SUBALTERN OFFICERS. 
379 
important functions are allowed to be neglected. If anyone cares to 
learn how a German subaltern officer spends his time he should read 
some of the journals of the German Infantry captains, J a series of 
which were published some time ago, and which narrate in detail how 
the daily duties of all ranks are conducted. It is impossible after 
reading’ these journals not to be struck with the thoroughness of the 
work done by German regimental officers. Certainly the charge of 
being flaneurs in uniform could never be brought against them. They 
are real working’ men. The reality and energy with which they apply 
themselves to their work make a system of short service perfectly easy 
to carry out in Germany. As recruits become trained and take their 
place in the Reserve, there is ever present a body of highly trained 
officers, who form the permanent element in the German military system, 
and who are ready to take in hand a fresh supply of recruits and convert 
them into trained soldiers. If then, it be asked, to whom especially is 
due the success of the German military system, we should, I think, 
point to the regimental officers, who by their steadfast and earnest 
labours have raised the army to the highest perfection ever known in 
history, and have put into the hands of the German Emperor “the 
most tremendous weapon that the skill of man has ever forged . 93 
7. When we turn from the German regimental organization to 
consider that of our own army we cannot fail to be struck at once with 
the wide divergence which exists between the two systems. Take by 
way of illustration the case of a battalion of infantry or a regiment of 
cavalry. Instead of responsibility being distributed through all ranks 
it is centralised in a single individual. The commanding officer is the 
source of all power, and all authority : from him emanate all orders ; he 
alone has the right to initiate; in him the entire governing power is 
vested, and assisted by his staff he works the whole regiment without 
reference to any subordinate authority. The adjutant is held respon¬ 
sible for the drill of the recruits, the musketry instructor for the 
shooting of the men, the riding-master (in a cavalry regiment) for the 
riding and fitting of appointments, the veterinary-surgeon for the care 
of the horses, the quarter-master for the clothing. In all these 
arrangements the regimental officers—the captains and lieutenants of 
troops and companies—have no real voice whatever. Day after day 
they see their men marched off first to one specialist, then to another, 
without any reference to themselves. Certain routine duties, chiefly 
appertaining to parades and the maintainence of discipline, they are 
expected to perform, but in all the real work of the regiment the regimen¬ 
tal officers cannot be said to have any actual share. What is demanded of 
them is that they should be gentlemen, should set an example of 
honourable and manly conduct, dress well, be pleasant companions at 
de jour ’ is detailed : for this officer’s interference being called for about once in ten years, 
it is bad economy to lose daily the amount of useful work represented by one day of an 
officer’s life.” Ibid. 
% c ' Extracts from an Infantry Captain’s Journal,” by R. Yon. Arnim Major, command, 
ing a battalion of the Hohenzollern Fusilier Regiment, translated by Major C. J. East. 
D.A.Q.M.G. 
