E may conveniently conclude our narrative of the Parliamentary proceedings of this session with an account of some incidental debates on questions of immediate public interest, which were brought before Parliament by members unconnected with the Government. Such was the motion of Sir De Lacy Evans in regard to the improvement of Military Education, that of Lord Goderich on the subject of [competitive examinations for the Civil Service, and the suc cessful effort of Lord Naas to obtain a more liberal allowance to superannuated officers in the public departments. The first of these motions involved considerations to which the public mind had recently been much directed, and the gallant officer who proposed it at this time might have felt sure of a general concurrence in favour of his resolution, "That in the opinion of this House a higher standard of professional instruction, and more complete provision for it than hitherto deemed requisite, ought to be established for the commissioned ranks of the army, but especially for the staff; that this will be best promoted by recourse to competitive examinations of officers desiring to qualify themselves for the staff, by adopting the same principle, with such qualification as may be necessary, in examination of candidates nominated by the Commander-in-Chief for commissions in the cavalry and infantry, by preserving the present system of admission of cadets for the Ordnance Corps, by assured encouragements for proficiency and general fitness for advancement,

and by appointment of commissioners, or a council of military and civilian members, empowered to direct the measures for accomplishing these objects."

Sir De Lacy Evans discussed and supported each of these suggestions, anticipating and answering objections. With regard to competitive examinations, Sir De Lacy said, No fair objection could be taken to a certain degree of competitive examination in the case of candidates for staff appointments. Such an examination prevailed in our universities, where the first men of the land those who occupied leading positions in the two Houses of Parliament-willingly exposed themselves to an ordeal similar to that which he proposed for officers seeking appointments on the staff. Even those who did not seek for honours were obliged to pass an examination, and in many instances they were, in the language of university men, "plucked." (A laugh.) He saw no reason why the officers of the army should not run the risk of being "plucked" also. The officers of the navy were compelled to pass an examination not only for their first, but likewise for their second and third commissions. In 1819, as stated by the right hon. gentleman the member for South Wilts in his admirable letter to Lord Hardinge of December, 1854, the Duke of Wellington issued an order declaring that for the future there should be an examination of officers for lieutenancies as well as for first commissions. Notwithstanding the authority of that great man, his

proposition with respect to lieutenancies was never carried into effect; but, as there was a similar examination in foreign armies and in our own navy, it was to be hoped that it might be renewed. The officers of the navy were undoubtedly more professional than the officers of the army, and therefore the latter need not be ashamed to imitate some of their proceedings.

The gallant officer disclaimed any desire to pass censure upon the officers of our army. The blame of their deficiencies lay not with them, but with the Government, who neglected to provide means for their acquiring the information necessary for the effectual discharge of their duties. Some of the greatest authorities who had written upon the peninsular sieges had declared that the principal drawback experienced in carrying on those operations arose

from an entire'want of even rudimentary knowledge on the part of our officers, particularly referring to the ignorance of the officers and men of the line, of the elementary instruction necessary for assisting as working parties. That was not the fault of the officers, but was owing to the combined neglect and favouritism which had so long prevailed in the army. The present system of admission of cadets for the Ordnance Corps was introduced by the Duke of Newcastle. It was an open competitive system, and he believed had been found to work well. He was anxious that it should be preserved, and trusted that there was no truth in the report which had reached him that there was some inclination in certain quarters to alter it. The young persons who had come forward from the various colleges and

schools throughout the country had been everything that could be desired. The gallant officer then urged strongly the expediency of his last proposition, namely, the appointment of a council of military and civilian members to carry out the objects he had in view. He had the highest opinion of the officers who composed the present board, but at the same time he did not think that any body of comparatively subordinate officers could be completely unbiassed and independent while the Commander-inChief sat at their head. Moreover, the report of the Committee of that House had stated their opinion that officers holding high positions at the Horse Guards had not sufficient opportunity for paying due attention to the subject. He wished to add two civilians to the board, persons skilled in examination, to assist the military officers in examining the candidates. He had no other proposition to make, and had only to observe that our army was a very small one, and yet had to perform duties more arduous than any other army in the world. ("Hear, hear.") It had been said that we were a purely naval nation, and not a military nation; but when he glanced at the map of the world, and saw how many places and what vast territories the British army was called upon to defend and guard, he could not reconcile it with common sense to hold that we were not a military nation. If they looked back to the history of our army they would find some of the greatest achievements ever performed had been performed by it. But, as it was small, it was absolutely necessary to make it as efficient as possible; and if steps were taken to do justice to all officers by

guarding as much as possible against favouritism, and by making arrangements to afford the highest amount of instruction to all classes of the army, then he thought that our army, small as it was, would be found adequate to its duties and invincible by any other.

Sir F. Smith admitted the great importance of securing a better education among military officers. He thought, however, that this education should be given a practical tendency rather than be limited to intellectual and abstract knowledge.

General Windham feared that competitive examination furnished a very inadequate test of military efficiency. The best qualifications of an officer were not of a character which official examiners could measure and appreciate. The gallant member proceeded to suggest various improvements in the general system of military organisation.

Sir W. Williams related instances showing the strictness with which the examining board at Sandhurst fulfilled their duties. He laid down the principle on which, in his opinion, the authorities should proceed, in order to secure an efficient class of officers for staff and other appointments in the military service.

Mr. Palk enlarged upon the injury suffered and injustice inflicted through the present system of army promotion, in which the claims of zeal and talent were regularly postponed to those of interest.

Sir John Ramsden, Under Secretary of State for War, stated the heads of a comprehensive scheme then under consideration, which the Government hoped would meet all the exigencies of the case. It

was proposed that, in future, candidates for commissions should be examined in London by military and civil examiners, recommended annually by the Council of Education, and appointed by the Commander-in-Chief with the concurrence of the Minister for War. The candidate must produce a certificate from his clergyman and schoolmaster. The subjects on which he would be examined would be divided into compulsory and optional. He would be required to pass an examination in mathematics, algebra, simple equations, the first four books of Euclid, and, in addition, he would be compelled to show that he had a considerable knowledge of French and English composition, and of the history of England and its dependencies, and also of geography. These subjects did not embrace, by any means, the whole of the education that would be required, because the candidate would be expected to pass an examination in certain subjects, which, to some extent, it would be left to himself to select. He might select any branch of the higher mathematics, or some modern language in addition to French, or a more extended knowledge of history and geography, physical science, or a knowledge of drawing. With regard to the staff, the Government had decided that entrance to the staff should be by competition; that at the close of the course of study there should be an examination; that the examination should be competitive; and that certificates should be given which should constitute the qualification for employment upon the staff. Further, a plan was under the consideration of the Government for amalgamating the military education of Woolwich

and Sandhurst in one military college, in which all the preliminary military education of the country might be given. After preliminary examinations, and after being educated in this college for a certain time, it was proposed that there should be a complete examination of the pupils, and that admission should be given to the Ordnance Corps in the order of that examination-those who passed it with success being allowed to select an admission into the Line if they preferred it, to entering either of the Ordnance Corps. The Government thought that, by throwing open certain commissions, and by giving gratuitous commissions in the Line as well as the Ordnance Corps, they might induce some of the most successful candidates at the Sandhurst examinations to elect the Line in preference to the Ordnance Corps, so that the best men might thus be spread more evenly over the service. The Government most fully concurred with the gal

lant member for Westminster in his recommendations of "assured encouragements" being given "for proficiency and general fitness for advancement;" and this recommendation would be entirely carried out as soon as the system of competitive examination could be applied to entrance to the staff. The Council would be composed exclusively of military men: the Commander-in-Chief would not take part in its deliberations, but everything would pass through his hands and those of the Minister for War.

Lord Stanley approved of the distinction drawn between the qualifications of admission to the army and to the staff, but he wished that some commissions in the Line should be thrown open to

public competition. He suggested also that a system of military prizes should be established, and that there should be an examination on promotion. He was glad to hear that the new training colleges for the members of the staff were to be based upon the competitive principle, both with respect to the original admission and to the honours and distinctions to be subsequently obtained.

Mr. Sidney Herbert expressed a strong leaning to the adoption of competitive examination, and believed that it might be extended to moral and physical qualities. He did not want to get hold of the bookworm, but the "fine fellow," and make him know his duties. He thought it was important that the army should be officered by gentlemen solely, because the peasants who composed the army naturally followed the gentlemen by whom they were officered. "I am not prepared to give an opinion as to the principle of a competitive examination for first commissions; but when once you have men who are good officers in your service, I see no objection to competition for staff appointments, or for admission into the staff school. I proposed last year that those officers who most distinguished themselves in examinations for promotion should compete for admission into the staff schools; and I think I understood that it is now the intention of Her Majesty's Government to establish an examination for the staff. I understand the arrangement proposed by the general order, that any officer nominated to the staff should be required to submit to examination by three officers appointed by the Horse Guards, is to be abandoned. Such an examination would come down to the