108 OUR INFANTRY. 



knowledge obtained in schools. The object of 

 the system here recommended is first to find 

 out the officers who possess the necessary 

 talents for war, allied with a sound judgment, 

 and then to excite those talents into healthy 

 action. This is I submit a sound system, while 

 one which orders all officers to acquire the 

 scientific education which artillery and engi- 

 neer officers obtain and require, will break down ; 

 as only a very limited number of youths possess 

 the natural talents required to insure success in 

 those branches of the profession. It would 

 then be not only useless, but cruel to order the 

 great mass of our officers to send to head 

 quarters reports or opinions on difficult but 

 important military subjects which they cannot 

 grasp, yet they may be excellent regimental or 

 executive officers. But to invite officers to 

 send in their opinions on difficult subjects would 

 be unobjectionable. 



A great army is rarely found wanting in 

 officers who have enjoyed and profited by a 

 scientific education, but those persons are rarely 

 found capable of commanding an army in the 

 field, because to do this successfully an officer 

 requires that which no education gives — namely, 



