New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-22
NEED OF REFORM IN THE BRITISH ARMY.

F,on The L0rdon Times
The sys'em upon wbIcb our Army IL organized or
rather d. of all organization possesses 40 my
and compca effects that II not only ge,s US no
difficulties but almost seem. 10 prevent tae pos-ic,ty
of a remedy We find our stan appointments hied
nv nersors UNEQUAL 10 the trus', BIT &c merit nae
never been the rule of pro notion With u.s. We nave 20
means of ascertainiDg, when great emergency IKE
the uresen, makes the fact worth knowing, who tue
really ueri,orious and scientific officers are.
Their. must be in The macs OF men before SeYast-
mol and in the ranks OF the Army at home, men pos
tes-ii the experience, the kDcwlege, and the atty,
for which We seek ia vain among our stan, bot noV
are We to know them, lOw discriminate them 10
be lord a son Of lord, cousin OF Jfd, IL 90
IecesssIy disqualification, snd Snlto aud jones' u
cto.en ~ random, rssy be quite as Incompetent as
Howard or q NObtsgn. There seems 10 30 no one
whose business il TO ascertain these things; no
civilian can be expected to be ware OF them, 6nd
We seek in vain for any military man able 70 supply
the much-Deeded inform alton. The case Is widely
diert ut in the Army Of India. There every officer
serves under the eye Of q viglant q 'vernmen',
abxous above all things, 10 detect ths trs' symptom
of talent and energy and to avail itsef TO the utmost
of the services of possessor without reference 10
any other consideration than the public good. GA
sis nan undo notHs as is there the motto, and The
consequence is thst, while we appear uoabe 70 keep
alive 20 600 men, within eight miles Of bound
les supplies, and within three weeks sail Of our "a
shores. he Indian Government manages without Diff
cult, en- Army Of $50 600 men, spread over country
as large nearly European Russis under tropical
climate where march IN the middle Of The day Is a.
atiobs and carry on mighty without roads aud
without waiercsrriage, bearing the supplies on tie
backs Of beasts OF burden and dragging it's artillery
tbruugh trackless jupgles snd swanps. Really, %
rSs fresh from the perusa' OF the letters when
daily fill columns such exploits as the PIndarroe
IN which those desperate fr-ebooters were edcr-
cleo with iron chain OF $50 900 men, or the hrst
/ campaign in AtghaDfstan, where an immense army
s arti cry its inions and its food, were conveyed
across the almost impsksable defss Of the HmasY4s
must 5. en- absolutely fabulous and incredible. We
&c. TO know something OF the organization OF ereg-
in eIt but when we get beyond Inst everything 70
EFF % blind chance or still binder folly and fe'll'y'
The art of managing great Armies and carrying on
war on a scale BETTING the dignity OF 6fst-rito
Power, 10 be lost in England, and 20 survive
only in the East.
We are in sore need we want, above all ,bings,
man capable of re-creatDg our military system, OF
brgiI order out Of confusioD aud method and reg
ularify out Of chaos When We point ont the ft are
of our present war Administration, We are often taunt-
rgly cha eDged TO suggest some one 10 whose mag
az, ment reasonable and we'll foandet confidence
might be reposed. For once &c feel disposed to &C.
cept the challenge The cit OF organic alton seems 70
be lost in the Far West but lives and hOurishes 10 The
golden East; II seems e1tii CT in constitutional En-
gland but still exists in despOtc India. We need no.
nd from arstocrste circles we need no, 60 70
those middle classes which every true Britain Is tsught
10 believe naturally iLcomp eient for the carer OF "
eminent, though supremey Competent fJr everything
else in Orcer 10 find person able 70 set our Wd De-
parinenis in orcer 10 regulate their due suo0.tns-
ton 10 each other, 10 manage daily detsls, and
yet, Incredible as sucn an assertion mast
appear 70 men who straw their IDEAS OF
staies manrhp from exlstirg English examples, 10
fcres.e The events Of TO morrow heIt week,
ncnlh, aid even Lext year We need ONLY descend
ole degree below the ducal corone.. Within he
head Of n marquis there exists brain fully equal 20
all Il labor will appear, not from his pedigree
but fro n HE bogrspby-no, from the history OF his
81 cestors but bis Jast consider What has been
sehieved-snd achieved, apparently, without eff
Guilty, CT migiving of any kindly the present
Governor General Of India. His occupations have
teen very far from exclusively those OF Minister
Of War His daily duty has been 10 regulate he
taxation, settle the quarrels, humor the pre- u
Gices, ard consult the interests OF 10000 900
human beings he has diplomatic representatives
at hunored Courts, who must contend IN The arts
Of subilety and fneoee with the most crafty, the
most polished, and the most unscr apulous "
mar kind. Legislative, Judicial, Diplomatic, AdGn-
is;rative business, all comes before him IN tue
sst resort and BY him carefully and satisfactorily
settled. Ye. IN the interval Of these enpioynens oe
has found time carry out 20 successli issue With
out loss and without reverse tive mighty wars in tue
Z set sbo il the Wesi-e second Sikh war and the
war With BuImab. Had either OF these been msn.
sged OIL he present English system, tbe Army would
have perisbed 10 man before il reached the Of
lie opt stops, the troops which did arrive On The
scene Of action would have appeared without tents,
coats, or shoes; without cannon, ammunition, food,
or cook ing "a crowd Of famished scareerows
ready fall before the frs, sllsck, and sink before
the ala htest obstacle. They would have been ey-
posed 70 tropical By day, and tropical dews BY
night. without q ten, or 9 blanket 20 cover them