Comparison between Military and Naval Services
originally from the   Naval and Military Gazette
and republished in the Sydney Herald. 1835.,


Sir:- I hope you will pardon, and give insertion to a few lines
in answer to the remarks on my leter, and then we have done.

You state it is hard that a Lieutenant in the Navy, after thirty
years service,should have only five shillings a day half-pay, and
a Captain in the Army, after seven years service, have seven shillings:
so it is, but you do not state one word about the hardship of a 
Subaltern of thirty years service, having only four and sixpence a
day half-pay, and a Lieutenant in the Navy, not ten days made, after
spending seven years of boyhood in the service, having sixpence a day
more half-pay than one who has fought the battles of his country and
bled in his defence. Now it so happens, that at the place where I 
write this from I am not without living examples of what I state.

That there are Captains of only seven years standing in the army none
can deny; but they have paid for the rank they hold, and have, at 
least, a right to the interest of money invested in an annuity; while
their brothers in arms, the Lieutenants,R.N.,have the same rank 
without having paid any thing for it.

In the army,where an officer purchases his promotion, twenty in 
twenty five give the greater share of their fortune to advance
themselves in the service; I have known many, after twenty years
service , give their all to purchase a company and attain the same
rank as a Lieutenant, R.N.  You speak of the Artillery, Engineers,
and Marines; are you in the habit of seeing new made Lieutenants
in the Navy whose ages assimilate with the Senior Subalterns of
these corps? I think not.  No! no! let us be impartial; the executive
of both services want reward, let them be paid according to the 
length of their services, and believe that no person will be more
truly rejoiced to see the gallant Lieutenants of the Royal Navy
paid in proportion to their arduos and heroic services than their
sincere friend.
			Fraternity.

				


note from J.Fawcett: These are newspaper articles,and should only 
be used as a general reference. Original sources should always
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copyright,2000 J.Fawcett-Genseek