The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-09-14
The English and the American Army
SvetaTn

Archibald Forbes. England's war cor
respondent, has been inspired by the
lack OF garrisons ia the United States
and the display Of the military head
quarters at Washington. to write an ar
ticle for the North american Reviea1 ON
"The United States Army" which is
more comparison of the methods of
American and English army discipline
and OF life than anything else. The
two nations, he takes it, are alone in
holding to the idea of a professional
in contradistinction to a national army,
and in confining their armies to defen-
s1ve and police work, as against aggres-
sion or reprisals directed against an
enemy; but here all similarity ceases
MIR. Forbes finds the widest difference
In the treatment of English and Ameri-
can soldier-offenders, in that the Eng
hsh punitive system is harsh and de-
grading, while the American military
prison is paradise compared with the
ordinary quarters of the American gar
rison out West The English soldier
who offends Is condemned to ostenta-
tiously useless labor, his head is cropped,
he Is hampered by complicated code.
the slightest transgression of whose
slightest rule adds to his punishment,
and no good conduct ever avails to the
mitigation of his punishment The
American, on the contrary, is treated
not as criminal, but as being suffering
under temporary craziness, is well fed,
allowed large measure of personal
freedom, Is put to the learning of some
useful trade, and at the end Of his SEN
tence is supplied with money and cloth
ing and returned at public expense to
the place of his enlistment Two other
points of comparison are the pay OF the
two forces and the chances of promotion
from the ranks. Where the British pri-
vate has q nominal shilling day, ac.
conipanied by ration of three-fourths
OF pound of meat and one pound of
bread, he finds that his American
brother receives from $13 to $16 a
month from the first to the fifth years
of service, together with the ''startling''
daily ration of II ounces of pork or
bacon. 1t pounds of beef, 18 ounces of
soft bread, l pound Of hard bread, IL
pounds of meal, besides ample Quanti-
ties of peas. rice, coffee, sugar, candles
and other necessaries of life, added to
which is government allotment of land
at the expiration of his service. Out Of
the 4S2 officers of the American cavalry
service, 118 are graduates from the file,
ranking as high as Lieutenant Colonel
prospect not to be counted among the
possibilities of the English common SOL
dier. But the great difference which
Mr.. Forbes finds in the two armies lies
in the principles which govern enlist
ment, promotion and retirement-and
here the Englishman takes the opportu-
nifty to slap the English for the COM
placency with which they rub their
hands over by-gone achievements and
thrill ''at a paltry success achieved by
her scientifically armed troops over q
gang of jingal-bearing or assegai throw
ing savages." The American principle,
he says, IS that the army shall be con-
Quoted as q business by business meth
DDS; and the English idea is that the
army shall be made matter of show
and parade expressed by military bum
combe. While in England a soldier is
rewarded for doing his plain duty by a
Victoria cross to balance the poverty of
his pay, and commander who has lost
his battle is never disgraced, but often
rewarded, the American soldier has no
glitteriDg 'honor" before his eyes, but
on the contrary, as In the cases of many
officers of the Union army after the
war, is relegated to positions inferior to
those well filled by him in active service.
But this business principle Mr.. Forbes
holds to be far preferable to that inspir.
ing the British service, in that 1t has re-
suited in better pay for the soldier. in
surfing him surplus at the end of his
enlistment if frugal. and comfortable
retirement pension for the commissioned
officer unthought of in England. Mr..
Forbes, like good Englishman, ab-
stains from drawing any conclusions
from his observations pre1udicial to the
English, but quietly remarks: Differ
ent nations, different treatment-that is
all the length care to CO."