CO885-(1-2) — Page 75

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Extract from Colonel Tulloch's Memorandum.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

BY the recent organization of the pensioners in this country, the services of 13,000 men, whose average age does not exceed 46, have been obtained, for an expense not exceeding that of a single battalion per- manently kept up.

Ten or twelve days' exercise in the course of the year has been found quite sufficient to enable these old soldiers to manceuvre with sufficient precision for all military purposes; and as the drill seldom extends beyond mid-day, so short a period of absence has not been found to interfere materially with their employment, while the rate of pay for these days, being nearly double that which they have been accustomed to receive in the line, induces them to serve cheerfully. The annexed return of this force shows how extensively it is spread over the country, and that, should any emergency occur which would suddenly call away a large proportion of the regular army, there would be sufficient at least to pre- serve the peace, and carry on such duty as was absolutely necessary in their respective districts, till the Government could make arrangements for an addition to the regular army, to relieve them.

The power which the Government possesses, of suspending the pen- sions of these men for misconduct, has hitherto been found quite sufficient to check all tendency to crime and insubordination when on duty; and though when so employed they are liable to the provisions of the Mutiny Act, it has not been necessary in any one instance to resort to it. A few slight fines, the whole not averaging 5s. or 108, in each district, have enforced order and discipline; and any serious offence has been sufficiently punished by expulsion from the corps.

That men who have been discharged the army as unfit, should still be capable of forming so useful a force, will not excite surprise, when it is borne in mind that the oldest soldiers who come on the pension-list after completing the full period of service, rarely exceeds 40, while many down to the age of 30, and even under it, have been discharged for dis- eases contracted in tropical climates, which under the influence of the reduced temperature of this country speedily disappear. The annexed return of the ages of pensioners in Ireland, which may be taken as a fair average of the whole kingdom, will show how considerable a portion there must be of that class.

By the annexed return of the pensioners paid in each of the colonies marked B, it will be seen that in none of them is there at present a suffi- cient number to be available for a local force of any importance, except in North America; but there can be little doubt, were proper encourage- ment held out to those who are of proper age and constitution to settle in healthy colonies, where they could be located under officers competent to direct them in the management of their land, and whose duty it would be to pay and superintend them, that thousands would gladly avail them- selves of the offer; and that too of a class whom it has been found very difficult to bring into the organization of the force in this country, viz., those pensioners who have no other occupation but agricultural labour.

The difficulty which these men have to contend with in earning a livelihood among the over-crowded population of this country is exceed- ingly great; and yet a large proportion of the pensioners, having learned no trade or occupation, are obliged to resort to agricultural labour, as the only means they have of adding to their pensions; and wherever they are possessed of sufficient capital to build a cottage, and obtain two or three acres of land, they are almost invariably found industrious, well- conducted, and in comfortable circumstances,-more so, indeed, than those employed in manufacturing towns, on double the nominal income.

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