Early in 1746, a Committee was appointed to investigate the state
and grievances of the Land Forces and Marines. A considerable
increase of expence had accrued in the maintenance of both,
which was one of the objects of this inquiry. Such as affected
the Marine Regiments I have already detailed, and assigned the
causes of the additional charges in this establishment since the
peace of Utrecht. The same are applicable to the Army at large,
in the allowance which was made to Commission-Officers in lieu
of servants, in 1713, in a similar indulgence granted to the
Quartermasters in marching Regiments in 1718, and the annuities to
Officers Widows, to Colonels for clothing lost by deserters, to
Captains for recruiting, and to the Agents of Corps, which were all
the newly-adopted establishments of the latter year.
These additional grants, while they meliorated the situation of the
Officer, cost the Nation but little.
It appears, in the course of this inquiry, that the perquisites of
a Colonel, in clothing a Marine Regiment, exceeded those of the
Foot, from the comparative superiority in their numbers, and the
articles being of an inferior quality.
The grievances which had existed, and were _peculiar_ to those
Regiments, appeared conspicuous in the course of this public
research.
"Upon the whole business, witnesses were examined by the Committee
who deposed that the Marines, while on the West India expedition,
were paid according to the returns of effective men made monthly
to the Commander in Chief, and the account of the _off-reckonings_
was kept by the Pay-Office; and that the Officers _clearings_ of
the first raised six Regiments had been paid _only_ to the 25th
of December, 1740, and of the other four to the 24th of June,
1741, _of which_ the Pay-Master cannot _now_ make any demand,
till muster-rolls are delivered into his office, which he must
compute, and then certify a state of the Regiment's account to the
Secretary at War, who lays it before the King; in consequence of
which, _warrants_ for _clearing_ the Regiment are issued to the
Pay-master, who then makes out _debentures_, pursuant to which a
_warrant_ is drawn for the payment of the money, and that by this
was to be understood _clearing_ the Regiment. It further appeared,
that by the usage of the Army, Regiments could not be _cleared_
with till muster-rolls were made out, but that the Marines had
never been regularly mustered, (owing to their being detached and
employed in every quarter of the globe) to which circumstance is
owing their not having been cleared with, which has been a sad
inconvenience to many of the Officers who were obliged to assign
their arrears at a prodigious discount."
One of the Agents, upon his evidence, suggested to the Committee
an expedient, by which to remedy this evil, which was, that
muster-rolls might be made up from the books of the Men of War
already come home, and from the muster-rolls of the men now at
quarters. He additionally submitted it as his opinion, that it was
the _duty_ of the _Commissary_ to make up this account, and _within
his instructions_, to accept of such books as immediate vouchers.
This Gentleman farther certified, that the _off reckonings_ were
regularly paid, but that the _clearings_ were not, and that the
Colonel usually saved near £1,000 out the _off reckonings_, after
clothing a Marine Regiment; and he conceived, that the Officers
_clearings_ might also be paid by a _warrant_ from the King to the
Secretary at War; more particularly as there was no deficiency
of Officers, though there might be of Private men; and the
returns made being strictly upon honor, might supply the want of
muster-rolls.
From another witness it was obvious, that no account had ever
been settled with the Captains of Marines for their Companies,
the Agents always alleging, that it could not be done without
muster-rolls; and that though the Marines, when in the West Indies,
were mustered and paid in the same manner as the marching Regiments
were; and though the latter were cleared when they came home, _yet
the former were not_.
That in the summer of 1745, indeed, a warranty countersigned by the
Secretary at War, was sent to the Pay-Master for _clearing_ the
four last raised Regiments of Marines, notwithstanding the want of
muster-rolls; but not being signed by the Lords of the Treasury, it
was not attended to.
This hardship was _peculiar_ to the Marine Regiments, as it became
evident to the Gentlemen forming the Committee of Inquiry, that the
different Corps of Foot employed upon the same service had been
_cleared_ by such authority countersigned by the Secretary at War
alone, without any objection, though the pay had been issued in the
same manner to them, and the want of muster-rolls equally their
case.
Marine Officers, it appeared, were not allowed to take their
servants, when ordered to embark.
At this period, there was a sum of £101,551 3 4 in the hands of the
Pay-Master of Marines; the amount of the above-mentioned claims,
whose character and motives, however, were clearly exculpated
from any blame; but it was not so with his Deputy or Cashier, who
had appropriated near £90,000, bearing interest upon land-tax
tallies, East India Bonds, and clothing assignments, _without the
knowledge of his Superior_, who had been informed, and till this
investigation took place, always understood that the whole had been
deposited in the Bank of England.
Another Subordinate, the Accountant of the Pay-Master, shared in
the annual profits of these investments, which were derived from
the invaded rights of the injured Officer.--After having divided
the spoils during some years, and having made a restitution of the
principal, they were both deprived of their situations.
Such a scene of grievance appeared through the whole of this
scrutiny, that the Committee emphatically closed their report, by
the ingenuous avowal, that the _facts_ which appeared called for
public notice, and highly deserved the attention of Parliament.
It ought to be related, to the honour of these suffering Corps,
that during the long period of nearly six years they suppressed
their feelings until the present occasion, of which they very
properly availed themselves.
They now submitted their wrongs to a Board, instituted by
legislative sanction, and for the express purpose of redress,
as well as of inquiry; the following are the terms in which the
Memorial of one of the Marine Regiments were couched:
To the Gentlemen of the Committee, and which may be considered
as engrossing the general sentiments of the whole that were
employed in the Expedition to the West Indies.
1st. "That in the month of August, 1740, when _this_ regiment
was one of those embarked for the expedition to the West Indies,
the Captains were obliged by _order_, out of their own pockets,
to provide and lay in a stock of sugar, tobacco, snuff, shirts,
shoes, stockings, jackets, trowzers, and other sea stores, for the
use of their Companies; and were considerable losers in the waste
and weighing, and in the division of the several species to the
men; that farther, if any man died (which was frequently the case,)
who had not lived long enough to pay the charge of their slops, the
Captain was the only sufferer, as he received his mens' subsistence
_according to the effective monthly returns only_, by order of the
General; nay, the ordinary allowance of the two Warrant Men, paid
in Great Britain and Ireland monthly to the Captains, with their
subsistence, was here deducted, notwithstanding they embarked
complete.
2dly. "The exchange of money between England and Jamaica, at that
time was 40 per cent. and money enough to be had at that exchange
for the payment of the Army; nevertheless the Officers and Private
Men on that expedition were obliged to receive their pay at 20 per
cent. for some time: indeed, upon a general murmur made by the army
upon that occasion, there was 5 per cent. more added; so here was
still a deduction of 15 per cent. A noted instance of this severity
at the end.
3dly. "The Agents _now_ deny making up their accounts with the
Captains of Marines, in the same manner that other Captains are
accounted with; and in short deny giving any accounts at all. By
this means a good deal of that martial dependence a Soldier ought
to have on his Officer is withdrawn, as he finds the Agent is his
factotum in affairs of money, and his executor in case he dies.
The Agents, in order to support these their unjust proceedings,
endeavour to screen themselves under some wrested paragraphs in the
Mutiny Act; for (as we apprehend), from the Legislatures designed
intent, and quite contrary to the King's Order in his Articles of
War, _which must always be consequent to the above act_, as by the
said act it is, that his Majesty is empowered to make such orders
or articles.
4thly. "The Officers of Marines are by the same terms of
chicanery kept from receiving their arrears, there being five
years and a half due the 24th of June of the present year
(1746), notwithstanding the other parts of the Army receive them
punctually, though in no part of the service ought the arrears to
be quicker paid than in the Marines, where Officers are put to
certain and immediate necessary expences on every embarkation.
5thly. "It is plainly evident that no Officer in the Marine service
(whilst dealt and accounted with in this manner), enjoys the same
privileges with the other Officers of the Army, which must of
consequence create heart-burnings, to the detriment of the service.
Seeing, therefore, that these Officers have (notwithstanding their
cruel usage) on all occasions and at all times been most ready with
their lives and abilities to devote themselves to the service of
their King and Country, we humbly beg that this their situation may
be inquired into."
The instance which was referred to from the 2d article is as follow:
"A Pay-Master, while the Marines were employed in the Island of
Cuba, by order of his Commanding Officer, did receive between 3 and
£400 of the deceased Officers money, for which he gave bills upon
the Agent of the Regiment in London, and issued out this money to
the Officers, on account of their subsistence at the full exchange,
which they were in great need of.
"When this Pay-Master was in the course of passing his accounts
with the Agent of the Regiment, he was told that the Pay-Master
General would not allow him this money, because all money on
account of the Regiment (a scheme of which the Pay-Master knew
nothing) _was to be drawn from the Contractors_, that is, the
Marines were to receive their subsistence at 15 per cent. less than
the currency of the country; though God knows, and the world are
competent judges of the hardships and severities of campaigning in
such a climate with sea provisions only, and bad water; besides,
it was utterly impossible for men thus curtailed of their small
subsistence, to purchase the least refreshments, when it is
considered that a poor sheep was sold for £4, a turkey at £1 3 9,
and so in proportion for every thing that could be termed fresh
provisions.
"In return for such sufferings, the few who remained alive
to revisit their native country, with the entail of broken
constitutions scarcely worth the enjoying, which they still
dragged on in the solacing hope of all their sorrows being closed,
and all their claims adjusted, in order to restore their health,
and to render them once more fit for the service of their King and
Country, to their great disappointment, are to this very day kept
(we believe) by the juggling tricks of the Pay-Master General, and
the Agents, from their arrears, _and the small benefits allowed to
other parts of the Army_.
"From the beginning of this example it is plain, that no
charitable regard was to be paid to the executors of deceased
Officers receiving their money at par in Great Britain, nor to the
sufferings of Officers in America, who received this small sum on
the same terms there for subsistence. We therefore most humbly pray
your goodness to intercede with his Majesty for the relief of these
our grievances."
Such are the details of privation which this meritorious body had
long continued to endure in silent loyalty. Thus early did they
afford the brightest examples of steady allegiance, which has
transcended to their posterity under every change of constitution
they have undergone, and what, I trust, will ever be the
distinguishing characteristic of a British Marine, under all the
destinies of himself or his country.
One resulting and immediate consequence of this public inquiry was,
that the Pay-Master made good the balance in his hands, which was
lodged in the bank of England for the future benefit of those who
were so justly entitled to it.
Having introduced, in the preceding part of this inquiry, some
terms which may not be understood by all, I shall take a retrospect
of each, and define them in rotation.
The first that occurs is _off-reckonings_--of these there are two
kinds, _gross_ and _nett_ off-reckonings; the former consisted of
all the pay of the Non-commission Officers and Private Men _above_
their subsistence: for instance, during the period to which I
allude, the _full pay_ of a common Soldier was 8_d._ per day, out
of which 2_d._ was stopped for clothes, &c. and 6_d._ remained for
his subsistence. From this too, 6_d._ per week was deducted to
furnish stockings and shoes when the regimental articles were worn
out.
The Captain of each Company always settled with his men for the
balance, if any, every two months. _Nett off-reckonings_ were the
amount of the _gross off-reckonings_, reserved for the purpose
of clothing the men, _after_ the deductions of 1_s._ in the
pound, and one day's pay from each Regiment, for the benefit of
Chelsea Hospital, with 2_d._ in the pound for the agent of each
Corps.--Such stoppages were always made at the Pay-Office.
_Clearings_ were the balance of each Officer's pay _above_ his
subsistence, after the deductions stated were made, which ought to
have been regularly paid by the Pay-Master General to the different
Marine Agents.
_Warrants_ were documents with the sign-manual attached to each
which authorized the receipt, and disbursements of money from the
Treasury. They may be considered as the _sanctions_ of any Board.
_Debentures_ were commonly made up at the Pay-Office, by virtue
of warrants from the War-Office, annexing a general statement of
the charges of each Regiment, upon which proceeded a _final_ or
clearing warrant. Debentures originated in 1649, and they were a
mode in the form of a bond, or bill, by which Government obliged
itself to render payments of such monies as might be due to the
Soldier, or his assigns, upon examining and closing the account of
his arrears.
Nearly twelve thousand Marines was the vote of 1746. Early in
this year, an expedition was meditated against Quebec, and
a considerable force assembled at Spithead for that intent,
amongst which was Colonel Powlet's Regiment of Marines; but from
unaccountable delays, there the whole remained until the season was
too late for such an attempt.
They were afterwards destined against Port L'Orient, with a view
to distress the French East India Company, as well as to create a
diversion in favour of the Austrian operations in Provence. The
Commanders appointed were Admiral Lestock and Lieutenant General
Sinclair.
The long detention of so respectable a force, until the period of
Equinox not only gave time for the enemy to ascertain its object,
but endangered its progress along a hostile coast, at so very
critical a season.
At last, having assembled at Plymouth, the whole set sail upon
the 14th of September, steering directly for the coast of
Britanny.--Five thousand Infantry to be strengthened, if necessary,
by the Marines of sixteen Sail of the Line, and eight Frigates,
were the number employed on this occasion.
They made the coast upon the 18th; but from adverse circumstances,
a debarkation was not effected until the 20th. The interval was
advantageous for the enemy, who by alarm guns during the day, and
lighted fire-beacons upon the tops of corresponding hills during
the night, soon apprised their distant countrymen of an invader's
approach.
It was in vain that opposition was attempted against the descent of
our troops, by a body of undisciplined Militia. After having landed
the cannon, with the ammunition and stores, in Quimparley-Bay, the
whole were left under the charge of a small party of the Royal
Artillery, and a body of one hundred Marines.
On the 21st the army advanced in two columns against Plymeur,
which they reached after some slight skirmishing. The place having
agreed to surrender, but afterwards treacherously firing upon a
detachment, it was given up to plunder. On the following day, the
whole moved on to a rising ground within a mile of Port L'Orient,
the ultimate object of their views. After a fruitless parley, which
the French had established, in order to gain time and to collect
their scattered means of defence, hostilities commenced on the 24th.
Some affairs took place between that and the 26th, when after a
cannonade, which did considerable damage to the town, a retreat was
commenced under cover of the night.
The French were now pouring from all quarters, and the situation
of our forces became critical. The fatigues endured by our men of
every description were excessive. The opportunity of conquest seems
to have been lost in the want of early energies, which allowed a
valuable interval to the enemy for defence.
After a loss of about one hundred and fifty killed, wounded, and
missing, and some Artillery, the re-embarkation was effected,
when the fleet set sail upon the 1st of October, for the Bay of
Borneuff, off Quiberon, and to the South of Quimperlay.
The body of Marines I have mentioned, were intrenched at
Quimperlay, to guard the landing-place, and the rest, under Colonel
Holmes, were united with the Army.
Upon the 4th of October, some troops were landed on the peninsula
of Quiberon, without opposition, from whence the natives had fled
with all their effects. After remaining ashore some days, the whole
returned to England, without having effected any thing during that
time, worthy of remark.
Nothing of moment appears farther on the face of the military
operations of the present year, in which the Marines had a share.
In the gradual increase to the Establishment of the Army during
the present war, the Marines became incorporated with the Line,
and their numerical precedence commenced with the 44th Regiment,
entitled, The First Marines.
The following is the detail of the Field Officers and Agents of
each Corps, all of which were quartered in Great Britain, and
in the vicinity of the principal sea-ports, at the close of the
present year.
44th Regiment, or First Marines.
George Churchill, Colonel.
N. Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel.
James Macdonald, Major.
J. Winter, Dartmouth-street, Westminster, Agent.
45th Regiment, or Second Marines.
Robert Frazer, Colonel.
J. Leighton, Lieutenant Colonel.
T. Mathews, Major.
T. Paterson, Conduit-street, Agent.
46th Regiment, or Third Marines.
C. H. Holmes, Colonel.
P. Damar, Lieutenant Colonel.
W. Brown, Major.
T. Fisher, Privy-gardens, Whitehall, Agent.
47th Regiment, or Fourth Marines.
C. George Byng, Colonel.
B. Hutchison, Lieutenant Colonel.
J. Read, Major.
T. Paterson, Conduit-street, Agent.
48th Regiment, or Fifth Marines.
C. James Cochran, Colonel.
C. Whiteford, Lieutenant Colonel.
J. Stuart, Major.
Maynard Guering, St. James's-park, Agent.
49th Regiment, or Sixth Marines.
------------, vacant, Colonel.
C. Gordon, Lieutenant Colonel.
C. Leighton, Major.
William Adair, Pall-mall, Agent.
50th Regiment, or Seventh Marines.
H. Cornwall, Colonel.
J. Paterson, Lieutenant Colonel.
R. Bendish, Major.
T. Fisher, Privy-gardens, Whitehall, Agent.
51st Regiment, or Eighth Marines.
J. Duncombe, Colonel.
J. Cunningham, Lieutenant Colonel.
J. Brewse, Major.
Maynard Guering, St. James's-park, Agent.
52d Regiment, or Ninth Marines.
C. Pawlett, Colonel.
G. Walsh, Lieutenant Colonel.
--------, Major, _vacant_.
Mr. Guering, Agent.
53d Regiment, or Tenth Marines.
Sir Andrew Agnew, Colonel.
C. Pawlett, Lieutenant Colonel.
C. Durand, Major.
Mr. Guering, Agent.
These Regiments, when complete, were supposed to consist of one
thousand Rank and File each, and every battalion of ten Companies.
At this period the whole forces upon the British Establishment
amounted to eighty-five thousand six hundred and eleven men.
As institutions of honor, and distinctions of merit, are necessary
incentives for animating the zeal both of Corps and individuals,
as like every other inheritance, peculiar privileges ought to be
transmitted, unimpaired, to the lineal successors of Public Bodies,
if not forfeited by misconduct, or abused by wantonness, I am thus
led to remark an occurrence that took place in London, and which
is authenticated by Major Donkin, in his "Military Collections,"
who was a cotemporary and intimate with the Officer to whom the
circumstance happened. It is thus expressed:
"_The 3d Regiment of Foot, raised in_ 1665, known by the ancient
title of The Old Buffs, have the privilege of marching through
London with drums beating, colours flying! which the city disputes
not only with all other Corps, but even with the King's Guards
going on duty to the Tower! It happened in the year 1746, that as
a detachment of Marines were beating along Cheapside, one of the
Magistrates came up to the Officer, requiring him to cease the
drum, as no Soldiers were allowed to interrupt the civil repose.
The Captain commanding (an intimate friend of mine) immediately
said, Sir, we are Marines.--Oh, Sir! replied the Alderman, I beg
pardon; I did not know it! Pray continue your route as you please."
It has been already noticed in the early part of this retrospect,
that the Corps of Marines was originally engrafted upon _that
Regiment_ to which the Major alludes--that the _Old Buffs_ of
the present day gained one numerical step in the Line, from the
extinction of its predecessor, previous to which circumstance it
had no claim to the privilege in question, and could establish no
subsequent one from merely a sameness in name.
The conclusion which naturally arises must be, that after having
ascertained _our First Parent, as children_, we should enjoy
unalienated the honors of our forefathers.--Whether or not, in
authenticating the fact he has stated, the Major means to advance
a similar inference by a like train of analogy, I know not, but it
appears to carry a feasible construction.
Although the metropolis is but rarely the scene of our service,
except that of recruiting, still no one can anticipate the
reforms which may be judged necessary in the different military
establishments of our Country. In adducing one example of
undisputed right, it must certainly fix it as a recognized
principle under all future contingencies, excepting that the laws
of police shall have utterly abolished the practice.