horse Guards ? Was the
Adjutant-General sent down to inquire into the efficiency
of those officers or otherwise ?—I do not know.

THE REV. MR. SPURGEON AND HIS
PROPOSED NEW TABERNACLE.

A public meeting was held in New Park-street
Chapel last evening, for the purposes, as stated in
the bills announcing the meeting, "of returning
thanks to the Most High for the success that has
attended the labours of the Rev. C. n Spurgeon
in his endeavours to obtain the means for erecting
a large Tabernacle where the masses may assemble
to hear the Word of Life ;" also to record the libe-
rality of many kind donors, and the assistance of
the various churches who have aided in the under-
taking.

The proceedings having been opened with praise
and prayer,
The Bev. Mr. SPURGEON made a statement to the
meeting of the success which had attended the
efforts of the promoters of the scheme, and the
position in which matters at present stood. In
doing so he alluded to the services held in Exeter
Hall in connection with his congregation, which
were got up with a view of obtaining funds for the
enlargement of the building in which they were
then assembled, and which were eminently suc-
cessful. Nevrr man had more cause to bless God
than he had when he looked back to the numbers
which those services had been the means of winning
over to the Gospel, -and it was also gratifying to
see that, though derided and scouted by_ many at
the time, the archbishops and bishops of the Church
of England were now following the example then
set, and he hoped with equal success. It was
found, however, that the extent to which they had
been enabled to enlarge the existing building
was of •no use, inasmuch, as after the enlargement
it was as much overcrowded as before, and the idea
was then mooted of erecting a large tabernacle
capable of affording accommodation. for the masses
who seemed so anxious to hear the Gospel. In order
to assist in raising a fund for that purpose, a second
series of services was commenced in Exeter Hall,
which were being conducted with as great success
as the first, when they were told, for some reason
mysterious to him, that they could have the hall no
longer. He did not wish to impute motives to any
one in respect of that matter, but he could never
yet understand the reason why the hall was refused
them, and why they were obliged to discontinue
their service in it. That being the case, however,
what were they to do ? It was no use going back
to their old chapel, as it could not contain the. half
of the numbers who came to attend the services, and
the Surrey Music Hall having been found to be
eligible, it was resolved to secure it, and try the
holding of the services there as an experiment. He
would not pain their feelings by alluding to the
untoward circumstances attending their first meet-
ing there. It was a painful prelude to a most mag-
nificent result, and Satan never met with a greater
failure than he did in that attempt at coercion.
Had it not been for the lamentable accident which
took place on that occasion so many thousands
would have never been brought within the sound
of the Gospel. The accident was the means of
causing their meeting there to be known amongst
the. highest of the land ; and although he considered
it but of little consequence, many of theSe had
since attended their services, and heard the Gospel
in its simplicity. Their meetings there had been
eminently successful ; but, in order fully to carry
out their object, they must have a place of meet-
ing of their own, where they could have service
when they pleased, and which would afford sufficient
accommodation to those who might attend. At the
present moment he could with certainty state that,
had they such an edifice, 5,000 seats at the least
would find occupants ; and ho did so from seeing
far more than that number, Sunday afrer Sunday,
regularly hearing him in the Surrey Music-hall.
They were, in fact, regular attenders, occupying
always the same scat, and might be safely calcu-
lated oti as hearers in a new place of worship had
they one erected, and he had no doubt that could
they effect their object they would have the best
and stunvest church in London. To carry out
that object then a committee had been appointed,
who had been unremitting in their labours to pro-
cure money for the erection of the building, and a
site on which to erect it. Some three months ago
he had the honour of breakfasting with Sir S. M.
Pete, who promised him a hundred pounds dona-
tion when the foundation-stone of such a building
Was laid and another hundred pounds when it was
finished, besides a promise of further assistance.
He also toll him that he 'Would cause his agent to
look out for a site suitable for the erection of such
a structure, in respect of which he was to communi-
cate with the committee, but as be understood Sir
M. Pete had been in Portugal mostly ever since, no
conclusion had been come to in that respect. As re-
garded funds, they had in the bank a sum of 4,0001.
towards the erection of the building. They were
also promised 2,0001. from Bristol, which they were
sure to get, and there were about a thousand pounds
of subscriptions promised from various other par-
ties, besides weekly subscriptions of those attend-
ing their services, which, if paid up, would
make a considerable sum. They had, however,
4,0001. in band, sure and certain—and while that
was but a small sum in* proportion to what they
would require, still he hoped that the fact of their
having it, and the prospect of more would stimu-
late their friends to renewed exertion in raising
the requisite amount. He had himself obtained
3611. 7s. of that sum in donations, and' 5801. in
chapel collections ; in other words, collections be
had received, after preaching in various chapels in
London and throughout the country. Last week
he had received by that means 1791., although to
obtain which he had travelled many miles and
preached twice a day. After so successful a week's
work, ho had thought he could do no better than
call them together in order to detail to them the
progress they were making in carrying out the ob-
ject they had all, he was sure, so much at heart,
and he hoped what they heard would give a new
impetus to the good work, and that they would soon
have to rejoice in seeing the building commenced.
Mr. MOORE, one of the deacons, then offered up
a prayer appropriate to the special occasion on which
the meeting was convened, when the proceedings
terminated.—Morning Advertiser.