CO885(1-2) — Page 70

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

L.TT:TTTC.O.

Wudului...

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE

BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

6

ploying corps of this kind out of the colony in which they were permanently quartered. In war, for instance, a corps of this sort formed in Canada might be marched to any part of North America; or a corps in Jamaica might form part of an expedition against the United States. The employment of corps of this de- scription in our colonies would be a means of considerable economy, by the saving it would effect in the expense of providing, even in the present imperfect manner, for the relief of troops serving in the colonies; and it would be of great political advantage by causing a continual influx of a population of British origin and attached to the mother country, which, in Lower Canada, the Mauritius, and the Cape more especially, would be of great importance. The success, however, of this measure would greatly depend upon freely allowing men who have obtained good-conduct marks to enter into these corps after short periods of service. To this commanding officers of regiments would I fear be strongly opposed, but I am convinced the objection is a most mistaken one. doubt it is a great loss to regiments to be de- prived of their very best soldiers in the flower of their age, but this loss would be far more than compensated by the effect which I have no doubt would be produced in rendering the military service more popular than it has hitherto been, and thus inducing a superior class of men to enter into it. I anticipate that the measure would have this effect, because in the first place it would diminish so greatly the pressure of our colonial service upon regiments of the line; and in the next place, because it would increase the rewards held out to well- conducted soldiers, since, as I have already observed, admission into one of the colonial corps would be considered one of the greatest boons that could be granted.

No

II. The revision of our whole system of colonial garrisons would not, however, of itself do much towards accomplishing that increase

M.

7

of our military strength which I consider the safety of the empire to require. For this pur- pose other measures must be adopted, of which, I think, the basis must be to create a large reserve force not always employed, and there- fore not receiving constant daily pay, but always in readiness to be called out at the shortest notice. This, also, has already to some extent been accomplished by the organi- sation of the pensioners under Colonel Tulloch. Thirteen thousand of the pensioners of our army have been formed into a force, of which the cost does not exceed that of a single battalion of the line in constant service. These men receive an annual gratuity of 17. to provide themselves with necessaries; they are regularly assembled for inspection and exercise eight days in the year, when their pay is 28. a-day for the privates, 2s. 6d. for the corporals, and 3s. for the sergeants, and they are at any time liable to be called out, when wanted, receiving 6d. a-day more than the above rates. Arms and clothing are provided for them, but are retained in the public custody, except when actually in use. It is found that men who have formerly been regularly trained as soldiers, though in some cases it is many years since they have had a musket in their hands, when again called out recover with surprising rapi. dity whatever they may have lost of what they have formerly known; and that the eight days in a year allowed for exercise and inspection, are amply sufficient to keep them in a state of efficiency. It was, I understand, admitted by the officers who were present, that the battalions of pensioners a few weeks since inspected in Hyde Park, were a highly efficient force. I would therefore propose greatly to augment the force of this description; instead of having 13,000 men liable to be called upon to serve when wanted, think the number ought to be increased by degreɩ 3, but as rapidly as might be practicable, so that eventually we might, if possible, have available 100,000 men of this description at home, in addition to a very con-

Page 70Page 71

i