606 
SUBALTERN OFFICERS. 
5. The German system of regimental organisation is described in 
eulogistic terms,, which make the position of a lieutenant appear most 
enviable for such as have the “ impotent desire of men to raine.” We 
are told that he has “ a command, smaller indeed, but as independent 
as, that of his captain.” He may have, but Colonel Kaulbars in his 
valuable work appears to say that the captain is responsible for 
everything connected with the training of his men, and uses his 
subalterns to assist him by giving them classes to instruct.* * Perhaps 
the lieutenant commands his half-company as we do our divisions, but 
that is very different to having the independence of a German captain. 
6. “ In the German army there are no specialists.” I quote from 
the original paper. Then what are the regimental officers who go 
through the special schools of equitation, gymnastics, &c.,&c. ? Again, 
u the artillery subalterns teach the men of their own divisions the 
practise and theory of gunnery.” Perhaps they do in some batteries, 
and in some, as the captain has so much independence, the system may 
be simplified by grouping the men in divisions according to their 
service ; but Colonel Kaulbarst describes a system very like that of 
the infantry, and an Italian officer, J who has written later, found the 
same still in force. 
If the German officers are not troubled with such trivial duties as 
asking if the men have any complaints to make about their food, may it 
not be attributed to the relegating such duties to the non-commissioned 
officers, or to the futility of the German soldiers making any complaints ? 
If such duties are irksome, one must remember the words of H.R.H.the 
Duke of Cambridge, quoted later on by Lieut. Murray :— a Remember, 
then, gentlemen—and these shall be my last words to you—no detail is 
too small for a subaltern officer.” 
7. To cavalry and infantry officers is left the task of defending 
their own regimental system, for it has very little similitude to ours. 
If they do not do so, it will not be from want of ability. 
* Speaking of the recruits of a company“ Le capitaine confie le poste d’instructeur a celui de 
Ses lieutenants qui lui parait le plus apte k cet emploi. Ce lieutenant dirige alors l’instruction des 
itecrues, sous la surveillance immediate du capitaine.” 
Speaking of the older classes, before the recruits are in the ranks,—“ C’est done au capitaine a 
diriger ceux-ci de fa$on a preparer de son mieux ses hommes pour les manoeuvres de printemps 
* * * les hommes, reunis en petits groupes sont exerces a la pratique du service de 
campagne sous la direction des lieutenants a 1’instruction desquels ces exercices sont surtout 
destines.” 
Speaking of the training after the recruits are in the ranks,— f< Quoiqu ’il en sdit, les hommes 
sont generalement, d’apres l’etendue de leurs connaissances, repartis en trois classes * * * 
Habituellement, chaque classe est confiee a un officier, ou, a defaut, a un sons officier intelligent. 
Dans ce dernier cas, un officier a la direction generate des cours et fait lui-meme les plus importants, 
tels que ceux portant sur la theorie du tir et le service en campagne.” 
Translated from Col. 'Kaulbars , in the “ Bulletin de la Reunion des Officier s,” 14th and 28th 
April, 1877. 
f Le capitaine commandant est responsable de l’instruction de sa batterie a tous les points de 
