The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-03
PROMOTION IN THE BRITISH ARMY.
The Report that the Royal C~n,uaissier has
Made on the subject.

A great advantage OF the purchase sys-
TEN, which prevailed until quite recently In the
British Rrmy was that It secured an sotive how
OF promotion, as there were sIwdys many on
GERS ready to retire on receiving the III oDey value
of their commissions. Under that system, In
the line regime ts, captains rank would, on
an average, be obtained after nino years service.
and ajority after about nineteen years. But
since tho abolition Of purchase II bias been
found promotion has become SO stsgnant that
1t will be only after much longer terms Of eer-
vice that the same relative rank can be acquired:
thus, for instance, one could not become cap
tain until he had served seven years longer than
formerly; and officers would not get the COM
mand Of a company until the average are OF
thlrtv-nve. nor the command OF a regiment until
over nfty-tnree years OF aee.
An exhaustive report has just been made in
England by the Royal Commission to whom the
whole matter Of army promotion and retirement
bad been referred. This Com mission consisted
OF Lord Penzance, for many yeaB Judge OF the
Probate and Divorce Court, Mr.. Douvorie, LORD
Hampton, and four generals Of the army. Many
witnesses were examined, and vast amount OF
written information on the svstems OF promo
ton prevalent In foreign armies wis collected.
The Commission recommends IA the only feasi-
BILE method of avoiding the clO9gins no Of the
service by the great influx Of young officers and
tue too gradual retirement OF their seniors,
system Of compulsory retirement after a certain
defni'e period OF service. Captains, on tins
completion Of twenty wears service, " not pro-
noted. will be Obliged TO retire from tue army
with an annual pension ~ f1OO aud step OF
honorary rank, or to retire from their regiment
with half pay and chance Of employment Other
taan re0imental. IL the first alterp tive be
DISTINGUISHED service will be allowed In addi-
ton hnt their orevet pay. In like manner, ma
jors will be compelled TO retire tfter twenty
seven wears total service vita pension OF ESQ,
aud observation-disclosures after thirty years with
S85 year These pensions Will oirry with
them the widows right 10 pension. Inc an-
nusl tension can be COMPOUNDED for; thue,
lump sum OF R3'aO will be given captain IN
stead OF his f2tO per annum. special provisions
are made for Onicer- who entered the army be-
lore the abolition " purchase, So nat the rigor
OF the regulations imposed will tie relaxed In
favor Of purchase officers. No compulsion to
retire without compensation will be applied to
those VINO have not risen ABOVE the grade they
held when purchase WAS abolished, but those
who have been prom uted since hen Will not be
exempt from the appicattOn OF the new rules
On att lining the are II seventy generals are to
be placed ON the retired list; and recent royal
warrant has decreed tbat the commissions Of
lteutenant L colonel and major shall eaon be held
for dive years only.
The Commissioner, admit that the new
scheme may work harshly IN some individual
cases, but they regard II as esselial IN order 10
preserve the efficiency ~ the army.
The Duke OF Cimbridge. tue Commander-in-
Chief, and the Com mission agree tnat IN making
promotions "regin entail seniority, tempered
und varied by sel,ctiun," should be the basis /;
that Is, that seniority should control upiess it
reeiniental officer. 1t ,ppears that confidential
reports Oy the COMMANDING Ofrcer OF every reg
imsnt, M 20 the conduct anu abiiitits OF the
| officers under him, now submitted to
| the Inspecting General These repurts, however,
must be endorsed by the inspecting ON er Us
security against partLsltty or iuJustice on the
part Of the comm anding Onlcer. When reDo -
are made against an oificer they are never &C
copied ~ true until diligent inquiry has been
made into the facts of the case and the Duks
| OF Cambridge thinks nothing should os said
against all utiicer without his being informed OF
It, These reports are bound no In volumes, and
preserved for reference. The system, although
UP puiar In the army on count Of Its secret
ana detective nature, IA approved by the COM
mander- int hef and the Com ,issiOn on tue
ground Of it, great value. IL Is noteworthy
| that in bis testimony the Duke OF Cambridge
expresses bis disapproOation OF the present
| Competitive system Of examination. In Its
stead he advocates a qualifying examination. ON
passing which c. n1IdItes snail bo admitted.
| me competitive system. no thinks, often de-
prves the army OF men OF manly chr cter aud
nne physique, VINO happen TO be inferior to
other candidates In purry inteliectu acquire
ments, but VINO would make better On GERS.
The per unent cost OF the new promotion
system will be k5JUo per annum, aud for the
frat I'VE years 1t Will run up to Il ,JOJ,OU year