New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-17
CAVALRY CHARGES.

II is proyerbed fact that there is great deal OF
human nature in man; and it is equally true that
the human nature thus inherent in humanity is sub
iect to very funny conditions. For example, It
seems hard to account for the virtue there is in blue
or scarlet cloth, with a scantlng of gold lace or yell
low calloon, that il should draw an able-boded man
from the personal freedom and better paid industries
of civil life, to be made man-machine oil, white
slave for the term of his enlistment, with the chances
of being shot or bayonetted into the bargain. The
monotony of military life, in garrison or in camp,
is such that the time of penitentlary convict Is
full of agreeable variety in the comparison. Indeed,
it was admitted, on a recent inquiry IN England ln-
to the cause of the undue mortality Of the army in
barracks that they were literally bored TO death, and
died of ennui. complicated with divers other NOR
bifc, moral and physical conditions.
Our own regular troops get about eight dollars
a month and found. This does not look like q
very inviting prospect to an enterprlsing Yankee.
And indeed, there is but small proport o. OF
Native Americans in the military service of the
nationwide rank and Gle being mainly composed
of our adopted fellow citizens" the exceptions
Dtlng HldlHl1 DTOAtuuOnu upSNVAoi
listers actors and others, who have fallen through
from higher position than their comrades to their
companionship. In England the pay is yet less,
and subject to certain deductions for clothing,
which, after all, they do not own. There is not
one of these Englishmen that could not better
wages, and live much more to his mind in almost
any occupation of civil life. And if it be hard to
oh ip1u IN Df
in the ranks, it is almost as perpexing to compre-
bend how gentlemen of easy fortunes and good
position should be willing to pay great sums of
money for the certainty of being bored in time
of peace, and the chance of being killed or
manned in time of war. A cOmmander-in-chef,
or even general officer, or colonel, we can I'M
derstand, as they have power and consideration,
and in case of successful fighting, all the credit.
But the common soldier and the subaltern officer of
the English army we confess to be muddle to us.
And even in England, where the searlet-feyer is
so prevalent and so contagious, there are symptoms
OF returning sanity 1t has been a growing COM
plant at the Horse Guards, ever since the Crimean
war broke out, that the competition for Cavalry
con missions had been dwindlng toward the van
ishiug point This has been attributed to the ex-
animation which the candidates for the military
saddle have been subjected TO within few years.
Though not very severe, and not much more search
ing than ia necessary to find out whether the can
didate considers the Crusaders TO be set OF
persecuted Christians, and George III. the son of
Mary Queen of Scots it may have discouraged
some OF the class who used to be put Into the army
because they we're fit for nothing else from be-
coming candidates. But the principal reason
seems to have been the prodigous expensiyeness of
the luxury, combined with change in the kind of
service required, very much for the worse, or the
less agreeable. This change Of system must result
in a reformation of the first mischief, or her
Majesty will be likely to 90 without Cavalry
officers.
The regulation prices Of this branch Of service
are these: A cornet pays to his predecessor, whose
place be takes, the sum of f640. At the next
step be pays to the lieutenant who makes way for
him, f35O. For his troop he has to pay f2,OOO
more. To become major he must band over
{ $50 and for his lieutenaDt-colonelcy he must
pay 81 600 in addition TO all preceding sums
So that, when he gets Bis regiment (for in the En-
glish service the Lieut. Colonel is the commander
of the regiment), be has invested over $4,000, or
$50, 900, in military glory. This is what the regu-
lations of the army permit and require. But this
is in reality, but small portion of what has actu-
ally to be paid for this degree Of promotion. The
poltico-economical principle Of thing being worth
the money il will bring, has oyer-rdden the sump-
tuary regulations Of the Horse Guards and fixed the
price of the article according to the demand for it
in the market So that, in point of fact as ascer.
tanned by the Royal Commission on the subject, the
Gums actually paid for commissions have ruled at
about double the regulation prices. Thus, Lieut.
Col. Of q regiment Of horse has ordinarily paid
fl2,OO0, or $4,000 for bis commission, and, in
time ofPeaee, { GOO, fl6, coo, and even ,Os0
have been given for this rank in the service. The
pay of these grades are 8 shiIings day for cor
net g shilings for Lieutenant, IA shillngs I'd. for
captain, IS shillings Sd. for a major, and El 3
shilings for lieut.. colonel The outfit amounts to
$500 or Coco, and every officer has to keep two
chargers; that great deal Of glory ought to be
perceived in order to bring up the profit of the
business to visible point.
Now, under the old regime of the army, there
were compromising advantages which made the bar
gain not so very hard one. The cavalry regiments
were very seldom ordered out Of the British islands