was thus actuated when he descended the precipice in the Ghaut, conceiving that the enemy would be the less guarded on a point where they did not expect an attack; and it appears further that this movement, which was an inspiration of military talent, was quite successful.

Now, in the finding of the court the prisoner is said to be guilty to the extent of "irregular conduct, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline." There is nothing in the first charge about "irregular conduct."

They have found the prisoner guilty of the second and third charges, with the exception of the words, "to the great injury of the public service." Now to our apprehension this clearly expresses an opinion that what Lieut.-Col. Wallace did was not injurious to the public service, and for that reason they sentence him to suspension from rank and pay for six months. It would appear, from the opinion expressed by the Commander-in-Chief that he did not approve of this exception, that he thought that the prisoner had disobeyed the orders simply, and should have received a more severe punishment. If we imagine that the court had either sentenced him to death or to be cashiered, the Commanderin-Chief might have had the satisfaction of pardoning the offender; but as the court-martial has not come up to the mark in his estimation, he leaves this unfortunate officer to undergo the minor punishment; contrary to all precedent, as it has always been the custom with those who have had the approval of proceedings, and who have thought the punishment awarded inadequate to the offence, to dispense with it altogether.

We cordially concur in the following remarks of a contemporary :"The late court-martial on Colonel Wallace, in India, has excited the sympathy of every British officer who feels a pride in the glory of his country. The age of chivalry is indeed at an end, if a gallant soldier, in pursuit of an enemy, upon receiving positive information that the hostile force he is in search of has gone east, instead of west, and that with the view of meeting the foe he takes upon himself to digress from the orders he has received to proceed in a particular direction, and goes another, where, as he expected, he finds and subdues the enemy that he was seeking; and that for this breach of discipline, although he fully succeeds in the object of his mission, and that no evil consequence accrues to the other part of the Army from his acting this responsible part, yet that this brave officer is to be brought to a court-martial for disobedience of his superior's commands, and sentenced to suspension of rank and pay for six months!!

"By this severe sentence, not only is a gallant officer punished in his own person, but if he be married and has a family, which we believe is the case in the present instance, his unoffending wife and children are likewise made to suffer by the loss of their pecuniary support for six months!

"Admirers and warm supporters as we are of strict discipline in every branch of the Service, and knowing as we do that disobedience of orders is a very serious offence both in the Army and Navy, yet we know likewise that occasions may arise where an officer in command should take upon himself the responsibility of digressing from the order he may have received. And this is where events may have arisen which the officer who gave the order must be wholly unacquainted with, and therefore could not possibly have provided against such contingencies when he issued his command. This we have been taught to consider to be Colonel Wallace's case precisely, and we therefore sincerely hope that an amelioration of his sentence will forthwith be granted; and, as discipline has been more than satisfied, that he will now receive some mark of honour from his Sovereign for his daring valour in adding fresh lustre to the British name by his brilliant achievement.

"As regards the act of responsibility in an officer intrusted with command, we remember to have read an anecdote of a great Naval Commander, who, having considered it his imperative duty to disobey the instructions he was under from the Government, in order to accomplish that which he considered to be a most important service, was told by his Sovereign (we think it was Queen Anne), on his having an audience of Her Majesty on his return'It is true, Admiral, you have performed a most essential service to your country; but are you not aware that, at this moment, you are liable to be shot for having disobeyed the orders you had received?' To which the gallant sailor replied, I am fully aware, your Majesty, that by the laws of the Navy I may be put to death for having disobeyed the orders I was under; but, please your Majesty, I consider that an officer does not deserve to live who holds his life as aught when the honour of his Sovereign and the welfare of his country require that he should risk it for the interest of both.'

aught

"The Queen, it is said, was so pleased with this noble answer, that she knighted the gallant Admiral on the spot, and conferred further marks of her royal favour upon him. Thus we earnestly trust that the like fate awaits the gallant Wallace." -Naval and Military Gazette.

It may be recollected that a boat's crew belonging to a French sloopof-war was attacked in the island of Basilan, one of the Sooloo group, when a young officer and some of the crew were put to death. In retaliation an attack was made on the stockadoed posts of the Malays, commanding the river, or rather creek, that formed the principal com. munication with the sea. This attack, which was partially successful, led to a negotiation with the Sultan of Sooloo, who disclaimed the acts of his soi disant subjects. He has since entered into a contract or agreement with the French, ceding them the lease of this island for one hundred years, on consideration of receiving a present of 100,000 dollars. This is certainly an ingenious plan of getting rid of a set of disobedient and refractory subjects; but the question immediately arises, what benefits do the French promise themselves by the acquisition of a paltry island overrun with jungle, and inhabited by a set of lawless Malays? It would be difficult to say, unless it was for its proximity to the island of Mindanao, the occupation of which would give the command of the seas of Celebes and Sooloo, with an excellent military position as regards both China and the whole of the Eastern Archipelago. Mindanao is the second in magnitude of the Philippine Islands, and although nominally a Spanish possession, has never been occupied by that nation in the usual way with its other colonies.

A Special Meeting of the Members was held at the United Service Institution on Saturday the 19th inst., to hear the Report of the Council, on certain propositions referred to their consideration, by the last Anniversary Meeting.

The chair was taken, at two o'clock, by Lieut.-General Sir Howard Douglas, Bart., G.C.B., supported by Major Shadwell Clerke, and Capt. Ww. H. Smyth, R.N., chairman and vice-chairman of the council.

The meeting was attended by the Hon. Capt. Knox, R.N.; Lieut.-Colonel Hanmer; General Taylor; Lieut.-Colonel Sykes; Lieut.-Colonel Spenser Stanhope; Capt. Ellis, R.N.; Capt. Middleton; Sir Charles F. Forbes; Capt. Loraine White; Capt. Parlby; Major Agnew; Colonel Cunninghame; Dr. Filkin; Lieut. Blackmore, R.N.; Capt. Percy Grace, R.N.; John Lane, Esq., R.N.; Capt. Moffat; Capt. Watkins; Lieut.-Colonel White; J. P. Pollard, Esq.; Capt. Pridham, R.N.; Lieut. Coode, R.N.; Kenneth Cameron, Esq.; Major Raban; Colonel Flemming; Major Sparks; Lieut.Colonel Abdy; Capt. King, R.N.; Major Stones; the Rev. W. J. Moore; A. J. Kempe, Esq.; Capt. Ramsay, R.N.; Capt Rawlinson; J. Charlier, Esq.; Capt. Stuart; Capt. Grover; S. A. Eyre, Esq.; W. L. Wrey, Esq.; Sir Charles Malcolm; Capt. Butterfield &c., &c., &c.

The Chairman, having read the requisition by which the Meeting was convened, called upon the Secretary, Mr. Tonna, to read the Report of the Council.

Special Report.

"In compliance with a resolution passed at the last general meeting, the Council have convened this special meeting of the members, to report on three propositions which were referred to the Council, and which have received their careful consideration."

The first of these propositions was

"That to ensure the permanence of an institution based on such useful principles to the United Services and the public at large, it be recommended to the Council to consider the propriety, and report thereon, of taking measures to procure a Charter from the Crown, constituting the United Service Institution a body corporate, on the same principle on which the Royal and other Societies have been established."

The Council having ascertained that the expense of a Royal Charter could not be less than 300l., and might, probably, amount to more than 400l., and considering the state of the funds of the Institution, and the present claims upon them, recommend the postponement of this measure, however desirable they may think the acquisition of a charter, at a future period. The second proposition referred to the Council, by the meeting, was"That the Council be requested to take into consideration, ion, and

the best means of increasing the funds of the Institution."

report on

Considering the greatly increased value of the property of the Institution, the Council are of opinion, that it will be just and right, that officers hereafter becoming members, and thus receiving an equal share in the Institution with those who have supported it from its foundation, should make soine additional payment to the funds; and they, therefore, recommend, that all members joining the Institution after the 1st January, 1847, shall pay an entrance fee of Il., with an annual subscription of 10s., or a life subscription of 6l., as at present.

On the third proposition, namely,

"That the Secretary be directed to open a book to receive donations, towards the building of a Lecture Theatre and other improvements required, the Council have pleasure to lay before the meeting a list of the subscriptions received for this object.'

The list of subscriptions was then read by the Secretary.

The report, having been put from the Chair, was unanimously adopted by the meeting

Alfred John Kempe, Esq., FS.A., the mover of the first proposition, respecting the incorporation of the Institution, expressed himself fully satisfied with the decision to which the Council have come on this important

measure.

Major T. H. Shadwell Clerke, K.H., F.R.S., moved the thanks of the meeting to the gallant Chairman, for his able discharge of the brief, but important duties of the day.

Captain Grover, F.R.S., seconded the motion, which was carried by acclaination.

Sir Howard Douglas, in acknowledging this compliment, expressed at some length, his strong sense of the value of the United Service Institution. The present state of the Institution was most satisfactory, and the greatly enlarged premises would soon be open for the use of members and their friends, and he felt sure that the liberality of the Services would soon enable the Council to complete the building of the proposed Lecture Theatre. Science was now finding its way into every department of Naval and Military warfare, and when the theatre was completed this Institution would afford great advantage to the soldier or sailor who was desirous to keep pace with the times.

The meeting then broke up.

CIRCULARS.

WAR-OFFICE, JUNE 27, 1845.

SIR, The 46th clause of the Mutiny Act has authorized Commanding Officers to order that a soldier guilty of an offence which such Commanding Officer may not think necessary to bring before a Court-Martial, shall be imprisoned for any period not exceeding seven days, either with or without hard labour, or in solitary confinement; and has further conferred upon Commanding Officers the power, which they did not previously possess, of ordering that a soldier so imprisoned by their authority shall forfeit his pay for the days of such imprisonment, the soldier having his right of appeal to a Court-Martial against such order.

It has been brought to my notice that Officers Commanding Regiments have interpreted the words of the Act as conveying to them a discretion to award imprisonment either with or without forfeiture of pay.

It was the intention, in proposing the clause, to confer the power of awarding imprisonment, carrying with it the forfeiture of pay, but not to sanction a discretion on the part of Commanding Officers to award the imprisonment but remit the forfeiture of pay.

The Commanding Officer has an undisputed discretion to award punishment for an offence according to the circumstances of the case.

If of an aggravated character he may bring the offender before a Court-Martial. If there are extenuating circumstances he may determine whether imprisonment is to be enforced, or whether any other and what punishment that he has authority to award may be inflicted. He may order the imprisonment of a soldier for any period from one to seven days, but in no case ought a soldier, who has been punished hy imprisonment, to receive when he comes out of prison the accumulated savings of his pay, after paying only for his actual subsistence.

By the 50th clause of the Mutiny Act, it is lawful for the Secretary-at-War to withhold the pay of an Officer or soldier improperly absent from his duty; and, to avoid any future misconstruction of the intention of the Act, I am now to acquaint you that whenever a Commanding Officer shall award imprisonment without distinctly ordering that pay shall be forfeited. I shall equally feel it my duty to disallow the pay for every day of absence from duty, as if such imprisonment had been awarded by the authority of a Court-Martial.

This decision will not affect the authority of the Commanding Officer to allow the pay of a soldier who shall Lave absented himself for any period not exceeding five days, and who shall have accounted for the same to the satisfaction of his Commanding Officer; but when the Commanding Officer shall, by awarding imprisonment, have decided that the soldier was improperly absent from his corps and from his duty, the pay for such days of absence must be forfeited.

You will be pleased to direct that from the date of the receipt of this letter, no charge shall be made for the pay of a soldier imprisoned as punishment. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient humble servant,

Officer Commanding

Regt.

HORSE GUARDS, JULY 11.

SIDNEY HERBERT.

The Memorandum of the 3rd ult., relative to the soldier's pay when under confinement, for a period not exceeding seven days, is hereby cancelled; and Commanding Officers of Regiments are referred to instructions which they will receive from the Secretary-at-War upon the subject.

By command of his Grace the Com.-in-Chief,

J. MACDONALD.

STATIONS OF THE BRITISH ARMY.

[Where two places are mentioned, the last-named is that at which the Depot of the Regiment

is stationed.]