The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-10 00:00:00

ENLISTMENT IN THE ARMY.

The following excellent letter on this subject has bee*
communicated by a Correspondent well acquainted with
military service :
" The motion of Captain Layard, for shortening the
period of soldiers' enlistment to ten years instead of for
life—although opposed by the Secretary at War, and
thereby lost—will no doubt awaken many considerations
bearing on the subject, which may tend to the benefit
and advantage of those soldiers who, having gained a
certain number of years' experience, are still, from an
unconquerable dislike to a military life, desirous of re-
linquishing it. The great consideration, and the great
difficulty of carrying out such a measure, is not so much
involved in the principle set forth by the Secretary at
War, as in the fact that our army is now altogether
colonial, and serving at vast distances, if not in the very
antipodes of England ; and the transfer of soldiers from
the central parts of India would be difficult and expen-
sive beyond all calculation.
" The present custom of the service is for men in
general to obtain their discharge on the payment
of twenty pounds, under certain stipulations as to
character ; and also, after a certain length of service,
on the relinquishing all claim to pension. This is fair
and indulgent, but would bear extension. By the time
a soldier has served seven years, he is reconciled to ser-
vice—if he ever ‘s ill ba—and that is the period at
which his dissent should be ascertained and admitted.
Upon the procuring a good and sufficient substitute, and
relinquishing all claim upon his country for his past
service, as well as clearing off any expense attendant
on the approved substitute. 'This would come very near
the end proposed by Captain Layard, and if we mistake
not, be of mutual advantage to the individual and to the
country. Should the regiments to which such men be-
long be on duty in the colonies or India at the time of
application, then upon the reported approval of such
application, the man should be transferred to the first
regiment or detachment returning to England, and for
the express purpose of a regular discharge.
" The Secretary-at-War, not having been bred a sol-
dier, must have been dependent on some military men
for the opinion he has expressed ; and it is very easy to
understand why colonels of regiments should be jealous
of' losing a soldier in the very prime of his strength and
efficiency ; but the true policy of such opinions are ex-
tremely doubtful, and of a very narrow character. The
very thought of being free to go is an inducement to stay.
No doubt the situation, or present condition of soldiers,
is much more cared for than formerly,' but their future
prospects on the termination of service not so much so.
The mode of entrance into, and the mode of discharge
from, the service, are both most obnoxious—a fictitious
bounty and a miserable pension. The bounty should be
bond fide money, and a complete equipment for service
in the ranks-without any shopping or unworthy trickery,
thereby rendering the first intercourse the soldier has
with his officer an apparent fraud. The pension for 21
years' service should be given under any circumstances,
and increased for superior conduct. The real bounty
should be found, not in the sum paid at the inconsiderate
moment of enlistment, but in the pension or discharge.
One discontented or bad spirited pensioner in a parish will
spoil the recruiting of a district. The labouring classes
have only to feel that, after serving their country, they
return to their homes better men and in better condition
than they left it, and there would be no lack of volun-
teers for the army. Nothing can be more satisfactory
than the treatment of soldiers who are sick ; indeed, it
almost amounts to an axiom, that if as much pains and
care were taken on certain points of barrack accommo
dation and food, together with unnecessary exposure in
bad climates by injudicious and inexperenced officers,
the casualties of the army would be immensely reduced.
" A few civil privileges to men who have served their
country might well be thrown into the scale and added
to the pension, such as the right of trade or shop in any
part of the kingdom; exemption of such men as have only
served seven years before their discharge from militia
ballots, &c., &c.—and finally, to prevent, if possible, the
return of old soldiers in a state of roverty to Great
Britain, by forming the garrisons of Australia, or other
healthy colonies, of men who have served 14 years, and
would wish at the end of 21 years' service to settle, with
small grants of land from the Government."

COLOSSEUM, REGENT'S PARK.—The following dis-
tinguished persons were among the visitors to the Co-
losseum during the early part of the week:—Duchess of
Sutherland, Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and party,
Marchioness of Donegal, Marquis of Exeter, Earl and
Countess of Dunraven, Earl of Uxbridge; Lords Leigh,
Harrowby, Manvers, De Lisle, Carnarvon, Sherberne;
Lady Middleton, Lady Peel and party, Lady Strad-
broke, .Lady Canning, Miss Burdett Coutts, &c.
CHEAP TRAlN.—Yesterday a cheap train arrived
here from Manchester, crowded with some hundreds of the manu-
facturing classes, most of whom took excursions to Cheshire and
the Lightship, not forgetting, before quitting the town, to have
a view of the exterior of the Great Britain, in the Queen's
Graving-dock. The fare was half.a.crown a.head, and the
train consisted of ten second-class carriages, in which the pas-
sengers were packed as closely as space would permit. —Liver-
pool Albion.
CUSTOMS:AND SYMPATHIES OF THE Poola.—When
a rich man dies, multitudes throng to view the "lying-In-Ilatt
in the case of a poor man, numbers go te see the body only. Thus,.
hundreds visited the home of. John Glenn. who was killed at
Leicester last week in a fight, though there was no wound to
attract curiosity. And at the funeral on Sunday, thousands asSem.
the coffin ; four
bled to witness the spectacle. Twelve young men, with bouquets
hir" relatives,
yrnoggirgirls
twelvewo
working
nng number,
bet.
hre,
whom deceased intended to
of
maidensfioly in wrheiltleev
many, an
factory at which he was a mechanic, who attended, wearing hoods
and scarfs, as a mark of their sorrow for his untimely end, and
Were
accompanied
d thes e wbedeboryree. eaaftohcl)ehl oopu'woa:elgtihl, erbgtyh:rietln
sympathy with his relatives. Though the streets were crowded, a
profound silence prevailed, and an immense number accompanied
the procession to St. George's Church.
The great public meeting of Scottish Dissenters,
held on Wednesday last, is an event which we regard as most im-
portant and gratifying. The meeting was touch needed and well..
timed, and proved in every respect a most effective demonstration.
The recent declarations of the political leaders regarding their in.
tentions to extend the system of endowments both show need and
give improved opportunity for a revival of the voluntary agitation;
while the ill-considered and inconsistent alliances formed by some
voluntaries during the recent anti-Maynooth agitation rendered it
imperative on the great body of Dissenters to make renewed and
plain proclamation of their principles. After the recent symptoms
of a partial backsliding, it is cheering to see the most able and emi.
neat men of our Scottish Dissenters formally disowning in the
question of endowments the narrow plea of theological difference
between Protestant and Catholic, and taking their stand only on the
broad ground of justice between man and man.—Scotsman.
QUICK CoMMUNICATION.—What would folks fifty
years ago have said (asks the Pittsburg Age) had they received a
London paper with an engraving of a fire in Pittsburg before the
ruins had ceased smoking? yet such is the case now. We re.
ceived a paper of this kind on the 4th, and lit a cigar among the
ruins on the same morning.
His St rene Highness Prince Herman of Saxe
Weimar and brother left Marlborough House yesterday morn-
ing, and embarked at London-bridge wharf, on board the
General Steam Navigation Company's steam-ship Sir Edward
banks, for Ostend.