Park Benjamin points out in The Independent of August 25 that promotion, or advancement in numbers or grades, of military officers means reduction in numbers of their brother officers. For instance, eight lieutenants were advanced in the aggregate forty-three numbers, but to do this thirty were put down the same aggregate number, from one to three each. He gives as an example that “for gallantry at the battle of Manila an officer was promoted seven numbers, and the incidental effect was the reduction of seven other officers, including the captain of the New York, one number. It was, therefore, the captain’s misfortune that he should, at that particular time, have been on the other side of the world. But subsequently the captain himself was advanced five numbers, and that put him ahead of the Manila man again, who was thereby deprived of one-seventh of his reward, because the captain at the antipodes in his turn had done something commendable.” Not so does the Lord play fast and loose with His servants. “They also serve who only stand and wait.”