The Sun. — 1846-08-04 (London, England)

THE ARMY. There were many and very great defects in their miliSPEAKER 'lute reading the order of the day for tary system, but he believed that they were on the point ,3. tstimetes, of a great alteration. He would conclude by moving tiddre'''talla LAYARD rose to move that an humble that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, e/q11:: be presented to her Majesty, praying that she praying that she will bo graciously pleased to take into cite f_ graciously pleased to direct inquiry to be made, her consideration, how far a reduction. of the. period.h tee".! the reduction of their period of service in the would tend to improve the recruiting system, diminish Ptelf, Trnta the present unlimited term would tend to desertion, and tend to the better protection of the service. lissereete a better class of British soldiers, decrease Mr. F. MAULE wished to say a few words upon this Zl4llll°ll/ and thus add to the efficiency of the army. In very important question. His Hon. Friend had argued :tees, this motion under the consideration of the the question as if the Government had prejudice or feelZlist at the Hon. and Gallant Member said the House ing against the soldier. He had said that the late Goere once once see that Ithe subject was one of the very vernment had it in contemplation to make some serious that :!,hoportance and he must ask them to grant him alteration on this subject, and it was a subject of the 4`e, "leh it did and a former occasion ; that was to most important nature. He (Mr. F. Maule) did not e.l.ehits t kind attention and indulgence—an attention wish to give any decided opinion on one side or the (14a he was sure was deserving of the case itself— other. His Hon. Friend had alluded to the number of Slcil'lehear)—and an indulgence which he trusted desertions which were shown to take place by the reettit,e granted, and which would be wanted, from the turns, as being caused by the knowledge of being eney Vis of the advocate. After a most deliberate in listed for an unlimited period. He would ask the Hon. .Itetedrite the subject, he had formed the opinion that a Member at what period these desertions took place. "then't service in the army would greatly benefit the They took place the first or second year, t rid the army. It would have the effect of giving when the mind of the soldier was acted upon by a dislike rtes why a better description of men to perform those of the rough tasks he had to perform ; but they in a he:neve -innieh were entrusted to soldiers, and would short time almost invariably returned to their duty, and t‘nearet,:agreat measure the quantity of crime which gave themselves up to their former engagement. He te dare eto say was committed by those to whom the assured the Hon. and Gallant Member that from his ex„t 'rn43 01 our army were entrusted. Ile contended perience, he should know that those .concerned in the l'resii-,,,Y limiting the numbers of years of enlistment the management of' the army dictall in their power to make `4110,0 would have a better description of men; and that the position of the soldier comfortable, and he (Mr. F. kuilt Of the crime of which the army was at present Nlaule) did not see that the Hon. Member had any right Pre"' and the existence of which he would be able to to assume that all the suicides which took place in the ithettel,w, °Luld be lmited to a very great extent. He army arose from the distaste for a permanent enlistment. 'tthje-" he should do wisely by bringing forward the The enlistment certainly took place for an unlimited 411. forme Under discussion in the same way that he did on period, but the army allowed a graduated scale, and not Zettd—,er neeasion• that was, by dividing it into different a very unjustly graduated scale, of means of escape. ;ow ttah' and first, 'he shoul be able to show the House After ten years service, the price was 21/. in the cavalry, ;111t1 tin-P°Pular the present system was in the countr'le "w unPonular it y, and 151. in the infantry, and that was without any d.iswas also with the soldiers. In tinguishing marks of good conduct. Any distinguishing there sePnd place, he should be able to show marks of good conduct, to the number of two or more, %hoe, itine irepoliey of the present system. He would would at the end of 21 years entitle the soldier to his add ashen: that the present system led to fearful crime discharge free. In the cavalry, under the same circumWill ", immense amount of punishment. He would then stances, the price was only 5/. hie he his arguments in the strongest manner in Captain