The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-19
FAMOUS MILITARY
 ORGANIZATIONS E gland Has One and America
 Two KNOWN THE WORLD OVER Curious Beginnings of Our Militia soI- diery-The Old Guard of the
 City of New York.
 shrdlu
KNOWN THE WORLD OVER

company of London, there stands among the list of members of this most ancient organization of it's kind the single name George" Yet for all the quaint simplicity of the name, George" was the captain general of the company, afterward King George II of England. It was indeed largely through the military training which he received at the Artillery garden that George was enabled to win the war of the Austrain Succession.
 But George" was not the only King or history maker enrolled in this an- cient artillery company. Then, as now, independent companies maintained by tn cir members and apart from the regu- lar army though serving with it when opportunity offered played an impor- tant part in the military organization. Corresponding to what in this country is now the National Guard or organ izations of veterans, the annals of his- tory show conspicuously the part played by these organizations.
 Of all as they exist today the Hon. ourable Artillery company of Londan is the oldest By royal decree, sealed with the Crete Seal" of England, the Fraternity of Saint George, or the Ar tillery Guild, now known as the Hon. ourable Artillery company, was duly Incorporated in 1537, or 370 years ago, only third of century after Column bus discovered America. The company served in various enga gements during the reign of Queen Bess but during the first years of the reign of James it seemed likely to die out. About 1915, however, it become popular, as the records have 1t. with "the better sort of citizens of the best means and quail ity" who had to be certified to as well to do and well affected toward relig- ion by his majesty and (another demo- cratic touch in keeping with "George'D by the board of aldermen. Never since then has the permanency of the organ ization been in doubt. At that time when the company assembled to drill "after the modern and best fashion" the Prince of Wales, afterward Charles l, was a regular attendant.
 Another Prince of Wales, who later became Charles IT., was formally en- rolled in the company in 164l, together with two other scons of the royal fam ily Under Cromwell the company was active: under Charles II it was looked upon with some distrust at court, and under James II it was still more frankly in royal disrepute. When George l made his public entry in TIA, however, the company was restored to high favor, re- ceiving from the new monarch 4oOo as a mark of his approval.
 Through the 18th century this organ ization continued it's drills, parades and banouets. Many famous professional SOL diers graduated from it's ranks. Dur ing the Napoleonic wars the Honourable Artillery played an important part in maintaining order in London when the regular army was on the continent. The aged George III frequently reviewed the corps. Tn 1916 and 1S19 the company was active in quelling the trouble arising rom the high taxes resulting from the wars with the Little Corporal.
 I,atterly the company has been called upon to uphold the military glory of the nation by effective parades when- ever foreign potentate visited London. In the Boer war. out of an available strength of 600 men, 300 members volun- teered. Such is the record of the oldest organization of it's kind in existence, ex- tending over nearly four centuries.
 In the new world the organizations most nearly resembling the Honourabe Artillery company of London are the Old Guard of the city of New York, and the Ancient and Honorable Artillery com pany of Massachusetts. or as it is more familiarity known, of Boston. While the latter is much older it is not so typically American as New Ork Olu 1udTu.
 Organized in 1888 the original charter of the Massachusetts organization was signed by Governor John Winthrop and Deputy Thomas Dudley and is still pre- served. It empowered certain specified persons to constitute themselves the Military Company of Massachusetts" Their uniform of buff coats, leather Jackets protected with steel plates, and n helmet with a scarlet plume was brighter than would naturally be expect ed in Puritan community.
 The years of special prosperity for the company began with the ascension of King William and at that time if a town meeting chanced to be appointed for drill day it could not be legally held. Three of the justices of the supreme court were artillery men and Chief Justice Sewall mentions that the court adjourned on &C., count of the artillery. From the members of this organization came nine of the .Mohawks," who in 1773 spilled, the tea into Boston harbor. It goes without say ing that the company served through the war of independence
 When the first militia law was framed for the United States, General Lincoln went to Mount Vernon to advocate it to Washington. At little meeting he presented his point and instanced the Ancient and Honorable Artillery company of Boston as the kind of association which every city should have. General Bog 1t of North Carolina asked with a sheer, 'Marry, who in hell commands this An cient and Honorable company" Your very humble servant" was Lincolns re- ply. Thereupon the introduction into the constitution of a provision for militia was { assured. Since that time the activities of the company have been various and honorable, features of It's existence now being it's annual feasts, parades and act ing as escorts to distinguished visitors Its relations with the Honourable Artillery company of London are cordial and close, thus linking together kindred organlza- tions in the old and new worlds.
 The Old Guard of the city of New York while of less ancient origin than either of the other two companies, Is unique in this particular-that it Is made up en- tirely of veterans who have seen active service Democracy equally with distinc- tion is a watchword in this organization, in whose ranks dozens of general and field officers have served and are serving today.
 Although not formally incorporated un- til 1S6S the Old Guard in it's component parts dates back to 1926, or well on to- ward a century. It's formation marked the first coalescence and final perman- ency of various troops which were iden- tined with the early history of the city. AS its name implies it was modelled after md its uniforms together with the bear skin shalSo, copied from the Old Guard of Napoleon, which "died but never sur rendered" It Is the oldest veteran organ