Star.
London, England, 1825-11-05 00:00:00

EDUCATION IN ENGLAND.

The wars in which Great Britain has been often in
Ived with continental enemies, in the course of the
last century, afford abundant proof that a Standing
Army is necessary to her security during peace ; and that
it furnishes the only means by which she can cope with
Scantling Armies in a foreign soil, during war. This
fact being admitted, for, in truth no other kind of
Army can be depended upon, it is of prinrtry import-
ance that such a system of Military discipline, com-
prehending an accurate knowledge of -die art of war,
bath in theory and practice, should be introduced and
constantly kept up in the Army, as shall insure the
good order of all its constituent patts, and give
efficiency to its operations. Secured by, her insular
situation,' and protected by her naval bulwarks, from
those invasions to which contiguous nations, only sera-
need by a nominal boundary, are more readily•exposed;
and, from the same cause, not so likely to be .em-
broiled in continental wars, Great Britain, on this ac-
count, was contented with an Army, which, in point -of
numerical force, was !mall in comparison with those
of the Continent, and consequently only held in propor-
fume estimation as a Military Power.
On the breaking out of a war, therefore, it always
bourne necessary to augment her at mies from the
militia, and by new levies, which, when brought into
actual service, were generally found more or less in'
"fictive, undisciplined, or they soon were rendered
unfit for the campaign by diseases to which raw troops
are more particularly liable. As a great proportion of
the Officers also, would be found inexperienced for set-
me, and deficient in the necessary qualifications for
military operations, it would not excite surprise, if the
result of a campaign, whose operations wete dependent
upon such an Army, were marked with disappdintment
and discomfiture. The disadvantages under Which the
Army suffered in this respect, are in some degree attri-
butable to the want of facilities for obtaining military
education in this country; and it is not a little remark-
able, that no uniform system of tactics was introduced,
nor generally enforced by authority till the year 1791,
when it was done through the exertions of the late
General Sir David Dundas.
That excellent Officer, who hard, by personal obser-
vation, and unwearied attention, • made himself
thoroughly acquainted with the most improved tactics
of Prussia, was the first, who; 'under the sanction of the
Commander in Chief, rendered this signal service to
the British Army, and he lived long enough to see it
universally adopted. Some amendments, it is true,
have been made at various times in his system ; priack
Pally in points calculated to facilitate and give in-
creased celerity to some of „the movements and forma-
tins, especially in the judicious alteration lately intro-
duced by, the present Adjutant• General.. In respect to
the means of attaining a general Military Education,
however, that is to say. a seminary to teach the duties
of the Army Officer, and to instruct him in the art of
ear, there was tiothing provided in England until the
institution of the Royal Military College, in 1799 or
1800. The first object in view at that period *as the
sstabii.hment of a Royal School for the instruction of
Army Officers iii every branch of military science, and
in the French and German languages. In 1802, a
separate branch, or College, was also opened for the re-
ception and education of young Gentlemen for the
Army in general, founded upon a plan similar to that of
the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich ; and placed
tinder the governance and direction of able and indefa-
tigable Officers, and Masters in every branch of in
inaction, subservient to military education. Since the
foandation of that Institution, a new ars may be said
to have commenced in the range of scientific acquire.
ments of the Army Officer. The masterly tactics of
Wellington, during the Peninsular war, owe no small
Portion of their excellence to the science of some
Officers of his Lordship's Staff, who studied at that
C. ollege. There is now, in fact, scarcely a Regiment
.11 the Army, which does not possess some Dicers from
this military school, who, to previous military habits
And associations, add more or less knowledge of tactics,
/ftlification, mathematics, military and landscape
drawing, surveying, and languages. The office of the
Quartermaster-General teems with able and accurate
plans, and military surveys of countries, and stations,
sent from almost every part of the country, and of the
known world, executed by some of those Officers; and
furnishing the undoubted evidences of their zeal and
proficiency in those respects. This was not the case in
the Army before. Such acquirements are not ideal,
they are solid and useful : during war, they are inei-
thnable. Nor are these the sole advantages which edit-
St these schools Confers upon the Army. The

outh whd ire educated there, tieing inured tii the
early practice of arms and athletic exercises, and de-
riving likewise the advantages of regular and salutary
habits of life, become fortified in health, strength, and
constitution, and atquire a tone and robustness better
suited to encounter the vicissitudes and hardships of
military service, than young men who enter the Army
under circumstances less favourable in these respects.
From all the above considerations we are warranted
in our conclusion, that our Army is more efficient, that
science is more ardently sought after, and generally
diffused amongst the great body of our Officer); while
the discipline and good order of the soldiers are better
preserved, and preserved by milder and more judicious
modes of punishment, than was the case in our Army
formerly ; that is to say, at the commencement of the
last war ; in short, that a British Army, under the aus-
pices of the present Commander in Chief, never per-
haps attained so high a pitch of knowledge, experience,
and discipline, as exists at the present time.