Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-03-16

! His Royal Hlghness then passed TWO
years more at Geneva, without any fur
Their Increase of income. He was ar
enthusiast to the profession of a soldier,
ar which he was destined from early
life. With the rank Of Colonel, he
commanded the 9TH fuzileers, which
formed part of the garrison Of GibraI
| tar under Gen. O'Hara. in 1890 and
1871, some time before the breaking
nut of the Revolutionary War with
France. In that subordinate militsry
station, his Royal Highness soon be-
came remark able for the diligent dis
charge of his own duties, and exacting
similar punctuality from every man
and officer under him. His attention
to the appearance and dicipiihe of his
regiment was altogether exemplary and
unremitting. But in his progress to-
wards this end he encountered much
detraction, considerable obloquy, and
some resistance. Complaints were
made, which injured his character at
home and mutinies were prepared by
the troops, which threatened his authO-
rity, and more than once endangered
his person. From Gibraltar his Royal
Hiehness was removed to Canada in
1871, thence to Halifax, Nova Scotia,
and again to Canada, where, as COM
mander of the forces, he acquired uni
versal esteem for the justice and inte-
gritty of his demeanour. During this
service in British America he received
orders to sail for the West Indies, and
join in the attack on the French Islands
under Sir Charles Grey.
On the expedition the impetuous bra
very Of his Royal Highness was mani
tested at st. Lucie, with too little con-
sideration for his own safety, and too
much disregard for the enemy's posi-
ton. The troops were repulsed; but
the Duke OF Kent's high personal cour-
age obtained him the applauses of the
soldiers, and a fiattcring rebuke from
the Commander in Chief. The next
theatre of his Royal Highness's public
life was Gibraltar, the scene of h' ear
lest military service. His Royal High
ness was appointed Governor of that
important garrison. A mass of abuses
here waited his correcting hand. The
establishment Of Wine houses for the
sale of liquors to the troops, had been
encouraged from shameful motives in
those Who had the means Of suppressng
them, to an extent not more subyersive
of the health, discipline, and morals Of
the garrison, than perilous to the safety
of the place itself. The Royal Duke,
attentive only to the welfare of the COM
munity of which he was the head, AID
scornng the vicious though vast emoIu
ments which some of his predecessors
had derived from the sale Of licences
for that illegal and ruinous traffic, re.
solved to cleanse the Augean stable,
ard to sweep away the Accumulation Of
many years. The yirtuous attempt vas
made but it recoiled upon It's author.
1t is true that the wine-house licences
we're withdrawn that the peaceable IN
habitamts of Gibraltar could Carry on
their business, and walk the streets, q
repose within their dwellings, at less
risk of Insult, outrage, or robbery than
before that drunkenness disappeared
among the regiments that cleanliness
and discipline were restored. Willie mi
litary punishments we're reduced in fire
qucncy, the hospitals, emptied of their
numerous inmates, and the sexton dis
appointed of his daily work. But We
turn TO other consequences. The Ii, :
quor-merchants were forced to dscon-
tnue their enormous profit, and insti-
gated the unrefecting soldiery to ven
geance for the loss of those indulSen-
cies which devoured their pay and des-
troyed their health. INSTRUMENTATION
broke out on all sides the reforming
Governor was not supported by the To-
Cal authorities and he was sacrificed
by those nearer home. The iliustlious
subject of this memoir, after receiving
the grateful and unanimous acknow-
Judgements of the civil population of
Gibraltar, was recalled from post in
which his efforts for the public good
were neither appreciated nor defended
as they ought to have been ; and his Of
fetal services were since confined to
the command Of the 1st regiment of
foot an D,yoI Cnotc which h;o RounP