The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2B, 1839.

RECENT AUGMENTATION OF

THE ARMY.

The following circular letter was issued from the
Horse Guards on Tuesday. It refers, as our readers
will observe, to the recently fixed establishments of the
depot and service companies of infantry regiments of the
line (those established in Australia and the East Indies
excepted), since their late augmentation to 800 rank and
file. The whole complement of cominissioned officers
attached to each corps of this description consists of—
one colonel (always a general officer, and, consequently,
never present), one lieutenant-colonel two majors, ten
captains, twelve lieutenants, eight ensigns, one paymaster,
one adjutant, one quartermaster, one surgeon, and two
assistant-surgeons.

Their distribution is as follows:
FOR THE SERVICE COMPANIES ABROAD. —The
lieutenant-colonel, one major, six captains, eight lieute-
nants, four ensigns, the paymaster, the adjutant, the
quartermaster, the surgeon, and one assistant-surgeon.
FOR THE DEPOT COMPANIES AT HOME.—One
major, four captains, four lieutenants, four ensigns, and
one assistant-surgeon.
From the four Lieutenants two are selected to per-
form the duties of Depot Paymaster and of Depot Ad-
jutant. It sometimes happens that an Ensign is nomi-
nated for one or other of these appointments ; but this
is a circumstance of rare occurrence, and an alternative
which is had recourse to in cases of emergency only, as
it is an exception to established regulation. The De-
pot Paymaster generally retains that situation for a
period of three years, and the Depot Adjutant remains
in his for a term of two, but both are subject to be sent
abroad before the expiration of that time, if their turn
come round. The Major usually continues in command
for two years, and is then relieved by his brother Major,
who returns home from the service companies. A De-
pot Registry, or what is technically called a " Roster,"
is kept, which exhibits the progressive liability for fo-
reign service of every officer attached to the Depot, by
describing him in the monthly return as the first, second,
third, or fourth of his rank, as the case maybe, for co-
lonial duty. Those officers who have been longest at
home, or such as have never joined the head-quarters
of the regiments abroad, are of course the first on
the Roster for embarkation, and the others follow in
graduated succession according to their seniority of
standing on the Roster.
The subalterns of "'miner and Rifle corps are styled
first and second lieutenants, the latter of whom take
precedence in rank of cornets and ensigns. The fol-
lowing are the Fusilier Regiments :—The sth or Nor-
thumberland Fusiliers, the 7th Royal Fusiliers (in
which there are no second lieutenants, all the subal-
terns being lieutenants,) the 21st, or Royal North
British Fusiliers, the 23d, or Royal Welsh Fusileers,
and the 87th, or Royal Irish Fusiliers. The Rifle
Corps of the Line arc the 60th, or King's Royal
Rifle Regiment, and the Rifle Brigade.
The Scots Fusilier Guards is an exception to the
above rule ; the officers of that regiment enjoy superior
army rank to that which they hold in the corps in
common with the rest of the Infantry Household Brigade

(CIRCULAR.)

Horse Guards, Nov. 20th, 1839.

MEMORANDUM.—The following is to be the distri-
bution of the service and depot companies of the re-
giments of infan try serving on foreign stations, except-
ing those in the East Indies and New South Wales ;
and the General Commanding in Chief directs that the
numbera understated be considered as the establish-
ment of the respective portions of the regiments
abroad, and accounted for accordingly in the regimental
returns, viz.:—
Six Service Companies at 100 Rank and File cach.—(Goo
Rank and File.)
7 Staff Sergeants.
24 Sergeants, i. e. four per Company, including Colour-
Sergeants.
10 Drummers.
24 Corporals
576 Privates S- 600 Rank and File.
Four Depot Companies at 50 Rank and File each.—(2oo