AIDAN, SAINT, one of those distinguished monks of the early Scoto-Irish Church, who were received into the calendar of saints by a sort of acclamation, and without the cere mony of canonization. His period is the middle of the 7th a. He was the first efficient missionary who propagated Christianity in the n. of England. Oswald, the celebrated king of Northumbria, requested the community of Iona to send to his court one of their brethren who would teach the Christian religion to his people. As the history has come down to us, the first person sent was a certain Cormac, who was too dogmatic and intob erant to be a successful missionary. On his returning after a failure, A., who possessed the patience, geniality and popular manners fitted for the task, was successful. lie left a great reputation, and, as the earliest promulgator of Christianity in the northern dis tricts, is of iturbam.
an officer who may be regarded as a kind of superior confidential attendant upon a general in active service. The A. is the organ of the general. He car ries 411 orders on the field of battle: these he is to deliver in plainest terms, so as to be distinctly understood; and when so understood, the orders are to be as implicitly obeyed as if the general liiinself were present and speaking. As an example of the importance of this matter, may be adduced the brilliant but disastrous light-cavalry charge at Balak lava in the autumn of 1854. Lord Raglati sent a message, partly verbal and partly writ ten, to the earl of Liman, concerning a particular piece of strategy at a certain time and place; the message was niisconeeived, and the earl of Cardigan was directed to make a military movement, perfectly hopeless in its character, resulting in a very serious cavalry loss; although the incident presented a fine display of heroism united with discipline.
An A. also acts as secretary to the general, and assists Mtn in his correspondence, when he has not specifically a military secretary. He aids likewise in dispensing the courtesies of the general's house or tent. Generals are much accustomed to appoint their sons or other relations to this confidential post. The A. vary from one to four in number, accord ing as the commander is a brigadier-general, majbr-general, lieutenant-general, general, or field-marshal: each receives Us. Gd. a day besides regimental pay. Before an officer can be appointed as A.. he must have been two years with his regiment, and must pass an examination. A. are not removed from the list of their regiments; and, most com monly, are captains. Besides these A. to generals, the queen has the power to appoint any number of A. to herself, in her capacity of nominal head of the army. There are no particular duties attached to the office; but it is much sought after, both as an honor, and as conferring on the holder the rank of colonel in the army. There are 6 who receive daily pay as A., and who take it in turn to attend the queen on state occasions. In the year 1876, there were no fewer than 33 military A. to the queen, of whom 8 were peers of the realm; but of the 33, only 19 belonged to the army; the rest, except two of the marines, being militia officers, whose appointments are purely honorary. In addition to all the above, there are naval A. to the queen, of whom there were 11 in the year 1876.