DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 272, 29 May 1860, Page 4

DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

(From the Spectator.) THE MORAL OP LORD CLYDE'S ORDER OF THE DAT. The lecture which Lord Clyde, through the Adjutant General of her Majesty's Forces in India, has addressed to the commanding officers of regiments, and which he has made public, is so clear and emphatic that we should have hesitated to comment upon it, had not its purpose been misconceived. This decisive order has been regarded a3 pointed at the medical officers alone, although the least consideration of its terms makes it clear that its purpose is to rouse commanding officers of regiments to a due sense of their duties.

Lord Clyde made a tour uf inspection, and at two stations he found that the hospitals had been, for several months without a supply of quinine. No doubt, he observed^other things, not more to his liking ; but the omission he mentions, sufficiently warrants him in taking it as a text for one of the best lectures ever road to the Army. Who is responsible for the defect of quinine? not the "medical-officer, but the commanding officer! "He is much responsible that his hospital is duly supplied with medicines, as that his (men receive their daily pay." This, is sound doctrine. If he cannot, or does not, get what he wants, a commandingofficer must appeal, in succession, to all the authorities above him, even to the Commander-in-chief. That is " his'bouuden duty." Nor in hospital matter alone is he responsible. ; " In the same manner, in'common justice to; the regiment he commands, lie should never rest till lie has obtained thebestaccommodation, furniture, shelter, &c, which the circumstances under which he is placed may permit. ' ' \ : "It does not belong to his situation patiently to endure what appears to be ignorance, sloth; or carelessness in the functionaries who are bound to provide his regiment, according to their various vocations, whether it be tlia commissariat, barrack department, the executive engineer, the civil'authorities, or the superintending surgeon; it is incumbent on him, as being intrusted with a great and trying responsibility,' to report to superior authority when he considers' his regiment wronged or neglected, or that it is suffering from causes which" it may be in the power of the Commander-in-chief to remove." .

This is wholesome military doctrine. A commanding officer is undoubtedly responsible for everything pertaining to his regiment, or battalion. Lord Clyde is " obliged to reiterate " tliiß simple fact. Are we to infer from this that hitherto commanding officers have been ignorant, or neglectful of it ? If commanding officers patiently endure sloth, ignorance, carelessness,, clearly they are not fit to command. Now we have it on 'high authority that it is no unusual thing to find men at the head of regiments who should not be there. General Simpson told the Purchase Commissioners he could name several who were unfit. Lord Clyde's order is evidence that there are some unfit commanders now in India, or at least some who take a very narrow view of the duties of their position. Unfitness tells upon a regiment very severely. We can give an illustration. There is a regiment of heavy cavalry which some years ago had a most excellent commander. He was skilled in the management of men; he was up to his duties as a soldier; he was one of" the best horsemen in Europe.' He did his duty, and under him, even in the dreadful old ultra-regulation days of the balance seat, his regiment could do anything. He passed from the command in due courseunhappily good men cannot last for ever. His successor came to the post in the usual way—-he had bought up to it, and he got it. What sort "of a man was he? He was a well meaning, but muddleheaded gentleman with very limited faculties; in every respect, the reverse of his predecessor. Of course, the good system established went for something; but the spirit which gave it life and vigour was gone. The regiment fell off in excellence, and very soon lost the faculty of doing everything, because it had no confidence in its commander. In this way regiments are spoiled, because money, and not fitness,: is the qualification for command.

Couple this specimen of a not uncommon occurrence with Lord Clyde's rebuke to commanding officers in general, and then tell us whether men who are entrusted with such serious duties should not be appointed by selection? To allow officers to rise to commands by purchase, is not a whit more defensible than the practice, in the late Bergal army, of appointing native commissioned officers by seniority. A refusal to select commanding officers argues a deficiency of moral courage. One would think that the army is a club, and that the higher members are afraid of offending one another. Perhaps Lord Clyde's order of day, which is evidence of the existing system, may help to open the eyes who have ifc in their power to enforce the remedy. ; ■:.-. .-.■....■