New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30

THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH
COMMISSIONS ARE OBTAINED
THE TRAINING AT
wooLwICH
DESPITE all It's bravery, the British Army
has shown once more on the Indian frontier
that it Is as unfit for warlike expeditions a.
ever The training and even the arming Of
the infantry are faulty. The organization 10
cumbersome. Miserable mobilization. confu.
sion in the assembly and preparation Of the
! troops and the reserves, inadequate supply Of
ammunition, and a badly organized commits.
sariat render il impossible for a British army
to appear with crushing force. II Rus.
STA were to make use Of her opportunities Eng.
| land powerless as she is from military point
Of view. would be forced to leave the gates Of
! India in Russia's hands. and to thank her stan
II she did not lose India altogether
This sweeping condemnation Of Englands
army has just appeared In the leading military
PAPER Of Germany, the recognized organ OF the
Berlin War Department, and has been called
forth by the lamentable hasco Of the recent
British operations against the !nsuisent tribes.
men on the frontier Of India. Called upon 70
face. not civilized troops equipped with all the
latest appliances Of military science. but merely
/ half-savage adyersares ndnerenily armed
and with no knowledge Of military tactics or
Of the art Of strategy, the Hover 81 the Anglo
Indian army has ANONYMOUSLY iailed 70 &C
cornplish its task. has repeatedly peen COM
+ pclled 10 retreat before the enemy and has de-
stroyed in the eyes Of the three hundred MILL
ion Inhabitants of the Indian Empire that
nras,ige of British arms which is one Of the
chief foundations of England's supremacy 10
ui,doetan II is generally acknowledged that
there has been no lack Of courage on the part
of either officers men. and II the rank ano
file have given any indication Of lack 81 dlsci'
pllne or Of characterization, it Is only py re-
/ fusing to obey when commanded 10 retreat bu'
/ the fault has been entirely and admlttedy WI"
the gross incompetence Of the officers WI"
b,ve disnIaved a degree OF ineIiciency that
calling forth the most scathing criticism from
the English press itself.
NOT ENOUGH OF \ STUDENT
II is the English officer who, more thar any
/ thing else. constitutes the weak point OF Eng
lands weak army Physically and sociaIy "
! Is ennerior 70 most OF his Continental comraaea
/ devoted from his earliest bOyhood 10 athieue
snorts and keeping his body both before ana
after receiving his commission in a constant
state Of splendid training, he is 50 far as the
more physiaue is concerned, much oet'ef
enuipned for the hardships Of campaign lhan
even his German colleague. But III military
J science and tactics he is lamentaply INFERIOR W
most foreign officers, and the time winch INV
/ latter devote TO the arts OF their profession
the English officer spends in plg-stickIns NUM-
ing nolo and tennis OF course there are some
exceptions to the rule, but am talking OF 'n'
average English officer who is still moued VIII
! the old fashioned idea that British pluck anu
! brawn more than atone when face TO race VIII
the enemy for any ignorance OF the various
branches Of the science of war. IL is owing W
! this neglect on the part Of the British otnces
! that the English army has remained as the
great German lcld-marshal, Count Won MoitAe'
was wont to declare much the same as i "~
al the battle OF Waterloo. more than FOUR
score years ago. While the navy has kept
abreast OF the times, the English naval otncef
being recognized all the world over as pre-
eminent in all the numerous phases Of MS pro-
fession the army has been left far behind ID
the race. and according to the declaration no'
only Of foreign military critics but even OF "
own most respected commanders, Is Thoroughly
incompetent 10 afford that degree OF protecooH
which is needed by the great British Enp"s
In return for the immense sums OF money u"
are squandered upon IT,
Socially the English officer has. as a rule tns
advantage of his Continental comrades E'e
in ultra aristocratic Austria and Germany ons
often finds the OF tradesmen, and even "
petty shopkeepers, as well as men following NV
humblest callings in life, ranking as ful-hedse0
officers either OF the active army or OF the re-
serve forces. Indeed. il was but the other Gay
that an Austrian Prince Windischgratz having