National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-07-26
English Army Life.

Some recent proceedings in the Lon
don Court of Bankruptcy give an ink.
ling OF the extravagant habits INDUCED
by young men IN the British army, un-
der the idea that periuse 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 month for dinners alone.
together with share in the expense OF
keeping mp suit of rooms splendidly
furnished, including dining room
capable of holding hundred or more
persons a share III the cost of the regi.
mental band ; a share in numerous other
expenses common to the British army,
such as entertainments TO officers OF
other regiments, regimental balls and
the like. The extravagant 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 ap-
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 squanderng money, they find
their positions extremely uncomfor, able
In several instances, officers Gazetted
without purchase have been bullied and
treated in so overbearing a manner by |
the purchase men that the war office has |
been forced to take cOgnizance of the |
matter Very different is ,he practice OF |
the Prussian service. There, every man |
for himself is the rule, where paying is |
and all expenses that must
be incurred in common by officers of all |
ranks, have been carefully reduced TO
so that no poor man can have
a pretext for saying to his comrades
hat they lead him into outlay which he
cannot afford A correspondent of the
London Telegraph gives an account OF
he mess life of the Twenty fifth Reserve
stationed at Berlin, which is
stronger in officers than the British line
is in men, comprising nearly
light hundred commissioned officers,
epresenting every division OF the uppel
md middle social class, the nobility in
luded. And yet they do not possess a
lub house or even Il mess room of their
'wn, but meet to sup or dine together
It hotels or restaurants. In England the
icher officers of regiment sometimes
,ay more than their share of the re9i
mental expenses but this would never
)e permitted in the Prussian service,
nd as the large majority Of officers are
eally poor, the small wealthy minority
re kept within bounds, and forced to be
economical whether they like it or not.
wen the present of few cases of
hampagne by the Weather of1ic n to
less would be deemed an insult. Those
'ho did not feel themselves rich enough
} huy champagne would feel often ed
nat it should be offered them as a gift,
nd would refuse to drink it. This shows
commendaDle pride very different from {
le pretentiousness which characterizes
le British service.