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38 themselves in one respect, they naturally desire to extend their attempts. They are learning to provide a shelter and warmth under difficulties. When encamped somewhere or other in the summer, they practise all the arts of camp life,—keeping themselves dry and warm, killing and trimming meat, getting good meals, draining and cleansing the camp, taking care of the horses, and repairing accidents to their clothes.

This last year there was such a camp on the Curragh of Kildare. There was a chorus of complaints and pity that men should be encamped on such a place in such a season: but the real friends of the soldier contended that it was the best kindness to him to let him take the run of seasons and circumstances. If men and horses were so badly off as was reported, it was from bad management, for there were facilities for drainage and road-making; and every soldier worthy of his vocation would rejoice, as many did, in an opportunity of practising the arts of his profession, and putting his own courage, and skill, and endurance to the proof.

But what was the remark of foreigners who heard the grumbling? Their remark bears a close relation to our present subject. They said, “The English soldier is the best paid, the best fed, and the best clothed soldier in Europe, and is always grumbling. The fact is, he is spoiled. He can provide nothing for himself; and when once out of the routine of barrack-life, is helpless.”

If the English soldier ceases to be helpless, we may hope that the profession in which men are better paid, fed, clothed, and considered, than in any other country in Europe, will not be so largely occupied as hitherto with scamps who get what they can, and then desert.

I read an anecdote lately of military service in India, which explains, to a certain extent, the evil reputation of some of our soldiers, not in tropical regions only, but wherever they are too severely tried by dullness. Good officers in India encourage trustworthy soldiers in hunting in game regions, because all vigorous interests are of immense importance to men overwhelmed with ennui. The dullness of the hot season drives barrack soldiers, not only to drink, but to a kind of craziness. In order to get transported—that is, to get to Australia—the men of the Bengal army have affected insubordination to their officers. One after another threw a pair of gloves, or a cap, at the first officer he met. This went so far that the authorities announced that the punishment of death would be inflicted henceforth, instead of transportation.

The men disbelieved this. One of them threw his cap at a perfect stranger in the road,—judging him to be an officer by the gold band on his cap. It was an assistant-surgeon from Meerut. The surgeon was reluctant to give evidence, and did all he could to save the man; but the threat must be fulfilled, and the soldier was to be shot. The firing party took care not to hit him. In case of the aim failing, the sergeant’s duty is to shoot the criminal with a pistol. The sergeant did his duty in this case; but he could not bear the thought of it, and made away with himself. He was found dead, floating in a well, a few days afterwards.

The natural comment on such a story as this is, that in other armies, the amusement of the soldiers is one of the institutions of the force; and Indian officers declare that any amount of money laid out in newspapers, illustrated periodicals, games, &c., for soldiers, in India and the colonies, would be well spent. These things are, in fact, medicine for mind and body.

At home, the dullness is likely to be cured through the universal agreement that soldiers should have the change and recreation which are necessary to all other men. In addition to schools and reading-rooms, and to the new variety of practising the arts of life, as far as the soldier is concerned in them, we may hope to see a great spread of those manly sports which are the best possible recreation for soldiers. The authorities are encouraging the introduction of cricket and other games. Gardening, also, will be gladly countenanced and assisted on all hands.

Now, here is a career which ought to be eagerly sought. To the foreign account of the indulgence which the soldier enjoys, we English can add the higher considerations which attend a calling in which every man is called, not by the stern voice of law and authority, but by his own free thought and feeling. With us, every soldier is a volunteer. We have no conscription; and we are supposed to pamper our soldiers, in order to keep up our force. Yet, if our numbers are kept up, the quality has not hitherto been what we desire.

I do not believe that money will avail,—mere high pay. It is far more probable that certain reforms, present and future, will do it. Of those reforms, the very greatest is, no doubt, the practical abolition of the lash, within this year. The man worthy to be a soldier is no longer liable to flogging. Flogging cannot be altogether abolished till the scamp-element is rooted out of the army; but fellows of that order only are now liable to it. The new plan is to reduce any offender to a floggable condition first; and this affords opportunity for reform, and even for return into the class which cannot be flogged. A respectable soldier will not sink into the degraded rank; or if, by some unhappy lapse, he should do so, he will rise again, and not subject himself to the further degradation of the lash. In fact, a respectable soldier is now no more liable to the lash than a man of any other calling.

As for other reforms, we may see what they are by looking at our forces in China. The health of our troops there is higher than the health of soldiers was ever known to be, unless in the last days in the Crimea, when our army was recreated, and brought into the finest condition. In China, our troops are well fed, well clothed, well managed in health, and well cared for when wounded. Of the sick, there are scarcely any to speak of. From the date of that spectacle, the military profession assumes a new and bright aspect for the private soldier, as well as for his officers.

The profession ought to show the very largest amount of health and strength. The members of it are picked men for physical soundness and vigour. The recruit cannot pass unless he has a firm and