MILITARY SURGEONS.—WHAT NEXT !

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 608, 11 February 1852, Page 3

MILITARY SURGEONS.— WHAT NEXT !

To tbe Editor of the "Times." Sir, — In a " Circular Memorandum," emanating from tbe office of the Adjutant-General, I find an order which for atrocity is, I will venture to say, unequalled in any document of any service in the world, I copy it veibatim from your columns of to-day :—: — "Military Dfsfrters. " Horse Guards, August 19. " In consequence of the diversity of practice, and inefficipucy of the existing methods of marking the deserter with the letter D ; and it being found in many instances that the matk has become obliterated in a short time, and even been remored by artificial means, it has been decided [By whom ?] that from the Ist of Oct. next this part of tbe sentence of the Court-martial shnll be inflicted, in all cases where practicable, in the military prisons, by the medical officer [ ! ! !] attached to each of these establishments, and under special instructions from the Secretary-at-War." " G. Brown, Adjutant-General." Are the medical officers of the British army bound to obey this order? Will they obey it? Will the omcprs of health of any army in the world, at the bidding of any authority under Heaven, condescend to become executioners '( If they do — but it were an infamy even for a moment to suppose that there will be found one who would not sooner throw his commission to the winds than degrade his high and holy calling by an act so despicable and degrading ! Who has counselled this order? ' England — the woild ought to be made acquainted with die name of the wretch who would convert the surgeons of any service into hangmen ! I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, J. Dickson, M.D., an old Army Medical Officer. 80l ton-street, Sept. 12.

Costume of thi: Army. It is reported in military circles Lei c that the costume of the heavy cavalry will undergo a complete revision on the next is&ue of clothing. The hideous toilless jacket at present worn is to give place to a short fiockcoat, loosely made about the sleeves, and with no other ornament than a row of buttons up the centre. The brass shoulder scales are to be abolished, as their pressure on the sword arm was proved to he almost insupportable, owing to the want of flexibility. The new helmet is to be brass, but it is to be made to fit the head closely, according to an improved pattern modelled after the fashion of the past century. The black horsehair plume is to be discontinued, as cumbersome and useless ; and it is believed that the cloth overalls will give way to leathers and jackboots the same as the Life Guards. — Tunis' Dublin Correspondent. Tiir, Chaplain-General of uhb Fokces. — The Rev. Robert Gleig, who has been for some time inspecting the state and organization of the garrison und regimental schools in Ireland, has left Dublin for the north of England, en route, also, on a tour of inspection to the Military schools in Scotland. — British Army Despatch. New Hospital rou Soldiers' Widows. — The Duke of Cambudge has presented the Committee of the Cambridge Military Asylum, to he erected in memory of his Royal Highness the late Duke, with an eligible site for the proposed asylum, a building for the inception and maintenance of foity widows of non-com-missioned officeis and privates of her Majesty's land forces. The public subscriptions already icceived aie sufficient to induce the Committtee to commence forthwith the election of the asylum. — Globe. Flogging in hie Ahmy. — lii the report made to the Secretary-at-U'ai, by Lieut.-Colonel Jehb, the Inspec-tor-Geneial of Military Prisons, which has just been printed in aPruli.imentaiy paper, the subject of flogging in the army is brought fonvard. It seems that imprisonment, in lieu of corpoial punishment, lias been beneficial in its opeiation, notwithstanding the contiary opinion of a number of nnlitaiy oflicois. Colonel Jubbßtales — "If the views of (he moie experienced

oflici'ib in her Majesty's seivico as to the dotening influence of coipoial punishment were correct, a great increase of crime in the army might Lave been anticipotsd as the necessary consequence of limiting the power of courts-maitial, and materially diminishing a mode of punishment deemed to be the most pfficacious for the maintenance of discipline. It is, however satisfactory to see, that the result has not been unfavourable, and though it may partly be attubuted to the encouragement given to good conduct, the better class of men who have enteiwl into the service, and the partial discharge of some of the worst characters, yet, taking all this into account, I think experience hn9 sufficiently shown that imprisonment for imlitaiy offences has answered the expectations that weie formed of it." In 1845, the year previous to the establishment of prisons, the number of convictions by courts-martial was 9 954, and 652, corporal punishwere inflicted. In 1850 the convictions were 9,306, and the corporal punishments 238. The effective force was about the same in each year — in 1845, 125,252; and in 1850, 125,119. Last year 495 lashes were inflicted, and in the preceding year 550, by the visitors of the prisons, for serious offences. Lieut.-General Sir John Burgoyne is making a most j minute inspection of the state of fortifications in the Channel Islands and the western coast of England. The Vacant Colonelcy — The Biievet. — It is rumoured that Major-General Burrell will have the Colonelcy vacant by the death of Major-General Sir Henry Watson. We believe that, up to the present time, nothing has been decided on with respect to the anticipated Brevet, but it is generally understood that there will be one on the 9th of November, and that it will extend to Colonel Bouverie, of the Royal Horse Guards — the only Colonel of 1845. — Globe. Unii-orm. of the United States Army. — A general order has been issued from the War Department, giving a description of the new uniform for the army of the United States, which has been approved by the Secretary of War. All officers are to wear a frock-coat of dark blue-cloth, the skirt to extend from two-thirds to three-fourths of the distance from the top of the hip to the bend of the knee ; single-breasted for captains and lieutenants ; double-breasted for all other grades. The uniform coat of all enlisted men i 3 to be a singlebreasted frock of datk blue cloth. The collar and cuffs of the artillery are required to be scarlet ; infantry, light or Saxony blue ; riflemen, medium or emerald green, and dragoons orange-coloured. The caps for all officers and enlisted men are to be of dark blue cloth, according to pattern, and co ornamented and varied in trimming as to denote rank and the several branches of seivice. feathers give place to pompons.