LANDMARKS.
IN the chaotic sea of warrants, correspondence, and orders which
represents the old MSS. of the Board of Ordnance prior to the formation
of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, there are two documents which stand
out like landmarks, pointing to the gradual realization of the fact that
a train of Artillery formed when wanted for service, and disbanded at
the end of the campaign, was not the best way of making use of this arm;
and that the science of gunnery, and the technical details attending the
movement of Artillery in the field, were not to be acquired intuitively,
nor without careful study and practice during time of peace.
The first relates to the company of a hundred fee'd gunners at the Tower
of London, whose knowledge of artillery has already been described as
most inadequate, and whose discipline was a sham. By a Royal Warrant
dated 22nd August, 1682, this company was reduced to sixty in number by
weeding out the most incapable; the pay, which had up to this time
averaged sixpence a day to each man, was increased to twelve-pence; but
in return for this augmentation, strict military discipline was to be
enforced; in addition to their ordinary duties at the Tower, they were
to be constantly exercised once a week in winter, and twice a week in
summer by the Master-Gunner of England; they were to be dismissed if at
any time found unfit for their duties; and a blow was struck at the
custom of men holding these appointments, and also working at their
trades near the Tower, by its being distinctly laid down that they were
liable for duty not merely in that Fortress, but also "in whatever other
place or places our Master-General of the Ordnance shall think fit."
This was the first landmark, proclaiming that a nucleus and a permanent
one of a trained and disciplined Artillery force was a necessity. Money
was not plentiful at the Ordnance Board under the Stuarts, as has
already been stated; so as time went on, and it was found necessary to
increase the educated element,—the fireworkers, petardiers, and
bombardiers,—it was done first by reducing the number of gunners, and,
at last, in 1686, by a grudgingly small increase to the establishment.
In 1697, after the Peace of Ryswick, there was in the English service a
considerable number of comparatively trained artillerymen, whose
services during the war entitled them to a little consideration. This
fact, coupled with the gradual growth in the minds of the military and
Ordnance authorities of the sense of the dangers that lay in the
spasmodic system, and the desirability of having some proportion of
artillerymen always ready and trained for service and emergency, brought
about the first—albeit short-lived—permanent establishment, in a
regimental form, of artillery in England. The cost of the new regiment
amounted to 4482_l._ 10_s._ per annum, in addition to the pay which some
of them drew as being part of the old Ordnance permanent establishment.
But before a year had passed, the regiment was broken up, and a very
small provision made for the officers. Some of the engineers, gentlemen
of the Ordnance, bombardiers, and gunners were added to the Tower
establishment, and seventeen years passed before this premature birth
was succeeded by that of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
But this landmark is a remarkable one; and in a history like the present
deserves special notice. Some of the officers afterwards joined the
Royal Artillery; most of them fought under Marlborough; and all had
served in William's continental campaign either by sea or land. Two of
the captains of companies, Jonas Watson and William Bousfield, had
served in the train in Flanders in 1694, and Albert Borgard, its
adjutant, was afterwards the first Colonel of the Royal Artillery.
The staff of the little regiment consisted of a Colonel, Jacob Richards,
a Lieutenant-Colonel, George Browne, a Major, John Sigismund Schmidt, an
Adjutant, Albert Borgard, and a Comptroller: of these the first four had
been serving on active service in Flanders. There were four companies,
very weak, certainly, and containing men paid both on the old and new
establishments. Each contained 1 captain, 1 first-lieutenant, 1 second-
lieutenant, 2 gentlemen of the Ordnance, 2 sergeants, and 30 gunners. Of
these the gentlemen of the Ordnance and 15 gunners per company were on
the old Tower establishment. The names of the captains not mentioned
above were Edward Gibbon, and Edmund Williamson.
There were also in the Regiment six engineers, four sub-engineers, two
firemasters, twelve fireworkers, and twelve bombardiers.
When the regiment was reduced, the captains received 60_l._ per annum,
the first and second lieutenants 50_l._ and 40_l._ per annum, the
firemasters 60_l._, and the fireworkers 40_l._ These officers were
described as belonging to the new establishment, in contradistinction to
the old.
The time had now come when there was to be an establishment of Artillery
in addition to these, whose school and arena were the campaigns of a
great master of war, one who was to be the means, after a victorious
career, of placing the stamp of permanence on what had as yet had but an
ephemeral existence,—the regimental character as applied to Artillery
forces in England.