It is very difficult when an army grows large to
know bow to reward the private soldier for service in the field. There is often no prize-money to distribute, honours cannot be sown broadcast, though we are a little too stingy with decorations for bravery, and even a large donative seems small when divided among so many. The Government, for example, is about to give a " gratuity " of more than a million to the soldiers employed in South Africa, but as there are more than two hundred thousand in the field the unit or gift for the simple private is only £5. Lieutenants are to have six times that, Captains twelve times, Majors sixteen times, Lieutenant. Colonels thirty-two times, and so on up to Generals, who receive £2,000 each. The donative does not of itself make service very tempting, but what is the unlucky taxpayer to do? A well-adjusted scheme of prizes open to men in the ranks who distinguish themselves would cost less, would be in accord with our system, which throughout rejects equality, and would stir the passion in the British mind for " a good chance" as always preferable to a poor certainty.
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