ABSTRACT
Captain Madden returned thanks [in response to a toast to the Army, Navy and Volunteers at a dinner held by the Sampford Courtenay Agricultural Society]. He said two years since he was called upon in that room to acknowledge a similar toast, and he then took occasion to refer to the volunteer movement. He did not consider the Government supported the volunteer movement to that extent which it deserved. He spoke in disagreement of the immense discipline which the regular soldier has now to undergo; of the tyranny exercised by the petty officers to the men; and declared that the best men—those who had seen ten years service—were leaving their regiments at the expiration of their term of enlistment. He had recently been in conversation with a regular soldier, and he felt convinced there was a much greater amount of disaffection in the army than was known to the Government. He saw the other day the account of a soldier who had become reckless by reason of the severity of the discipline the poor fellow had to undergo. The soldier’s mother was in need, and her son had saved 10s. to send her; but one night when on sentry the soldier went into one of the stables to see what was disturbing the horses. The man put his carbine down by the side of the wall and whilst speaking to the horses one of them kicked the carbine and broke the stock. The soldier was directed to pay 12s. 6d. for a new stock; and if he had done so it would have been impossible for him to have sent any money to his suffering mother. The soldier deserted because he would not pay for the stock; but he was apprehended, tried, and punished. The poor fellow became a reckless man—fearing neither God nor man; and this was all owing to the terrible army discipline.
