The nation that prisoners so handsomely pays The wages of postmen will probably raise, And doubtless provide on a grand scale for all The children and wives of our soldiers who fall.
Note again the criticisms of official reticence about individual acts of bravery in the lines "The Unmentioned Brave: Song by a Commanding Officer," early in 1855:--
Oh! no, we never mention them, Their names must not be heard, My hand Routine forbids to trace Of their exploits one word. Most glorious though their deeds may be, To say it I regret, When they expect a word from me, They find that I forget.
You say that they are happy now, The bravest of the brave, A "special" pen recording how Mere Grenadiers behave. Of "special" pens I disapprove, An inconvenient set, Who oftentimes the veil remove, And print what we forget.
The charges of incompetence in the conduct of the war and of greed among those who made profit out of it have a painfully familiar ring. Generals, beginning with Lord Hardinge, were too old; or they were "blundering cavalrymen." Heroism was kept severely in its place or inadequately rewarded, as when a drummer-boy, who had shown conspicuous gallantry at the battle of the Alma, was given £5 by the Prince Consort; or, again, when a gallant sergeant was given a silk handkerchief hemmed by the Queen. Why, asks _Punch_, was he not made an ensign? Of a review of wounded soldiers by the Queen he observes that it would have been more gracious if she had gone to the hospital instead of having the invalids brought up to the palace to be inspected. In the same vein is the dialogue, "Honour to the Brave":--
_Flunkey_ (reads): "Yesterday thirty of the Invalids from the Crimea were inspected ... many of the gallant fellows were dreadfully mutilated at the Alma and Inkerman....After the inspection ten of the Guards were regaled in the Servants' Hall."
_Flunkey_ (loq.): "Regaled in the Servants' 'All! Eh? Well, I don't think they've any call to grumble about not bein' 'Honoured Sufficient!'"
[Illustration: A DISTRESSED AGRICULTURIST
LANDLORD: "Well, Mr. Springwheat, according to the papers, there seems to be a probability of a cessation of hostilities."
TENANT (who strongly approves of war prices): "Goodness gracious! Why, you don't mean to say there's any DANGER OF PEACE?"]