The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-08-15
COUNTS NOT.
HOW BRITISH ARMY PROMO.
TIoNs ARE MADE.

The Whole System of Civil aud Military
Promotion u Dcluxive One-Arist0cratic
Youths Pushed Ahead of Veterans
General Foreign News.
Recent debate in p%sriiament on the army
estimates has brought out some interest
ing facts. Although promotion in the
British army is no longer obtained by pur-
chase, il is still retained III the hands of
the a%ristocracy by methods that would give
points to a American politician. For i'm
stance. during the past year some twenty
promotions to the rank of commissioned
officer was made from among the enlisted
men. This seem. 4 all very good and en-
c%ouraeing on the surface, but inquiry
shows that all these twenty officers are
young men of aristocratic families Who
enlisted with the understanding and SUBJ
stantially the promise that, after a brief
period in the ranks, they would be pro-
noted. This is not very stimulating to
veterans who find themselves put under
the orders of callow youths from the uni
vsrslties. The fact is that the whole sys-
TEN of civil and military promotion in
England is delnsive. While competition
is nominally open to every class, conditions
are attached which practically contine ap-
pointments to the upper orders.
The condition of the British army and
navy is OF much importance just now when
history is repeating itself III the east.
Armenia is another Lu'garia. and as Turk.
ish atrocities in Bulgaria were the pratext
for the Russo Turkish war, so the out
RACES in Armenia may give another pre-
text to Russia for interference in the af-
fairs OF the su'tan's domain. The Turk
seems to learn nothing by experience. All
that the christian subjects of Turkey ask
is decent government. AS it is they are
victimized i'll such an inhuman manner
that the better sentiment even of England
is aroused in favor of the oppressed polu-
lations and the car is enabled to pose as
the champion of humanity in carrying out
his schemes of aggression. The story of
the Armenian atrocities is only beginning
to be tod. The christian population of
Erzcroum is wailing, not alone for fathers
and brothers slain, but for wives and
daughters missing. Since the day of the
terrible massacre scores of Armenian women
have disappeared and ther. is no doubt
that they are prisoners i'll Turkish harems.
Among the Russian forces on the Asiatic
frontier arr several Armenian regiments,
and it is reported that the men are wild
with ardor to march against the Turks.
Bulgaria has offered To sustain Turkey
with $4,000 men i'll the event of war.
n meeting of the members of parliament
interested in the condition of Armenia was
held III the conference rooms of the house
of commons. From the information that
reaches here from Constantinople it is
learned that matters are fast assuming a
critical complexion. War material is con-
stantly pouring into Batoum by night as
we'll as by day, and Clifford Lloyd, British
consul general mt l.rzeroum, has tcle-
grapliod to the British embassy at Con
stantinopln that the Turk sh garrisons in
Armcnia should he Strengthened. Brig
andage all oven the Turkish empire has en-
tended to an alarming extent. 1t arises
from the Nisibly increasing poverty OF the
masses of tie population. In the imme-
date Vicinity %! tonst .ntinople brigands
hav made their appearance i'll strong
bands and carried off several captives.
Most distressing accounts come from
Salenica. where, in three OF the districts,
the harvest is Il total ,oss, no rain having
fallen in fourteen months. The conse-
luence is general restitution and want. 1t
is estimated that nearly l00,Ooo persons
will have to be furnished with the means
OF subsistence until next harvest and the
necessary seed for their next sowing. I'm
less immediate measures are taken to re-
lieNe the people the country will be given
over to anarchy and disease. which may he
turned to political account.