Afghan Wars; Crimean War, 1853-1856; Egypt -- History -- British occupation, 1882-1936; India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858
Looking about the room, and seeing a general officer at some distance,
he inquired: 'Who is that great man in a red coat?' I replied that it
was Sir Edward Blackett, High Sheriff of the county. Perhaps that did
not convey much to his mind, so I said to the interpreter: 'Tell the
Shah that five and thirty years ago, Sir Edward was in the Crimean war,
and one day a shot came and took off his leg.' The Shah threw up his
hands and was much impressed, but presently the interpreter said that
his Majesty couldn't understand it, as he had two legs now. 'That is
quite correct,' I observed; 'but tell the Shah that one of them is made
of wood.' His Majesty said at once: 'I must go and talk to that great
man.' He went up to Sir Edward, and remarked: 'You lost your leg in the
Crimea?' to which Blackett assented. 'Ah,' says the Shah, 'I remember.
It was in the same battle that Lord Raglan lost his arm!'
The late Emperor of Brazil also paid a second visit to England, after
he was dethroned, and on one occasion was shown a wheel by Lord
Armstrong, which by some scientific arrangement made rapid revolutions,
and he remarked: 'How very interesting. Its revolutions appear to me to
be quicker even than those in South America.'
The record of the Royal Military Academy during my period of command
was like that of a nation without a history. As the Governor has been
invested of late years with adequate power, and is assisted by a
competent staff, civil and military, he has only himself to blame if
its administration is not successful. The two hundred gentlemen cadets,
youths just rising to manhood, no doubt require tact and discretion
in those having authority over them; but if they are treated with
confidence and kindness, we may feel assured that no real difficulties
will arise. Indeed, during my period of office, speaking generally,
the conduct of the cadets was admirable throughout; and it is a
gratification to me to know that many of those who were then at the
institution are now becoming distinguished as officers of Artillery
and Engineers. As regards education, the cadets, in my opinion, have
too many subjects imposed upon them during their two years' residence
at Woolwich. In addition to following up their previous studies
in mathematics, French, and German, they have to learn artillery,
fortification, military surveying, landscape drawing, chemistry,
military history, riding, gymnastics, and drills of all kinds. There
is, however, another point, not due to any defect in the regulations,
which injuriously affects candidates for the military colleges--namely,
the apathy of many of the great public schools, in not teaching the
boys who may desire to follow a military career the subjects which are
held to be essential to the profession. The result is that a large
proportion of those who go up for the competitive examinations are
compelled to leave the colleges at a critical period, and to be hastily
educated by special teachers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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