PROMOTION FROM THE RANKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 171, 31 May 1864, Page 4

PROMOTION FROM THE RANKS.

Curiously onough, the arrival of tho period when tilt! term of the "ten years' men," enlisted for the Crimean Avar, expires has been tho means of eliciting tlio opinion of the private soldiers in our army on the much disputed que.-iion of promotion from tho ranks. Tt has long bei,-n hotly disputed whether or no the boon was much coveted by or was desirable for tlie non-commissioned officer at all, and there ■were a good many frar-ible arguments, to be adduced on that" sido of the question. It was said that the step from Serjennt-JFnjor to luisign -was, pecuniarily .speaking, one downwards inrtead g£ upwards, tJiat a man who hail been accustomed to tife Serjeants' messroom or the canteen up to a mature period of life only felt himself, when placed ainongst the gentlemen, like a fish out of water, and that having by that time reared a family in the non-commissioned ranks, it was imposing upon him and on them a Herculean labour to adapt themselves to their new circumstances, which circumstances constituted, in fact, a false position, and a perpetual struggle between poverty and appearances. Lut'tho strongest argument of all was that the non-commissioned ranks themselves cared nothing for tho boim, and that tho offered commission was frequently declined by tho fortunate Serjeant-Major. This wiis'thc strongest argument, because if thu men did not seek advancement themselves it was of no use forcing it on them, and it was to be presumed that they, of all others, knew what was good for thi.-in, or what would be m 0.4 gratifying to their fanev, or stimulating to their ambition. Jiesides, if this "argument were sound, it was of no use combatting the others, whereas if it had no foundation except in thu wishes of those who would shut tho private soldier out from all hope of advim<-ement, all the oth.'i- objections which we have noticed c-.uld either be neutralized or lvir.uvcd out of sight altogether. It was, therefore, with a high impression of it 3 importance, as giving an insight into the real wishes of the private soldier, that we published last week the letter of " a ten years' man," suggesting a'liev plan for oilieering our army. Our correspondent commences by offering it as a temptation to the ten years' men to remain in the service, and thereby implies how much commissioned promotion is really coveted by the private soldier. We now have 1,5,000 or l(i,t)(jO"men in the prime of life, drilled, educated, disciplined, taught cleanliness and order, and we have them about to be thrown on the labour market, at a time when labour is becoming scarcer and obtaining higher wages every day. In sucli circumstances, to induce the soldier to remain in the arniy some strong temptation must be oifered. " A ten years' man" comes forward, and tells us what he thinks would bo tho strongest of .ill inducements, and speaking, as he does, with a knowledge of the sentiments of his class; we have a right, at least, to listen to his observations with grave attention. Perhaps a little, too sanguinely, he thinks the change he proposes important enough to change the fate of nations; but he iitrikes at the very root of the evil of tho present system, or rather no system, of promotion from the ranks, by the mannei- in which he proposes that his plan should be carried out. lie would submit every step from the ranks to tlie eommissv n to a competitive examination, graduated as tlie man rose higher in promotion, until at la.-t he attained thu much coveted po.-ition of a gentleman. By these means promotion would be thrown open to young men, for it is young men who alone can succossi'u.ly get up competitive examinations, and, moreover, tile candidate would be gradually improving his literary attainments all along, so that when at last lie joined "tho olHeers' mess he would neither be too old to polish his manners to their standard, nor too ignorant to join on equal terms in their conversation. It is true that the educational tests which our correspondent proposes are strictly utilitarian, and tho stress which he lays on proficiency in arithmetic is a curious comment on the absurd extent to which mere clerical duties are imposed on every rank in tho Army. If we were to place on one side all the men who have been promoted for distinguished conduct on active service, and on the other those who had gut on through indefatigable penmanship in tho orderly-room, we believe that the bravo fellows who had won their spurs on the battlc-lield would be very much outnumbered by their perhaps less daring but more industrious comrades who had sought to win their way to promotion wiih the quill. Tlie principle, however, is the right one, and its adoption in a less restricted and more liberal sense than "A tun years' man" proposes would remove three-fourths of the objections which now exist against promotion from the ranks. The men would get promotion young, they would get it in consequence of their superior education, and coming thus into the society of gentlemen, with youth and mental cultivation on their side, it would be a wonder if they did not within :i reasonable time adapt themselves to their new cir-cian.-taiices. Uut there is another point upon which "A ten years' IIan" does ml touch, but which must idVobe settled on a more satisfactory basis before anything like a satisfactory system of promotion from tlie ranks can be established. Wo must have the principal grades of non-commissioned oliieers secured by Koyal Warrant, as they are at predentin tlie chief non-com-missioned ranks in the navy, and not obtainable and returnable merely through the will and pleasure of tin; commanding officer. Keeent circumstances, to which wo need not more particularly allude, show that as the non-commissioned promotion is now regulated, to make a man a Serjeant is often to place him in a situation of extreme peril, if he be a fearle.-s and honest man, and that cases are constantly arising in which the mere fact of his being summoned as a witness in a court of justice may expose him innocently to the direst penalties, even to the extremity of imprisonment and death. We believe it is pretty well known in tlie army that to get on in the noncommissioned ranks it is sometimes more necessary for a man to humour the Colonel and the Adjutant • than to be J'uri/npn'iinjis in his regimental dutii". and that thy slightest oifence given to the forr>er, whether intentional or unavoidable, will be .<> :"■*' time sullioient to reduce the unhappy strJe:-T.' ■">'" I ranks, and to deprive him of the reward .j- -, patient and honourable service. Wo want ail this changed, and our " Ten yo;. s' Man" tells us that his class want commissions i promotion as an inducement to remain in the servk. , . lie suggests an educational test, and, we would ai: ■:, a Royal security. With these two safeguards, the gentlemen of our amiy need have no fear of their mess-rooms being inundated with coarseness ar... vulgarity, and the men will havu tlie greatest incentive to strive in having tlie Koyal guarantee lor thu prize they may win. We see every day men sprung ii-oiiL the. "humblest classes rising to the highest positions on tho l'.eneh and in the Church, .ind we never hear any reproaches against them on tho score of manners unbefitting their exhalted stations. Thu reason is simple enough ; they mount by the ladder nt learning, and are, therefore, lit lor their elevation. Let us take the hint from the " Ten years' Man," and plant the same ladder for promotion in the Army; but, above all tilings, let us make the rungs secure by giving the Serjeant the protection of theIJoval "Warrant for his present appointment.— Vnitoi Hc'cice Gazftli; March 20.