The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-19 00:00:00

LONDuN3 WED.NESDAY EVENING AUG UST 19, 1857.

sel, Commander Byng, was taken out of dock at
Portsmouth yesterday.
Yesterday an order was received at Chatham
garrison for the following officers and men belong-
ing to the provisional battalion to embark at
Gravesend for Bombay in the East India Com-
pany's troop-ship Sedgemoor :-64th Regiment,
Lieut. C. H. Laprimandaye, Ensign W. Morrison,,
and 60 non-commissioned' officers and men ' • 78,h
Highlanders—Lieut. W. W. Young, Lieut. E. J.
Fitzsimons, Ensign R. P. Butler,
_and Ensign J.
N. Gower, with 102 non-commissioned officers and
men ; 83 lße4iment—Lieut. C. C. G )re, Ensign
N. Pennefather, and Ensign F. Karslaker, with 132
men of that corps ; 86th Regiment—Lieut. V. G.
Coates and Lieut. Watson.
Capt.. T. Biggs, Ist battalion 60th Rifles, has
joined his regiment at the Provisional Battalion,
Chatham, and taken the command of the depot of
that corps.
Mr. G. F. Charles, master, was yesterday ap-
pointed to the- Coastguard ; and Mr. C. E. Play-
fair has been confirmed to the rank of surgeon.

REPORT OPT THE COMMISSIONERS ON
THE PURCHASE OF COMMISSIONS IN
THE ARMY.

(Concluded from the Sun of yesterday.)
The scheme proposed by Sir C. Trevelyan com-
prises important changes in the organization of the
army, as well as in the system of promotion, and
in the pay of officers. Credit is taken for a saving
of 42,0001. by the abolition of agency, for which
no substitute is provided. The establishment of
general officers is reduced from 234 to 193, a change
which undoubtedly would be economical, but, which
must retard the current of promotion, as will be
seen by a reference to the memorandum on this
scheme, which is inserted in the Appendix. The
charge for non-effective services is stated at a di-
minished amount, but it seems improbable that,
under a system combining voluntary with com-
pulsory retirement, such a saving could be effected.
Since, however, the scheme of Sir C. Trevelyan
has been submitted to the Secretary of War, and
will be examined-by the officers in that depart-
ment, we have not deemed it necessary to take
further evidence upon the proposed scheme, or its
probable cost to the country.
The augmentation in the military expenditure of
the country is, however, of surbordinate importance
in comparison with other considerations which
are involved in this change. Putting aside
for the present a'l financial difficulties which might
interfere with the attempt to abolish the purchase
system, and assuming that Parliament had not
only provided the sum to which officers desirous of
retiring by sale are entitled under the purchase
system, but were also prepared to grant an in-
creased amount for the annual maintenance of the
army, if necessary, we have yet to consider whether
in this country such a change could be effected
with advantage, and by what measures it should
be introduced.
The evidence annexed to this report proves that
any gsneral scheme of promotion by selection would
not be favourably received by the officers of the
British army. It would be equally offensive to
the purchasing and the non-purchasing corps. The
commission on army promotion in the year 1854
recommended a limited application of the principle
of selection, but they accompanied this recom-
mendation .with suggestsioos intended as far as
po-sible to defeat this iiiftlibnces of private friend-
ship and of political preference ; with this view
they proposed that, whenever appointments were
made out of the regular course of army promotion,
the services of the officer selected should be detailed
for public information. It is obvious that if selec-
tion were to be applied to the junior ranks, this
security would be very much diminished. In
imitation of the French system it may be suggested
that special inspectors should be appointed to visit
and examine the regiments, and that all promotion
should be based upon a careful consideration of
their reports. Such a scheme could hardly be
applied to the British army. Inspectors could not
be sent annually f[orn the Horse Guards to visit
regiments dispersed from Canada to Austral:a. A
fair and practice' system of examination for the pur-
pose cf promotion cannot be extemporised by a
commission, it must be based upon a long experi-
ence of military men, and modifie ] by a variety of
considerations, in order that due encouragement
may be given to all the qualifications and attain-
men's which cintribute to an officer's efficiency.
Before any scheme of promotion by selection is
extensively introduced in the British army, there
should be a general confidence that the Rawer of
selection will not be misused. The military appoint-
m•- nts made during late years, as wsll in this country
as in the Crimea, have not tended to satisfy the army
with the mode in which the principle of selection
has been applied. It may be suggested that if the
purchase system were abolished, promotion up to
the rank of captain might be safely left to the rule
of seniority. Such a measure would have an inju-
rious effect on the efficiency of the army, the regi-
ments would in a, few years be filled with old
lieutenants and captains, and there would' be no
opportunity of selecting officers for the higher
ranks except from amongst those whose age must
necessarily impair their efficiency ; under such an
imnicgehmtpflaeilteiharrbannhggoimnegntte, the principle of selection
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as
General Commanding in Chief, attended by a nu- higher ranks officers
merous staff, will leave town this morning for the qualified for active service in the field. If the pur-
camp
c
at Aldershot. The troops in camp are or- chase system were abolished, and promotion by
dered to be under arms at an early hour for a grand seniority
should become the rule of the service, the
field day. whole army would either bs reduced to the condi-
His Royal Highness the General Commanding in tion in which the ordnance corps were place lin the
Chief will hold a levee at 1 o'clock on Friday next.
Major-General Sir F. Love, the Inspector-Gene- moreyna subsequentbparoahealbloeft
to the peace of 1815, or, what is
ral of infantry, has left town on an official visit to arise,
oven
much after
o f
the
h eawoulduthor re d
subscribed practice
Pembroke. manoneuyn
regiment, or pecuniary influence would be in some
The 44th Regiment, being on the eve of em- way employed to induce others to retire ; thus,
barkation for India, were yesterday presented with
new colours by Major-General the Hon. Sir J. Y.thehardships
abolition
an
do of
of the
purchaseevils
incident system,
Scarlett, K. C.B. the Commander-in-Chief of the that winoulthde
system would recur. It seems doubtful whe-
South-West District,' at Portsmouth. The usual ce- therscheme of retirement, however liberal,
t o
remonies having been gone through, of piling the would. anyuce such a current of promotion as to en-
drums, placing the colours, and blessing or conse- able thein
executive Government to rely on the effi-
crating them by the garrison chaplain of Portsmouth, then
cY of officers raised to the higher ranks by
the Rev. T. Milner, Major-General Scarlett deliver- seniority alone. According to the establishment of
the
ed the new colours to the senior majors (Lieut.-
and
an a regiment contains eight or ten ensigns,
Colonels McMahon and Browne), and addressednequal number of lieutenants and captains e
the regiment in a most soldierly speech, showing
brit
as there are only two majors, it is manifest that
that the colours of a regiment mark its identity, a large
proportion of captains must remain for a
and that those of the 44th, emblazoned as they are longtime in that rank waiting for the next step,
with the names of the memorable victories of Egypt, retarding
the rise of lieutenants and checking all
Badajoz, Salamanca, e insula, Bladensburg, Wa-
P n• promotion in
the regiment. Here the purchase
terloo, Ave, Alma, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, born system operates favourably for the public service,
honours no regiment could outvie ; that they bad since it is found that a number of these captains
gone through many hardships in many places, and and lieutenants retire
the sale of their commis-
the names on their colours called up many recol- sinus, and make room or the advancement of
lections to their honour and credit ; their conduct younger youneer men. pension graduated according to
at Quatre Bras and Cabul was unexceptionable, the of length service or to the rank of the officer
and at Alma glorious ; at the former action the would not have this beneficial effect but would on
bravery of Ensign Christie saved the old colours, the contrary induce the officer '
to remain in the 1
and at the latter the self-sacrifice or devotion of Dr. certainty of securing hereafter an increased allow-
Thompson was unparalleled ;in their attack on the ance. When it is said that an officer selling out
cemetery before Sebustopol on the 18th of June, the only receives back his own money which he
44th lost four captains out of six, and one-fourth of had previously paid for commissions, and that the
the men ; they wer a now about to embark for India,
originally
where he hoped sue cess and victory would still be en- have furnished a simpler and more convenient ro-
chainedto their eta ndard, feeling certain that under vision for his r • it is 9
retirement
no circumstances at, could they fail to defendthem. The representation of the case, boWever specious, is not
gallant general tl ten feelingly touched upon the in accordance with the I facts or with the rac-
usual p _
deaths of Captains Mansfield, Agar, Feuwickl and tical operation of the system. Friends and rela-
Caulfield in the Crimea, and Ensign Souter, in the tions often come .f
forward, at great pecuniary incon-
retreat from Cabal'., and concluded a spirited and venience to themselves, to purchase the first corn-
martial address by
44thwouldpre- mission
a hope that the
serve the honours of the old colours, and reap new officer, but these persons would not be equally
distinctions under th
.ose he then presented. Lieut.- ready to provide a fund for his future retirement.
Col. St IWe y, 0.8., t hen returned thanks . ,in a short Here therefore, the
officer selling out obtains a sum
speech, and the cols era having been trooped in the of money which, except under the purchase system,
usual manner the el t• t
eon the field adjourned to a he would never have acquired. The retirement of
superb refection pre paredpe in the King's Rooms ad- old officers, which is essential to the efficiency of
jacent, by Mr. D. Dent, of the Portland Hotel, the army, is facilitated by the
Southsea. After ft its dancingpurehase system, nor
kept up until night: set in. was commenced and would a rule of compulsory retirement unless ad-
')
sisted by a large grantof
The Lords of the, Admiralty public money, be found
inspection at Port smouth tresumed their annual to be an adequate substitute for the present sale of
to the gunboat La irths at eserday, and went first commissions. The adoption of election would, if
a most minute inspection, Hasler,l‘ where they made judiciously exercised, secure the ablest men for the
directionr. Lloyd and Mr. higher regimental ranks, but this
Scamp pointing o art (under the would necessarily
of Colonel. leave every.regimelit filled
during a protracted
Greene) the new works, improve
and requirement s . The gunboat Brave
working, peace with old captains and lieutenants, who must
Brave - was wait, with little hope of promotion, until they
launched in the pr. esence of ?he Board, and . nume- reached the age fixed for their retirement.
roux suggestions n I.ado for the permanent
gunboat resell 'e establishment. benefit of Passing by, for the present, the difficult Whileques-
this on the tion d from the N retirement ..,rnty, we have conk-
Gosport shore th a ;r Lordships inspected
officially dered in what way the principle of selection could
the Royal Marine : Light Infantry quarter at For- be introduced; what securities can be suggested for
For-
ton-barracks, the. Royal Clarence-vas; quartered,
at
its just applieatiOn, and limier VehAt Authority such
Royal Naval HOF.% oitat at Hasler, both than?.
ofe catter a Power could be administ red. The introduction
establishments un c her the superintendence
Daores, C. 8., R. l' 1. Fiona, the Clarence. - „AV. of a Ohange iii the orgthrisation of the British
Y •''' ' ' army is beset with difficulties. The present body of
Board embarked ir r their barite d ' .
, an thspect-d and,,,„
Officers hate entered the ar".„ and served in
mustered the ate s in reserved on board the Bls
11
helm - the fiqth of another system, and they would coin-
, in the cos r.m.a,nd of
Pelham, C.B. : i.nd thence plain if they suddenly fount themselues supersedel
es 2 to the gunnery-ship
Excellent, ()apt. re H under tlo- of new rules. We have in vain
ewlett, C.B. In the evenie - ...0 operation .. ..
they dined • - .
with ReatoSA •
dmiral Martin, Si -6
endeaVOUred tO obtain ev Si 1 ence which might en-
tendent of the d. )I;kyard. ,ettperito bl • t t a mode by which such change
a eus to point ou
The Falcon, 1e97, C Icould be gradually in
• troduced. None of the mili-
mantling in Por ts o nmandr:„ .Campion, is d•
le- tary w•e -Ass exanainad had considered the sub-
The:mouth be- •
Pylades, r 1 -etrour, tq Ipaid
sse off. ject in
I nob., -
4. 1.8 and their observations afford
Pottunouth h e 2 Capt. Michael LI its de.4l" ,
swards a practical solution of
hart 3, our e Courcy, left no
Spithead. Yesterday assistance 1,.
. i and anal,— " It may be suggested that
The Sparrowb I
ovvic, d ."4114 0, these diffi
culties.
ill
. future obtain their first
'LI Otoma young men should
urcuage, dog which theix
gicepat
8124 o
Wt..- VAPAVOPus without P

futuree t
iborpnorsuo
gamhts oingitiho should'-tobyee ralaid.ibe subject to such
nd ei Inv na forrethe
na
td vwa
hn
ec er
e-
o
ment of officers by selection. -Such a.system could
i
ffi t e haevegoavtadmyert rcwhearseedprtebpeairredcotmomiZy outsions
ounleesrss the f
gatnt
hhee
nneeweeßowreffia:
British
eyeiehsrheos Tr he
go u were
lao ;Ilan.
wiAllinchgainogseeer'fvet-hunisdoexrttahnist
would disturb the 'regimental system throughout
terrmoodyfu aceenrrellt,r entry
it u would
mo iptu.tbireocnho ba
purchase obvious
sunysostttlei
be
et
in
til the
shall have been entirely abolished. Many reasons
induce us to believe that, instead of commencing
with the new entries, the principle of selection
might with more facility and with more advantage
to the public service, be applied t o the highest rank
in the regiment.. The honourable post of colonel
of a regiment is now given by selection. This po-,
sition has no duties attached to it,and
reward for past military services. The post of
lieut.-colonel, on the contrary, is of the greatest
importance for the efficiency of the regiment, and
this is attainable by purchase. It is moreover fur
this rank especially that sums are paid greatly ex:
ceeding the regulation price. In this rank, again,
practical evils have resulted from the purchase sys-
tem, which seem to require and to justify interfer-
ence. It may be said that the Commander-in-Chief
has full power to interfere and to prevent the pur-
chase of the lieutenant-colonelcy by any' offider
whom he may consider unfit for such 'command.
Under the present system an interference of this
kind is a measure which, it is et ited, would only be
resorted to in an extreme case ; it might save a
regiment from being placed pnder, an officer who
was notoriously unfit, it would not confer the com-
mand on the officer who might be acknowledged to
be best qualified for such promotion. The prohi-
bition to purchase is an exercise of authority which
has not, it is admitted, been sufficiently employed,
nor can it be expected that any Commander-in-
Chief will readily incur the attaching to a
departure from the practice of the service. In
this respect, therefore, we think that the good of
the service will be best promoted by an alteration ;
and we recommend that hereafter the lieut.-col-
onelcy of a regiment should no longer be purchase-
able, but should be an appointment made by the
selection of the Commander-in-Chief from all the
majors in that branch of the service. The principle
of selection may be most advantageously,tried in
the appointment of the command of a regiment.
The Commander-in-Chief has, it is said, the means,
through the information collected at headquarters,
of knowing the charec'.er for efficiency and intelli-
gence of every field officer in the army. The re-
sponsibility of these appointments will rest on the
Commander-in-Chief, _and the attention of the
whole army will be necessarily fixed on his exer-
cise of this power. In recommending that the
command of a regiment should in future depend
upon the selection of the highest military autho-
rity, we adopt the practice which prevails in many
European states as well as in our Indian army.
His Royal Highness the Commander in-Chief has
,stated forcibly all the objections to the appointment
of lieutenant-colonels by selectioc. At the same
time he has admitted, that a power of vetoing the
purabese of the lieutenant-eolonelcy might often be
exercised by the Commander-in-Chief with great
benefit to the army, and without injustice to any
individual. His Royal Highness has, also stated,
that if the returns from inspecting officers are fairly
given, as they ought to be and might be, the re is
no officer in the army with whose profession Al 'cha-
racter the Commander-in-Chief might not be ac-
quainted. Titus then it appears to be acknow-
ledged, by the persons most competent from their
official positions to form a judgment in this
matter, that the ordinary mode in which offi-
cers now attain by purchase the command of regi-
ments, ought, r the good of the service, to be in
some degree limited or controlled. The Choice lies,
therefore, between the power of prohibitino• an offi-
cer from acquiring this command, or selecting an
officer for this command. The power of prohibi-
tion has, however, unquestionably been always
vested in the Commander-in-Chief ; it has been too
rarely exercised, and a post, the importance of
which cannot be overrated, has I een an 1 may again
be held by persons ill-fitted for such command.
The inference seems to be obvious that instead of
the discretional exercise of prohibition, the"
Commander-in-Chief should be authorised to
select for this command. To this proposal,
it is objec• ed, that the feeling against
selection is so strong, that the highest ihisitary
authorities will take refuge in seniority, and if they
cannot choose the senior major of the regiment, they
would select the senior major in the arm of the
service. These objections will be found stated at
length in the evidence of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, and in the evidence of Earl
Grey. These opinions are entitled to great weight,
but after a full consideration we recommend that a
change should be made in the mode of appointing
to the command of regiments, that for this rank
purchase should cease, and that the lieutenant-
colonel should be named by selection upon the re-
sponsibility of the Commander-in-Chief. We make
no reference to higher ranks, because they are not
attainable by purchase, ' and are, therefore, not
within the scope of our instructions. We also re-
commend that the period of holding this command
should for the future be limited, and that a time
should be fixed—eight or perhaps ten years—as the
longest duration of such command. Officers, how-
ever, who relinquish, the command of a regiment
after holding it for the prescribed time, must not
suffer any pecuniary loss from the change. The Go-
vernment must also be prepared to purchase the
lieutenant-colonelcy from any officer now holding
the command of a srpgiment, whenever any one may
be desirous of selling' his commission. Even this
limited amount of change in the regulations of the
army will be attended with hardship to officers who
have paid, according to long-established usage,
large sums ror their commis=ion,,, and who from
tkeir position have the prospect of speedtlY obtain-
ing the command of the regiment, which may have
been the long-sought object of their ambition.
It may be said, in objection to the above recom-
mendations, that they leave the wholes ystem of
purchase untouched up to the rank of mor. We
are, however, thus cautious in introducing the prin- ,
ciple of selection, from an earnest desire that its ap- 1
plication should be fairly tested by experience. To
abolish the purchase system, and to leave promotion
by seniority as the future rule of advancement,
would, in our opinion, be a course of proceeding most
injurious to the efficiency of the British army. Such,
no doubt would be the simplest, and it would on
many accounts be the most popular measure • but
the information derived from the purchasing,
as well as from the non-purchasing corps, proves
that such scheme would, during a long interval of
peace, render the British army ill qualified for the
service which may hereafter be required of it. Be
retaining the sytem of purchase up to the rank of
field-officer, the outlet for the retirement of majors,
captains, and lieutenants will continue as at pre-
sent. The current of regimental promotion will
not, therefore, be retarded, whilst on the other
hand a limitation of the period during which the
same officer shall Ira the command of a regiment
will tend to accelerate promotion. Those officers
again who have been raised from the ranks will be
still enabled to sell their-commissions, if they should
wish to quit-the service.
The purchase of the first commission is the least
objectionable part of the present system. In this
case, the regulation price is never exceeded, and
the supply of eligible candidates ready to purchase
is more than sufficient for filling the annual vacan-
cies. The British army according to its present
establishment contains about 6,000 officers ; and
the new entries requieed to maintain this establish-
ment can in this country be easily provided for
from amongst those who are willing to pay for their
commissions. Moreover, it must be remembered,
that purchase is not the only mode of entering the
army. During the three years from 1851 to 1853,
a period of peace, while 963 young men entered the
army by purchase, 266 entered without purchase..
Nor can it be fairly said that the purchase system
is the obstacle to introducing' a better system of
military education. A stricter examination before
granting the first commission, an improved training
afterwards, and a further examination on promo-
tion from ens; "n to lieutenant, are measures per-
fectly compatible seith. the system of purchase.
Commissions in the artillery are now-granted
under a system of competitive examination. This
•
system is, it is ' sa id to be modified ; but as the
whole subject of military education is now under
consideration, and the military institutions of
foreign countries have been visited with the view
of establishing some plan of instruction for British
officers, we deem it unnecessary to advert to infor-
oints which may be found in
oration upon these p
effected.
the evidence we have
The mode of entry into our army cannot, of
course, be assimilated to the system of foreign
countries, where purchase of the first commission
is unknown. But we may obserTelthat in making
smilar diculties do not
appointments to the staffoi
concernedffi with the
occur. The staff is in n way
purchase system.
Here therefore, there is every
r
iSoility for the odoptio of
§aoh wprovomeutsia

education and military training as may be deemed
advisable ; and without imputing any deficiency to,
the staff of the army, for such an imputation would
be in direct contradiction to the evidence we have
received, we may yet suggest that promotion to the
staff might be made the means of stimulating mili-
tary education, rewarding meritorious officers, and
obviating some of the hardships which, must arise
from the purchase system. It appears that in
France, in Austria, in Prussia, and in Sardinia,
there are special establi hments for the instruction
of staff officers ; entrance to these establishments is,
it is said, gained by competition, while admission
to the staff of the army is only to be attaiee I by
passing through these establishments with credit.
A similar system might be adop`el for the British
army ; the senior department at Sandhurst might
be strengthened and rendered available for the pur-
pose for which it is said to have been originally
intended, and a course of training in this depar.-
ment might then be made an indispensable condi-
tion to the attainment of a staff appointment. The
system of study and of training would require
careful consideration, with the view of testing and
of cultivating those physical and mental qualities
which are more essential to an officer than literary
or even than high scientific attainments. Regula-
tions rendering a staff appointment an object of
honourable emulation would have a beneficial effect
not only on the staff itself, but would promote
military education throughout the army. Such
regulations might moreover prepare the way f)r an
improved system of army promotion hereafter.
The limitation of the time during which officers
shall hereafter hold situations on the staff, a
-measure recommended in a former report,
would 'render these appointments additionally
serviceable to the interests of the army. All
these changes, inasmuch as they introduce the
principle of advancement by selection tend
towards the abolition ofthe purchase system. When
experience has proved that officers appointed to the
command of regiments, and to situations on the
staff, have been chosen with due regard to their
professional acquirements, to their past service,.and
to their present fitness, the distrust of the principle
of selection will be lessened, and one great obstacle.
to the change a system will be removed. ,
A system of periodical inspection by officers spe-
cially appointed for the purpose, as is practised in
the French army, would probably be found a bene-
ficial measure, tending to give confidence in the
fairness and impartiality of the reports ; and though
such inspection could not be applied to regiments
abroad, the object might be attained by other
means. A board of general officers might be con-
stituted under the name of Inspectors-General ;
some members of this board should retire annually
and be replaced by others, so that while an unifor
mity of system is maintained, the impartiality re-
sulting from a change in the inspectors may be
secured. This board should personally inspect the
troops in Great Britain and Ireland ; they should
also require from general officers commanding on
foreign stations such arrangements as they might
deem essential for acquiring an intimate knowledge
of the merits and capabilities of officers serving
abroad. Such a system would, it is believed, remedy
some defects which would are found in the existing
mode of inspecting regiments, and it would g adu-
ally collect information which would assist the
Commander-in-Chief whenever it may become his
duty to select an officer for the command of a regi-
ment.
In the preceding pages we have endeavoured to
show that if the purchase system be abolished, it
will become indispensable, for the purpose of main-
taining the efficiency of the British army, to adopt
a new system of retirement and promotion, namely,
to make retirement, after a fixed age or period of
service, compulsory, and to give promotions by se-
lection. It bas been further shown that compul-
sory retirement will be alone an inadequate substi-
tute for the sale of commissions ; but we consider
that its partialadoption would facilitate the measure
we propose for the selection of lieutenan'-colonels,
while we do not suggest disturbing the existing
system as regards the purchase and sale of commis-
sions, up to the rank of major inclusive. Until
the effect of the change above recommended shall
have been tried and its practical results approved,
it would be in our opinion injudicious to interfere
further with the usual course of regimental promo-
tion.
The recommendations which we bafe ventured
to make must necessarily afford some opportunities
for the exorcise of selection, and if these °pl orth-
nities are used with fairness and discrimination the
confidence of the army will be conciliated, and pur-
chase will then no longer be deemed indispensable
as a security against favour in the highest quar-
ters, and as a guarantee against the mischievous in-
terferences of private friendship, and of political
preference. We conclude this report with an ear-
nest hope that our suggestions may be found con-
ducive to the welfare of the army during peace, and
to its efficiency whenever its services may be again
required to maintain the honour of the crown or
the interests of the British empire.
SOMERSET.
STANLEY.
SIDNEY HERBERT.
DE LACY EVANS.
HARRY D, JONES.
GEO. CARR GLYN.

STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR DE LACY
EVANS, TO BE ANNEXED- TO THIS REPORT.

As a member of the cominiElsion he has the hon-
our to state, that he has doem.xl it a duty to sign
the report decided on by the commissioners, because
he fully concurs in the recommendations, as far as
they go, which it contains. But_ as the evidence
adduced has streng,thened the convictions
which •he previously held on this subject, and as be
believes that some additional measures may, with
advantage to the public, be adopted, having for
their object a more early termination of the system
of sale and purchase of commissions in the army
than is provided for in this report—be will feel it
his duty to transmit, as soon as practicable, to the
office of the commission, a representation of his
humble opinions to this effect.
DE LACY Evans.