I propose in the following calculations to assume the average cost of an
officer to be L500 a year, a sum which would make it possible for the
average combatant officer to be somewhat better paid than he is at
present.
The normal pay of a sergeant in the infantry of the line is 2s. 4d. a
day, or L42, 11s. 8d. a year. The Army Estimates do not give the cost of
a private soldier, but the statement is made that the average annual
cost per head of 150,000 warrant officers, non-commissioned officers,
and men is L63, 6s. 7d. The warrant officers and non-commissioned
officers appear to be much more expensive than the private, and as the
minimum pay of a private is L18, 5s., the balance, L45, 1s. 7d., is
probably much more than the cost of housing, clothing, feeding, and
equipping the private, whose food, the most expensive item, certainly
does not cost a shilling a day or L18 a year.
I assume that the cost of maintaining a private soldier is covered by
L36 a year, while his allowance of 4d. a day amounts to L6, 1s. 4d. In
order to cover the extra allowances which may be made to corporals,
buglers, and trumpeters, I assume the average cost of the rank and file
to be L45 a year. I also assume that the average cost of a sergeant does
not exceed L100 a year, which allows from L40 to L50 for his pay and the
balance for his housing, clothing, equipment, and food.
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