CO885-(1-2) — Page 72

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

1 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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so great a part of the misery of which unhappy country is attributable to the ignorance of the people in every description of skilled labour. In order effectively to work out this system of industrial instruction in the army, it would be necessary to turn the labour of the troops to account by employing them during the time that can be spared from their military duties, either on public works, or in the execution of large works for railway companies, or even for individuals. The men would of course be paid, as the Sappers and Miners now are, for their labour; the addition they would thus obtain to their pay, would tend greatly to render the service more popular; whilst by thus filling up the many hours now passed in idleness, what I believe to be one great cause of drunkenness, and therefore of the offences against discipline which are committed in our army would be removed. The State at the same time would be subjected to no expense whatever by the introduction of this system; on the contrary, if well applied, the labour of the troops might, I am convinced, be rendered most valuable. There is reason to believe, judging from what has been accom- plished by the Sappers and Miners, and in some cases by regiments of the line, that the great public works of defence which are in con- templation, and which I believe to be very necessary, the additional prisons which are

required, and the improved barracks which are

in many places, and especially in our colonies, urgently wanted, could be far more cheaply executed by military than by any other labourers; while in the present state of the -labour market, there could be no possible ob- jection to the troops being so employed. Work performed for railway companies or for indivi- duals, by the troops, would of course be paid for by those who benefited by it. Nor is

it to be forgot that in this manner the soldier would receive a species of training hardly less valuable in the event of his being called upon to take the field against an enemy, than even

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his instruction in the use of arms. Napoleon it was, I think, who said that a good general ought to fight as much with the spade as with the musket; nor can any doubt be entertained of the great advantage which would be enjoyed in actual war by a general commanding an army composed of soldiers all of them accus- tomed to the use of tools and to combined labour, and able to execute promptly and effi- ciently any works, either defensive or offensive, which might be required. How infinitely more rapid and more certain would be the progress which would be made with such an army, than with any other, in opening trenches against a besieged town, in constructing a bridge for the passage of a river, or in throwing up entrench- ments for the defence of an important position. By the adoption of these various measures, which it will be observed are all closely and intimately connected together, I am convinced that the condition of the soldier might be rendered superior to that of the ordinary working man, more especially if proper pains were taken to improve his accommodation in barracks, and to carry much further than has yet been done the measures that have been taken during the last

few

years for his benefit, by establishing bar- rack libraries and savings banks, by forming proper places for recreation and exercise, and providing ample means of religious instruction. The condition of the soldier would be superior

to that of an ordinary working man, because he would, during the short period of his mili- tary service, be better fed and clothed than the generality of labourers; would have more money in his pocket without harder work; and would be cared for in sickness, while at the same time he would have perspective advantages held out

to him of very great value, and would be going through an apprenticeship which, with good conduct, would be sure to render him inde- pendent. Contrast this with his present condi- tion, doomed as he is to what is always an indefinite, too often a perpetual, banishment from his home and his relations-an existence of monotonous and uninteresting routine, re-