Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol IV. No. XX. January, 1852.Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol IV. No. XX. January, 1852.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
In the army, of course, under such a system, we see lieutenants with the
hair gone from their heads, and generals with no hair come yet on their
chins. A young man of family may get a captaincy in three months, which
his neighbor without patronage, might not get if he lived forever.
Commissions are not sold in Austria as they are in England, but the
Ministry of War knows how to respond to proper influence. In an army of
five hundred thousand, vacancies, it is needless to say constantly
occur. The lad who is named cornet in Hungary, is presently lieutenant
of a regiment in Italy, and by-and-by a captain in Croatia. After that,
he may awake some morning, major, with the place of aid-de-camp to the
Emperor; and to such a boy, with friends to back him, the army is
decidedly a good profession. The inferior officers are miserably paid,
an ensign having little more than thirty pounds a year. A captain,
however, is well paid in allowances, if not in money; while a colonel
has forage for twelve horses, and very good contingencies besides.
Again, there are to be considered other very important differences
between pay in the Austrian and pay in the English army. An Austrian can
live upon his pay. His simple uniform is not costly; he is free from
mess expenses, and may dine for six-pence at the tavern favored by his
comrades. Not being allowed at any time to lay aside his uniform, he can
not run up a long tailor's bill; and, being admitted to the best
society, he need not spend much money on amusement. Besides, does not
the state accord to him the privilege of going to the theatre for
twopence?
The poorer officers in the Austrian service are so unreasonable and
ill-conditioned, that they are not in general pleased by these
advantages being given to men, who may possibly be well born, but who
have certainly not been long born; and in many places combinations have
been made to resist the unfair system of promotion. A young captain sent
down to command gray-beards, with a lively sense of their own claims on
the vacancy, is now and then required to fight, one after the other, the
whole series of senior lieutenants. This causes a juvenile captain
occasionally to shirk the visit to his regiment, and effect a prompt
exchange.
Some part of the last-named difficulty is overcome by the existence of
one or two corps of officers who have no regiment at all. Where there
are no men to murmur, the business of promotion is carried on with
perfect comfort.
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