605 
OBSERVATIONS 
SUBALTERN 
ON A PAPER ENTITLED “ SUBALTERN OFFICERS 
B. A. “ Pboceedings,” Vol. XL, No. 5 , 
In Vol. XI., No. 5, of the c< Proceedings ” of the Artillery Institution, 
there appeared a very ably-written article, by Lieut. A. M. Murray, 
R.H.A., entitled “ Subaltern Officers." Although I cannot pretend to 
a tithe of the author's ability in expressing what is to be said in clear 
and concise language, I venture to ask the indulgence of my readers 
while I endeavour to explain why I, a subaltern of the same service as 
Lieut. Murray, cannot agree with many of his views, and consider 
some of his proposals impracticable. 
For convenience of reference and to avoid tiresome repetition, it is 
proposed to treat the subject in the same order as it is set forth in the 
original paper, and the paragraphs are numbered accordingly. 
1, 2, 3, and 4. In the first four paragraphs is related, in a most 
admirable manner, the progress that has been made in the science of 
military training since the time of the Great Frederic : how formerly 
the soldier was only part of a machine, and how now so much depends 
on his individuality. This is a matter of history, and numberless 
writers of repute have proved that it is incontrovertible, but one may 
still doubt if everything is changed, and ask whether it is not more 
correct to describe the modern conditions of warfare as requiring 
additions to, rather than changes in, the old systems of training, and 
whether it is not the province of the officers to undertake this additional 
moral instruction, while the older physical training is left to the non¬ 
commissioned officers, rather than to attempt to do everything 
themselves. 
75 
