The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-04-04 00:00:00

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toe leave to observe, shortly, upon incongruity
of the argil 9,--nts which ate usuallyAPPanced in op-
risr•irei fir what I have row the honour to Ovine.
In the first p'ac- then, I maintain. that if the term of
life he es tenltally necessary for the service, the con-
ditinos on which 'Iwo: I on,olWpi entered into it,
son-t necessarily destroy their eWlwatter as soldiers,
sWiich I fancy is rather moes than the gentlemen
adverse to the present proposition would be dispo-ed
to admit My opioion, howevor, as well as that of
others, more entitled to attention, is, that the dif-
ference of charater between the militia and the re-
go ars, by no means depends upon this circum-
stance. flat the limitation of set vice to a term of
years, would artraa great numbers to it, who are
now deterred by the apprehensions of passing their
lives in the unva: yin scene, stands, I think, upon
prin.iples so safe, so sure, and so unanswerable,
that nothing can obviate them. lam quite aware
that it may be aegued, on the other side, that corps
fur life are raised upon terms as cheap as those for a
limited term ; but so it is through the whole of the
present system ; for we all know, that there are se-
veral corps of one tletert,ntioit, raised upon very dif-
ferent terms. The argument, indeed, if good for
any thimr, would, like the former ohjeaion, prove
too much, And run into even an absurdity; because
the inference from it would be, that there were
meet in this country so strangely constituted, that
they like five gineas just as well as they do ten.
T.•e fact. I believe, is. that all this depends, is
a guest measure, upon circumstances ; such as
the ihflaence of indiridu ilss the means taken to
attract the recruits ; and the situation in wl,kh
they may be at the time of their enlistieg.—
It is by no means fair to seppgse. Sir, that any men
like five guineas so well as they do ten; but it is cer-
tainly a fan that we know is thoroughly and per-
Sealy c,tabluhel, that one man, from the effe,*s of
intoxication, uneasiness of mind, or worldly distress,
will sronetirms ire induced to take five guineas,
when, by better management. he might have ob-
tained tee. fur the same ident•cal service, whether it
be for life or for limited sere:ce ; so it mry Ise said.
there are some descriptions of men who would pre-
fer an enlistment for life, to one for a term of years,
or limited service; but these are what ought to be
set down as extraordinary or act iderral o:cmrences ;
and I think it cannot fairly be argued, but that
the general principle of mankind is otherwise,
sad that the generality of men would infinitely
prefer the lots r to the former; and it this be so, are
must. by this meo 01, if adapted. procure a far
greater props rtion of men, in point of numbers.
than we do now by the MethOds We pratlise ; and. I
think. there can b:: virr: little doubt, that we may
be abla to recruit and fill our armies, commensurate
eo the wants of the State. If I pause on the übjec-
si-ns that have been (-Erred to this plan, it is not on
aereoint of the force of those objedinns, but entirely
from the magnitude of the simirti. I am, Sir,
naturally led to form these inferences and &due.
Sons, from wh we see ia the services of all the
other States of Europe. Do we see in those, that
the same charoeler does not prevail as governs the
men Cal' own Army and Navy ?Is there any real
or essential difference more among them, than there
is anal; ourselves; and, differing u use do, in our
customs, our habits, and moaners, as English, Irish,
'Ad ecntch, is• it to be supposed, that under the
same military prafticr, and subjeft to the same re.
gala:ions, with reaped to the terns of service, we
should aft materially otherwise, than we Ste other
nations do. If we are to trace it by do•ery, or
principle, I am. Sir, at a loss how to proceed.
The discipline of an army is always the same ; and.
it is absurd to suppose, that should not happen in
theory. which is invariably and indisputably proved
true, in profile.. I now come, Sit, to another pro-
minent leetUle, which will serve to put this argu-
ment in the strongest point of view. I mean, Sir,
ear Indian Army; and, I ask Gentlemen. was not
this an army in high estimation ? I have conversed
with marry Gentlemen, who were very conversant
with it, and whose opinions have always been al-
lowed its carry with them the most unquestionable
authority, and they have it:l agreed in saying, that
no army could possibly be in a better state of dis-
cipline, nor was composed of better soldiers; and
)et that army was altogether raised by enlistments
• for lim,tsd service. So tar, Sir, as I can trace it
Irons principle, or them?. I am persuaded, from
every conaiticratirin I have been able to give it,
there is not the smallest apprehension to be enter-
tamed, its ace< unt of these obj,ltions. On the
contrary, f conceive it still open a great addi-
tional source of rectuiting our armies, especially
when ward and assisted by the addition of
rewards, by way of stimulus to aft well, and
by the adoption of a discipline different to that
is new in use. I mean, here, Sir, to all-
lode to corporal punishments ; which I owe it may,
perhaps, be impossible to abolish altogether ; hut
which may be so modified and moderated, that in a
colose of time they would be but little known; and
the army would receive alm this further benefit.
that this combination would elicit, of getting a dif-
ferent and better description of men than have hi-
therto been used to enlist ; for when the people see.
than by entering into the army they are no longer
Slaves for life ; but that, in a certain number of
years they may return to the bosom of their fami-
lies with certain rewards for their past services, and
when they see that corporal punishments were not
infle2 d. except for very considerable negleffs, or
ill behaviour. I should not despair of seeing the
most essential benefits accruing to the witty, both
in the increase of its numbers, and the excellence
and discipline of the men who composed its ranks.
, here is another very material and important head,
sir, which I may as well mention here, as in any
other place. and that is the cited of desertion—
(Mow I fear j It has been said, that a fifth is lost
by that means ; tsar, Sir, I have been informed,
from very good authority, there is more than a
fifth; that out of 13,0,0 there is 2,800. This im-
mense loss has been, in a great measure, owing to
04 vicious system that has so long prevailed ; and
I have the greatest reason to belie, e, that the altera-
tions I bore before alluded to. combined with other
regulations. which will naturally occur, when the
su Lora cumes to be more fully considered in detail,
and many others which will sitiginase with, and lw
improved by, the /metal and other afizers of the
arn.y ; 1 say. Sir, I have the strongest reason to
tudiscve. that th 2 • :altogether' will tend greatly to
Umbel: Loa i Inuring due chief
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incitements to fittettion, end thereby taking away
a most enormous drain from its numbers, and sav-
ing an almost incredible sum in its annual erpences.
Another rifle/Con has been made, Sir, on acznunt
of the difficulties it wosild create with respeft to
foreign and colonial service ; and there will not be
persons wanting to say, that, in the adoption of a
measure of this sort, the advantages would be
very distant. This, Sir, may, however, be reduced
into a very narrow compass. I would give, Sir,
additional allowances, and additional advantages,
to colonial services ; which will so far narrow the
oblation, as that the value of the measure cannot
for a moment he denied ; though perhaps it may
be said, that it will not operate for years to came;
yet I think I shall chew presently, that its opera.
tion will be much more speedy and effetlual, than
those who, at present, maintain the objalinn.
have any idea el If an objation be made to the
distance, then it will be fair to ground the orpi-
ment on the most distant of our possessions, which
is India. There we shall find, that our Indian ar-
my has always been enlisted for a term of years,
and no inconvenience has ever been found to flow
from that particular mode, so different from our ge-
neral army of the line. It has been said, I know,
that the India Company did not keep their faith
with the soldiers of that army; but I know the
contrary to be the fait ; and I can venture to assert,
from the very best authority, that so far from be-
ing guilty of any breach of faith, they have been
most scrupulously exaft in keeping it ; and that
from the moment the soldiers of that army have re-
ceived their discharge, in consequence of their term
of service being at an end, the Company provided
then. with comfortable dwellings and provisions,
till an opportunity offered of sending them home ;
and then they were always sent back in the Com-
pany's own ships, which it was known to every man
was the best conveyance, for so great a distance,
that the whole world could produce. Among the
remedies to some of the objections which have been
raised against this measure, is that of putting the
men into second battalions. What, say they, will
you do with the men whose time is near expit jog?
The answer is ready and obvious—put them into
the woad battalions. One oblation is, the
immense eapildhus the country will be put to in
renewing the bounties, and this might be of
some weight, if the bounties were intended to
remain the same as are given at present. It
will, however, be necellated, that I mentioned
those bounties as forming one of the most faulty
aid vicious parts of the present system. It will not
he possible to get rid, all at once, of what has so long
been engrafted as it were, by degrees, into the mode
of raising recruits for the army ; but, Sir, according
to the plan I have laid down, the utmost attention
will be given, and every means devised and adopted,
iii order to lessen them by degrees, and so to remove.
in time, the force of that objalion. It has also
been said, Sir, that if you enlist men for eight years,
you lose an eighth of your army when the term of
their enlistment erpires ; and so of seven years, you
lose a seventh ; but those who argue thus, forget, at
the same time, that men are apt to die—that the
army is in a continual habit of being recruited to
fill up the vacancies which have faecal-red by deaths,
either in the field of battle, or from the course of
nature, or casualties; sod that even, according to
the nicest and most accurate calculations, seven years
is the given period, beyond which, not any man,
whether a soldimal or not, may be supposed to
live. They forget that many men in the East
and %Vest Indies, when their time of service expires,
enter again for some other term, without ever
dreaming of coming home for the sake of entering
into any iegimant at home; for the question would
be, whether they 'hould .serve there, or not serve
at all? In short, Sir, I 'am convinced, that the
number of men lost by the termination of the time
of their service, will be leis than what we shall gain,
in the first instance, by this alteration in the mode
of raising them; and I temeraber, Sir, a remarkable
' circumstance which occurted some few years aeo,
where several men, whet were discharged in the East
Indies, in consequence of the term of their service
being at an end, took their passage from thence, and
proceeded on their way home as far as St. Helena,
when, considering there the chance they ran of not
getting into regiments they would like se well as
their own, or not being able to live in a way of
life se agreeable to them as that of the army, return-
ed back again to the East Indies, and joined the re-
giments they bad so recently left. One season, Sir,
why I bring forward the present plan. at this parti-
cular moment is, that the recess is approaching. I
propose it shall be printed, and, during that time,
every Gentleman will have an opportunity of ma-
tutely considering it ; and, by that means, be able
to suggest such improvements as he thinks it may
be capable of. I shall now, Sir, proceed to take
notice of another oblation to the measure of limited
service, which is, that it would set up a competition
between regiments. which, being near the time of
their service expiring, would endeavour to get each
other's men, and so create ill-blood among one ano-
ther. I cannot, however, agree in this mode of ar-
gument, nor do I suppose that the officers of differ-
ent regiments would think of interfering with each
other in so delicate a point as that of inveigling
away each other's men. But, Sir, there is an easy
remedy for this supposed inconvenience, by enaßing
that, if a man went out of his own regiment into
another, that he should lose part of his time; that is,
that, for the term of seven years, he should lose two
or three years and a half; and, if the man had
such a preference of one regiment to another, that
he would give up such a portion of his time of
service, let him have it. He obtains what he
so much desires, and the public gain his service.
for such a length of time. It is very well known, Sir,
what a great effect severe discipline has on deser-
tion. Instead of adhering so strictly to that, I
would propose to give rewards for good behaviour ;
and the forfeiting of certain advantages in time of
service, and other circumstances, for instances of
oil behaviour ; t%,s will go a great way to prevent
that enormous drain froin oar armies. caused by
desertion. Men may desert from various reasons ;
same because they are disgusted with the corporal
punishments infitcled at result; others beciause they
derive great advantages from deserting ; but to say
that the greatest part do not desert from despair,
on accour: of use severity of discipliae, is to
argue contrary to nature ; and it is an absurd argu-
,, meat to say. that men enter into the army only for

the gratification of the moment, end therefore they
may be expeCted to desert ; hut trough I think it
a weak mode of reasoning, it is one of the eels() i;
why I would prefer the new mode of enlisting then,
because, as I before observed, I think it skill be a
certain mean of obtaining a better description
of persons to fill the ranks of the army ; and, as
such, cannot fail of being 01 the most es.ential ad-
vantage to its discipline and its energy. 1 can ea-
sily suppose it natural and likely for young persons
to speculate on the advantages they see their uncle
Tom derive, from being settled at home, in a com-
fortable situation, after having served the period for
which he enlisted, and received the rewards due for
his good behaviour ; when they witnessed the general
esteem-lte was held in, it would naturally create
and raise in them a desire to emulate the con-
duet of a relative they respe6ed ; who perhaps
would raise in them a sort of enthusiasm for
a military life, by a recital of the battles he had
fought, in which our troops were crowned with
vomit st ; and the various scenes of chequered life
through which he had passed. I think there cannot
Sir, be a doubt of the beneficial effects of this mate-
rial alteration in our present military system. As to
the period, Sir, it may be for a longer or shorter
term, as the House shall deem ben ; for my own
part, I would advise it to be fixed at seven years, as
combining that sort of attraCtion to which men are
generally used in the different situations they hold
in life, it being the same as they hold possession
under leases, and procure the advantage of trades
by apprenticeships, and as compromising also be-
tween the shorter and the longer. With resod! to
the rewards, I would propose, that after the first
seven years, the man who has served it, shall possess
no further advantages than the militia-man, which
is the right of being discharged (except the ptivi.
lege appertaining to the army, of setting up a trade
in a place where he is not a freeman, and other
small advantages, which all soldiers, when dis-
charged from the army, enjoy). In the second pe-
riod, I would propose a small increase of pay, not
such as to injure the service, either from the increase
of expence, or from making the pay too much, some '
such trifle as 6.1. a-week, and at the end of the period
to be entitled to a discharge. In the third period, a
further increase of pay. I mean, Sir, in what I am
now proposing, to confine myself to the Infantry.
For the Cavalry, I would propose the term of ten,
six, and five years 9. as it is well known that Cavalry
require more time than Infantry to bring them to a
state of dtscipline,and those of the Artillery, perhaps,
still more than all. At the eud of the second period.
I would propose to give a pension for life to the
=an, however young he may be, and however strong
and undiminished the powers he may posses, he will
Ise more valuable in going back to the community,
whether he should have the pension, or serve in a
• , or an old regiment. In the third period, I
would propose an increase in his pay of Is. per week;
and, at tee end of the twenty-one years, he shall
be a free man altogether, going off with the highest
Allowance of Chelsea, that to be raised much higher
than it is at present, and shall be liable to no further
call of service,bet live comfortably and quietly among
his friends and telatives, without tieing liable to any
call for garrison duty, or any other whatsoever ; and
if in that case he carries off with him a sound and
hide constitution, so much the better for the commu-
nity to which he is to return as a member. 'I here is,
I Sir, one observation I have forgot to make, respel-
-1 ing the Colonial Service, which is, that I propose to
put it in the power of the Commanding Officers of
Regiments to prolong the period of service for
months only, and at the end of that time to send him
home in th4tame manner as the India Company send
home their troops, at the es pence of the Government.
—.These, S?r, are the principal changes I shall
propose in the conditions of the soldiers ; there are
unquestionably many others which do nest admit of
a legislative provision, but only of military reo.,u-
lation, and which cannot be enteusted to better or
abler hands than those of the illustrious personage
at present at the head of the army ; and many
more which I forbear to touch upon at present, oil
they can be stated in detail, as settled by the Go-
vernment. There is one circumstance more, Sir,
I wish particularly to press on the attention and
consideration of the House, as truly important, and
in my opinion highly necessary far the benefit
and advancement of the service—l mean. Sir, an
increase of the allowance to Otfi.re.s' vi ; a
small addition has already been mad,, hut the
whole is so small, that h is in fadt a heart-breaking
pittance, and absolutely requiring a further
in-
crease. These, and other advantages, I think may
be added, sa as to create a stimulus that cannot
fail to be highly useful to the interests of the army.
Having stated thus much, Sir, merely as an out-
line of the plan, wtiiilh may he filled up, .d I,l,tuon,
according to the varions ingestions of every Hon.
Member who may have any thing to offer by way
of addition or improvement, I shall here leave this
part of the subjeCt. An Hon. Friend of mine. Sir,
has just reminded me, that the question might he
asked--. What vem.ll.l you do with the army now in
being t To which I mid, anew, Noshing. I
will leave it just as it is. Men entering into a future
service, on different terms to what have been custom-
ary, or to what have been entered into by those
who compose the present army, can have no effect
on those who have previously entered upon other
terms. The same thing has beets done in former
periods, in various 'instances, for which it is
only necessary to cite the cases of the Army of
Reserve, and those men who entered for bounties,
and for a limited service, during the American
war ; this made no sort of difference with resra to
the bulk of the army that was enlisted tor life.—
The Chelsea increase of pay, I would propose to
take place instantly, at 6d. 9d. and Is. per week, as
the service cannot fail to derive great advantage from
men seeing they are immediately to receive an in-
crease of pay ; and I propose that it shall be given
immediately, in the same proportion, to those of the
present army who have already served seven years,
as those who are yet to enter shall receive at the end
of the first seven years of their service; the same in-
crease to those who have served 14 years, and so on
to et, as is proposed to be given to those who shall
hereafter enter for the new and limited service of
seven years; and in so doing you extend all the
same advantages to the present army, without
the smallest alteration in any of its military re-
gulations, or the term for which it is enlisted.—
I shall now, Sir, go on to the second great branch

of the army; and here the grand t,
answered is, What *.an you do with that parr 0
thepppal ttion of a country, which is ❑„t in ran•
of an army The example of Amerii.a, of any ntb„
extensive conntrv, in which the inhabitants have ►e,.,.
attacked, and have from their client alone bceu ea.
abled to make themselves soldiers by praftice,
fore the enemy cottid obtain achy decisive advonale
over them, cannot hold good, when compared wit'
a country comprieing so n.tr.nw a space• as tbi,
does. It will certainly be right in us to get fina,
the population All the strength we can by posit,•
bait); derive front it ; lest unfortunately we hare
adopted a system the very reverse of this, and now
it only remains for us to make the most we can
the situation in which we at pregiet rand. The
first point we have to consider is, how we cos
advantageously employ this population in defence
of the country, without injuring the regular army%
In attempting to ,hew how I conceive thii may he
dune, I do not know that I can better state it, than
by declaring my sentiments as they stand now en
the subjeet, contrasted with what they were cnie
time ago. In the year 1803 I conceived the crier
try to be in a state of great and teal claiieer,
which we might be said to be itrpii, ;,tit not
I was of opinion we might have done then,
fear we cannot tin now, though I think notni
more they'd he done. I have been represented
an enemy to the Volunteer system ; hut Bose w:.,
called me so, or thfiught ate so. have either•
taken or rai•►epresented my sentiments ; for the
force I would recommend, is the most voluntary
that can well be conceived. It ts, and has alwitys
been my wish and desiie, that all the men in tl,is
country, capable of bearing arms, should he taught
by the shortest and simplest methods possible to
defend themselves. by Offi.-ers of Cie regular
army, who sbotsld be appointed for that ;14.
pose, and who should be conveyed through the
medium of the mails, and other simd.o ctn..
veyances, to every part of the kingdom, near%
adjoining to s' here they are respeftwely quar-
tered, Wu) should attend the several muster
of Close who ,'could in each distria, or parish, se-
lunzarily meet for the purpose of learning the meet
arms, and enabling themselves t defend their lives,
property, families, and liberties, ia short, every thing
that can he sacred and d tar ti man, from the met-
cilevs rapacity :and sate destruftion of an invading
and inveterate foe. In was always my wish, that this
immense mass and description of persons, forming
the great bulk of the pop elation of the country,
should, by associations Arun% themselves, and by
holding out rewards to the beet shot, and varitait
ether incentives to emulation, stimulate th•esr neigh.
boors to arm them-elvet at their own esp-nce ; and
being provided with officers by the Cover:me:4
for the purpose, make themselves tech a force, u
though not able to_stand against a regular well-cis-
ciplined army a moment, in a regular engagement,
might be able to act in such a manner, as to COlVl-
nuAlly harrass and distress an invading army, by
constantly and unremittingly attacking them ; and
by taking advarnage of their superior knowledge of
the country, rendering it impossible for such as
invader to make a progress with any degree rf
speed and celerity ; which would, on all ncca►inta
enable oar own regular army to attack or opeose
them with the greaten advantage ; this would hare
been a good tor Ce. as far all it went., and oosid
have been raised wit',out throwing any considerable
check or interruption to the speedy recruiting of the
Regular Army. Another course had, however,
been pursued, and the whole country was thrown
into different corps. Volunteers had been horned
on a mistaken principle by e Government, bat
were in no respell to blame themselves, I base
not the smallest doubt hut they were aftuated by the
purest, most honourable, and most patriotic motives.
They sail, we are ready to defend our country;
here we are, do with us as yon please ; we Mil de
vote all the time we can possibly spare to learn the
use of arms, and submit in your superior judgment
to decide on toe mode in which we can best Us
instrafted. I think, then re, Government misled
them. Whether the idea led to the institution. a
the institution to the. sunrequent idea, I know not;
bat it was certainly very erroneous, to suNaose they
could be brought to att as a resular army, an.l to
take the field with an army ailing in a rertlar way;
was ceriainly truly chimerical, and a plan by
which the country might have been wined ; !ut
by which it was certain, at all eyries, of be.. .g
much more injured than it could ever he benefited.
It would have been Impossible they could es er Ease
at9ed with a regular arn.y. because, being nth :led
in the manner they are, the regular A-my elver
could place that implicit confidence in them, *hies
is absnlutely necessary to make one spy. is s of trni•Pl
all efreflually with others eif a diferent ne
Volunteers might be well trainrcl : they 171;n:g
good soldiers; they might positively know ;3-n:-
selves to he so, but then it was also necessars- t!, at
the Commanders of the regular runty shoull
equally sensible of this also :

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If ever we attempt to d.► thi►, and put t*--7"
to aft with tLe Regular Army, I fear the fan
of the country must he decided and il,e evctl
would not with any thing more favourable to their
•iews and purposes, the conqu-st of the conwrl
It would operate in the same way as the defence"
long lines, which only serve in weaken )au.ivns
want of sufficient force to defend these•. It 'I::
enemy were going into affirm, and knew that rue
Ranks were covered by old regiment►, such as 1:i"
118th, the Vdd, dcc. they %entail] be extiernely
sinus how they sated ; but if they knew thee "11/
covered by Volunteers, they would iaru;edia ell
exert themselvei, without fear or dread. to 14111
our Ranks, and to throw the whole army iato
fticion. The quesuon crimes then to this—Aie the
Volunteers fir to he used in that way 1 1 nail fu!
opinitin is. tl.at they are nor. I do ant mean by
this, to say they are useless ; on the ariotrarl•
I ttiir it they are a useful, a respaable, and a rat.
hndy ,11 men, it they acre properly trained rya
disciplined, which 1 contend tt.ey never yet sa
b-en ; they might, under an exfsmicnced eyenerat b.:
of esset,tial svvice, c.n particular occasions;
they were tense put on permanent duty, the toll
once they would have in locking up the ►t"
ing for the Regular Army. would mire than c •
ter'Lltanee the advantages that might is c"
respefks result tern employing them. The °Fe-

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