Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-09
THE BRITISH OFFICER.
His Habits of Life Compared with
Those Of Continaeatal Odlcera.

Those of Continental 0nlcer..
Arthur Weld In the New York Herald.
British checks ana reterses in South
Africa have led to criticism of the military
capacity and attachments of the British
officer. Such criticism, with notifications,
is probably well founded, The present state
of affairs arises from long-existing condi-
tons. which can be easily remedied IL suffi-
Gent pressure be applied. 1t seems certain
that after the lesson of the present British
military operations-bitter- lesson that it
unquestionably is-means will be taken to
end the abuses, or, rather. neglectst of the
past. The British officer will then be up to
the same standard of excellence as the off,
GERS of other European armies. :
The long-exisring conditions referred to
are OF peculiar nature. They grew out
of the fastidtous ideas of the British as to
the pursuits in which a gentleman could
engage.
sons of the less prominent and less wealthy
landed gentry, together with the sons of
professional men, were restricted in their
choice Of a life occupation to the army.
the navy, the church and the bar. Now. it
is evident that special mental qualifica-
tons are necessary for both the bar and
the church. In the latter profession
definite attitude toward ethics in general Is
also advisable. Hence. of the four avail
able "gentlemanly" pursuits the army and
the navy are most popular The army gets
the larger NUMBER or recruits,
In other words, men went into the army
not because 1t was the one thing on earth
for which they felt themselves pre-emi-
nently suited, but because it seemed at
tractive and agreeable. 1t was an occupa-
ton rather than a Vocation, a gentle
mans" calling, rather than "gentleman's''
profession.
No one has ever questioned either the
courage or the loyalty and patriotism of
British officers. The English man, In gem
eral. likes to fight for the pure fun of the
thing. a characteristic possessed in an even
greater degree by the Scotch and the Irish
loo. or executing such FOOLS errand as
the charge of the Light Brigade at Balak-
lava. the characteristics of courage deter
mined resistance and love of fighting have
always been conspicuous. In the old days
these characteristics won battles.those old
days when strategy was in its infancy
At the present time the situation is
wholly changed. Great Britain. busily oc-
cupied in one campaign after another,
fought with different tribes Of saSages, has
either had no time on no inclination to
watch the changes and discount them in
her own service. 1t must be remembered
that since the Crimean war. in 1855 Great
Britain has not fought a battle according
to the customs Of civilized warfare. She
has fought enough, to- be sure, in those
forty-five years. Her own side of the fight
ing has been handled skillfully. according
to more or less obsolete methods Her
task. although often bloody, was compare
lively easy compared with the sort Of
thing to be expected when two civilized ma
tons take up arms.
1 have now considered two reasons for
the present state of affairs-the circum-
stances and conditions under which men
entered the English army as a profession
and the sort Of work which they had to do.
For a third and equally important explana-
ton of the present situation we may con-
slider the daily life and military routine of
the British army officer.
He does less school,, work than the off,
Ger Of any other irst-class army. He has
less regimenta1 duty. Company duty is al
most entirely detailed to non commissioned
officers. and very few company command
erS know even the names of the men in
their companies. The British officer can
obtain leave of absence with great ease
and for prolonged periods: He never wears
his uniform excepting when on actual mill
tary duty, and this last pernicous custom
prevails among ourselves.
The officer of the continent Is a military
man first. last and all the time. The Brit
ish officer is. so to speak, only military
man at certain hours of the day. He has
at command a number Of devices by which
he can shorten those hours greatly. He is
overwhelmed with social duties. Much of
his time. according to the customs of the
country. must be given up to fox hunting
pheasant shooting, deer stalking and other
pursuits. which Undoubtedly exercise an
excellent effect upon his riding. his shoot
ing and his physical endurance but which
do not add to his Knowledge of the art of
war. st+,. nat. 'f-..s
No one should be misled regarding the
German officer by the amusing pictures in
Fl1egende Blaetter or in other comic papers.
He does saunter about the streets a bit, to
be sure. immaculate in appearance and the
cynoSure of all feminine eyes: but he works
harder at his professional duties-until
after thirty years of age. at any rate--than
any other professional man in Germany.
His duties begin always at about 5 in the
morning They often extend until late in
the night He gets but little leave While
he would doubtless enjoy hunting and
shooting as much as the English officer he
does not get the time to crafty such
tastes. He clearly understands that fight
ing Is his profession.
So does tn Englshman, you may an
swer No one fights better This is true
as already pointed out, SO far as the char
acteristics of pluck and determination are
concerned but these qualifications are no
longer adequate if unsupported by specific
SCIENTIFIC knowledge, kept constantly up to
date. The men commanding the Beers
nave shown themselves to possess this
knowledge, whereas. If the truth be bluntIy
told. the British officers have shown them
selves conspicuously IMMERSED In 1t.
There are undoubtedly many individuals
In the English army who are born soldiers
and who have selected this career, not for
social reasons, but because it is the career
Tor Which they are eminently fitted. Such
men nave undoubtedly, by means of private
study, kept themselves au courant with the
present status of International military
science. 1t Is painfully apparent, however
that they do not as yet leaven the loaf.
We can all understand and appreciate the
maddening effect it must have had upon
the British to find themselves not only held
IN check, but practically driven back by
opposing troops whose courage and skill
had both been moderated. We can SYM
patnlze with the feelings of smoldering
anger that must have been born of the ter
rible losses which England has suffered
we may also. perhaps, foresee the brilliant
lowed up. We may even look forward with
sympathetic regret to great losses among
the Beers.
But the officials of the British war office
must see further than this They must ap-
preciate that in the future there will have
to be more work and less play for the Eng
lish ofhcer at home. No one accuses him
OF playing in the field, of course. When
this campaign Is brought to termination
we may confidently expect sweeping
changes in the entire British military sys-
tenn.
1t cannot be denied that the reverses in
SOnth Africa only