THE BRITISH OFFICER.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 271, 25 November 1901, Page 2

THE BRITISH OFFICER.

I v the Cosmopolitan Magazine Mr Lionel Strackey gives a remarkable summary of the causes of "The Inefficiency of the British Officer,” as illustrated in South Africa. Lack of preparation is chief of these. The total professional training of an infantry or cavalry lieutenant is a nine months’ course in Sandhurst. There he learns tactics from books, but never gets practice in drilling men unless as a high-grade student he is chosen lieutenant or corporal of cadets ; ho never points rifle or revolver at a target or dummy unless ho joins a

! mate shotting club : he does not learn to fence with. a real sword but with a stick. As for practical details i of regiment il house-keeping Mr ; Straeuey says : The Sandhurst cur- j rieuluiu does not include camping out; ! trie cadets do not take part, either in- j dividually or us a body, in auv sham j tights or manoeuvres with regular j troops: they make no marches, no expeditious ; they do not know how to pitch toms, build tires or lay out a bivouac : they are nor shown how to oh uu arms and nccount:--inents, hmv to ;• nb a horse, ffi-w to make a b--1. ' Vniiyii c l wito tnc foury ars’ training in West Point—oornaps the best military school in the world- -this course is worse than worthless : it merely deceives the young lieutenant into believing himself competent, it unison life docs little to dispel Me error. To maintain ‘* the credit of tne j regiment'’ he spends four or five times j as much as his pay each year. A poor man cannot hold a commission, no matter what his talent. Ami social considerations rule military policy —to wh it extent wo have lately seen in the appointment of Gens. B idler and Evelyn Wood and the Duke of Connaught us corps commanders.