Army Medical Department.

MR. EDITOR, The discussions on the subject of the Army Medical Department in your excellent Journal, I opine, have been productive of no inconsiderable benefit; the late regulations appear to engross many of the points there referred to, but still there are omissions, and room for amendments, a temperate allusion to which in your pages may be attended with beneficial effects.

In the new warrant for regulating the grant of unattached pay, retired full pay and half-pay, the allowance to the medical officer placed upon halfpay is regulated by two different schedules; the first, if placed on half-pay by reduction of establishment, and the second, if placed on half-pay from any other cause. The distinction bears on its face every appearance of plausibility and justice, but fails in its operation, and that in a manner which presses so hard on staff and regimental surgeons, that I wonder it did not occur to the framer of these rates, and that it has not already been especially pointed out through the medium of your columns. Staff and regimental surgeons, after twenty years' service on full pay, were by former regulations entitled to ten shillings per diem, if obliged to retire on account of ill health; but according to the present, the state of their health on retiring is not taken into consideration, and by it, though retiring from ill health, they are only entitled to the inferior rate. Of this regulation I conceive medical officers who entered the service before its promulgation have just reason to complain; but the semblance of injustice would be less evident, if by the same warrant ill health did not expressly entitle other classes of officers on retiring to a superior rate of half-pay, an advantage which, by the by, former regulations did not give. This is turning the tables upon the poor medical officer with a vengeance. The standard by which his pittance on retiring from the service is henceforth to be meted is depreciated, whilst that of his brother officers is enhanced. Of what enormity has the medical department been guilty that they should be thus served out? surely amendment or explanation is here required.

By the late warrant regulating the appointments and pay of army medical officers, the different grade of ranks and commissions has been defined, but how does it operate in practice? The commissions of staff and regimental surgeons still clash. A number of staff surgeons have been appointed to regiments, and we find in the Army List, besides the date of their regimental appointment, that of" Forces" appended to their names. Now it might happen that one of these regimental staff surgeons was in garrison with a junior staff surgeon, in which case who would be principal medical officer? In analogous circumstances, officers with brevet rank are not allowed to serve in garrisons where their rank would interfere with that of the chief, or officer commanding. And again, if a staff surgeon serving with a regiment is to derive no advantage from his rank, a senior regimental surgeon would rank before him. These may appear trivial observations, but on such trifles the comfort and respectability of worthy individuals may hinge, and it becomes those who have the power, so to regulate the department, as to obviate, if possible, any jealous or unpleasant feelings which might arise from their occurrence.

All men naturally are desirous of distinction, and trifles often serve to elevate or debase us, not only in our own estimation, but in that of others. The staff surgeons employed in regiments, have in the Army List the date of their staff commission appended-why should not surgeons on the staff have the date of their regimental appointment as such also stated? It would distinguish old and meritorious surgeons, who have only lately accepted of the staff appointment, from their juniors in the service, who now figure as senior surgeons on the staff.

Regimental assistant-surgeons, when appointed to the staff, take precedence, according to the date of their regimental appointment, with staff

assistants. I cannot understand why regimental surgeons, when placed on the staff, should not possess the same advantage with regard to staff surgeons. Many of the staff surgeons now on the List, were only assistants when promoted to that rank, and according to the present discordant system, they are suffered to retain their station on the List, to the prejudice of those whose assistants they formerly were.

Hoping you will give insertion to these remarks, I remain,
Your constant reader,
UNUS QUORUM.

June 1831.

State of the Royal Marines.

MR. EDITOR,-On perusing your valuable Journal the other day, I observed a letter respecting the neglected state of the Royal Marines, which induced me to make inquiry as to the fact, and sorry am I to find that it is too true; yet it appears extraordinary it should be the case, when they have so repeatedly received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and it is well known that the nation appreciate their services: his present Majesty's most gracious speech, when Lord High Admiral, on presenting new colours to each division; his great kindness in recollecting them on his mounting the throne of his ancestors, by presenting to each division his picture; his public letter read to the corps on his relinquishing the Generalship of it, was and is most flattering and gratifying; but, Sir, when I tell you that its officers are the worst paid and the worst provided for in the way of promotion of all His Majesty's forces, you will without doubt think with them that they have been neglected by the Board under which they serve. In the first place, every Captain in the Line receives 11s. 7d. per diem, Captains of Marines only 10s. 6d. the Royal Artillery and the Royal Marine Artillery 201. per annum non-effective, in lieu of 1s. 1d. per day. Why this difference? Have they not fought and bled for their country? Are they wanting in zeal and loyalty to their King and country? No, Sir; on these points they will yield to no corps whatever, and all they ask for is equal remuneration.

Would you suppose (the nation, I am confident, cannot be aware of it) that their senior captains entered the service in the year 1795; their lieutenants are twenty-six and their ensigns nineteen years in the corps, consequently many of them nearly worn out; yet they are, and ever were, tout jour pret to fulfil their regimental motto, 'Per Mare et Terram.' Their proportion of field-officers to 10,000 men in four divisions, including 400 artillery, are one general, resident in London, four colonel-commandants, eight lieut.-colonels, eight majors, and one major to the artillery-total twentytwo. This is a small proportion when compared with any other corps. No less than twenty-four companies have been added during the peace, but not one field-officer. A circumstance of this kind would have been deemed very extraordinary, if not cruel, in any other branch of His Majesty's service. The sinecures of the corps, and by them considered their bane, consist of no less than seven appointments,-three generals and four colonels, at 201. per day, or at about 73001. per annum. These appointments are given to officers of the Navy, who are well provided for in that most honourable service, and really have no more to do with the corps than you have. It is heart-breaking to its officers to observe the sweets of promotion going on in every other corps. The rank of major has been abolished of late in the Royal Artillery and Royal Staff Corps, without additional pay, until within the prescribed number of established lieut.-colonels of their respective regiments. The Engineers have the same indulgence. Why not grant the same privilege to the Royal Marines, as these corps assimilate nearer than any other? that is, they rise progressively; and when it is considered that there are at present only eight majors, one having already from length of

service attained to the brevet of lieut.-colonel, it certainly is not asking for too much. This would prevent the humiliating feeling of junior officers becoming seniors, as is now the case. The corps view with much regret the re-appointment of Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Torrens from the reserved half-pay; that is, to his being placed on the list where he originally stood before he went on half-pay (which he did) to suit his own convenience, this being diametrically opposed to the constitution of the corps, to His Most Gracious Majesty's order of the 15th of August 1827, when Lord High Admiral, to the usage of the Army, and to every principle of justice. I find that this is not the first appointment of the kind. A lieut.-colonel, three brevet majors, and one captain, were a short time previous to the re-appointment of this officer brought in from the half-pay, where they had been for many years (by their own request) and placed over the heads of officers who had been serving in all climates, and had faced the perils and dangers of war without shrinking from their posts. Not disputing the power of the Admiralty, the officers of the corps must, and no doubt do, feel the injustice of others being placed over their heads. Before this cruel mode was adopted, an officer flattered himself that if Nature had endowed him with strength of body, and a sufficient stock of that necessary ingredient patience, he would at last, in his old age, be able to retire as a field officer; and this idea alone, no doubt, induced many parents to place their sons in this hitherto respectable corps. Deprive them of this hope, and you destroy the esprit de corps of nine-tenths of its officers. Independent of the feelings of the officers thus treated and neglected, what will be the state of this corps in a few years hence? I heard it remarked by an Admiral the other day, that many of the subalterns were as old as himself— scarce any fit for foreign service. They will be worn down by age and disappointment, but will descend to their graves with this consolation, that, although neglected and forgotten, the Royal Marines ever did their duty. I have only to add, that in these times of economy, much may be done without burthening the country with any great additional expense, to renovate a corps, and reward men whose services were ever held in the highest estimation, and to a maritime nation like Great Britain, of some consideration. The sinecures alone, by being permitted to die off, would give them twenty field officers, the corps then would have only two-thirds of the army proportion to 10,000 men. Abolishing the rank of major would induce the old officers to dispose of their commissions, thus providing for their families, and making room for younger and more active men. Trusting that Government will take into its most serious consideration this meritorious body,

I remain, Mr. Editor,

A FRIEND TO MY COUNTRY AND TO THE
WOODEN WALLS OF OLD ENGLAND.

The Corps of Gentlemen Pensioners.

MR. EDITOR,-Feeling assured that you would not allow your pages to be the medium of misrepresentation, I shall offer no apology for presenting the following remarks in answer to a letter in your Number for April, on the subject of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners.

Your correspondent observes, that "in these days of economy and retrenchment, it is really too bad that the country should be put to a heavy expense in paying a party of London Tradesmen for acting as gardes du corps to His Majesty," and proposes as a remedy, that the vacancies should be filled up from veteran half-pay officers, who are to be of a certain height (!) and the corps to be officered by retired Generals.

With reference to the sneer at the rank in life of the gentlemen composing the Band, and who are, in another part of your correspondent's letter,

eloquently designated as an awkward squad of London Tradesmen," I have to observe, that the corps are, in point of birth, education, and fortune, equal to the same number of officers in most regiments; several possess large fortune, all are of independent property, and very few are in any way connected with trade. But even admitting they were so engaged, let me ask your aristocratical correspondent from what class the army was principally officered during the war? As far as my experience goes, (which is from my childhood,) from the very class he so needlessly asperses. The corps has amongst its members, officers both naval and military, who have shared the honours of some of the greatest actions in which the country has been engaged; and the objection of your correspondent with regard to trade has already been anticipated, by a regulation which has been some time adopted for the exclusion of persons so engaged.

It may be as well to inform your correspondent that the appointments are only obtained by purchase, and that the income barely pays common interest for the money invested; while the monstrous plan he proposes, of a corps of veteran officers, all of a certain height (!) to be commanded by Generals, would entail a considerable expense on the country, and no doubt in time lead to great abuses. The fact is, several of the economists bave tried the subject, and found they could make nothing of it: and when next your correspondent feels inclined to make an exhibition in print, (in which he has made a more ridiculous figure than that he ascribes to the appearance of the Gardes du Corps,) I beg to warn him against the egregious error of meddling with a subject with which he is totally unacquainted.

May 28th, 1831.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,

A MEMBER OF THE BAND.

Suggestions on Drill.

MR. EDITOR,-As I believe the present system of drill as established by regulation is about to undergo some change, I wish to mention to you an idea that has occurred to me for the formation of four deep. The flank march by threes is, I believe, to be done away with in deployments, &c. and file marching substituted. Every one will, I think, acknowledge that the formation of fours for the purpose of deployments, when it can be done, is most excellent; the objection to it, according to the present system, being the length of the word of command, and consequent loss of time :-right, form four deep-march. I would propose for trial the following formation, by which that evil would be obviated. On the word, form four deep-march, the front rank man of the left file shall place himself in front of the right file, and the rear rank man of the left file in rear of the right file. In forming fours to the right, the whole will face to the right, and the front and rear rank men of the left file will place themselves in the same places, but faced to the right. In forming fours to the left, the whole face as before, but the left file stands fast, and the front rank man of the right file moves on the right of the left file, while his rear rank man places himself on the left. The formation of fours to the rear is the same as the first, only facing to the right about. This formation appears to me to offer the double advantage of simplicity, as compared with the present, and of offering a much more rapid formation to the right or left, by the word of command, fours right or left. It is applicable to all formations from line into column, and to all deployments into line, except from close column; as there is not sufficient room for the formation of four deep between the companies, when at only one pace distance, which I understand is in future to be the close column distance, instead of two paces, as at present. I am, Sir,

May 27th, 1831.

Your obedient servant,

W.

Commander Lawrence on Leather Storm Sails.

MR. EDITOR-It being a subject of congratulation to unpatronised inventors, who have devoted their time with the most anxious and unremitting attention in effecting naval improvements, that from their publication in your valuable Journal, so generally read by officers of the highest rank and experience, such discoveries are in consequence not only duly appreciated, but honoured with support, according to their merits :-encouraged by this consideration, I beg to submit my plan of Leather Storm Sails, and that such a durable storm-sail will be deemed of the highest importance to ships in sudden violent storms and dangerous lee-shores, their safety at such perilous periods mainly depending thereon. On various trials on board, the superiority of such sails has been decidedly proved, " being the only sail that could be shown," together with their unparalleled durability for years.

Having learned with great satisfaction of a Board of Naval Officers recently who witnessed the trial of several inventions, both on board H. M. ships Donegal and Actæon, I cannot but express my solicitude that the Leather Sails may also be honoured with a similar trial;-presuming that many calamitous wrecks have been caused by the loss of sails, and also ships foundering at sea, many unknown, leaving not a wreck to record their melancholy fate. I remain, Sir, your obedient, J. LAWRENCE, Commander.

Indian Army versus that of St. Helena.

MR. EDITOR,-In your last Number I have read the complaint of Miles, on the slowness of promotion at St. Helena. With a minuteness worthy of approbation, he not only gives us the aggregate numbers of the armies of India, 4707 officers, of St. Helena 37, not counting fractions, but he adds the date, month, and year, of the rank of each at St. Helena, while he only favours us with the year of each rank at the Presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay.

Permit me in reply to your correspondent to observe, that as the whole of the East India Company's service is by gradation and by regimental rise, no one branch, I humbly apprehend, can have any just ground of complaint, or of jealousy against the other. That such does exist, the letter of Miles proves, and we have often, but with as little reason, heard the same reclamations on the continent of India. That it is wholly impossible for any Government to remedy mere partial or local disparities, where all have started fair under the same rule, must be obvious to "the meanest capacity." Troops are not raised or augmented for the convenience of the officers, but for the exigencies of the state.

But in the case of St. Helena, there is a further reason for the slowness of promotion of which your correspondent complains, but which he has wholly overlooked. The troops at St. Helena never see any service, know not the pleasures of a march of 1500 miles, the luxuries of a campaign in the hot winds, or the paradise of a Rangoon or Arracan bivouac in the rains for six or eight months, with one servant, and that servant sick, as was my case; not to speak of the dry blows and other little hors d'œuvres and entremets in an Indian campaign, which are quite matters of history to the placid life of a St. Helena officer.

I have merely mentioned these matters, Sir, to account for the superior rise of the army of India over that of St. Helena. The St. Helena forces can lose no officers before the enemy, for they never see one: they have no marches, for the sea is everywhere within three miles of them all their migrations are from Sandy Bay to James's Valley, or to Plantation House, or to Longwood; and excepting the ravines, I know no intervening danger: their climate is a paradise.

Many an old Indian officer who has spent his best days and blood in toil