_President._ Ha! that’s a long time. I remember when I enthered the sarvice, an assistant-surgeon seldom remained withoot promotion for mere nor three years, and some got it in as many months. But this can hardly be helped noo, fra’ the encreased numbers. Hooever, it wad be an improvement in the Department, if the juniors were mere quickly promoted; and also a greater number o’ gude places for the seniors to look up to. _Dr. Adipose._ Right, Mr. President, hau--take care of the seniors.--I’ll thank you for the nuts. [_a laugh._ _Vice President._ There are not enough of high places certainly. The situation of Inspector of Hospitals, is all that the surgeon can fairly look to; and of these there are not many. Now what is that worth?--about 700_l._ a year. This, mind you, is the _utmost_ a man can look to, unless it be the directorship of the Department; and that is but _one_ place of worth--all this after twenty or thirty years of troublesome service:--there lies the disadvantages of the profession. If a surgeon be but commonly attentive, and fairly qualified, he will soon be worth more than twice seven hundred a year in civil practice: nay, an apothecary, who sticks up a blue bottle at the corner of a narrow lane in London, will soon make as good an income as the Inspector of Hospitals. _President._ True enough: there ought to be at least half a doozen gude births, o’ a thoosand a year, by way o’ rewards for auld and meretorious meedical oofficers; an’ the young ones ought to run up a leettle faster. What d’ye think of the sinecures given to the Irish Medical Board:--the present Surgeon-general, an’ Physeecian-general, an’ several o’ the Inspecthors, enjoy their full pay an’ allooances, yet were never in the army at a.’ (_murmurs of disapprobation from all the Mess_) Yes, gentlemen, ’tis fac’ as deeth:--hey! I wish the Duke may just tak’ it into his head to examine it. _Dr. Adipose._ Au--hau--that’s the man for cutting up the Doctors--hau--I’ll take the olives and that orange, Mr. Ward--hau--thank you. _Dr. Kyle._ What our worthy President says is just. Those situations in Ireland were given to rich _civil_ practitioners--I believe by one of the Viceroys: now, really, if Viceroys choose to reward their medical friends with good incomes, they should not take the money out of the pockets of those officers who have been living like gipsies on the mountains--enduring every privation to watch over the lives of our gallant soldiers; or perhaps wasting their health and life in the pestilential air of tropical hospitals. There are but few good places in the Department, and surely they should not be given to wealthy practitioners, who do not belong to the army. Cheyne, Crampton, Peel--all worth at least two or three thousand a year each by their practice--take three of our best places from us; yet, until their present appointment, never had anything whatever to do with the army.