DB. MAllSTON'S APPOINTMENT. The to tbe
appointment
of Dr. Marston from home to be
Surgeon-General,
Secretary
H.M.'a British Forces iu India, is not
country, and has, owing to the injustice of nomination, and the supersession of many able and well* qualified men in India, given rise to much discussion and discontent. We have nothing to say against Dr. Marston ; on the contrary his reputation stands high at home, and he has worked well and zealously in Whitehall Yard, but he is not qualified, either by experience or under the rules, to take up the appointment of Secretary to the Surgeon-General in India. Besides other high qualifications, with which we may credit Dr. Marston, considerable Indian experience of the country, stations, officers and men is absolutely necessary for the efficient discharge of the duties of Secretary. Now, it is an undoubted fact that Dr. Marston has never served in India, and can, therefore, know nothing of the requirements or necessities of any one in the country, or of the rules appertaining to any one branch of the services. It is true, we hear, that he will be allowed to spend a few months in looking about him, either in Simla or Calcutta, before he takes up the appointment, but experience gained in this way can be of little value. It is very easy to break a rule where no injustice to any one, or injury to the public service, results from the breach, but it is a very different matter when both injustice and injury are inflicted by substituting for rules, regulations, and suitable qualifications?favouritism, nepotism and partiality. Where such exist in any service its morale suffers, and its tone and power are weakened. The healthy incentive to work is abolished, and discontent, or disgust, or both, take the place of vigorous action, constant labour, and unremitting zeal. We often wonder how it is that heads of departments, who have evidently the interests of their service at heart, and do all they can for its advancement as a whole, should never think of the injury they are about to inflict on their department and its members by stooping to favouritism. We could name members of the Army Medical Department, now serving in India, who are well qualified for the appointment, and any one of whom, we feel sure, Dr. Innes would feel proud to have as his Secretary and right hand man. We are afraid that in this case the erring member is the Director-General of the Army Medical Department at home, though wo have no reason to suppose that, from his own experience at Simla, he should greatly desire to send a friend there. well received in this
the
appointment
of Dr. Marston from home to be
Surgeon-General,
Secretary
H.M.'a British Forces iu India, is not
country, and has, owing to the injustice of nomination, and the supersession of many able and well* qualified men in India, given rise to much discussion and discontent. We have nothing to say against Dr. Marston ; on the contrary his reputation stands high at home, and he has worked well and zealously in Whitehall Yard, but he is not qualified, either by experience or under the rules, to take up the appointment of Secretary to the Surgeon-General in India. Besides other high qualifications, with which we may credit Dr. Marston, considerable Indian experience of the country, stations, officers and men is absolutely necessary for the efficient discharge of the duties of Secretary. Now, it is an undoubted fact that Dr. Marston has never served in India, and can, therefore, know nothing of the requirements or necessities of any one in the country, or of the rules appertaining to any one branch of the services. It is true, we hear, that he will be allowed to spend a few months in looking about him, either in Simla or Calcutta, before he takes up the appointment, but experience gained in this way can be of little value. It is very easy to break a rule where no injustice to any one, or injury to the public service, results from the breach, but it is a very different matter when both injustice and injury are inflicted by substituting for rules, regulations, and suitable qualifications?favouritism, nepotism and partiality. Where such exist in any service its morale suffers, and its tone and power are weakened. The healthy incentive to work is abolished, and discontent, or disgust, or both, take the place of vigorous action, constant labour, and unremitting zeal. We often wonder how it is that heads of departments, who have evidently the interests of their service at heart, and do all they can for its advancement as a whole, should never think of the injury they are about to inflict on their department and its members by stooping to favouritism. We could name members of the Army Medical Department, now serving in India, who are well qualified for the appointment, and any one of whom, we feel sure, Dr. Innes would feel proud to have as his Secretary and right hand man. We are afraid that in this case the erring member is the Director-General of the Army Medical Department at home, though wo have no reason to suppose that, from his own experience at Simla, he should greatly desire to send a friend there. well received in this
the
