COMMISSION, Military

COMMISSION, Military, the warrant authorizing the holder to exercise the functions of his office in military affairs.

In the British army, as well as in the navy, all the commissions of officers are signed by the sovereign. The original commission, and each step in promotion, may either

be acquired by purchase, according to the rules of the service; or the appointment and promotion may be made without purchase by the commander-in-chief; but the commissions in the navy, the artillery, the engineers, and the marines, are conferred by the ministry without purchase. Cadets who have completed a course of military education at Sandhurst are likewise appointed without purchase.

The regiments of guards have not only higher pay and greater sums allowed for clothing than the other regiments, but the officers take precedence of officers of other corps. The ensigns in the guards take rank as lieutenants, lieutenants as captains, and captains as lieutenant-colonels.

Until lately, colonels of cavalry and infantry, besides their regular pay, derived a considerable addition to their emoluments from the off-reckonings of the clothing allowance. But now (1854) government intend to issue the clothing of soldiers in kind, and allow a compensation of from L.450 to L.1000 per annum to the colonels, according to the

strength of the various regiments, for this retrenchment of their emoluments.

A military commission was in 1854 appointed by her Majesty to report upon the several modes of promotion in the army; and the result of their deliberations has been, that promotion is in future to be bestowed on account of merit, and not altogether from seniority. This principle, which was to a certain extent a concession to the popular demands, is calculated more than anything else to raise the character of the service, and to put the British army on the same footing with regard to the people as the armies of continental Europe stand to the nations to which they respectively belong. It will, however, only obtain gradually, by the alternate promotion of senior colonels on the list with those promoted from distinguished service, until the existing establishment is reduced to 234 general officers, of whom 50 shall be generals, 70 lieutenant-generals, and 114 major-generals. We understand also that the rank of field-marshal is to be given without reference to seniority, and that periodical brevets are to be discontinued.

Commissioned officers, who have served certain periods, receive when reduced, or off duty, certain sums denominated half-pay. All officers placed upon half-pay during the late war, or reduced upon the formation of a peace establishment, or compelled for the public convenience to retire upon half-pay, or in consequence of ill health, are entitled to what is called the new half-pay.

The number of officers receiving half-pay in 1846-47 was 3722, and the sum awarded to them L.429,786; while in 1853-4 the number was 2920, at a charge of L.358,000, and in 1854-5 the number was 2853 at a charge of L.356,000. Besides this, above L.100,000 is annually

voted for compassionate allowances, and gratuities to the families and relatives of deceased officers in distressed circumstances, and to officers who have sustained bodily injury in the service.

Medical officers, if placed on half-pay by reduction of establishment, are allowed the following rates:—

Medical officers, placed on half-pay from any other cause than reduction, are allowed the following rates:—

The following is a list of pensions to widows:—

The pension allowed to the widows of staff and garrison officers, such as chaplains to the forces, district paymasters, and the provost-marshals commissioned as such, is L.50. The children of these officers, if killed in action, are allowed pensions varying from L.9 to L.12. Other staff or garrison officers according to their regimental commissions when placed on half-pay.

Add supernumerary officers, to fall into vacancies as they occur—