New-York tribune., 1877-03-09

He HISTORY 4ED IL LFGAh EFFTGT s}T or bRTHYTEI hNH E
10 rIiE PI.E-ENT TINE. by JNts b FRY, Colonel
1. 5. army Syo. pp. 57G. y. Van Nostr'nd.
I'm this complete and laboIiousiy- iy-prepared vol
ulnc Gen. Fry has confined himself TO presenting tAc
subject in detail and in all its aspects without adyocat
ing any Plan for the settlement oi the many questions
which have arisen and 10 arise 50 long as the
nature Of bievct rank il not definitely established Com
missions by hrcyct he justly states, lave lost uc of
their value in this country, partly on account OF the ~
discriminate manner in which they were bestowed dur
Ing our civil and partly on account OF ega-
lion in regard 10 them which diminished the powers and
uivagcs accorded to brcyct rank by the common mill
tary law The system was first adopted in England dur
iug the reign OF William H.. and still remains an
Important element in the English military service,
although 1t has there, less than here given Use to
frequent difficulties and has been made the subject "I
parliamentary inquiries With us II was adopted IN INC
early years the Revolutionary War when was hher
ally bestowed upon the foreign officers who lent their
swords 10 our cause In fact. the Continental CODgcss
copied almost literally the British articles Oi war, includ
in the giving Of brevct raik special reward for III
Gy.dual gandutry or any otGor form OF merltoFlOuS
service.
Gen Fly defines brevet rank as az commission con-
fe1inc upon an officer grade ia Ge army additional TO
and higher than that which, at the time is bestowed,
lic holds by virtue OF ms commission in particular
corps Of the legally established military organization
Thus au or Ger may be assigned by the President 10 ddy
according his breyct rank, in tie army al large, bui
not corps where he only retains his regular
Official rank. 1t Will readily seen, therefore that
questions OF precedence and conflicts Of authority are
surc T., arise where many officers possess two different
e,t;os one permanent ana one dependent ON eircuh-
stanccs this country the brcyes conferred curing
the war 1919 led 10 serious troubles, especially
in the cases Of Cons Scott Gaines, and Worth, which
vii! be remembered y other than military men Partly
of
Use of brcyct rank as general compliment to officers at
the close % a war leaving active service s value
has been impaired 10y legislation designed to correct
ahu-ca, tnat is practically, neither an advantage
nor dStlnc;ion. II Is cheap an honor az the iot
class Of the order OF the Red Eagle in Prussia FIRST
Tho ad pay was taken away from the service 81
brcyct rank now officers forbidden 10 wear the uni
form or be addressed By the title OF their bcvo grades
1t Is singular way Oi rewarding her0sln 10 i0rpH any
exhibition OF the reward! THIS is the present condition
Of the syscm and Cen Iry's clear and exhaustive pre-
scntton Of the whole subject cannot fail to call general
attention TO the necessity O sHppcmtnnSu II % sOhlI
thug simple, rational, and practical
The volume contains thorough statement OF the
ousrrcl between Gems Scott and Gaines Of the of
Con Naconb, Adjutant General Jones, and others the
conflict between Gems. Worth and THisgs at the begin
min. Of the Mexican War; ard many other interesting
episodes in the history OF brcye RANK with the most i-
pcrtant papers and documents connected with them.
The latter half Of the work Is devoted 10 list Of a the
lroycts granted the American army, from l77G 10
1,l2 vita the assigned, and the special cnod-
IGents or other advantages attached 10 them ana Iol
1912 10 the present time The former division occupies
I3 pages and half the names aie those OF fFcnchneD;
the latter covers no than 29l pages nearly all OF the
breyets dating from the war Of the EcbeliOn An eN-
panaton OF the English system adds 10 the value OF the
work Apart from the interest which II will naturally
po.sess for all military IL may render oUr Legislators
good service should the question of reconstruct1Y the
whole matter Of bIevct rank come up before them.
ESSENTIALS OF ENGLISH GRANULAR. BY WiAlAM
DWiGHT WINERY. l2no PIP @6d boS'oA; "An "
Heath.
In the opinion of Professor Whitney, the cor
rect use Of English is be taught BY thorough ana
constant practical exercise IN the language rather than
by the study Of the principles Of grammar The science
OF grammar he airms is the reflective study OF language
for variety purposes Of which correctness IN writing
Il only subordinate one, and that is best attained 10 an
indirect manner In pursuance of this idea, the present
volume is devoted not TO thorough exposition oi the
principes Of English grammar but to such rudimentai
facts I'm the construction Of the language as are essential
20 practical skill in it, use Mr. Whitney takes the sround
,c.o NJ "a lnU0iyer hardly OF an aIiltfr