Lieutenant-colonel.

Lieutenant-colonel. in the British army, is nominally the second officer of a regiment; but virtually a lieutenant-colonel commands every battalion of infantry and regiment of cavalry, the post of colonel being merely an honourable sinecure, with usually £1000 a year attached, awarded to a general officer. The lieutenant-colonel is responsible for the discipline of his battalion, the comfort of his men, and ultimately for every detail connected with their organisation. In this he is aided by two majors, an adjutant, and a quartermaster. In the artillery and engineers, where the rank of colonel is a substantive rank, with tangible regimental duties, the functions of lieutenant-colonel are more limited, one having charge of every two or three batteries of artillery, or two companies of engineers. The pay of a lieutenant-colonel varies from 17s. per diem in the infantry of the line to £1, 9s. 2d. in the Household Cavalry.