The National tribune., 1881-09-17
THE BRITISH STANDARDS.


/ Never more, according to present rules and
regulations, will the historic coOrs of the English
regiments be on d battlefield They will
henceforth take position with the reserve ammu-
milton, and the hospital and commissariat stores,
in the rear.
This change being inevitable Broad Arro,C seeks
to find what comfort it can in it, 1t says: THE
genius of Utility is, it may be repeated abroad,
and its requirements are that the balance of adj
vantage must be on its side. If. therefore the
sacrifice of life entailed by the presence of the
cOlOrs in the field is greater than it need be- IT'LL
ity declares that they must 60 and there can be
no doubt that the death of the gallant young Off
GERS in Zululand has weighed heavily on UtiIitys
side. In addition to this one continental nation
at least has set the example and, in accordance
with experience, the whole world may be trusted
speedily to follow the German precedent. If
there cOlOrS to capture, it is hardly worth
while having any to lose, for the very intensity
of the value placed upon them renders it unde-
sirable that they should be jeopardized when the
enemy is guaranteed against a similar loss.
Throughout the Revolutionary and Peninsular
wars, and, indeed, wherever the British and
French troops have been opposed, the risk of the
former as regards loss of cOlOrs has always been
than double that of their enemies, the
French carrying but one eagle to a regiment of
about 800 men: whilst with us there are two
cOOrs to a battalion. This is now permanently
removed; but the argument adduced by the au-
thorities is doubtless that which has most Ope-
rated towards the dismissal of colors from the
field. The rifle regiments have never had colors
because their loose order of formation rendered
them an encumbrance rather than rallying-
point in action. As the rifle formation now ex-
tends, with very little modification, to the whole
of the line, the withdrawal of the cOlOrS becomes
a logical result. 1t is impossible to censure a
decision which has so many reasons to recommend
it, however much may deplore the loss of
lustre which it entails Poetic fancy, sentiment,
and enthusiasm, count for much in the stress of
battle, and mitigate, if they cannot chase away,
its grim realities. Philosophers will count the
lives saved by the disappearance of the cherished
emblems, around which many valuable ones have
been lost, and they will estimate lightly what
they will term the false glamOr which inspirited
the conflict; but if battles must be fought the
means by which they can never be de-
spised; and though the cOlOrs have now been rele-
gated to the depots, they have under other cir
cumstances, contributed their full share to the
successes which generals may organize, but can
not always command"
The Army and Nary Gazette is incOnsOlable at the
change. "There is to be no more 'rallying round
the colors.'" it says, no more fighting for the
Standard On State days, in the piping times
of peace the fresh, bright silk is to be uncovered
and born on parades and on field days of show
and ceremony, and the names of scenes of strife
over which they never loated are to be added to
the roll of splendid feats of arms. May the list
be long, and may the deeds be brilliant, as of
yOre! Amen! But with that prayer there is
mingled a sorrowful sigh over the departed
memories of regimental colors, buried, with
so many other associations, under the new sys-
tenn for ever
"A pair of cOlOrs' is assigned to each regiment
or battalion of the line One, the Queens color
or union jack, charged with more of the
regimental devices; the other, the regimental
color At first each infantry regiment had one
color only; afterwards they were three, and then,
in the reign of Queen Anne, the present number
was established-a pair