to St. George's-fields, where they attacked the _Royal George_
Public-house, near the Obelisk, and threw all the furniture of it
into the road, and there burnt it. They gutted another
Recruiting house, in Lambeth-Road, and, afterwards, made a
bonfire of the furniture. This was mistaken by many, to be houses
on fire. There were some of the Mob who kept watch on the outside
of the houses, to give notice of the arrival of the military, who
did not come till after the furniture of these two houses were
consumed. The Mob compelled the inhabitants of the houses in the
neighbourhood, to put up lights.
"The Riot at Charing Cross, on Sunday night, was begun by a very
few persons who wished for mischief, and called out the words,
Crimps, and Kidnappers! The damage was done almost
instantaneously, and the villains escaped, leaving a numerous
assembly of people, who were only drawn together by an idle
curiosity, on the Surrey-road, near the Circus. Yesterday
morning, however, about seven o'clock, it was assailed by a mob,
and, notwithstanding it was well defended, and that the door was
plated with iron, it was forced, and the prisoners rescued. Last
night the mob again assembled about half past eight o'clock, near
the Obelisk, in St. George's fields, where they gutted another
Recruiting Office, and threw the furniture into the road, of
which they made a bonfire. At first, the mob consisted only of
about one hundred men, but the flames soon attracted great
numbers. About nine, the Horse Guards arrived, and soon dispersed
the crowd. We wish they had come sooner, as it is extremely
injudicious to the public interest, that such indecent sights
should be repeated. It was very well known that a Mob meant to
assemble, and, of course, the Military should have been at hand,
to meet it. Several persons were much hurt, in not being able to
disperse soon enough, which ought to be a warning not to mingle
in such a crowd. The Duchess of Gloucester, who was at the
Circus, with her daughter, was escorted home by a party of
horse."--(_Times, July 14, 1795._)
* * * * *
"The Riots continued on Monday evening in St. George's Fields,
until the Military arrived to disperse the mob. Several persons
were taken into custody, and lodged in the
watch-house."--(_Times, July 15, 1795._)
[Illustration: Modern Mode of Beating up for Volunteers.]
The way in which the patronage in the Army was managed, was a crying
shame--children in their cradles had Cornetcies presented to them, and
their promotion went on several steps before they left school. We hear
of the natural consequence, in the following extract from the _Times,
4th Jan. 1794_:--
"We are extremely sorry that our public duty should call upon us
to make any unpleasant remarks on the officers of our Army
abroad, but repeated letters from the Continent, received by all
descriptions of persons, agree in saying that there is a great
want of Subordination among our troops. We shall not enter into
particulars on this subject, as our only object is, that this
observation should meet the eye of the Commander-in-Chief, and
other General Officers, and that they should take the matter into
their serious consideration. The evil is certainly increased by
having so many young men introduced into the Army, and placing
them over the heads of veteran Soldiers."
* * * * *
"The scandalous abuses which have been so often, and so justly,
complained of, as detrimental to the public service, of children
being taken from school, and appointed Officers, cannot be too
soon remedied, though it will be a Herculean task to cleanse the
Augean stable. In mentioning the following circumstance, we have
certainly no kind of ill-will towards the party concerned; but it
is a fact, that a child, _not fourteen years of age_, is now
under orders for embarkation at Plymouth, who has been taken from
school, to join his regiment at _St. Domingo_, as Captain!!! It
is impossible for any man, who has the interest of his country at
heart, to hear of such abuses without commenting on them with the
utmost severity. The fault is not with Government, but is
attached to the custom which prevails in officering the army; a
custom which cannot be too soon corrected."--(_Times, Feb. 10,
1795._)
* * * * *
"The Duke of York has ordered circular letters to be sent round
to the Colonels of Regiments, desiring a return to be immediately
made to his Office, of the number of Captains in each Regiment,
under TWELVE years of age; and of Lieutenant Colonels under the
age of EIGHTEEN!!! The very scandalous abuses that have, of late,
crept into the mode of officering the army, are such, as to have
demanded a very serious enquiry: for numberless are the evils
that have resulted from it, besides that it has given so much
disgust to veteran Officers, whose fortunes were not adequate to
the purchase of rank. Various are the instances of boys having
been taken from school, to take the command of Companies of
Regiments."--(_Times, March 20, 1795._)
* * * * *
"Over a Warehouse for fashionable dresses, in Fleet St., is
written up 'Speculum modorum,' or, the mirror of the fashions;
and several young Gentlemen of the Guards are actually learning
Latin, in order to understand them. Others have sent for the
Alphabet, in gingerbread, as preliminary education."--(_Times,
Oct. 27, 1795._)
* * * * *
"An alteration, we understand, is shortly to take place in the
uniform of the officers of all the regiments of the line. The
present full dress coat is to be abandoned in favour of a very
short one, without any lace, or lappels, which the officers are
always to wear when on duty, but discretionally at other
times."--(_Times, Nov. 16, 1797._)
* * * * *
"A number of _baby_ officers have threatened to sell out of the
Guards. They purchased for the privilege of wearing handsome
regimentals, and the new uniform they say is so ugly."--(_Times,
Nov. 20, 1797._)
* * * * *
"Some of the sucking Colonels of the Guards have expressed their
dislike of the short skirts. They say they feel as if they were
going to be flogged."--(_Times, Nov. 21, 1797._)
Kelsey's was a famous fruiterer's, &c., in St. James's Street, and we
are here presented with one of the boy officers, whose legs cannot
reach the ground, and who has not yet lost his childish predilection
for "Sugar Plums." As a foil to him is given Colonel Burch, of the
Royal Household Troops--who is actively engaged in demolishing Ice
Creams.
[Illustration: Heroes Recruiting at Kelsey's 1797.]
The following paragraph tells a sad tale:--
"The late order of the Cabinet for furnishing all His Majesty's
troops with bread, in the same manner as if in camp, namely, a
loaf of six pounds weight for five-pence, will, we doubt not,
have the desired effect in preventing a continuance of those
outrages, to which the military, in many parts of the kingdom,
have been compelled, by absolute want."--(_Times, April 27,
1795._)
But this order was modified, as we see.
"A new regulation has been made throughout the whole Army, that
instead of the additional allowance of Bread-Money, each Soldier
is to receive 8d. per day clear."--(_Times, Oct. 2, 1795._)
The fate of a prisoner of War is always hard, and, as a rule, they are
not too luxuriously treated. When first we had large quantities of
French prisoners over here, they were nearly starved, but, afterwards,
their lot was much ameliorated. Probably they were better treated than
our people who were imprisoned in France, for, if the following letter
can be believed, they certainly were neither luxuriously housed, nor
fed.
"The following is an Extract of a letter from an Officer of the
'Castor' Frigate, captured some time since, by the French, dated
_Quimper_ near Brest, Feb. 27, 1795:--
'I wrote by Lady Ann Fitzroy, which I hope you have received; we
were in a very bad state at that time: but since she has been
gone, we have been a great deal worse. They now serve out nothing
but bread, and horse-beans, for three weeks, or a month,
together: and, when they do give meat, it is but six ounces of
salt pork per man. It would make your heart ache, to see our poor
sailors, without money, without cloaths, worn down by sickness,
and emaciated to the last degree, fighting over the body of a
dead dog, which they sometimes pick up, and devour with the most
voracious appetites: and it is a fact, that the head, and pluck,
of a dog, sold for 30 sous, the other day. Such scenes as this,
was I obliged to undergo: but I am now in a house allotted for
the officers, and am rendered very comfortable by the friendship
of our second lieutenant, Mr. Hadaway. I am the only surviving
midshipman of four, who came here, belonging to our ship. I have
lost all my hair by sickness: but I live in hopes of seeing Old
England, and my friends again.'--(_Times, April 16, 1775._)
* * * * *
"Several persons escaped from prison, bear the strongest
testimony of praise towards Lady Ann Fitzroy, late a prisoner of
war at _Quimper_, in France, who perhaps, suffered more insults,
and bad usage, from her jailors, than any of her rank ever
suffered before: but, regardless of her own distresses, she made
it her sole business to alleviate those of her fellow-prisoners:
made shirts, and caps, for all those in need, besides purchasing
some hundreds of jackets, and trowsers, which she distributed
amongst her unfortunate countrymen, in want of cloathing. Her
Ladyship, also, every day, had a great quantity of veal, and
soup, dressed, to distribute amongst the sick. Her unparalleled
benevolence saved the lives of hundreds."--(_Times, June 12,
1795._)
* * * * *
"TWENTY GUINEAS BOUNTY.
"Gray's Inn, in the county of Middlesex, 13th Dec., 1796.
"To all able-bodied MEN, willing to serve in His Majesty's
Army.--The Hon. Society of Gray's Inn will give Twenty Guineas,
without any deduction whatever, to any Man who shall be approved
by the Regulating Officer. No Volunteer who shall enter, as
above, can be arrested for Debt, or taken out of his Majesty's
Service, but for a criminal Matter.--Application to be made any
Day, from the Hour of 10, till 3 o'clock, at the Steward's
Office, Gray's Inn.
"Persons enrolled are not liable to serve more than one Calendar
Month after the end of the present War."--(_Times, Dec. 17,
1796._)
* * * * *
"At the Roscommon Assizes, Lord Viscount Dillon was cast in a
verdict of £60, for illegally confining a poor mechanic, a
fortnight underground, with a view of _forcing_ him to
enlist."--(_Times, Sept. 20, 1797._)
* * * * *
"On Saturday last, the sentence of a Regimental Court Martial was
carried into execution, on a private soldier, belonging to the
2nd Battalion of the Breadalbane Fencibles, now in the Castle of
Edinburgh. He received 1000 lashes, and was drummed out of the
Battalion, for having, while on sentry at Leith, on the night of
the 15th of September last, loaded his piece, and fired the same
into the house of an inhabitant, the Civil Magistrates having
delivered him over to the Military Law."--(_Times, Oct. 7,
1797._)
The sale of Commissions is here openly acknowledged, although it was
not allowed, _vide_ the two following advertisements in the same paper
(1798, Jan. 15):--
"Militia.--Any young Gentleman wishing for an Ensignsy in a
highly respectable Regiment of Militia, where he will have the
opportunity of forming the very first connections, may, on
certain conditions of honour, solely between the parties, be so
respectably introduced. The Advertiser, who is of the Church, and
of undoubted character, as will be known, means to apply this
only to a young person of some income of his own; or whose
friends would add an allowance to his pay, so as to place him
upon a more equal footing with his brother Officers, and superior
rank. On a proper behaviour, there is no doubt but that he would
soon have a Lieutenant's Commission, and it is to be considered
that at the end of the War, he will be entitled to half pay, the
same as the line. It is apprehended, too, that it might still
more peculiarly suit one who may mean to ultimately go into the
regulars, and would prefer having his first steps in the Militia.
The Advertiser, not residing in London, a letter at Messrs.
Wilson and Wright's, Walker's Court, Soho, for A. P., will be
duly honoured in the course of 2 or 3 days, provided it is signed
with real name, and address, without which it cannot be noticed.
"Marines.--A young man of respectable connections, and of the
best morals, is very anxious to be in the service of his King,
and Country, in these momentous times, and therefore ardently
intreats the patronage of any Lady or Gentleman, who has the
interest to procure him, or the power to bestow upon him, a
Lieutenancy of Marines. He does not mean to offer the insult of
any pecuniary recompence; but he will assure a greatly more
pleasing return to a benevolent mind, that of everlasting
gratitude, and the most unimpeachable conduct. The honor of a
line to F. G.," &c.
"A company in the _Guards_ has lately been sold for the enormous
sum of 8000 guineas."--(_Times, April 26th, 1796._)
Commissions in the army were notoriously sold, but one would imagine
that a line would be drawn at Chaplains.
Advt.--"TO BE DISPOSED OF, A CHAPLAINCY, in a new Regiment of
Dragoons, and a Quarter-Master's Warrant, in a Regiment of
Dragoon Guards. Apply to Mr. Hawkes, No. 17
Piccadilly."--(_Times, June 9, 1795._)
* * * * *
"MILITIA INSURANCE.
Advt.--"Such persons as wish not to venture the risk of finding a
substitute, by being drawn for the Old Militia, Supplementary
Militia, and Tower Hamlets, may be secured on the following
Terms, viz. Old Militia--7s. 6d. or 10s. per annum; Supplementary
Militia £1 1s. or £1 11s. 6d.; Ditto, together, £1, 7s. 6d., or
£2 per annum; Tower Hamlets £1, or £1 10s., per annum; by Mr.
Cox, Junr., No. 36 Holborn."--(_Times, Feb. 7, 1798._)
* * * * *
"The trial of Capt. F. Arthur of the Yeoman Artillery, commenced
on Saturday, at Limerick, and terminated, on Monday, the 25th,
when he was sentenced by the Court-Martial, _to be transported
for life, and to pay a fine to the King of £5000_."--(_Times,
July 2, 1798._)
* * * * *
"Some accounts of our present Volunteer Associations will, no
doubt, when read a few years hence, excite no small degree of
surprise. Of this class are the following paragraphs. 'The
Reverend Doctor F---- gave the word of command.'--'Counsellor
G---- led his detachment to the charge with uncommon spirit and
vigour.'--'An Anthem was sung by Captain-Lieutenant _Sale_,'
&c."--(_Times, Sept. 5, 1798._)
* * * * *
"Lewes.--Last week the Volunteers for regular Service from the
Derby, Westminster, North Gloucester, and Surrey regiments of
Militia, marched into this town, from their respective stations,
on their routes to the grand depot, at Horsham. The large
bounties which these men have received, enable them to keep up a
scene of drunkenness, and insubordination, which it is very
difficult to restrain. After parade here, on Saturday evening,
Sir Joseph Mawbey, and other Officers, commanding the Surrey
Volunteers, were compelled to have recourse to their drawn
swords, to enforce order, and maintain their command, which was
for some time powerfully resisted, on their ordering a man to the
guard-house. And, on dismissing the parade, yesterday evening, a
similar disturbance took place. No swords were then drawn, but
the clamour demanded the interference of General Hulse, who, in
consequence, ordered out a piquet guard of infantry, and a
patrole of horse, by which tranquillity was restored, and
preserved. Others who have passed through this town, in their
drunken frolics, distinguished themselves by swallowing
Bank-notes between slices of bread and butter, and lighting their
pipes with them, to the no small advantage of the
Bankers."--(_Times, July 31, 1799._)
SOCIAL ECONOMY.
Under this head are placed many matters which could scarcely be
classified.
Take, for instance, the series of groups copied from a long picture of
the "Installation Supper, as given at the Pantheon, by the Knights of
the Bath, on the 26th of May 1788."
In looking at this series, we must never lose sight of the fact, that,
here, we are getting a peep at _haut ton_--none of your common
folk--and, if the picture be a true one, they must have been contented
with the roughest accommodation. Hard seats, plain tables, with no
Plate, nor floral decorations, no napkins; Knives and forks brandished
in a most reckless, and uncouth manner; an utter disregard for the
proprieties of the table, even to drinking the gravy out of a plate;
and intoxication, in its various phases, passing, seemingly,
unchallenged. A tankard of beer admitted to such a banquet, and two
people sharing the same "dish of tea," are all, to us, astounding
revelations of the social manners of our grandfathers.
[Illustration: Installation Supper.]
[Illustration:
Sir F Johnston & Lady.
Lord Bathurst.
Major Topham.]
From the following we get a curious glimpse of the Social economy, of
the times--a phase of thinking which would scarcely do nowadays:--
"In a complicated machine, any of the inferior parts getting out
of order, will soon obstruct the whole: and, conceiving such may
be the case with public society, we are led to make a few
observations on some improprieties which occur in the present
day.
"The wages given to servants have increased during the last 10
years, more than for 30, or perhaps 40, years before: and the
misfortune is, that dissipation, and want of morals, have also
much increased, particularly among manufacturing labourers, who
now have got, in many places, only to work three, or four, days
in the week, and to be drunk the remaining time, leaving their
wives, and children, neglected, and in rags.
"As to household servants, the accommodation offices for hiring
of them, have had the worst effect. They make them indifferent
about keeping their places; lure them on with false hopes, and
often before a servant gets fixed, they, and the pawnbroker, put
them under difficulties.
"Travelling expences, by the profusion in the perquisites given
to waiters, post boys, &c., have become enormous, and their
attention is less; but, if those who give in that way, were to
consider the injury they do the public, and of how little use it
is to those who receive it, they would certainly think such money
so squandered away, would have been better bestowed, if applied
to some public charity, or left for the poor of the parish.
"Increase of trade, and wealth, having produced an increase of
luxury, and made the necessaries of life more expensive, it is
proper that wages should be increased: but yet not beyond the
bounds of proportion; for it will be found in those manufacturing
occupations, in which labourers get the most money, they are the
most disorderly, continually combining together to leave their
work, unless their masters consent to increase their wages, and
which only proves a temporary compromise, till they have an
opportunity of making a further demand. On the contrary, where
less wages are given, we shall find the people more happy, and
contented, their wives more attended to, and their children
brought up with more religion, and better morals."--(_Times,
Sept. 5, 1794._)
* * * * *
"To the CONDUCTOR of the TIMES.
"Sir,--Various are the receipts for cheap puddings, and many
long, and useful, letters have appeared in your very excellent
paper, towards alleviating (as much as is in the power of every
Housekeeper) the scarcity, and dearness, of bread: by
substituting rice, and potatoes, in the room of pies, or flour
puddings: but there still exists an evil which I have not seen
spoken against, and which certainly occasions a very great
consumption of starch: I mean the general fashion which has
prevailed for some years, and does still, from the highest, to
the lowest, of wearing white dresses, which, upon a moderate
computation, for every individual, must consume at least double
the soap, and starch, than when coloured callicoes, silks, and
stuffs, were in fashion: Added to this, that every maid servant
(who, though she is perhaps not worth a second pair of shoes)
will wear her muslin handkerchiefs. I think it is the duty of
every good master, and mistress, to stop, as much as possible,
the present ridiculous, and extravagant, mode of dress in their
domestics. View, on a Sunday, a tradesman's family coming from
church, and you would be puzzled to distinguish the porter from
his master, or the maid from her mistress. Formerly a plaited
cap, and a white handkerchief, served a young woman three, or
four, Sundays. Now a mistress is required to give up, by
agreement, the latter end of the week for her maids to prepare
their caps, tuckers, gowns, &c., for Sunday, and, I am told,
there are houses open on purpose, where those servants who do not
choose their mistresses shall see them, carry their dresses in a
bundle, and put them on, meet again in the evening, for the
purpose of disrobing: and where, I doubt, many a poor, deluded,
creature, has been disrobed of her virtue. They certainly call
aloud for some restraint, both as to their dress, as well as
insolent manner. Tell a servant, now, in the mildest manner, they
have not done their work to please you, you are told to provide
for yourself, and, should you offer to speak again, they are
gone. Surely no set of people are more capable of rendering our
families comfortable, or the reverse, than domestic servants, nor
any set of people who feel the present dearness of provisions so
little. I look upon their exorbitant increase of wages, as
chiefly conducive to their impertinence: for, when they had five,
or six, pounds a year, a month being out of place, was severely
felt; but now their wages are doubled, they have, in a great
measure, lost their dependence: And what is this increase of
wages for? not in order to lay by a little, in case of sickness,
but to squander in dress. No young woman, now, can bear a strong
pair of leather shoes, but they must wear Spanish leather, and so
on in every article of dress. No wonder, then, that there should
be so many prostitutes, and so few good wives.
"By inserting these hints, as soon as you conveniently can, you
will much oblige,
_A Constant Reader_."
--(_Times, Dec. 25, 1795._)
* * * * *
"We trust that the measure, which was, last year, so laudably
attempted by the Brewers, Bakers, and Publicans, for the
abolishing Christmas-Boxes, will not only be continued by them,
but will also be followed up by the other trades, who have
hitherto been compelled, by custom, to continue a practice so
destructive to the lower orders of people."--(_Times, Dec. 17,
1794._)
* * * * *
Advt.--"CHRISTMAS BOXES.--The BUTCHERS, resident within the
Parish of HACKNEY, beg leave respectfully to inform their
Customers, and the Public, that, on account of the excessive high
price of Provisions, they find it impossible to continue the
practice of giving CHRISTMAS BOXES to the servants of their
customers, without sustaining, on the one hand, a deduction from
their profits, which the trade will not allow, or, on the other
hand, increasing their charges: they have, therefore, unanimously
resolved to discontinue the practice, in time to come, and hope
that their conduct, on this occasion, will not be deemed
improper, or disrespectful."--(_Times, Dec. 9, 1795._)
[Illustration: Sir George Young and Lady.]
[Illustration: Lord Amherst]
The following Advertisements, which are only a few out of many, shew
how common was the sale of Government appointments:--
"Place under Government. £2000 or £3000 or more will be presented
to any Gentleman, who has interest to procure for the Advertiser,
a Place in any of the Public Offices, of respectability, and an
adequate income. No Agent, or Broker, will be attended to.
Letters to be addressed &c., &c."--(_Times, March 13, 1793._)
* * * * *
"Place under Government. To be DISPOSED of, a Genteel Place under
Government: present Salary £100 a year, with the chance of
rising, and other advantages: the next rise will be a
considerable one.--Any Young Gentleman, who can command from 500£
to 1000£ will be treated with: and by addressing a line to A.
Batson's Coffee-house, with real name and place of abode, will be
informed of further particulars. N.B. No Brokers will be attended
to."--(_Times, April 15, 1793._)
* * * * *
"A PLACE under GOVERNMENT.