The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-15 00:00:00

RELIEF OF TROOPS ABROAD.

IO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR—The attention of the public press has been
lately directed to the petty squabbles of a frippery regi-
ment of Dragoons, while the interests of that part of
the Army, one which comprises the very " pith and
marrow" of the service, is comparatively neglected. I
allude to the Infantry of the Line, by whose exertions,
combined with those of our gallant Navy, England has
acquired a far more extensive dominion than the Ro-
mans ever possessed even the zenith of their power.
The press, Sir, owes something to the Army of England,
but for whose devoted gallantry you, Sir, would be at
this moment subject to a censorship, such as Napoleon
established over the press of France.

The gross acts of injustice and favouritism daily prac-
ticed towards this branch of the Army, is engendering
a vast degree of discontent, and unless it is put a stop
to, may lead to consequences which it is fearful to
think of.

Among the many causes of complaint, the allotment
of foreign stations is a most fruitful one, and the late
order for the embarkation of the. 22d Regiment has
created the most unbounded disgust among military
men. A Correspondent of the Tinges, has attempted to
justify this arrangement, but his defence has been a
most impotent ani lame one.

No regiment, Sir, would complain of being sent
abroad, even out of their turn if the exigencies of the
service required it ; but they do complain that there are
certain regiments who monopolize the good stations,
while others are as sure to go to the bad ones. It is
in excuse for this injustice to the 22d, that it was the
first for foreign service ; hut, Sir, all who know any-
tiling of the subject, agree that they became the first by
one of the most flagrant acts of jobbery that was ever
practised.
When it became evident, from the cloudy state of af-
fairs in India, that a reinforcement would be required,
and when it so happened that four of the corps, which
the Army generally denominate " Pets," stood first for
for foreign service, i. c. the 7th, 88th, 42d, and 79th,
neither of which have ever served either in the East or
West Indies, the two first were immediately sent off
to the Mediterranean, and at the moment when a
peremptory order from the Secretary of State ar-
rived for a force to be sent to India, the 42d were at
Cork, under orders fOr Gibraltar. Now Sir, the most
obvious means of obeying the call was to embark them
for India, but this arrangement would not suit the con-
venience of the " Pets," so they were, as if in mockery
of the wants of India, hurried off to their original des-
tination.

It may also be said that men were wanted also for the
Mediterranean : to this I answer, that this could nut have
been the case, as the 79th Regiment had at that time
formed their depot, and were ralready for that station ;
but they are at this moment at home, so that it waa as
evident as the sun at noon day, that the plan was to
get the 42t1 out of England as fast as possib ie, to secure
them from a twenty years' Indian tour.
Now, Sir, mark by what a glaring departure from all
decency, was the 4th Regiment on the list saved from
India. When the requisition for troops arrived, the
Rifle Brigade (another of the pets by the by) were abmit
embarking for Malta, and a small detachment, consisting
of 100 men, were hurried up per railway, from Manches-
ter to Deptford, and embarked in the same transports
with the Rifles, a thing I should tell you never done
before, as when a regiment goes abroad the head quar-
ters always are the first to go, 100 men could not have
any effect on the affairs of the Mediterranean, as is
evident from what I have said of the 79th, who were
then, and still are, in readiness for that station. But it
was necessary to say that the 79th were not available
for India, as they had embarked for another station,
and they have been cunningly so returned in the Mili-
tary Papers, while the head quarters have actually until
the last week, been snug at Weedon, consisting of 700
men ; and even the convenint detachment of 100, have
only sailed within tire last ten days.
Now, Sir, is not this enough to excite the disgust of
every man in the kingdom who has the welfare of the
State at heart? for believe me, that if the Army be-
comes discontented the State will stand on a sandy
foundation.
Lord Hill has the character of being a good man at
heart, but he has also the character of yielding too
much to men who have introduced and fostered a sys-
tem of partiality and favoritism, which is the curse of
our Army. He has served his country well in the field,
but it is possible that he may find the fatigues of office
too great for him ; the mind will give way with an in-
crease of years. We are told that even " Marlborough
died a driveller."

HECTOR COUNTERSCARP

[We have been obliged to curtail very considerably
the letter of " Hector Counterscarp," on account of its
ffreat length and personal allusions to certain authori-
ties at the Horse Guards.]

DESTRUCTION OF THE SALMON FISIIERY.—
On Wednesday last the conservators of the Severn ap-
pointcd for this city (Messrs. Hood and Flinn) exhibited
ly..fore the sitting Magistrate at the Guildhall (Mr. Side.
bottom) the heads and spawn of two salmon, which were
a few days since caught in the Severn, near Gloucester.
The ()Ito of the conservators in producing the above was
to show the great mischief which was occasioned by taking
this fish out of teason, which practice is now being carried
On, especially at Gloucester, to a very cor_siderable ex-
tent, there salmon was recently sold at 6d, per lb., while
the same species of fish in season often fetches 3s. 6d. per
b. there. The two fish in question contained slbs of
spawn; the one having 3Albs., the other IA-lbs. This
quantity of spawn would, it is calculated, have produced
:28,000 fish ! Here we have brought to our own doors
further proofs of the extent of the injury which is con-
stantly bring inflicted upon the fisheries; thus curtailing
the means of su'mistence of the honest fishermen, many of
whom in this city are unable to obtain employment. We
th It in the Terre true!, •,4.
carvic,l on, to wl,kll the at.tcaL 7. ,
• ai,ecte3, and we _
shall soon hear more from these active edict:re.— Worces-
ter Chronicle.