Page:McCosh, John - Advice to Officers in India (1856).djvu/33

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IN INDIA.
13

of the prizes of the seniors have been withdrawn, and the duties assigned to the juniors on greatly reduced allowances.

11. SLOWNESS OF PROMOTION.—Of late years, in consequence of the annexation of Scinde, of the Punjaub and Pegu, large additions were made to all branches of the army, and almost every officer received substantial steps of promotion.

'Tis true that corresponding additions were made to the medical list. On one occasion twenty or thirty were added to the bottom of the list of assistant surgeons which benefitted nobody,and on another occasion, twelve were added to the bottom of the list of surgeons which benefitted the surgeons of that day nothing. The juniors alone reaped the advantages and got their promotion in thirteen years, whereas the surgeons who had served sixteen and seventeen years as assistants, were overlooked and got no corresponding promotion. Indeed the spirit of the times seems to be to lower the emoluments of the seniors and reduce the inducements to continue in the service, as the eagerness with which the fund annuities are taken up, amply demonstrates.

The medical officers have again and again memorialized against their grievances but to no purpose; they feel that they have been looked upon as a discontented troublesome set of men,and that they have been treated accordingly with neglect.