which Napoleon in 1814 kept several armies at bay, and covered Paris for so long a time; dealing blows first to one adversary then to another; blows felt almost before they were seen, in so quick a succession and at such a distance from each other, that his army appeared, like Sir Boyle Roche's bird, to be gifted with obliquity.

But the problem, so simply stated in the definition, requires for its practical solution those great qualities of brain and nerve, the happy and rare combination of which in the same person constitutes their possessor a great commander.

Let us analyze the terms of the problem, and see what they imply a little at large.

The skilful handling of troops in presence of an enemy so as to ensure the superiority in an encounter, though indispensably necessary, and the most prominent and showy quality in a commander, is one of comparatively infrequent exercise. The superficial observer reads that an army was placed in order of battle at a certain place on a certain day, and that it beat the enemy. He thinks it very glorious, and looks on the victorious general as a great commander. But he looks only on the surface; he does not consider how the army was placed in that position; what deep thought, sagacious providence, accurate combinations of movement it required to place the army in the right position at the right

time; failing in which the genius of a Cæsar, Napoleon, and Wellington combined (as regards merely the direction of a battle), would be useless. The qualities of a great commander in preparing his troops for battle, as compared with those displayed in directing them in battle, are called forth and exercised in the ratio of twenty to one. Armies have twenty days' marching, countermarching, bivouacking, &c., to one of fighting at the least.

PREPARATION FOR BATTLE.

The preparation of an army for battle, or the operation of placing it in fighting order in the right position at the right time, may be divided into two heads.

1st. The army has to be preserved for the day of battle; and,

2nd. The army has to be forwarded to the place of battle.

Preservation of the Army.

The preservation of an army comprises all pertaining to hospitals, clothing, food, shelter, as well as everything that can conduce to the health and comfort of the men.

In this work the medical, commissariat, and transport departments co-operate, as well as the general staff of the army. These are presided over by independent heads, who take their orders direct from the

commander of the army, or from the chief of the staff, where such exists; and who are responsible to the general commanding for the efficient performance of the duties of their respective branches.

The harmonious action of the above-named departments will depend very much on the personal character of the general commanding, who will not (if he be fit to command) permit the existence of jealousy or absurd punctilio between departments to stand in the way of the public service. If he find his tools do not work well, he will throw them away and try others until he is suited to his mind.

A break down in any one of the above-named branches would paralyze the whole army.

A few details respecting the different departments above mentioned may be interesting, and useful as affording means for a short comparison between our system and that of our allies the French.

Medical Department.

The medical department is presided over by the principal medical officer (or for the sake of brevity, the P. M. O.); all the medical officers of the force are under his command. Under his control, also, are the following two departments of supply; viz. that of the apothecary-general for medicines, and that of the purveyor-general for medical comforts. These last include wine, brandy, porter, arrow-root, sago, &c., beds and blankets for the sick, hospital

marquees and tents, as well as stretchers for the wounded, a certain number of which are supplied to each regiment. The medical organization of the

British army is regimental, as distinguished from that of the French, which is divisional. Each regiment has one surgeon and two assistant-surgeons belonging to it. The supply of medicines for each regiment in the field is carried by a mule in two hospital panniers. The medical service of each division is presided over by the senior medical officer of the division, who may be styled the divisional P. M. O. A supply of medicines and comforts accompanies each division under control of its P. M. O., who distributes them to the different regiments on the requisition of their respective surgeons. These divisional stores are replenished when required by order of the army P. M. O., from the general stores of the apothecary and purveyor-general, on the requisition of the divisional P. M. O. The P. M. O. is responsible that the general stores of the apothecary and purveyor-general, as well as the divisional and regimental stores, are constantly and adequately provided. The general stores are his immediate and particular charge; the others he must frequently and minutely inspect. During the late war, intermediate depôts of medicines and comforts were formed at Scutari, from which the army stores were furnished on the requisition of the P. M. O.

The vehicles in use for carrying sick and wounded

are: 1st, mule-chairs and litters; 2nd, ambulance waggons; 3rd, Irish cars.

The mule chairs and litters, or "cacolets," though the motion of the animal causes intense suffering to the wounded, are necessary for such ground as waggons cannot go over.

The ambulance waggons, which hold four lying on shelves in two tiers, and four sitting, are heavy, unwieldy, and require six horses: they should be made lighter with better springs.

The Irish cars are long cars with seats back to back and a well between; they carry six sitting and one lying in the well, seven in all. They are light and good, and require only four horses.

The transport required by the medical service in the field is as follows :

Cavalry and Artillery in proportion.

* The amount of general reserve stores here given was for an army of 30,000. This item would of course vary with the strength of the force.