AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE PROCEEDINGS RESPECTING THE

Armed Association

OF THE

INHABITANTS of the TOWN and NEIGHBOURHOOD

OF

Kingston-upon-Hull.

A numerous and respectable Meeting of the Merchants, Ship-Owners, and other Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood, held at the Guild-Hall, on the 13th of February, 1798, puruant to public advertisement,

HENRY MAISTER, Efq. in the Chair;

IT WAS RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY,

“ That at the prefent crifs, when the Enemy threaten to invade this Country for the avowed purpose of annihilating our Conftitution
“ and Commerce, it is expedient that the Merchants, Ship-Owners, and other Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood do affociate
“ for the purpofe of learning the ufe of Arms, more effectually to enable them to affift the Magitfrates in fupport of Civil Society, and
“ for the Defence of the Town, in cafe the Military ſhould be ordered away, to oppofe the landing or refift the progreſs of the Enemy.

“ That Mr. Simon Horner, jun. Mr. Benjamin Pead, Mr. Thomas Lundit, Mr. Richard Moxon, Mr. Hugh Blaydes, Mr. Edward Fother Coulfon, Mr. Henry Maiſter, jun. Mr. William Jarratt, Mr. John Brooke, Mr. Thomas Froſt, and Mr. John Boyer, or any fix of them, do form a Committee to draw up the Rules and arrange the future proceedings of the Affociation.

“ That the Rules and Arrangements to be prepared by the Committee be laid before the Merchants, Ship-Owners, and other Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood at another General Meeting to be called for that purpofe.

“ HENRY MAISTER, Chairman.”

Previously to proceeding further in the bufineſs, the Committee tranſmitted Copies of the above Refolutions to his Grace the Duke of Portland, his Majeſtly's principal Secretary of State for the Home Department, and to his Grace the Duke of Leeds, the Lord Lieutenant of the Eaſt-Riding, requeſting to know the ſentiments of Government on the ſubject.

Agreeably to the ſecond Refolution of the above Meeting, the Committee prepared Rules, (a Copy of which is annexed) and laid the fame before a General Meeting of the Inhabitants held at the Guild-Hall on the 26th of February laſt, convened for that purpofe by public advertisement, when the fame were unanimously approved of and ſigned.

It was alſo reſolued that the Rules ſhould be publifhed in the Hull Newſpapers, and printed Copies diſtributed in the Town and Neighbourhood on receipt of the approbation of Government.

Since which a Letter has been received from his Grace the Duke of Leeds, addreſſed to Richard Moxon, Efq. Chairman of the Committee, of which the following is Copy :

“ St. James's--square, Feb. 26, 1798.

“ SIR,

“ I have the ſatistaction to inform you that I have this morning received a Letter from the Duke of Portland, informing me of the high ſenſe his Majeſtly entertains of the zeal and loyalty manifested by the Gentlemen of Hull, and his moſt gracious approbation of their forming the Association propoſed by them.

“ I have the honor to be,

“ SIR,

“ Your very faithful, humble ſervant.

“ LEEDS.”

( 3 )

RULES.

We whose Names are underwritten, do agree to the following Rules and Regulations of an Association
to be called

*The Hull Armed Association.*

1. We agree not to receive any pay, not to be subject or amenable to Martial Law, nor to be liable to march out of the town of Hull except into the Lordship of Myton, Sculcoates, Sutton and Drypool, without the consent of a majority of a Meeting to be called for that purpose.

2. That the Members of the Association be divided into Companies of thirty Men each, and that each Company shall elect from among themfelves, by ballot, one Person to act as Captain, and another as Lieutenant, for the term of fix Calendar Months, at the expiration of which there shall be a new election of the fame, or fome other Perfons in the Company, in like manner to act as Captain and Lieutenant for the term of fix Calendar Months.

3. That fuch number of Serjeants and Corporals ſhall be appointed by ballot to each Company, as may hereafter be thought neceffary.

4. We agree that each of us ſhall, at his own expence, provide himself with a Uniform, confiting of a double breasted dark blue Coat with a black collar and yellow Buttons, with the cypher H. A. A. a white Waifcoat, a pair of blue Pantaloons, a pair of half Boots or black Gaiters, and a round Hat with a black Feather, a brown barrelled Muſket and ſide Arms of fuch lengths as may hereafter be determined, and a black Belt, with other proper Accoutrements.

5. That as regularity in discipline is of the utmost conſequnce in Affociations of this nature, we agree to obey our Officers and every Officer his ſuperior Officer when on duty or at Exercife, in the fame manner as if the Association were called into actual ſervice, and in order to obtain a knowledge in the Use of Arms, we agree to attend twice a week during the firſt Month, after the Affociation ſhall have begun to exercife, once a Week during the ſecond Month, and once a Month afterwards, at ſuch place, and for ſuch length of time at each Meeting, as the Commanding Officer for the time being ſhall appoint.

6. That as punſuality is eſſentially neceſſary in the ſteforection of this undertaking, we agree punſually to attend, dreffed, armed and accoutred as deſcribed in the 4th Rule, at the place and time appointed for the purpofe of exerciſing, or in default thereof, we agree to pay into the public Stock 2s. 6d. for each time of negleſt, except when prevented from attending by Illneſs or being at a greater diſtance than ten Miles from Hull.

7. That all incidental Expences relating to this Association, ſhall be defrayed out of the common Stock of the Association, and in cafe the fame ſhould prove inſufficient for that purpose, that each Member will pay an equal proportion of the deficiency.

8. That all reaſonable Economy ſhall be obſerved in every thing relating to the Association, and the better to promote the fame we agree that there ſhall be no Meetings of the Association for any convivial purpofes.