Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-07-25
English Army Life.

Some recent proceedings in the Lon
don Court of Bankruptcy give an ink
ling Of the extravaganza habits INDUCED
by young men In the British army, I'M
der the idea that perfuse expenditure is
necessary in order to support their posi-
ton and rank. In the case Of one young
officer it was shown that in the course of
few months service in the Grenadier
Guards he had managed to run up debts
to the amount of $4,000, This person
had but recently come of age. A sub
lieutenant in the British army under the
new oranization gets about three shillings
and sixpence per day, and Lieutenant
six shillings. With this pay they are
expected to join the regimental mess,
which involves an expenditure of at least
fifty dollars u month for dinners alone,
together with share in the expense OF
keeping up suit of rooms splendidly
furnished, including q dining room
capable of holding hundred or more
persons a.share in the cost of the regi-
mental band a share in numerous other
expenses common to the British army,
such rs entertainments to officers OF
other regiments, regimental balls and
the like. The extravaganza habits of
British officers form The great obstacle to
the success of the army reform which
has been attempted by Mr.. Cardwell.
The purchase of commissions has been
abolished in the army, with the inten-
ton of opening the service to men APP
pointed for merit alone, and non-pur-
chase men are being appointed but
unless they are wealthy and disposed to
Join with the old school of officers in
keeping up the reputation Of the regi-
ment' by squandering money, they find
their positions extremely uncomfor able,
In several instances, officers gazetted
without purchase have been bullied and
treated in so overbearing manner by
the purchase men that the war Office has
been forced to take cognizance of the
matter. Very different is The practice Of
the Prussian service. There, every man
for himself is the rule, where paying is
concerned; and all expenses that must
be incurred in common by officers of all
ranks, have been carefully reduced to n
minimum, so that no poor man can have
pretext for saying to his comrades
that they lead him into outlay which he
cannot afford. A correspondent of the
London Telegraph gives an account OF
the mess life of the Twenty fifth Reserve
battalion, stationed at Berlin, which is
stronger in officers than the British line
battalion is in men, comprising nearly
eight hundred commissioned officers,
representing every division of the upper
and middle social class, the nobility in
Guided, And yet they do not possess a
club house or even mess room OF their
own, but meet to sup or dine together
at hotels or restaurants. In England the
richer officers of a regiment sometimes
pay more than their share Of the regi-
mental expenses but this would never
be permitted in the Prussian service,
and as the large majority of officers are
really poor, the small wealthy minority
are kept within bounds, and forced to be
economical whether they like it or not,
Even the present of few cases of
champagne by the Weather officer to a
mess would be deemed an insult. Those
who did not feel themselves rich enough
to buy champagne would feel often ed
that it should be offered them as Il gift,
and would refuse to drink it. This shows
a commendablc pride very different from
the pretentiousness which characteIizes
the British service.