New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-08

tised time out of mind. Lord Hsrdioges memo
ranSum to the army discloses the fact ths' "''a'n
year two cases similar to that OF Lieut.. ferr!
had been brought before Courts Martial; ~aue
the prominence given to the latter case was a.
tributsbe solely to the highly charged atmosphere
of the times The testimonial set on foos fo'
the young man, which has realized above siO'ooV'
beside a large amount received BY private COM
nunication, shows that the British public nShHy
compre bend how nearly his cause Is idensined
with their own.
The iobbing. sristocra.ic, and dishonorsble ys-
tenn Of army clothing (which the British army
had in common with the Russian. uuder which
the Colonies resped large profits out Of tho mems
psy. BY buying the clothes Of the regiment at
wholesale and then retailing them to the men st
a profit. was abolished early tbis year; aud the
recent appointment of q MinisteratWar was
called for by public opinion. because Ministerial
responsibility could be more efectuslly scared
against a single head than against the manifold
and conflicting jurisdictions Of the old system,
and because that Minister would be the wedge
through whose instrumentality the middle class
would be able to effect those administrative re-
forms which were needed in the various depart
ments subject to his jurisdiction.
The same progress of Liberalism is visible in
the militia, which was revived in 1852. The pres
ent militia is raised BY voluntary enlistment and
not by conscri ption, as 10 Tory times. The pro-
perty qualification for officers under the rank OF
captain was abolished; for officers above that rank.
personal estate was put on a level with estate 10
land. sDd Msjor-General Bush, the late officer at
the head of the recruiting service in the British ar
N.Y. QsmentiDg the difficulty now felt in obtaining
recruits for the regular service thus remarksofthe
citizen. soldiery: In former days the hard and
"coarse treatment Of the militia drove them into
"the army. All that is changed ROW, and prop
"erly 90. The militia are now kindly treated
land almost petted In q social and moral point
"of view, it is well, but as regards the army. it
"mskes recruiting in this war diff ,ult, as com
pared with that of fifty years ago.
The naval service has yielded to the same pres
sure. We have Sir Charles Nspier's authority, in
his conversation with our Minister at Copenhs-
gen, for saying. that the mode Of treating the
common sailor in the royal navy, was. within his
recollection, most brutal; but that it had also
been immensely ameliorated Of late years. What
Sir Charles did not tell Mr.. Bedinger, was that
be himself had been in no small degree instru-
mental in bringing about 80 desirable series of
changes. The disgraceful affair at Portsmouth,
on board the Dauntless, will also be to the navy
what Lieutenant Perry's case has been to the army
Tha have oiv
notice to the Admiralty that they expect that
branch Of the government to reform and puoish
the hitherto unchecked licentiouspess Of the
officers; The London Times boastfully declsr-
ing that il the Admiralty fail to do their duty in
the premises of their own accord, it The London
Times) is powerful enough to compel them to do
it, or even by tho grace Of public opinion and the
civil tribunals to effect the reform without the
aid of the Executive. Thepresent war has been
signslized by the dsuse of the rufhanly system Of
impressment; the press gang is now an obsolete
institution in Britain. -Four years ago Sir Charles
Napier, when Radical member for Maryiebone,
exposed the aristocrstic system of jobbery and
wasteful expenditure in the dock. yards, aud the
then Wing Ministry, and, later, the present MID
istry have assented to the voice of public opinion,
and adopted Napier's suggestions. In the mean
time, the Wing srstocrscy manifested their sense
of Napier's demogogic proceedings by passing
him by for younger admirals, and Lord John Rus
sell told him that he "lacked discretion" 1t
was only the mperious voice Of the nation de-
maDding his appointment to the chief command Of
the Baltic feet that renstated him in bis rightfal
position.