CHAP. I.

CHAP. I.

At a period when the commerce of this Country bore no proportion to its present state, the supplies of Seamen, under a system of impress, were extremely precarious, and often inadequate to the public emergencies. Experience had also shewn, that raw landsmen were most improper substitutes for this want, as the sudden change of life rendered them subject to immediate disease, and sea-sickness, at a time when their active services were required.

These united causes originally suggested the expediency of forming an establishment of Marines, who were raised and embodied with the sole view of being a nursery to man our fleets. They were always quartered in the vicinity of our principal sea-ports, where they were regularly trained to the different methods of ship fighting, and to these various manœuvres of a vessel, in which numbers were necessary. Being thus locally placed, their value was early felt by their exertions in equipping the squadrons fitted out, when but little confidence could be placed in the sailor, perhaps just impressed into the service.

The general principles and regulations that were instituted for the conduct of the Marine regiments, from their formation, to the close of the reign of King William III. evidently shew that they were entirely devoted to naval purposes. As each individual became properly qualified to act on board of ship as a foremast-man, which was uniformly encouraged, he was discharged from his regiment, entered upon the books as such, and levy-money was granted to the officers of his corps, in order to supply the vacancy of him who was thus transferred.

The first authentic instance of any regiment of this description appears in the Army List of 1684, and from the return of the general review on Putney Heath, upon the first day of October in that year. Neither the exact æra of its establishment, or that of the other maritime forces, is clearly ascertained; and it would be absurd to speculate upon dates which can yield no material result.

The return which I have mentioned runs thus, and is annexed at large: "The Lord High Admiral of England, his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, commanded by the Honourable Sir Charles Littleton, called also the Admiral Regiment.

Sir Charles Littleton, Colonel. Oliver Niclas, Lieutenant Colonel. Richard Bagett, Major.

CAPTAINS.LIEUTENANTS.ENSIGNS.

Col's. Co. commanded by Capt. Lt.Robt. Crawford, Capt. Lt.Philom. Powell

Lt. Colonel's Co. commanded byLieut. Edm. YarboroughArthur Townshend

Major's Co. commanded byLieut. Theoph. BleehendenWilliam Pearson

Geo. Littleton, CaptainLieut. Edmund WilsonJames Man

Sir Thomas CutlerRobert LloydJohn Hill

Edward NottFrancis HobblinAlexander Erwin

Francis EzodFrancis ButlerThomas Man

Edward HarrisJohn ThornWilliam Somers

Samuel ScudamoreGeorge RookeGilbert Simons

Chichester WrayHenry HewysGeo. Littleton

Charles HerbertThomas WhaleyFrancis Ezord

Edmund PlowdenWilliam OglethorpeJo. Whaley

State Major, or the Staff Officers of the Admiral Regiment,

Richard Beauvoir, Adjutant. Tobias Legross, Quarter-Master. Samuel Tatham, Chirurgeon. John Tatham, Chirurgeon's Mate.

This regiment consisted of twelve companies, without any grenadiers, had yellow coats lined with red, and their colours were a red cross, with rays of the sun issuing from each of its angles. It stood the third in seniority in the line of that day; and it may be presumed, from its subsequent reduction, that a step was obtained in it by the 4th, then the Regiment of Holland, commanded by John, the second Lord Mulgrave, and now entitled The Old Buffs.

Betwixt 1687 and 1698, there were several maritime regiments raised for the purposes, and under the regulations I have stated. They were Colonels Mordaunt, Colt, Seymour, and Brudenell's; also, Sir Cloudesley Shovel's, my Lord Torrington's, and the Marquis of Carmarthen's; all of which were disbanded during the currency of 1697 and 1698.

The expences incurred by the maintenance of the maritime troops were classed with the estimates of the navy, and money was issued from time to time, by warrant from the Lord High Treasurer to the Treasurer of the Navy, who placed it in the hands of a person especially appointed to receive and pay it. Under this system, the Admiralty and Navy Boards were subjected to much trouble, in forming and directing its different arrangements.

From the nature of the marine service, at this period, few or no achievements occur which can be peculiarly attached to it as a corps. We find them honourably mentioned in the operations against St. Christopher's, and the successful attack upon Cork, under the æra of 1690. The detail of loss upon the former occasion is thus described, and evinces that their energies also, as soldiers, were called forth when occasion might require them. "In this action we had killed and wounded upwards of 130 men, and Captain Keigwin, a sea commander, who was appointed Colonel of the Marine Regiment, (which consisted of about 230 seamen) was shot through the thigh, of which wound he died, before he could be carried on board, and Captain Brisbane, who acted as First Captain to the Marines, receiving a shot through the body, expired that night on board the Bristol."

Embodied under similar circumstances, they of course partook in the various services of debarkation, which the emergency of those times might have demanded, until the peace of Ryswick, which, for a while, closed the existence of marine forces.

The expences of King William's war, upwards of eight years' duration, are so moderate when contrasted with these of later days, that they merit a place in any retrospect which treats of that period; and it is to be remarked that 40,000 seamen were maintained during the last years of it.

Total navy estimates allowed£16,303,713150

Total army do. do.£18,487,6711710

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£34,764,3851210

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In all, thirty-four millions seven hundred sixty-four thousand three hundred eighty-five pounds, twelve shillings and ten pence!

I cannot bid adieu to the transactions of this auspicious reign, which has established the happiness and the liberties of my country, without commenting upon two events of it, that must be materially interesting to every military man—I mean the code of laws for the good order and discipline of our armies, and the grant of half-pay bestowed upon disbanded officers.

The first was adopted in an hour of urgent expediency, in order to restrain the uncontrouled outrages of a discontented soldiery, on account of arrears due to them. This act was passed in great haste upon the 12th day of April, 1689, and has progressively experienced these various improvements that arise out of occasions. It undergoes annually a legislative sanction, under the title of the Mutiny Bill.

Half-pay was a gift decreed upon the 18th of January, 1697, and has subsequently involved many a doubt, whether as having been intended in the light of a retaining fee, or as a reward for past services. Opposite decisions have authorised different constructions, while the lapse of more than one hundred years has not yet explicitly brought the point to an issue.

The manly and independent spirit of our judges, pure as these laws that controul their opinions, has not been able to adjust the question.

In the case of General Ross, which was submitted to their enquiry and determination—they resolved that he could not be amenable, as a half-pay officer, to military jurisdiction; but the discussion extended no farther.

In 1715 a number of officers, however, who drew this recompence from the public, most ingloriously joined the Pretender. The issue being unfortunate for them, they were all taken prisoners, and afterwards tried and executed by martial law; although they might have been capitally convicted as rebels, by the common law of the land.

In having adduced these opposite examples, I cannot withhold a remark, that under no one head of the articles of war is this description of men noticed; and I can readily anticipate the answer of an Englishman, were I to ask him if any laws should affect such an object as I have defined, in which he is not expressly specified?

In this flourishing country, where industry and enterprize are open to all, it often happens that an officer, when the State no longer wants his services, turns his attention and the little capital he may possess, to commercial pursuits. In this new profession he very probably advances the public interests more essentially than were he recalled to his former duties, upon every fresh emergency.

That patriotism and loyalty, which I am convinced in those days influence every soldier, who, in the smallest portion, tastes of the bread of his King, will enforce through each quarter of Britain a local activity, and when necessary, a military zeal. As volunteer companies in the present, and very probably under the future political circumstances of our country, must form a branch of our force, who are there more capable of animating them than men who have been trained to arms, whose allegiance is undisputed, and whose early sentiments and ideas no change of life can extinguish? Some legislative assurances of exemption in favour of officers of this description, and who engage to discharge the obligations of general association when required, would be politic and gratifying. Half-pay might also very properly be no longer considered as a retainder of those who have served any marked number of years; for I would discriminate between the veteran and the stripling, who are alike entitled to the same remuneration; though, I should humbly conceive, to separate indulgencies. Having made this digression, suited, I trust, to the present topic and the present times, I return to the train of my narrative.