The New York herald., 1869-06-07

lieutenant OF regiment became captain over
the heads OF his twelve sealors, simply be-
cause no could command the l,l0) which
had 70 be paid for his stepthat is Cor the difference
between the rank OF Lieutenant and captainand the
others coud not And IN our West indian regl-
mems have known cases In which not one OF the
heutenants couli pay for promotion, AMI were con-
from another reanent VINO could paw the price,
And 1t Is the same with the two majors OF re IL
ment II one OF them sells ont the senior captain
gets tne epn he can pay for it, ii not the second
or the thiri or anv other the senior OF those who
can pay tns pre-. The command OF the corps Is no
for his lieutenant co,onecy ne gets it, n not the
junior sfeps over his head, becomes lieutenant
colonel AMI Commands the one who was his se1'or.
u u neediess TO ask the question, which every
soldier Will answer for himself when he reads this
slatenent-namely can an army in which this II the
system ui promotion be properly conmandedt Aud,
recolect, have TO d but half nv tale have hurri-
edy sSetchcd the purchase system as II Is worked IN
tue mos; econonica regiments in the service IN
the ln,antry OF tho line have sud nothing respect
ing the extra regulation money that is paid for every
step In promotion, and which n an oincer does not
pay he cannot get his promotions: for the officer want
ing 10 seii ont will not retro II he does not get the
amount he demands, but exchanges to some other
c,fps "a which ther, are men with money, an sells
can ever hope 10 become the lieutenant colonel OF
an infantry regi un ess he Is able from first to
last. including regulation and extra regulation
prices TO pay about 500 IOr his rank. In tue same
way lieutenant colonel OF cavalry will have TO pay
al least tlO go for getting to the top OF the gree IL
Is true that these gentlemen leave the army they
get their money back again. but II they remain aud
are promoted TO be general officers they do not and
never can recover wha. they have pad; Is LOST to
them and their families forever Hence Il follows that
none save the wealthy can in England ever hope to
be generals or to command in the field. The i'm
mei5e majority OF field officers cannot afford this,
aad so rere be ore they get higher than regimental
rank; aud thus but few remain from which any Sc
lection can be made and our general officers are
body wholly unit for active commands.
But" your readers Will ask edo mon who have
no Inoney never enter the English army, and II they
do, how arc they promotsdW
| Will answer this question and terminate this
alreauy too long letter ut the same time by story
whlch you may rely upon us coming under my own
observation and the mora! OF the tale applicable
10 all similar cases IN the English army
ABOUT thirty years ago two young men Joined as
ensignS the same cOrps REGIMENT then stationed III
lndia will, for distinctions sake. call them No.
anu No. 2. NO. was the SENIOR No. 2 the IunOr No.
was the son OF an Old officer who had died IN India;
No. was the son OF a wealthy London merchant;
NO. had but enough m0neV To pay for his outfit,
No. had some twelve or fourteen thousand pounds
at command. They were bo5h capital soldiers.
where are tBey nOw2 No. has been full colonel
for some years and has commanded an excellent
regiment for longer time. lie Will be major gen.
eral next year, and may reap honOrs wherever hard
heart broken dscOntented man, mating the review
IN which he once took much pride and only look
lao forward tO the day when HIS many years. service
VIII entitle him TO pension. He was longer be-
coming captain tDecause he had no money than
his former junior was IN getting the rank Of lieu.
tenant colonel. How, ask. can al army In which
PROMOTION is on such q footing ever be well CON-
,nabde1Y In my next shall give you some idea OF
Wnat tne priyae soldier IL In the British service