48 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



Colonels rank in the whole army by seniority, iirespective of corps, and are promoted according 

 to seniority, if competent ; if not, they are retired. 



An officer who is retired after five years receives a certain pension ; after ten years' service, a 

 greater one ; and so on for every additional five years. 



Any one under the grade of general, who retires after thirty years' service, receives the full 

 pay of his grade ; a general who retires after fifty years' service receives full pay. 



The various medals, decorations, &c., carry with them a certain salary, which is continued 

 during the life of the recipient, even should he leave the service, and is given to his widow 

 during her life ; there is no other pension than this for soldiers. 



There are several invalid asylums in the empire, each for a fixed number of officers and men ; 

 the officers are furnished with quarters, fuel, and attendance. When a vacancy occurs, the 

 oldest soldier entitled to be retired receives the place ; if a soldier is disabled by wounds, &c., 

 he must return to his friends and await his turn for the asylum. 



Ketired and disabled soldiers receive the preference in all government employments, such as 

 on railways, as orderlies in public offices, in the service of the posts, &c. 



Eight years is the term of service for all arms. The men are drawn by conscription, only 

 sons being exempted. In 1855 and 1856 the authorized price for a substitute was about $300. 

 A man who re-enlists, after eight years' service, may demand his discharge at any time. 



Men sent home upon a reduction of the army are liable to be recalled at any time until their 

 eight years are out ; the time thus sjjent at home counts in the eight years, but they receive no 

 pay while absent from their regiments. 



As a general rule the men are not permitted to marry, but a certain number of laundresses 

 are allowed each company. Under no pretext can more than one-sixth of the officers of any 

 regiment or special corps be married. When any officer desires to marry, he makes an applica- 

 tion, and receives permission in his turn when the first vacancy occurs, irrespective of rank. 

 Before he is permitted to marry, an officer must deposit in the hands of the government a 

 certain sum, different for the various grades and corps. He receives the legal interest of this 

 money every month. 



Privates are placed on courts martial for the trial of their peers. Not more than 100 blows 

 can be given ; the usual manner of inflicting them is on the seat, the pants being kept on. 

 Flogging is rarely resorted to, and only with hardened characters and for heinous offences. 

 For desertion, the penalty is flogging for the 1st and 2d offences, death for the 3d. An officer 

 on detachment has great powers in regard to the infliction of punishment. 



As far as possible, especially in time of war, offences are tried and punished within 24 hours 

 of the arrest of the ofi"ender. Duty on courts martial is a matter of regular detail, according to 

 the roster. 



The money for the pay, &c., of the men is drawn by the captain ; he issues the ration money 

 every day to the 1st sergeant, the balance every five days. The 1st sergeant turns over the 

 ration money for each squad to its corporal, who makes the purchases ; in doing this, he is 

 always accompanied by one or two men selected by the squad. 



The captain makes out the requisition for the money ; this is examined and approved by the 

 "war commissary," whose signature constitutes the order upon the military chest for the pay- 

 ment to the captain. The captain draws the pay of the officers on the same requisition. The 

 commissary, who gives the order, never has charge of the money, his only duty being to 

 examine and verify the accounts. 



