The Sun.
London, England, 1810-10-13 00:00:00

LETTER TO THE C4:1.10'81;5 OF TIII: 13RITISH ARMY.

GENTL,ENtiN,
" With permission,. I 'have the heartfelt satis-.
faalion of introducing for tile consideration of my
brother Officers, the result of what has been the fa-
vourite companion of my thoughts • fur a length of
time. The nature of my object in pnlilishingthii
address,will, I trust, suffice, and warrant the iti•
irosion of tray laying it before you and. the Public.-7
Having entered the Army at an- early period, my
pursuits have been e,inicely military ; kthich must.be
my apology 'for any literary inaccuricy. 1, theretoie,
\vithoUt further cumnient enter upon the subject of
my letter. ‘.•
" It is evident; that with every desire on the part
of his Majesiy's Minister; to reward. the servants
91 the Nation,, the finataces of the County will not
admit of an .increase to the pay uf the OffiCeis of
• the. Army ; we Must conseniency turn our atteht ion
to the stibjea, and if by any- +A er. means can add to our
own conitut is, plain sense tells us those means
should be adored.
" 'Owing my service as Adjutant, anilaletwards
as Captain ot the Ist itegiinent of Life• Guards, with .
the concurrence of tie tart of Hairing,on, Colonel
of that lleginieni, I establistied a Fund -oy gei-ieral
subscriptuan, which has proved. not only.betieficiai
to ei,e su4ier, but io the s,rvice, Any private (a
member of chat estal4,iishmeni). being discharged, i.
entitled to an alioviance from that turd, as alt 'an-
nuity during'his lite, in addition to any suOsistence
be may draw unto Gov et-lament..
A piati ot a sinitlai tendency has occurred to me,
by tt hichthe veteran, theinfirtU, the ....,outidecl;
mutilated Officer 0t every rank, .may fl'aVe
in-
ter ofa lite spent iu his country's service.ruade.easy
and respectable. MAO' speculations that hate in the -
end proved of infinite 'use to matiktnd, have been at ,
first reluctantly-adopted. have oo part iculai
interest in recommending this plan to tray brOttier'•
Officers, being rtiOre than fifty y‘ars of age, and in
perfect' healih, the novelty Will, I trust, be impres-
sively considered, and with the eye of -impartiatty.
Those Officers that have served long, must -
often and. painfully .have xvitnessed the :difficulties,
mortitications, whit a variety of cal.,hilities too ire;
rinently attendant on veterans, wt►o, in the decline
ut lite, bitterly experience act:um:lw ed evils ; y&t a
certain delicacy so clings about them, and,tiseir %auti
are so icksome, they cannot nicer the. o. urld's eyes;
and many such have been victims to a. broken spirit.
Anxious in any degree to alleviate sufferings, I take
the freedom of au old Soluier to point out to the
Army at large enlivening prospects, and which, it
brought into action, c..unot tailbeing salutary to the.
service,
.and benetic:al to the man.
"The plan proposed is try- subscription, and will
fall so eality on the different ranks, that it will hard-
ly be telt ; and the prospect of certain belietit re-
sulting from it will cheer the heart, and. smooth the
rugged path of duty.
" The affluent nave two Mnt Ives to influence their
contribution—the first, the pleasing reflection that
they are conducing to the comfort of ltieir brethren
ril.; 4611)—i tie other, - the uncertainty ot human
tatiairs—whicii may reverse their crcianistances, ani
and.give them all interest,. The soldier of
fortune,•has every motive to be a subscriner—auei
,lain pi uspect of having the declining years of his
rendered comfortable and his appearance respectable.
On a lair calculation, the %buic shwriptiutt ot an
Officer, fioin his entrance into, until his rail% malt
from the serf ice, will. not exceed eighty pounds ;
and when we refleA that ior so small a sum, paid in
so gradual a manner as to lie almost unfelt, -the re-
. turn will be made with an aniazang increase at a time
when man most wants the itiduigehciesot life, so
plainly appears to his advantage, that I :mould Ana-
- gine there can hatdiji he. a dissentient • voice. 'The
infirm Officer, whose -constitution is bike by 10
--
reign service and a'pestilential clinate, the wounded
and the mutillited, have the consolatory reffection,'
thattium the tund they can asure.theinselves a com-
fortable and an honourable ietiiement—:an income
that will metier them independent, and enable them
to preserve their rank in society.
" It is a well-known tact, .that there are not
places sufficient in this or any Government, for the
reward of alt the old and gaitant.Otlieers. \vitt) have
served the State. Many 111051 retire on their half-
pay—a miseiable, a wretched s upend.' To in-
crease this stipend.is the object. of_ the proposed in-.

stitntion.
"1 do not conceive' it necessary that an Officer,
having served his ,number of years wild arrived at
tint age that will entitle him to ciaim an advantage
frOtn the:proposed fund, should be obiiged to retire
trout the service, or that this ouglit to be an addi-
tional reason fur his doing s r ; on the i:untr.iry,i it
capable, it is his duty; and ought to be his
still to draw his sword in the scryke of his country;
but he will be enablei to claim such an addition to
his full pay froin the fund As will make his ctreurn-
stances comfortable. Tire soldier of fortune enter-
ing the service will'have this always in view, and it
will be to• him a peculiarly pleasing reflection, that
whenever he may be disabled and incapable of ser-
vice, there will ts.v iit't►iu► a substantial subsistence.
When we Caleulate iww rapidly the prices ut .every
article of life have risen «ithut the last twelve years,
we have wore forcible motives to induce us to pro-
vide for the titnelb.t:Ornel and when we reflect that ;
even at the present quothent 'the•stipends of many,
infinitely our •interiors 'rank in society, frequently
'exceed theltill'pay Oldie subalterns in the army, can
I urge a more substantial plea ?
" Should this plan succeed to the most desirable •

* This 'Gentleman lost his right hand ina gallant action, at
the 4.0t1e of falavera, as we stated alter that memora-
ble victory. •