Commerce. See COMMERCE.
Commission of Lunacy issues out of the court of chancery, in order to try whether a person represented to be a lunatic be so or not. See MENTAL DISEASES.
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.
### Prices of Commissions
| Rank | Life Guards | Royal Regiment of Horse Guards | Dragoon Guards and Dragoons | Foot Guards | Regiments of the Line | Fusiliers and Rifle Regiments | |-------------------------------|-------------|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------|----------------------|----------------------------| | Lieutenant-Colonel | 7250 | 1900 | | | | | | Major | 5350 | 1850 | | | | | | Captain | 3500 | 1715 | | | | | | Lieutenant | 1785 | 925 | | | | | | Cornet | 1260 | | | | | | | Lieutenant-Colonel | 7250 | 1900 | | | | | | Major | 5350 | 1850 | | | | | | Captain | 3500 | 1900 | | | | | | Lieutenant | 1600 | 400 | | | | | | Cornet | 1200 | | | | | | | Lieutenant-Colonel | 6175 | 1600 | 1533 | | | | | Major | 4575 | 1350 | 1352 | | | | | Captain | 3225 | 2033 | 1034 | | | | | Lieutenant | 1194 | 350 | 612 | | | | | Cornet | 840 | | 300 | | | | | Lieutenant-Colonel | 9000 | 700 | | | | | | Major, with rank of Colonel | 8200 | 3300 | | | | | | Captain, " Lieutenant-Colonel | 4800 | 2750 | | | | | | Lieutenant, " Captain | 2050 | 850 | | | | | | Ensign, " Lieutenant | 1200 | | | | | | | Lieutenant-Colonel | 4500 | 1300 | 1314 | | | | | Major | 3200 | 1400 | 949 | | | | | Captain | 1500 | 1100 | 511 | | | | | Lieutenant | 700 | 250 | 365 | | | | | Ensign | 450 | | 150 | | | |
The commissioned officers of a battalion of infantry are as follows:—colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and major, who are called field-officers; captain, lieutenant, and ensign, who are called regimental officers; and chaplain, adjutant, quartermaster, and surgeon, who are called staff-officers.
### Rate of Annual Pay of Officers
| Rank of Officer (Colonel) | First Dragoon Guards | Other Regiments of Cavalry | Regular Infantry | |---------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------|-----------------| | If appointed before 1st March 1834 | 1000 | 900 | 500 | | If appointed after that day | 1000 | 900 | 500 |
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 £450 to £1000 per annum to the colonels, according to the strength of the various regiments, for this retrenchment of their emoluments.
### Rates of Daily Pay of Officers
| Rank of Officer | Dragon Guards and Dragoons | Infantry of the Line | Staff Corps | |----------------|----------------------------|---------------------|------------| | Lieutenant-Colonel | 1 3 0 0 17 0 | | | | Major | 0 19 3 0 16 0 | | | | Captain | 0 14 7 0 11 7 | | 0 15 0 | | Lieutenant | 0 9 0 0 6 6 | | 0 0 0 | | Do., having higher rank by brevet | ... | | | | Cornet | 0 8 0 0 | | | | Ensign | 0 12 6 0 12 6 | | | | Paymaster | 0 15 0 0 15 0 | | | | Do., after 5 years' service in that rank on full pay | 0 17 6 0 17 6 | | | | Do., after 15 years' service | 1 0 0 1 0 0 | | | | Do., after 20 years' service | 1 0 0 1 0 0 | | | | Assistant-Surgeon | 0 15 0 0 15 0 | | | | Veterinary Surgeon | 0 19 0 0 19 0 | | | | Do., after 3 years' service as a medical officer on full pay | 0 10 0 0 | | | | Do., after 10 years' service | 0 12 0 0 | | | | Do., after 20 years' service | 0 15 0 0 | | | | Quarter-Master | 0 8 6 0 6 6 0 | | | | Do., after 10 years' service | 0 10 6 0 8 6 0 | | | | Do., after 15 years' service | 0 12 0 0 10 0 | | |
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. ### Table of Rates of Half-Pay
| Rank of Officer | Cavalry | Infantry | |----------------|---------|---------| | Colonel (per day) | 15 6 | 13 6 | | Lieutenant-Colonel | 12 6 | 10 0 | | Major | 10 0 | 8 0 | | Captain | 7 6 | 5 6 | | Do., of infantry, having superior brevet rank, and having served 2 years as captain immediately before retirement... | ... | 8 0 | | Do., of cavalry, with brevet rank, exchanging to half-pay, after 2 years' full pay service, with a captain of infantry... | ... | 7 6 | | Lieutenant | 4 8 | 3 0 | | Do., of infantry, if commissioned 7 years as a lieutenant in the army previous to retirement... | ... | 4 6 | | Do., of cavalry, of 5 years' standing, if entitled to reckon 2 years for the battle of Waterloo... | 5 2 | ... | | Cornet | 3 6 | 2 6 | | Second Lieutenant and Ensign Adjutant, if not commissioned as Lieutenant... | 4 0 | 4 0 |
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:
| Rank of Medical Officer | After a service on full pay of | |------------------------|--------------------------------| | | 20 years | 25 but under 30 | 30 but under 35 | 30 but under 35 | Less than 35 | | Inspector General Hospital | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | | Deputy Inspector do. | 1 10 0 | 1 5 0 | 1 0 0 | ... | ... | | Staff Surgeon | 1 0 0 | 0 17 0 | 0 14 0 | 10 6 8 | 0 | | Regt. Surg. & staff | 0 17 0 | 0 15 0 | 0 12 6 | 10 6 8 | 0 | | Assistant Surgeon | 0 7 6 | 0 7 0 | 0 6 0 | 5 0 4 | 0 |
Medical officers, placed on half-pay from any other cause than reduction, are allowed the following rates:
| Rank of Medical Officer | After a service on full pay of | |------------------------|--------------------------------| | | 20 years | 25 but under 30 | 30 but under 35 | 30 but under 35 | Less than 35 | | Inspector General Hospital | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | L. s. d. | | Deputy Inspector do. | 1 0 0 | 0 15 0 | 0 12 0 | ... | ... | | Staff Surgeon | 0 18 0 | 0 14 0 | 0 10 0 | 8 0 7 | 0 | | Regt. Surg. & staff | 0 17 0 | 0 13 0 | 0 9 6 | 7 6 6 | 0 | | Assistant Surgeon | 0 7 0 | 0 6 0 | 0 5 0 | 4 0 3 | 0 |
The following is a list of pensions to widows:
### Pensions to Widows, &c., and Compassionate Allowance to the Children of General, Regimental, Medical Staff, and Garrison Officers.
| Rank of the Officer | Widow's Pension | Special Pensions in cases of Officers killed in Action | Compassionate Allowance to Legitimate Children | Avg. amount of Allow. to the Family of any Officer not to exceed | |---------------------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | General Officers | L.120 | According to the circumstances of the case | L.25 to L.40 each per annum | L.500 | | Regimental Officers | | | L.16 to L.20 each per annum | L.300 | | Colonels, not General Officers | | | | | | Lieut.-Colonels | | | | | | Majors | | | | | | Lieutenant-Colonels | | | | | | Captains, Paymasters| | | | | | Lieutenants, Adjutants | | | | | | 2d Lieutenants, Cornets, Ensigns, Quarter-Masters | | | | | | Regimental Chaplains married prior to 1796, and in the receipt of the reduced Allowance of 4s. a day at the time of their Deaths. | | | | | | Veterinary Surgeons | | | | | | Veterinary Surgeon dying subsequently to 7th October 1846 | | | | | | Medical Officers | | | | | | Inspectors-General of Hospitals | | | | | | Deputy-Inspector-General of Hospitals | | | | | | Assistant-Inspectors of Hospitals | | | | | | Surgeons, Majors of Foot Guards | | | | | | Staff Surgeons, 1st Class | | | | | | Staff Surgeons, 2d Class | | | | | | Regimental Surgeons | | | | | | Purveyors | | | | | | Assistant Surgeons | | | | | | Deputy Purveyors | | | | |
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1 The widows of half-pay medical officers holding any commission, giving a rank not included in the above scale, if eligible, have the rates of pension specified in the scale annexed to the warrant of 13th June 1826. The pension allowed to the widows of staff and garrison officers, such as chaplains to the forces, district paymasters, and the provost-marshal commissioned as such, is L50. The children of these officers, if killed in action, are allowed pensions varying from L9 to L12. Other staff or garrison officers according to their regimental commissions when placed on half-pay.
Number of Commissioned officers in the Army on the 25th of January in the years
| Year | Royal Horse Guards and Life Guards | Foot Guards | Cavalry | Infantry | |------|----------------------------------|-------------|---------|----------| | 1839 | 104 | 221 | 545 | 3325 | | 1843 | 99 | 218 | 625 | 3297 | | 1848 | 96 | 220 | 493 | 3226 | | 1847 | 96 | 218 | 494 | 3210 |
Regiments in India.
| Cavalry, including recruiting com- | Infantry, panies | Colonial Corps | |-----------------------------------|------------------|---------------| | 188 | 1191 | 185 | | 188 | 1060 | 266 | | 236 | 1122 | 316 | | 236 | 1352 | 467 | | 5689 | 5613 | 5709 | | 5673 | | 6095 |
Add supernumerary officers, to fall into vacancies as they occur—
In the Royal Horse Guards 2 2 1 0 Foot Guards 19 21 21 22
5710 5636 5731 6095
Commission of Teinds, a court at Edinburgh, instituted in room of a committee of the Scottish parliament, for erecting new parishes, and valuing teinds for the support of the clergy. It is vested in the Lords of Session. See Scotland.
Commissure (Lat. commissura, a joining together), a joint or seam; the place where two bodies or parts of a body meet and unite, as the bones of the skull; an interspace between particles or parts, as between plates or lamellae.