PRIVATES AND COMMISSIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OP TUB tirEcTATon."1 SIR,—The thousands of very junior officers now being accepted for commissions must constitute a 'grave danger unless they
are leavened with men of experience. A largo number of privates and non-commissioned officers are available and eager to attain to higher rank. These men are equal socially, in business experience and education ; they are "salted" and have practical experience of war ; but they are not allowed to apply for commissions direct. They must obtain the consent of their C.O., who will not give the required permission, as naturally he does not wish to part with the pick of his men, Lord Derby, in a recent appeal for suitable men to send applications for Lancashire battalions, expressly stipulated that none would be considered from men serving at the front. If caste has anything to do with this, it is a bad look-out for our side. The war has to be won by Territorials, and the average town business man, now serving as a private, is quite the equal all round of those now receiving commissions. If these men had not been so keen to serve their country and had not enlisted on the outbreak of war, but had held back, they would have been able easily to obtain commissions now, as many of them had served in their Territorial regiments. Their applica- tions are backed with responsible signatures, such as J.P.'s and members of the professions. They should be allowed to send in their forma direct, and these should be judged on their merits and the candidates' service, instead of a system that may have been necessary fifty years ago. It was said of Napoleon's army that every soldier carried a Field-Marshal's baton in his knapsack ; our privates have not a Second-Lieutenant's commission in theirs.—I am, Sir, &o.,
WILLIAM JONES.
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