NAVAL AND MILITARY COURTS-MARTIAL.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your correspondent "R. N." (Spectator, January 20th, p. 93) in seeking to differentiate between a naval and a military
Court-Martial is under a wrong impression. He remarks :—
"The sentence of a naval Court-Martial, wherever held, is promulgated, and takes effect, on the spot; whereas the sentence of a military Court-Martial is not promulgated, and cannot be carried into effect, until it has received the approval of the Home authority. There is thus in the powers of Courts-Martial a distinct difference between the Services."
If "R. N." will refer to the "Manual of Military Law," he will find that this is not the case at all. The sentence of a military Court-Martial is promulgated as soon as the local
confirming authority—the General Officer commanding the district (which may be Calcutta or Cape Town, equally with Limerick or London)—confirms it. The sentence is then carried into effect at once, and there is no waiting to obtain the "approval" of any one.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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