CO885-(1-2) — Page 12

Afloat for relief at

Ceylon

2

81

G

Whence it results that there will be--

18 battalions in America whose depots at home consist of 139

rank and file each.

-

19 battalions on other foreign stations, of which II are serving in the West Indies whose depots at home consist of 160 rank and file each.

16 battalions remaining, whose depots at home consist of 260

rank and file each.

1 must here remark to your Lordship that, as the augmentation to the establishment of the several regiments abroad, as above alluded to, has rendered it necessary to prepare for embarkation, and to embark, no less than 1,360 men, all taken from the effective men of the several depots, the home force has consequently become proportionably weakened by that number of duty men.

The total numbers added to the whole army is stated in your Lordship's letter of the 21st December to be 4,960 rank and file; and if from these be deducted 1,360 now being embarked for the several stations as above shown, and 400 to be recruited for the five regiments in Australia, and which cannot he appropriated for any other service, the actual addition of rank and file to the force at home will not exceed 3,200; and as all of these are to be recruited, at the most favourable rate of 1,000 men a month, they cannot be raised before the month of April, nor be fit for duty before July; while the 1,360 sent away are all effective duty men.

Having thus sketched, as briefly as may be, an outline of the arrangements made under your Lordship's instructions, it now becomes my duty to lay before you a statement showing the effective strength of all the military force under my orders in the United Kingdom, according to the Establishment of the army estimates for 1838.

The Cavalry consists of—

TOTAL.

Men. Horses. Men. Horses.

3 Regiments of the Household Brigade, each 404 274 17 Regiments of Cavalry, each

1,212

335

283

822 5,695 4,811

114 90 99 77

114 .99

90 77

2 Depots, viz.

1st Dragoon Guards

7th Hussars

Total, 7,120 5,800

Deduct from these the remount untrained, and the sick, which may be estimated at one-sixth; and also the horses of the non-commissioned officers, trumpeters, farriers-about thirty-five per regiment-there will remain about 5,241 mounted privates, including the usual proportion of sick, &c., of which 1,221 are in Ireland.

The Infantry consists of--

12 Complete Regiments, each of the establishment of 739 rank and file,

in Ireland.

10 Complete Regiments, each of 739 rank and file, in Great Britain.

GREAT BRITAIN.

.7 Depots, each of 139 Rank and File.

7

The whole efficiency of our military system has unquestionably been hitherto mainly preserved through the instrumentality of these depots.

Our force abroad has been kept effective, the service at home has been well performed, the constant severe pressure of distant colonial service upon officers and men has been in some degree relieved. The sudden, unexpected, and extensive demands for reinforcements in British North America, has been rapidly and most effectually met; and all the extra- ordinary contingencies arising out of our distant colonial service, have been supplied by the regular and effective working of this system; and thus, by means of these depots, the army has heen enabled to extend its comparatively small means, and to do that duty which, without such an arrangement, must have required a much larger and more expen- sive establishment.

It will no doubt be obvious to your Lordship, that if the state of public affairs in British North America and of our other foreign possessions shall continue to require the amount of force now stationed in them, the present establishment of our depots respec- tively, as above shown, of 139 and 180 rank and file, will not be sufficient for the several purposes for which they were wisely intended; and, looking back to the numerous plans under which the English army has from time to time been organized, there does not occur to me any which could be advantageously substituted in its stead.

In this view of the whole system of our military affairs, and in the understanding always that no early diminution is to be expected from our force abroad, particularly from North America, I would take leave to suggest for your Lordship's consideration that an augmentation should be made to our depots generally; so as to augment the establishment of each regiment of infantry to 839 rank and file; but, under any circumstances, to the depots of such of our regiments whose service companies have been augmented to 359 and 600 rank and file.

If each of these depots were to be raised to the same number as the others, and thus all the depots placed upon the same establishment of 260 rank and file, the whole of the While. augmentation would amount to no more than 3,698 rank and file; and which, not requiring any additional officer, could be easily reduced, and within a short period of time.

if the augmentation be carried to the extent of my first suggestion of making each battalion 839, by adding 100 rank and file to each battalion (exclusively of the regiments in India, and which must depend upon the Court of Directors,) the addition would amount to 8,300 rank and file; a number not too great for the urgent demands made upon our force under the present circumstances of the country.

I will now conclude by observing that the regiment of Scots Fusileer Guards being the only regiment of Foot Guards which has not been augmented, and consequently remaining less than the other regiments by 128 rank and file, it would be of essential assistance to our military arrangements if the strength of this regiment of Guards could be so raised as to enable them to resume their proper station in the Tower duties, by which measure one battalion of the line now in the Tower would be at liberty for other service. I have, &c.

To Lord Glenelg.

No. 5.

(Signed)

HILL.

i

12

G

of 180.

of 260.

IRELAND.

11 Depots, each of 139 Rank and File.

7 12

of 180. of 260,

From the returns now before me, it appears than the annual average return of casualties for the years 1836 and 1837 from the whole of the service companies then abroad may be estimated as follows, including dead, discharged, deserted, and invalided. viz.:-

British North America

West Indies

Jamaica

Cape

St. Helena. Gibraltar

9 Battalions 449

9 do.

529

6 clo. 397

-1

du.

142

1

do.

15

6 do. 182

and these must be supplied from those depots whose establishments do not exceed 139 and 180 rank and file, and are consequently the least able to afford it. It is evident, therefore, that if they can be found adequate to maintain their service companies complete, it is the utmost that can be expected from them; while for their other equally necessary duties of auding the force upon the home service, they will be rendered altogether ineffective.

It is therefore to this important branch of our establishment that I am very desirous o draw your Lordship's especial attention upon the present occasion.

i:

My Lord,

Lord Howick to Lord Glenely.

War Office, January 24, 1889. I HAVE had the honor of receiving your Lordship's letter of the 12th instant, inclosing a copy of a letter addressed to you by the General Commanding-in-Chief, and requesting to be furnished with "any observations which, in the event of an increase of the army being necessary, I may have to make on the mode in which it is proposed that such increase should be effected." I have also received your Lordship's letter of the 10th instant, in which you inform me that Lord Hill, in reference to the recent change in the garrison of St. Helena, has suggested that "the duties of that garrison might well be performed by three companios of Veterans, in like manner as Newfoundland, and with the further advantage that these companies may be in part composed of men invalided from India.

I have given my best consideration to these communications, as well as to the general state of the army at this time, and I will now proceed to offer your Lordship the remarks which have been thus suggested to me.

In the first place I have to observe that it does not appear either by Lord Hill's present letter to your Lordship, or by his previous confidential memorandum of the 17th November last, that his Lordship apprehends any danger from the insufficiency of the force which, by the arrangements adopted by Her Majesty's Government, will be avail- The General Commanding- able for the protection of the empire at home and abroad. in-Chief, feeling probably that the amount of force to be maintained at home and abroad

was a political question to be determined by your Lordship and by the Government, has confined his observations (if I correctly apprehend their object) to the difficulty which will be experienced in executing the instructions he has received by keeping in an effective state, both the garrisons which have been allotted to the several foreign posses- sions of the Crown, and the force which is to be retained in this country. The state-

ま

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON,

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