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-a proposal, certainly with some trepidation, partly because there may be, on account of what at home is assumed, objections there against it, and partly because the proposal dared to create the appearance that I crave the extention of the authority most gracefully entrusted; however, in reliance on Your Majesty’s fair judgement of my intent, and because it is my duty, when the service so require, to stay the course without letting the fear of possible skewed judgments allow me to depart there from, I will briefly lay out my opinion.
The signing bonus appears to me to be too poor and an increase thereof would certainly be found, in the end, to be a savings for Your Majesty’s treasury as the additional 10 to 12 Piastre which a healthy hand might rate are soon spent for hospital care for a weak one; and in the end, this West Indian recruitment has the fundamental error that those concerned therewith have no stake whatsoever in the recruit the moment he is out of their hands; when he has been passed, the West Indian officers and the Governor General may thereafter deal with him and if he is unhealthy, the Kings Treasury pays his hospital bills. The sole method, not to entirely alleviate but yet reduce the abuse, appears clearly to be to leave the recruitment to those who have a stake in the recruits’ weapons skills and conduct, and such a stake must be presumed in the case of the Governor General and his officers. When, in consequence, a first lieutenant of the West Indian Troops were to be employed at home for the recruitment, whom it were in the power of the General Governor to recall to active duty and replace with another, should the recruitment not suit him, it is highly probable that the recruitment would be well attended to; for there is powerful motive for a first lieutenant of the West Indian Troops to be able to board in the easy habitat of Copenhagen on his regular West Indian salary, and the fear of losing his accreditation, if the recruitment should displease, should certainly at least ensure no completely scandalous subjects will be sent out, and with increased signing bonus none but good ones. The economic advantages of a reliable recruitment not withstanding, the current conditions and the sentiment of the small force we have here, do necessitate that, at the very least, it ought be effective. |