Mr. Shelley, the returned war correspondent, sends to the Watminster
Gazette of Tuesday a striking paper on the British officer as seen in the war. He is not by any means an indulgent critic, but two things in regard to the British officer he lays down as beyond all doubt. The first is the splendid bravery of the British officer. The second is his attachment to, and self-sacrificing care of, his men. But, says Mr. Shelley, the British officer, unfortunately, does not take his profession seriously,—does not work at it, but plays at it. That is, we believe, a true bill on all counts, but it is not fair to blame the British officer in the lower ranks of the Service. He does exactly what is expected of him and what he is taught to do, and no more. He is taught to expose him- self fearlessly to every kind of danger, and to look after his men and to treat them with all possible justice and consideration, and these things he does loyally and well. He is not taught by those in authority to be a scientific soldier or to worry his head with military problems, and therefore he gives these matters little or no attention. Let us be just, however, and not blame him, but the highly placed soldiers who during the last fifteen or twenty years have neglected the training of officers and encouraged the notion that a plucky turn-up with natives was worth any amount of "theoretical humbug" at manceuvres or Aldershot.
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