The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-08 00:00:00

TIIE•' ARMY.
-.-

The enthusiasm excited by the result of the battle of
Waterloo, is fresh in the recollection of the public. On
that occasion an order was hastily issued, that the pen-
sion granted to a Military Officer for a wound should
ravance with his elevation ; so that if he had been
wounded when an Ensign, and should live to become
a General, he would receive the pension of the higher
rank. If this arrangement were just to the wounded
Ensign, it must be unjust to the wounded General.—
Their merits are not on the same level. The stripling
Ensign, who, receiving his wound on the very first day
he unfurled his colours, and retiring from the service
grows old in idleness at his tire-side, has not equal claims
to the gratitude of his country with him who, at the
close of a long lite spent in her service, has risen to the
rank of a General, and received his wound in his come
mantl at the head of hisfrmy. The enormous expence
which this arrangement would necessary entail upon
the country was strongly urged by the Opposition in
the House of Commons ; and the boon was partly re-
voked, by an order that no Officer wounded after a given
dale should receive any pension but that of the rank in
which he received his wound. This remedy, however,
was not found satisfactory, and another order has just
been issued, stating, that all future augmentations of
pensions shall cease ; thus farther restraining the order
issued after the battle of Waterloo, granting advance of
pension with advance of rank.
CIRCULAR, No. 573.
War Office, Aug. 2.5, 1517.
4, Sin—Referring to my Circular I.etter, No. 362, dated the 30th
of June, 1517, I have the honour to acquaint you. that his Royal
Highness the Prince Regent, having taken into his further consider-
ation the Regulations concerning Pension granted for wounds, has
been phased, in the name and behalf of his Mine:ly, to order that,
from and after this date, no such Pension shall increase to any higher
rate, in conszquence of any future promotion of the Officer by wham
it i3nceired,-1 have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient hum-
ble servant, PALMERSTON."
The Officer commanding the Regiment•"

SOUTH AMERICAN ADVENTURERS.—The opinion of his
Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, ou certain recent
applications for leave of absence by several British officers,
has given rise to a very great misconception on the part of a
number of officers on ball pay. In the instances to which
we allnde, leave of absence for a considerable time from the
country, was requested by a number of officers on half pay ;
the answer to which, as we understand, was, that a leave of
absence for three years would be given to any officer on halt
pay, but only to the Continent of Europe, the West Indies,
Of North America. The silence which was observed in this
answer with regard to South America, (none having directly
solicited fur leave to go thither), was the cause of the general
ini.take—that his Royal Highness had nut directly prohibited
any officers from going thither and joining the Independent
Standard. This mistake is paw rectified. An officer, a
Captain of Engineers, made application, a short time back,
it the office of the Commander in Chief, for leave to join the
south American army for a limited (line. The answer con.
tained—what we hope will set this question with respect to
our officers at rest—not only a direct refusal, but also an ex-
pression of his Royal Highness the Commander in Chiefs
ttcme surprise and displeasure that any British officer should
have made such a proposal, and intimation, that should such
a request be repeated, the individual would do it at his own
peril.

The Prince Regent has presented to the Duke of
Wellington the colossal statue of Buonapartc, which
was lately sent from France to his Royal Highness.
The statue was executed by the celebrated sculptor
Canova, and intended to adorn some of the great pub-
lic works in progress in Paris, when the Ex-Emperor
was driven from the throne.. The Roman sculptor
bad b,:en munificently patronized by the Napoleon Fa-
mily ; and it is said, used the greatest exertions to
snake the work worthy of his own and his Patron's
fame. The statue, after the pare taste of the antique,
is but slightly draped, and is intended to convey tot
expression of great dignity and majesty. The attempt
is said to have been too during fitr the sculptor, who
excels beyond any other living artist in the expression
surYdelicate touches of poetical beauty, hut who is
• thought to have been unsuccessful in this hazardous
eight to rival the most exalted glories of Grecian art.
The work was not liked in Paris, and was hardly un-
packed ; it was even the subject of sharp criticisms in
Panne at the time of its execution. It has been just
vim Ned to Apsley Howe, Hyde Park-corner, the resi.
donee of the Duke of Wellington.
ERVPTION OF VESUVIUS.—An article from Na-
ples, dated July 20, says—" The int.sent eruptions
of Vesuvius arc astonishing_ Copper, iron, alkaline
acid, sulphur, sulphuric acid, chalk, and sometimes
ammoniac, form salts that are sometimes in a mass,
and sometimes divided. It is observed that copper
is very much mixed with volcanic matter ; quantities
of it are found among the different kinds of lava.
Vesuvius, which since the year 1813, has been more
or less in a state of commotion, has entirely covered
its former crater with a thick crust, over which the
new eruptions have thrown two little mountains, from
which come smoke, ashes, and vitrified stones. The
earth is covered with bits of transparent glass. This
Crll7t is so considerahh,, that if not propped up, the
sinking of etc matter composing it will produce. nn
. effect like that of the eruption which took place in the
time of Titus."