502 
ON THE ARMY VETERINARY DEPARTMENT. 
portance, and since this boast appears to be, in no small degree, 
founded upon the circumstance of “medical students of liberal 
education” having “devoted their services” to the art; pray, how 
came it that Mr. Coleman did not follow up the excellent confer¬ 
ment of his majesty by filling the army appointments with men 
of “ liberal education,” instead of stuffing them with any canaille 
who could crawl down his back in the capacity of students, 
or serve his purpose when they became appointed? If Mr. Cole¬ 
man would make such a boast about u medical students of liberal 
education,” how comes it that he is the very man who for years 
past has set his face against medical men becoming veterinary 
surgeons at all? If Mr. Coleman could flaunt about “liberal 
education” in the presence of Majesty, how comes it that “ the 
sons of grooms and farriers” are the “elect” of him and his 
equally “liberal” assistant? 
Not for several years after the attainment of a king’s commis¬ 
sion was any established or acknowledged rank affixed to the 
veterinary holders of it, any more than that such commission 
placed them upon an equal line of respectability with the officers 
of their respective corps. Some disputes and dissatisfaction, 
however, being manifested respecting “ choice of quarters,” it 
was ordered in the regulations for the army, that 
, “ Veterinary surgeons, during the first ten years of their ser¬ 
vice, should rank as cornets.” 
“ Ditto, after ten years’ service, as lieutenants.” 
“ Ditto, after twenty years’ service, as captains.” 
“ With an understanding that this indulgence was not to en¬ 
dow them (or any other regimental staff officer) with any claim 
whatever to military command.” 
I can remember to have heard a great fuss being made about 
obtaining this rank for veterinary officers ; but, after all, it is 
worse than that which any other set of officers enjoy. Medical 
officers, commissaries, paymasters, are all better off in this re¬ 
spect than veterinary surgeons. To be sure, any rank at all in 
the British cavalry was more than could have been looked for 
or was deserved by such a tag-rag-and-bobtail set as Mr. Cole¬ 
man has, one time or another, pushed into the service ; but, had 
the candidates been what they ought to have been, gentlemen, 
there could have been urged no good reason why they should not 
rank and enjoy the same privileges as other medical or civil 
officers. 
An assistant surgeon enters the regiment with the rank, at 
once, of a lieutenant: a veterinary surgeon has to serve ten years 
to come upon an equal footing with him; and ten more before 
he can rank with the surgeon. Why should this be ? The life of 
