New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-29
BRITISH MILITARY TITLES.
SOME TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY AND
HOW TO AVOID THEM

a weekly paper. in a recent issue speaking
OF some operations OF the British cavalry men,
toned a battalion OF lancers." This was an
unusually wide error most Americans who read
newspapers and periodicals know that neithe,
In the British nor in any other army are cav
airy regiments divided into battalons but into
squadrons. which in the British Army are sub
divided into troops. But even for the generally
well Informed the current talk about Her Brit
annie Majestys forces is full % verbal pitfalls
The British. Ike other armies has distinctions
Of rank which. at least as far as relates TO their
nomenclature are peculiar There for Instance
no one ever SpeaCs Of private" Or an en-
listed man in the cavalry: the latter term Is
never used in any arm Of he Queens service. and
the former is replaced, In speaking of cavalry BY
trooper. Again. the prematurely efficient
youngster Of fourteen In the 9TH Lancers who
distinguished himself at Elandslaagte by shoot
ing three Beers with his little revolver would
probably smile. perhaps De seriously annoyed.
AZ seeing himself described as he was in the
dispatches as "bugler' there are neither
bugles nor buglers TO blow them in a British
cavalry regiment. but trumpe'ers and trumpets.
and the distinction is not by any means merely
verbal. any one with the least tell the
difference in sound between the general salute"
played AZ inspection by the snare drums and
bugles 4 an infantry regiment and hat played
BY the kettledrums and trumpets " a cavalry
regiment. even II ne does not happen TO know
the difference between the two regulation tunes.
But the greatest number u inaccuracies and
confusi. rs which have already dppeared In DIS
patches have been IN regard to the tides u The
commissioned officers. and the biunder-rs are
not without ample excuse. The American who
has had the pleasure Of meeting Major Blank
Of Her Majesty's Blankshire Regiment. and then
turns ny the Blankshire Regiment in a British
Army List is likely TO be somewhat surprised
to find ms acquaintance Blank among the cap
tains He uhe American Will hardly he en-
ligh- ened by the little M" In italics after the
name The true explanation Is that Blank Is
full major IN the army. but only captain in his
regiment. In something the same nay the I'M
posted are liable to mysthcation b. the IN
tricacics Of local rank" To take an example,
the victor OF Glencoe vas colonel in tn army
when he commanded in that engagement. but
owing To the exigences of the campaign being
appointed to the command Of DIVISION he
took the theoretical rank OF his command-leu-
tenant general Having been promoted. he now
becomes u major general in the army and many
civilians even among the countrymen or Sir
William Symons will be puzzled to understand
how that gallant officer have been pro-
NOTED from the higher rank Of lieutenant gen
eral 10 that Of major general, which Is next
below il.
But the greatest and most frequent entangle-
ments occur at the very top Of the list. The
Commander in Chief IS a field marshal and
lord and both dignities constitute stumbling
blocks 10 the scribe. At least once since the be
ginning OF this African unpieasantness LORD
Wolseley mas been printed General Lord Car
net Wolseey. Field Marshal commander-in-
Chief" As a matter 81 fact. he IS not 'Lord
Garnet Wolseley" and not a general LORD
Garnet Wolscley" could only TX a younger son
OF a MARQUIS or a duke. ~ for general
captain promoted to be 4 major ~ the army
may remain a captain in his own egiment, ana
many generals are colonies = regiments. but
major general promoted t. be lieutenant general
ceases % be a major general and a ful general
promoted 10 be field marshal ceases TO be
general 80 Lord Wolscley ceased g. be gen
eral more than five years ago. The llhcuiy
in this case appears 10 be N understanding
that field marshal is distinct Grade in he
British Army Just as much IS rArtain or 'o.ohel
II is 50. although there arr only eight hrid mar
shals IN the army all told and t~o II tnos" The
Prince Of Wales and the Duke u Cambridge
princes Of the blood royal