The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-05

Il appears that the military force Of the
United States is larger at the present moment
than it has ever been during peace. The
authorized strength Of the army is 1857; the
real strength, 1882, officers and men. 1t is
moreover the belief Of the Secretary that in q
few months the entire levy authorized will be
on 70 OF: this impression is founded on the fact
that during the past year l0,546 men have been
enliste d. The chief necessity for this large
standing army appears to arise from the mis-
management Of the government agents who
have to deal with the northwestern Indians.
The Hudson's Bay Company and the other fur
companies have actually had their agents
living in the territory of these Indians, and
hunting year after year on their grounds, and
by judicious management have contrived to
get along without any bloodshed to speak of.
But the United States government, as it ap-
pears, requires fifteen thousand men to keep
the frontier against them, and contrives no
better mode of civilizing them than putting
them to death. Such is the progress we have
made since the days Of Miles Standish and
John Underhill.
The report of the Secretary of War is long,
and contains much necessary, though I'M
interesting detail with regard to military
operations, buildings, &c. It informs US
among other things that camels and drome-
daries have been procured for army pur-
poses from the East; and that the manu-
facture Of smooth-bored arms OF the ma
tional armory has been brought to close,
and that the men are already at work on
the grooved weapons. 1t enters into a long
account Of the surveys that have been made
for Pacific railroad, and advocates that work
with the zeal and warmth that were expected
Of Mr.. Jefferson Davis. That the United States
would End it enormously expensive, if indeed,
it were at all possible to keep open military
communication between the Pacific and the
Atlantic shores, during war which excluded
them from the sea, is not to be denied; though
the cogency of Mr.. Davis argument that we
ought therefore to build the road at once, is
materially weakened, first, by the obvious pa
cifc policy of the nation, and secondly, by the
imperative necessity under which the people
would find themselves to retain or regain, at
whatever cost, the command of the sea.
The report repeats some of the recommends
tions Of that of last year in relation to officers
Such, for instance, are the suggestions for the
establishment Of q pension fund, which shall
place the widows of officers Of the army on the
same footing as those of officers Of the navy; and
for the increase of the pay of officers. The latter
recommendation deserves the immediate atten-
ton of Congress. 1t is fact that, considering
the relative cost Of living, &C., the officers Of
the United States army are worse paid than
those Of any European army. They are
worse paid than men Of equal attainments
in any civil employment. A major in
the United States service receives less money,
including rations and allowances, than many
bookkeepers in Wall or South street. A
lieutenant starves. Hence it follows that no
man can afford to be an officer in this country
without private means of his own--a state of
things than which nothing could be more pre-
judicial to the true interests Of the State; and
moreover, that officers, men with families, en-
trusted by government with the expenditure
Of large SIMS of public money, are exposed
to temptation which it is heroic virtue to
resist.
The report further recommends that o re-
tired list be provided for disabled and super
animated officers, and that no officer be detached
from his corps to serve permanently on the
staff. There will be no objection to either Of
these reforms. But the Secretary should not
have stopped here. The greatest existing mis-
chief in the army service is the embarrassing
effect of the present brevet system. This sys-
tenn was borrowed from Europe, and has been
maintained here in spite of the objections Of
all sound thinkers, mainly in consequence Of
the intense conservatism with which all soldiers
seem to be imbued. It's effect may be briefly
described for the benefit of civilians. Promo
ton in the army goes by seniority. The
lieutenant cannot become a captain till
some company is vacated by the promotion,
death or removal of its captain; aud the cap
tain cannot become major, or the major
lieutenant colonel, until, in like manner,
vacancy occurs in these grades The effect Of
the seniority plan is to place all officers on
dead leyel-thc man Of genius and the dolt,
the brave man and the coward. He who lives
longest and takes most care of his life rises
highest. The absurdity of this was evident
long ago in Europe; to remedy it, the brevet
was invented. The brevet is prom oton in
rank, conferred on officers for distinguished
services. When q captain, for instance, led a
storming party successfully, he was made
brcvet-major. But as the European army le-
gislators could not make up their minds
to forego altogether the convenient SO
niority slow coach, they ruled at the same
time that brevet / ank should not super
scdc or conflict with rank by seniority. Thus
o captain who for distinguished services was
made brevet- major might still find himself
commanded by captain whose commission
was older than his in date, and for all practi-
cal purposes the brevet was. made mere null
lily. This patent absurdity we have imported