ARMY OFFICERS

Evening Star, Issue 12027, 27 October 1903, Page 1

ARMY OFFICERS

■ -«a»— The report of the Royal Commissioners on the South African War is decidedly satisfactory on a paint in regard to which there have been grave misgivings— namely, the character and professional merits "of the officers of the army. The Commissioners do not echo tho aspersions and strictures passed upon oar officers during the stress of tho campaign, -when a perhaps not unnatural irritation was felt at failures thought to ho directly duo to their shortcomings. It is lenown raw that they were too often victims of circumstances quite heyond their centre 1, and -were too hastily judged and condemned as stupid and incompetent. Lord Roberts traverses this verdict unhesitatingly, at least in regard to regimental officers. "There were certainly failures among them." he said, " but so far as my knowledge of history goes the general "standard of practical knowledge, of devo- " tion to duty, and of readiness under diffi- " culties was at least as high as any army I c have known or of which I have read." Lord Wolseley is still loader in his praise. " I think that -our officers were more highly u instructed ... (in South Africa) '"than'they have ever been, at any previous "period of our history. British officers of "the regular troops are, I think, the finest " men in the world without any exception. "They are the gentlemen of England, not u always, perhaps, so highly educated as the "officers of tne German. Army, but, taking "them all in all, they are a very efficient " body of men, and I think they do their "best to train themsehres." Lord Kitchener characteristically strikes a discordant note. In his opinion the junior officers were better than the senior officers. There appears, ho said, to be too often a want of serious study of their profession bv officers. This was a view also expressed by Lord Roberts, who dwelt upon the fact that, as a profession, the army offered but indifferent prospects, and that tho highest efforts and keenest ambition, could hardly be under such chrcumstances expected. Sir Henry Colyflle was more directly to the point, declaring that he did not believe the army would ever become a working profession until inducements -were offered which will enable it to compete with the many trades open to young men in civil life. "Tie

worst failing that can ba laid at the door of our officers is a want of initiative and "hesitation to accept responsibility"—an adverse opinion not shared in by Lord Roberts, except as regards those senior in rank. This ho ascribed to the fact that "men as they gat older are often, loss in"clined to accept responsibility, and they "lose their power of decision." He refers, moreover, to the mischievous effects produced in this direction by the crnel readiness shown to- gibbet want of success. The OomTrrissionjers express entire accord with this opinion of tho Commander-in-Chief. '■" The knowledge that an officer .

"who failed might be summarily dealt with "in a way to emperil, if not to rain, his "whole future prospects, had a discouraging "effect, especially towards the end of the "war (and indeed at all times), and made "men hesitate to take the risks which must "■accompany- bold movements."