and the breechings to the recoil of double-shotted guns; and double-shot having been found, by experiment, (on board the Excellent at Portsmouth,) to destroy each other, will not in future be used; our present metal and tackling are decidedly adequate to the slight increase of resistance. To the second objection, I beg to observe, that our shot are much drier stowed than formerly; and the great attention paid to keeping them free from rust, by frequent beatings, would rather argue a reduction in their circumference, that I feel confident no objection can be made on that head by any who have observed the very great space between our large shot and the metal of the gun. These are the suggestions of one who leaves to scientific men the calculation for the exact increase of the shot, or in other words, reduction of windage; but feeling fully satisfied that this would make our heavy ships considerably more formidable, I have felt it to be a duty incumbent on me, to submit these remarks for your Journal, which is, or ought to be, perused by all who feel interested in Britain's natural bulwarks. I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant, A TAR. July 26th, 1831. Infantry Equipments. MR. EDITOR,-The very able manner in which the subject of Infantry Equipment is treated on in your June Number by Militaris, has given me the greatest satisfaction, and as a hearty well-wisher for the service in general, I am tempted to offer a few observations thereon. There can be no doubt but that the infantry soldier has been too much loaded generally, the effects of which have been witnessed in long and harassing marches in the Peninsula particularly; and that many men constantly fell sick from fatigue alone, will, I believe, be disputed by none acquainted with the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington. As every soldier could not be possessed of a robust frame, weight alone made many give up, who, with a less burthen, might have been able to go through their fatigues, and consequently effective with their regiments, instead of being in hospital, or just as bad at some station in rear of the army. That the infantry is susceptible of no further improvement I can never agree to, however formidable, as your correspondent says it is, to differ from public opinion; nor can I see any reason why every soldier, either of cavalry or infantry, should not be able to cross a country as well as a sportsman can; but it must be allowed that the foot soldier, with his ponderous musket, bayonet, knapsack, ammunition, and provisions, under the present system, cannot now accomplish as he ought to do; how laudable then would it be to improve the condition of a branch of the service that has (I speak not invidiously) on most occasions borne the brunt. I fear much the alteration in the infantry musket would not be listened to in these times of rigid economy, desirable as the plan would be both as to comfort and usefulness; neither do I fully agree to the percussion-gun recommended by Militaris, as I know many sportsmen who have not, and perhaps never may. use it. In this opinion, though far from claiming any excellence as a shot, I still remain. What strikes me as an objection is principally this, that the soldier in action would be somewhat bothered in fixing after every discharge a fresh cap on the cock, having seen that inconvenience experienced by even sportsmen themselves. In reducing the calibre of the musket, there can be but one opinion, I hope; or that the serjeants should discontinue carrying pikes; and it appears really strange such a body of men should have so long remained without better weapons. In the knapsack and other appointments, much might be done in reducing weight, as also, I think, in different arrangement of the clothing: on this subject I will not now give an opinion, further than that the clothing might be so adapted for wearing, that the soldier on a march might have as little as possible to pack in his knapsack besides shirts, pair of shoes, and a few other little etceteras. If the foregoing observations, by means of your excellent Journal, ever meet with attention from those who, from their exalted station, might do much in recommending any beneficial alteration, I should, indeed, feel much gratification; if not, I shall rest contented in having endeavoured to serve a very important branch of the service. July 20th, 1831. I am your constant reader and very humble servant, Queries-by an Old Soldier. MR. EDITOR,-You will oblige me by inserting the following queries in your valuable publication, and which, I trust, will be in some way or other satisfactorily answered by a comrade in the Journal of the succeeding month. How is it, that though His Majesty has been advised to grant a medal to the private soldier for long and faithful services, yet that the meritorious officer, who in many, and in most instances, serves nearly double the period, should have been overlooked? Be it also observed, that the medal granted to the soldier is for service alone, without specifying whether he has been in action or not. How is it that this much desired mark of merit for length of service (for I hold that the officer who has dragged out a period of twelve or fifteen years in the East or West Indies, exposed to all the chances of yellow fever, liver and cholera, is equally as much entitled to it as his more fortunate brother in arms whose fate it was to serve in the Peninsula) is withheld from officers, although it must be well-known to have been for a length of time the universal feeling that such should be granted to them, especially to those who served to the close of the war in 1815? How is it that a uniform for the half-pay and unattached officers is not established, as so generally called for? whilst it has been anomalously and ridiculously granted to Deputy-Lieutenants of counties!!! How comes it that so little attention is ever paid to the respectfully expressed wishes and feelings of the United Services, even when a yielding to that feeling would be no cost to the nation? And lastly-How is it that suggestions, however good in theory or practice, are unattended to, except they emanate from head-quarters, or the underlings in office? September 10, 1831. P.S. Should a medal be ever granted for length of service, (though I despair of such being done,) I would suggest that the quarters of the globe in which the officer has served be designated by a striped-coloured ribbon,as red for Europe, red and black for Europe and Africa, white added for Asia, and green for America. Since writing the foregoing queries, it is with no small astonishment and chagrin (in which expressions I am reciprocally joined by every brother officer without exception, of both services, with whom I am in daily habits of mixing) that I observe no mark of Royal favour in the shape of a Brevet has made its appearance, whilst honours and rewards are lavished on civilians and dunder-headed aldermen. This, and other studied neglects to the services, (for I can hardly call the making a dozen K.C.B.'s in the higher ranks worth noticing) is indeed a mark of the times, and of the march of any thing but gratitude and right feeling. It has been stated that economy was studied at the Coronation, and that that was the reason why no Brevet took place; but how economy was studied, when upwards of 5000l. was profusely squandered in gold medals for the Members of the Upper and Lower House, I cannot comprehend. The following extract from a speech of General Lamarque's, on the 16th instant, in the French Chamber of Deputies, I would recommend to the perusal and weighty consideration of the present rulers of the Government: "I wish not to give birth to evil auguries, but may not the storms that are lowering over other countries be driven towards us? Gentlemen, do not then discourage our brave soldiers”—(and here in England we must add our brave sailors)-"this is not the moment for doing so." The motion was carried against the minister. I have further to add another conciliating mark of favour to the half-pay officer from the present Government. "All officers in future are to give stamp receipts for their half-pay.' This order will be productive of great inconvenience and create much delay in the quarterly payments, while the addition to the revenue by this step cannot exceed a few hundred pounds. I remain, Sir, MR. EDITOR," A Voice from the Army," in your 33rd Number, contains unanswerable arguments in favour of half-pay officers being eligible for civil appointments under Government. As a half-pay officer, I perused it with unmingled pleasure to page 445, where I find a statement from which it would appear, that an Admiral's half-pay is superior to a General Officer's, promoted subsequent to 18th Feb. 1818; whereas such is not the fact, as a General Officer receiving" merely the pay of his last regimental commission," being that of Colonel, is 1. 2s. per diem,* while the British RearAdmirals "receive at once the half-pay of their respective ranks as Flag Officers," which is 1. 58.; thus, most gladly would these British Rear-Admirals yield the half-pay of that rank for the pay of their last commission which must have been to a line-of-battle ship, and, therefore, 17. 188. per diem. Your obedient servant, August 30th, 1831. FAIR PLAY. Military Law. MR. EDITOR, I imagine the opinion of the present Premier on the subject of military obedience may not be without weight. Earl Grey, when Mr. Grey, in the House of Commons, in May 1804, on the vote of thanks to the Army in India, laid down the rule, that it was not the business of soldiers to think, but to execute with alacrity, even if the act was founded in injustice, and contrary to the written law of our country.† MR. EDITOR,-As there appears to be much inconsistency in the Orders in Council and the Acts of Parliament with regard to the relative rank of the junior grades of officers in the navy, I beg to transmit them, trusting that you will give them publicity. The highest Regimental Commission is that of Lieutenant-Colonel, the pay of which, minus 3s. a day allowed for commanding, is 17s. not 11. 2s. per diem. The Major-General, therefore, loses 3s. a day by his promotion, and the annual pay of a Rear-Admiral exceeds that of a Major-General by 1507. The latter may even be entitled to no more than 11s. 7d. a day as a Regimental Captain, when promoted to the rank of Major-General.-ED. † See Parliamentary Debates, vol. ii. 1804. Under the head of Rank and Command, page 13, chapter 2, section 7, article 3, of the Regulations established by the King in Council for His Majesty's service at sea, mates are declared to be warrant officers, and to rank and command in the order in which they stand in the said article. By the 93rd section of the Act of the eleventh George IV. cap. 20, Secretaries, Clerks, and Pilots, amongst others, are excluded from the list of those deemed petty officers. By the Order in Council of the 30th of June, authorising the distribution of seizures, it will be there found, at the foot of page 3, that the beforementioned officers, viz. mates, secretaries, clerks, and pilots, are therein classed and denominated petty officers. I think it right to mention these contradictions, wishing that you will insert them in your Journal, and hoping by that means that they may come under the observation of some of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, who, no doubt, will take them into their consideration, with a view to their being rectified. And I have further to observe, that mates are superiors to gunners, boatswains, and carpenters, as far as regards rank and command, but are, nevertheless, placed in an inferior capacity to them in the distribution of prize money. I have the honour to remain, Mr. Editor, YOUR CONSTANT READER AND SUBSCRIBER. Deccan Prize Money. MR. EDITOR, It is now several months since I addressed you on the payment of the Deccan Prize Money, but not the least information has yet been obtained on the subject, and if some powerful interposition is not made, it is likely to be deferred ad infinitum. The procrastination is highly injurious to all claimants, and if you would have the kindness to insert this letter in your next Number, it may induce some of the influential members of the United Service to urge the authorities to an early decision on the distribution. In complying with this request, you will confer a lasting obligation on numbers of interested persons, and of, London, 6th Sept. 1831. Sir, your obedient servant, Prize Money for the Burmese War. MR. EDITOR, I beg, through the medium of your Journal, to make the following queries relative to the prize-money due to the army and navy engaged in the Burmese war. Six years have elapsed since the signature of the treaty of Yandaboo, and it seems strange that nothing should yet have been heard of the prize-money collected during the campaigns of 1824, 1825, and 1826. The sum, it is true, cannot be great, probably less than 100,000l. and this divided amongst the forces engaged, will leave but a trifling share to each individual; yet, that little we have a right to, and would not reject on account of its paucity. Up to this day we have, however, been left in the dark as to the allotment of the sum in question. I would therefore ask 1st, What is the actual sum realized by the prize agents of the navy and army on account of timber, rice, horses, and other property captured by the British forces in Ava, and sold for the benefit of the prize-fund? 2nd, How has the sum so realized been employed during the last five years? Is it in the hands of the East Indian Government, and does that Government pay interest for the same? 3rd, What are the names of the officers who are entrusted with the prizeagency of the army and navy employed in Ava? 4th, When is it likely that the money will be paid, and why has the payment been hitherto delayed? If, Mr. Editor, you can obtain answers to the above questions, you will much oblige many officers of the army and navy who underwent the hardships of that dreadful war, as well as the individual who has the honour of subscribing himself London, Sept. 1, 1831. Claims of Old Officers. YOUKYAH! MR. EDITOR,-I am sure you will join me in regretting the melancholy state of poverty, bordering on starvation, of Mr. Bannantine (and family), formerly a Lieutenant in the Army, and son of the late Major-General of that name, as described in the Globe and other papers of the 7th June. From the statement, it appears he has been obliged to give up the situation of Toll-Collector, his wounds received in the service preventing him attending to his duty. Now, Mr. Editor, it is not our purpose to inquire (supposing he sold out) what he did with the purchase-money; but it is our duty to tell him, and all others similarly situated, that although the sale of the commission does away with all future claim, (let the services of the individual be what they may,) yet that for wounds, whenever they become equal to loss of limb, or so as to prevent the individual earning a livelihood, becomes valid, and by a proper application to the Horse Guards, his case will or must be referred to a medical board. I know officers who hold pensions for wounds received before pensions became a right, and granted after that right was established by Parliament, and several years after the sale of their commissions; and very just that it should be so. I take this opportunity of cautioning all Peninsular comrades against the sale of their full or half-pay, under almost any circumstances; if they will only reflect for a moment, they will be convinced that nothing has been thought of for the last ten years, but one inducement after the other to old officers to quit the service, so as to give patronage to Government; and as an instance of the treatment old officers (thus cajoled) now experience, I beg to make known to the service what has lately occurred to a friend who commenced his campaigns at Talavera, and after serving the whole of the Peninsular war, and being severely wounded, was reduced when Captain, with the second battalion of his regiment, at the conclusion of the late war. This officer, to avoid the indirect threats of forcing half-pay officers to come in on full pay, (which would have sent him in a delicate state of health to join his corps in India,) sold out about four years since; but finding his health perfectly restored, and being yet a young man, and desirous to resume his profession, he applied, a few months ago, for leave to purchase an ensigncy, which was refused him, although his application was accompanied by the strongest possible recom mendations of his activity and efficiency as an officer in the field; to which was added the nature of his wounds, which were such, as to induce the Medical Board to send him, at his own expense, to the baths in Italy for recovery, declaring, at the same time, that had he represented himself to the Board a few months sooner, (when the regulations were more just and consistent,) they would have considered it their duty to have recommended him for a pension. Thus it is in our boasted country; not so in any of the continental armies, nor was it so in the Imperial Guards of France, where the value of old officers and soldiers was appreciated as it should be. 28th July, 1831. AN OLD TALAVERA MAN. N.B. Those that were there will recollect we had it hot and warm this day twenty-two years. • Evidently for the purpose of frightening them to sell out. |