It is all very well to say that a conscript Army must be thus composed; but what with the system of Remplaçans, and other collateral causes, the fact is, that the French soldiers are not so respectable in their conduct as our own, except in the one thing of sobriety.

But after all, what is the meaning of this idle dream about a better class of men being desirable for the ranks of the British Army? We have no hesitation in saying we believe there is more spirit, loyalty, honour, and patriotism in one thorough-bred honest plough-boy than in a dozen of those mongrel better-class gentlemen, who have had the advantage of a pinchbeck-Birmingham-useful-knowledge education. If the Duke of Wellington was right, and who can doubt that he was right, in his estimation of the excellence of his Army of the Peninsula, we are very sure that the introduction of a few hundred "better class" recruits into the ranks of that very Army would have done more mischief than can be conceived by any person who has not had practical experience of the harm which even half-a-dozen such fellows will do in the ranks of a single regiment.

The Committee, after sound exposition of the comparative effects of imprisonment and the lash, give a decided opinion that though imprisonment may be made much more uniform in severity, and more effectual than at present, yet that it never can afford that prompt example which is to be found in the lash, and therefore they cannot look upon it as a substitute.

In commenting upon Lord W. Bentinck's suppression of flogging in the native regiments of the East India Company, and his notions of penal companies, the Committee certainly do not spare their censure; and they here take occasion to offer a suggestion which appears to us excellent, that of establishing convict gangs under civil control, into which incorrigible soldiers might be discharged with ignominy from the service, so as quite to do away all question of men behaving ill to get discharged.

The idea of allowing flogging on service only, the Committee justly repudiate, as every way destructive of discipline; but we cannot think they show much judgment in proposing that it should be more limited and the offences more defined; for if once it is so limited in amount that the soldiers begin making a bravado that the pain is nothing, and they do not mind it, flogging will be more than useless, it will irritate instead of striking awe into their minds.

The next resolution, suggesting that men absent without leave shall forfeit pay for the days of such absence, is no doubt very sensible, but it has been acted upon, we must say, in an unaccountable manner; for the Order adopting and promulgating it as a law states expressly that no other punishment may be superadded; so that any soldier may lay his account to a certain price for so many days' absence; nay, his friends may treat him to a couple of days' absence as they would to a couple of quarts of beer. Luckily the order leaves it optional to have recourse to other punishment instead; but then it becomes a dead letter; for if punish any other way, you must not fine, according to the provisions of

the Order.

you

The Committee seem to touch upon the subject of canteens with unnecessary delicacy. Many officers, and one (Mr. Winterbottom), the most experienced Adjutant, perhaps, in the Army, as well as one of the finest old soldiers of which it can boast, gave decided opinions upon

this; but surely we may discover from common sense, that the servants of any gentleman who had a spirit-shop close to his gate would be more exposed to contract habits of dram-drinking than the servants of one who lived a mile off, and the gentleman so situated would certainly be very glad, if it must be open at all, not to have it opened till after breakfast-time.

In this place we find the Committee again recurring to the fancy of the better class of recruits; and not having patience to follow a second argument on the subject, we gladly pass on to the rational suggestions they next introduce for regimental reading-rooms, for facilities for manly games and exercises, for a proper provision for the duties of regimental chaplains (a point so properly attended to in the Navy, where every sailor has, as it were, his parish priest at his elbow, whenever disease, or misfortunes remind him where to look for support and comfort), and for an order of merit among the soldiers, with an increase of pension dependent on good behaviour. But we cannot be satisfied with an allusion which the Committee have here made to the difference of pension of the soldier and the marine; for it would appear that in lieu of reprobating the late reduction of soldiers' pensions to 6d., the Committee invidiously remark on the non-reduction of the marine's pension, as if they wished that reduced to the same low rate. It is really too bad, because the soldier has been hardly dealt with, to attack the marine who has had the luck to avoid the notice of our economists. We are heartily glad that fine corps has so escaped, and hope they may continue to do so.

Speaking of the promotion from the ranks, recommended to be extended into a right by the notorious Joseph Hume, the Committee seem to appreciate that peculiarity of our service, by which the conduct of officers as gentlemen is watched and scrutinized with quite as much severity as their regimental discipline and subordination, a system as incomprehensible probably to Mr. Hume as it is honourable to the British Army. The same person proposes civil privileges as a reward for retired soldiers, as if they cared, poor fellows, for the honours of his mock citizenship. However, the Committee overthrew his argument by one sentence," The real and substantial reward to which every soldier looks with the utmost anxiety is a pension, after his service." The Committee conclude their review of the evidence by a reference to that of Colonel Duncan Macgregor, whose case illustrated the question of "How far the judgment of the Commanding-Officer and his knowledge of his men's character enabled him to avoid flogging;" for that excellent officer who long commanded the 93rd Highlanders had, as he says, at one time fondly hoped he had brought his regiment to do without corporal punishment; but was quite undeceived, when, after losing a number of his Highlanders in the West Indies, he was forced to enlist from other parts of Scotland, and without selection, a number of recruits over whom the feeling of clanship could not give him the same influence.

The Committee wind up their Report by presenting their conclusions or resolutions, eleven in number. The four first express their conviction that flogging cannot be done away either abroad or at home; the sixth expresses a wish that it be used sparingly. The others require some comment, because they are suggestions for alteration. Thus the fifth recommends the construction of military prisons, which no doubt may be of service, if nobody minds the expense; and it suggests what goes more to the root of the evil, by recommending better means of

solitary confinement in every barrack, which, if carried into effect, in conjunction with the suggestion of the eighth resolution, would render very few general military prisons sufficient for all objects.

The eighth conclusion is worth all the rest together; for it contains the suggestion that more discretion should be allowed CommandingOfficers both as to minor punishments and as to what offences shall be tried by regimental courts. The ninth suggests a limitation of lashes, which we confess, as we have already said, appears to incur the risk of defeating the object, and rendering more flogging necessary, by divesting the punishment of the dread now attached to it. The tenth recommends honorary reward; and the eleventh, that no consideration of economy shall prevent the good soldier being well treated while serving, and liberally pensioned when discharged, after long service accompanied by good conduct.

We have so little hope of the liberality of the House of Commons keeping any pace with their sympathy and love of meddling in what they do not understand, that it is scarce worth noticing this last resolution, which the Committee, however, were quite right to put forward as a record of their own justice, and a protest against the late treatment of the soldier. In rendering a proper tribute to the zeal of the present officers of the Army, and their desire to avoid punishment, the Committee have likewise done credit to themselves and justice to the Service. We shall now venture to offer some opinions on the means of restoring the discipline of the Army, in which we shall find the less difficulty because we are convinced every regimental officer of experience will admit that about ten years ago the discipline was as near as possible perfection, and therefore the task is not one of invention or new expedient, but rather a reverting to what has already been tried and proved. Some amendments proposed by practical men we shall also cull from the evidence given by various officers of known sense and judgment in the management of soldiers.

In the first place, then, we conceive that there should be very few common offences, beyond the discretionary power of the LieutenantColonel to punish. Give him the authority to confine for a week in the black hole, (there should be at least eight in every barrack); let him be authorized to lay a man in irons for three days; to stop pay for days of absence, superadding the other usual punishments for that offence. Permit him to revert to the punishment of the log for men who, when confined, have broken out of barracks. Erect under a shed in a retired part of every barrack, three or four pair of stocks for men addicted to idle and slovenly habits, or whose language to serjeants is apt to verge on insolence. Allow commanding officers to dispense with trial of serjeants who desire to return to the ranks rather than come before a Court Martial, and allow them any other powers of that description which may increase their personal influence over all under . their order. As to courts martial, let the regimental court be competent to try all but such serious offences as come to a question of transportation or death; and if in regimental courts there must be any distinction, adopt the suggestion of Colonel Macgregor, in his evidence, "that for greater offences the members shall all be of a higher rank, instead of being more numerous."

Above all, make such amendments in the rules of evidence as may, as far as possible, meet the Duke of Wellington's idea of a court

martial being a court of honour and discipline, rather than a court of technical law; and let the time between the trial and execution of the sentence be as short as possible. It is scarce to be believed that delays of this kind have occurred of six, eight, and ten months in some regiments, resulting, as we conceive, from the Judge Advocate's office not being in sufficiently quick communication, or not having people enough to keep pace with the accumulation of business. Why, if a dozen more officers or clerks were necessary to prevent such an evil, the country would, even in a financial view, find its interest in paying them rather than so pernicious and unjust a system of procrastination should defeat the effects of discipline. Let discharge with ignominy be made a severe as well as a disgraceful sentence, always accompanied by a flogging, and followed by six months' imprisonment in a gaol, and by branding with a mark; which branding, by the way, should be entirely put a stop to as regards men retained in the Service. Why set an indelible mark on a man who may reform, and whom you may wish to promote for good conduct a very few years afterwards? If anything can discourage his reformation, it is the branding.

While on the head of disgrace, we must say how fully we agree with Col. Burrell in the useless and degrading custom of crying down the credit of a regiment on entering new quarters, and in the expediency of fining soldiers to the amount of debts fraudulently incurred by them, and letting that fine go to Chelsea, or some regimental benevolent fund. As to encouragement to enlisting, and to behave well when enlisted, we must begin by good faith and limitation of service to a positive and defined period, so that it shall be the soldier's interest and object to do his duty well and actively to the last hour of his service, instead of forcing your best old soldiers, as at present, to foster chronic complaints as their only escape from the Service in which their good conduct alone has enabled their constitution to last so long.

Let the soldier have his honorary reward during his service, and his pecuniary reward at the end of it, and he will be the most contented man alive.

Savings' banks and regimental funds were, under proper regulation, admirable institutions; for, as now situated, what can a man do with money but spend it in drink? They should be restored and encouraged; their misapplication to bad objects was a chimera, and nothing is easier than to put them under a general code, so framed as to prevent any possible harm from their existence.

If the Committee had boldly recommended such means as we have mentioned for coercion and punishment of the bad, and for encouraging the good soldier,-means which pretend to be no new discovery, but which arise from the suggestion of common sense and general experience, and if their views had been fairly adopted by Government, very little flogging would be required in our Service, the soldier would be satisfied and contented, and the officer would have the satisfaction of finding his zeal repaid by the attachment and subordination of his men. This very important subject we must now conclude. If it appear tedious to some of our readers, we feel, nevertheless, convinced there are not many who will rise from its perusal without deeming it a matter of the deepest interest to try as well as to the Army, and deserving the consideration well-wisher to either. either.5

ON THE THEORY OF BRITISH NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.

READ AT THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION, AT BRISTOL, AUG, 25, 1836 BY HENRY CHATFIELD, MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE.

THE objects of the British Association are now so well understood, and the benefits which science is deriving from the labours of its members so fully appreciated, that I deem it unnecessary to occupy a moment of your time in explaining the motives which have induced me to address you on this occasion. I shall therefore proceed at once to offer a few observations on the present state of the theory of naval architecture in this country, with some suggestions for its improvement, which it is conceived may, with propriety, be submitted to the consideration of this Society.

This is not the first time that naval architecture has been treated on by members of the Association. In 1831 the late Mr. Geo. Harvey of Plymouth read a paper, in which he took a general view of the advantages to be derived from the application of science to ship-building; and on a subsequent occasion Mr. Owen, a naval architect, made a communication containing certain observations relative to the best mode of conducting experiments at sea.

It may be presumed that every individual present is more or less acquainted with the nature of the experiments to which the designs of various projectors in ship-building, some professional and some un-professional, have been submitted within the last few years. The motive of Government in instituting those experiments has doubtless been to discover some new system of naval architecture, or to extend, by legitimate steps, our very limited knowledge of a subject which is admitted to be but imperfectly understood in this country; but it is to be apprehended that little or no benefit can be expected to result from any of the experiments which have as yet been entered into. My reasons for entertaining this opinion have been anticipated by Mr. Owen, who has pointed out the fallacy of supposing that any useful deductions can reasonably be looked for from a series of heterogeneous experiments instituted between ships differing in length, breadth, and depth,-displacing unequal volumes of water, and impelled by unequal surfaces of sail,-ships which have, in fact, been so dissimilar in size, form, and proportion, that one would imagine they had been designed to be as unlike as possible, instead of differing in such respects only as would fairly put to the test some particular feature, involving an unsettled principle in naval architecture.

The bare fact of having instituted such experiments, is, in itself, an official admission that the theory of naval construction is but imperfectly understood in this country; but there are other and stronger reasons which show that it has been for many years past in a very degraded state.

The reputed inferiority of ships of British origin compared with those of foreign nations, induced the Government of this country to appoint a commission in the year 1806. to inquire into and revise the civil affairs of the Navy. The result of the investigation led to a very mortifying exposure of the unacquaintance of English ship-builders with the theoretical princi ples of their art, accompanied with a recommendation of an official plan of education for our future naval architects.

The views of the Board of Revision were very much in accordance with the opinions contained in the papers published by the "Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture," established in this country in 1794, and of which His Majesty, then Duke of Clarence, was the president. Constituted as that society was, of some individuals eminent for their scientific attainments, and of others influential from their rank in life, its transU. S. JOURN. No. 96, Nov. 1836. 2 B