been promoted in their turn in their regiments, or are to be promoted, for carrying home the accounts of victories; the only person respecting whose promotion I ever interested myself personally was that of Colin Campbell, which the Duke of York had promised him in consequence of his having brought home the accounts of two victories at the same time; and the difficulty which I experienced in obtaining his promotion, notwithstanding that promise, is a strong practical proof of the effects of the system to which I have adverted."

He had many reasons to complain of the want of spirit among the officers, and frequently did complain of their disposition to murmur and spread dismal tidings or forebodings. To Marshal Beresford, on the 8th September, 1810, he wrote of the officers in that respect:-"The croaking which already prevails in the army, and particularly about head-quarters, is disgraceful to us as a nation, and does infinite mischief to the cause.'

*

To the Ambassador at Lisbon, the Hon. Mr. Stuart, relative to the want of sympathy and support from the Portuguese Government, whose independence the British army was contending for against the French, he added," Indeed the temper of some of the officers of the British army gives me more concern than the folly of the Portuguese Government. There is a system of croaking in the army which is highly injurious to the public service, and which I must devise some means of putting an end to, or it will put an end Officers have a right to form their own opinions of events and transactions; but officers of high rank or situation ought to keep their opinions to themselves. If they do not approve of the system of operations of the commander, they ought to withdraw from the army; and this is the point to which I must bring some, if I do not find their own good sense prevents them from going on as they have done lately."

to us.

But the inferior officers were not the only gentlemen that were difficult to controi. To the military_secretary in London he wrote from Cartaxo on the 28th of January, 1811:-"I am much annoyed by the general and other officers of the army going home. They come to me to ask leave of absence, under pretence of business; at the same time I know that many of them have no business. At this moment we have seven general officers gone or going home; and, excepting myself, there is not one in the country who came out with the army, except General Alexander Campbell, and who was all last winter in England." And on British officers in general, without specifying their rank, Lord Wellington writes thus to the Earl of Liverpool, Secretary of State :"British officers require the control of authority, and that of no ordinary kind, to keep themselves in order and in a state of subordination."

And, it seems, the chaplains were not better disposed to good service than the other officers. Writing of chaplains from Cartaxo, he said:

66

Really we do not get respectable men for the service: I have one excellent young man, Mr. Briscall, who is attached to head-quarters, and who has never been one moment absent from his duty; but I have not yet seen another who has not applied and made a pitiable case for leave of absence immediately after his arrival." But even Mr. Briscall seems to have merited the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief by his activity in suppressing the forms of religion which grew up in the army in the absence of the chaplains. In the same despatch Lord Wellington wrote:-"It has come to my knowledge that Methodism is spreading very fast in the army. There are two, if not three, Methodist meetings in this town, of which one is in the Guards. The men meet in the evening and sing psalms; and, I believe, a sergeant (Stephens) now and then gives them a sermon. Mr. Briscall has his eye upon these trans

actions."

Nor was the Commissariat department, which was charged with the duty of feeding the troops, better officered than the departments of fighting and Divine service.

To Colonel Gordon, Commissary-in-Chief, Lord Wellington wrote, on the 19th December, 1810,-"My opinion agrees entirely with yours respecting the

expediency of preventing the offices in the Commissariat from becoming objects of Parliamentary patronage." But neither Lord Wellington, then complaining of the system of patronage at the Horse Guards, nor any one complaining of it since, has been able to check Parliamentary or family influence from disposing of military offices. Then, as now,-now, as then, the good places in the Government services are deemed to be the national emoluments of the powerful political families. And Major-General Napier, the historian of the Peninsular War, says that the war only succeeded in defiance of political corruption at home and the cold shade of the aristocracy. Nor was it among the officers of the army alone that merit gave way to political influence. According to the Duke of Wellington, on many occasions, and particularly on the 31st of March, 1811, in a despatch to Lord Liverpool, Secretary of State, there were political shoemakers, some of them related to the highest families in the kingdom, who obtained contracts to supply the army with cheap and bad shoes, too small for wear, but for which the soldiers had to pay a large price out of their daily pay.

Nor did the officers improve as the campaign proceeded. Lord Wellington, at the end of 1811, had as many general officers with "honourable" attached to their names, indicating their family rank, as he had of general officers without that distinction; but he complained of the want of "respectable" general officers. The officers of the medical departments were also complained of, especially the principal doctors. Writing of their leaving service, to the Military Secretary in London, on the 30th of October, 1811, he said, "I am very unlucky in this respect;" and he proceeded once more to complain of his principal officers, all who were then with him, excepting one, being Lords or gentlemen of distinguished birth. Excepting in the quarter-master-general's department, he said, "I have had two, in some instances three, different persons at the head of every department in the army. Here have been three officers second in command; and general officers commanding divisions, and brigades, and officers have been changed repeatedly."

To Lord Liverpool he wrote that, by letters intercepted from France, he had reason to believe that Bonaparte was coming to Spain to command the French in person. And the same day, writing to Sir William Beresford on the same subject, he says,-"You will see the despatches to Government. I have no doubt that, unless the design has been altered since the end of June or beginning of July, we shall have the Emperor in Spain, and hell to pay before much time elapses." And again," All that I am afraid of is this, that on some fine day I shall be found with this large army without the assistance that is necessary to conduct it. However, I must do my best."

From Portalegre he wrote to Colonel Torrens, Military Secretary,-" While preparations are making for an enterprise which I intend to try, as usual all the officers of the army want to go home,-some for their health, others on account of business, and others, I believe, for their pleasure."

But his difficulty was not alone with the Lords and gentlemen, who " as usual, wanted to go home when preparations were making for an enterprise which he intended to try."

On the 2nd December, 1811, in a despatch to the Military Secretary at the Horse Guards, London, he again alluded to the difficulty he had with the higher class of officers, and said "There are two" (commanding brigades)" with whom we could dispense with advantage,- -and- They are both respectable officers as commanders of regiments, but they are neither of them very fit to take charge of a large body. I understand that wishes to return home to unite himself with a lady of easy virtue; and has been very ill lately, and might be induced to go. I shall try if I can get them away in this manner, as I would not on any account, hurt the feelings of either."

The system which vexed Wellington in the field of active service has not been amended in the office of official repose. In future sections we shall see the corrupt expensiveness of our military staff, at home and abroad, demonstrated.

Meanwhile, if we glance at any military station, we see the unsoundness of the system now prevalent.

Looking to the staff in North America, we find the regiment of Grenadier Guards able to do duty in London, while three of its officers are with the Governor-General of Canada, several others being elsewhere, while the 20th Foot, reported to be a "crack regiment," and the Rifle Brigade, each furnish, for Canada (and others to be absent elsewhere). First, we have LieutenantColonel Bruce, brother of the Earl of Elgin, the Governor-General, who draws pay from the Grenadier Guards, shares in various allowances which fall to officers of his rank, and receives pay as military secretary in Canada; where, also, he has free quarters, a free table, forage for horses, allowance of servants, and a staff of clerks to do the real duties of secretaryship.

Second, the Honourable E. Lascelles, son of the Earl of Harewood, who draws pay, and other allowances, from the Grenadier Guards, and as aide-de-camp to the Earl of Elgin, with free quarters, forage for horses, allowance for servants, &c.

Third, the Hon. A. F. Egerton, son of the Earl of Ellesmere, who draws the pay of the Grenadier Guards, and as aide-de-camp to Lord Elgin, with free quarters, forage, servants, &c.

Fourth, Lord Mark Kerr, brother of the Marquis of Lothian, draws pay as captain from the 20th Foot, and as aide-de-camp to the Earl of Elgin, with free quarters, forage, servants, &c.

Fifth, the Earl of Errol draws pay as captain in the Rifles, and as aide-decamp to the Earl of Elgin, with all the usual allowances.

All these are young men who have had no opportunity of deserving to be thus rewarded, even if their inherent ability were of the highest order.

The pay of the Earl of Elgin, as Governor-General, is £7,000, with some additions, but it falls upon the colonial revenues.

Next, we have the Commander of the Forces in Canada, Sir Benjamin D'Urban, and his staff of four, three of whom are regimental officers, absent from their regiments. Sir Benjamin himself receives £9 9s. 6d. per day, being £3,458 7s. 6d. per annum as Commander of the Forces, £600 per annum as head colonel of the 51st Regiment of Foot, and £640 7s. 7d. as profits on clothing that regiment these profits being estimated according to the return made to the order of the House of Commons in 1844, none having been since made.

His military secretary is Captain Kirkland, of the 20th Foot, who draws pay and other allowances from that regiment; 19s. per day as secretary, with forage for horses, allowance for servants, house rent; five clerks, one at 12s. 6d., three at 10s. 8d. each, one at 7s. 9d. per day to assist him; and two other extra clerks, at 7s. and 6s. 8d. respectively, to assist the former clerks, with officekeepers, messengers, and various other assistants.

The first aide-de-camp is Major Talbot, of the 43rd Foot, who draws pay from that regiment, besides allowances; also pay as aid-de-camp, with keep of horses, servants, &c.

Second, Sir James E. Alexander, who draws pay from the 14th Foot, with allowances in addition; and pay as aid-de-camp, with keep of horses, servants, &c. Third, Captain V. Murray, who draws half-pay as a captain, and is paid out of the colonial fund.

Next, there is Sir John Harvey, who has £3,000 per annum as Governor of Nova Scotia, £500 as head colonel of the 39th Regiment, and from £600 to £700 per annum as profits on the clothing of that regiment, according to the returns of 1844.

His aid-de-camp is Lieutenant Harvey, of the 34th Foot, who draws pay from that regiment, though he does no duty with it; and pay with free quarters for himself, horses, servants, &c., at Halifax, as aide-de-camp.

There is also Lieutenant Gore, of the 71st Foot, drawing pay from that regiment, and pay as aide-de-camp to the Honourable C. Gore, a major-general in

Canada; and Major Moore, of the 82nd Foot, drawing pay from that regiment, and as aide-de-camp to Major-General W. Rowan, at Halifax.

There are, in North America, upwards of thirty other officers receiving double pay, and various emoluments for one set of duties.

And, turning to the staff at home, the same description of officers are employed.

Lord Fitzroy Somerset has £2,000 as secretary to the Commander-in-Chief; £300 a-year as pension for wounds; £600 a-year as colonel of the 53rd Regiment; and £835 15s. 7d. as profits on the clothes supplied by him to that corps, besides apartments and keep for horses and servants. The first aide-de-camp is the Honourable George Anson, receiving pay as a colonel and as aide-de-camp, with allowance for horses, servants, &c.

Second, Arthur Marquis of Douro, the eldest son of the Commander-in-Chief, draws half-pay as Lieutenant-Colonel unattached, and with horses, servants, &c., as aide-de camp.

Third, the Earl of March, son of the Duke of Richmond, drawing half-pay as a captain, and pay as aide-de-camp.

Fourth, the Marquis of Worcester, captain of the 7th Hussars, drawing pay as such, and as aide-de-camp, with allowance for horses, &e.

NOTE. In the first edition of this tract the amount of pay of the several officers was given according to their rank indicated by the Army register. In the case of those belonging to the Foot Guards, they hold a higher " army rank " than they draw pay for. The sums are omitted in this edition because they lead to misapprehension. The Association did not publish those items of pay as evidence of an excess of pay: they did so to show that regiments had more officers than enough; the proof being that from the regiments named (as from almost every other in the service) officers are absent for years together, and yet continue to draw regimental pay as if present.

This subject will be continued in the following Tracts.

FINANCIAL REFORM ASSOCIATION,

Liverpool, November, 1848.

FINANCIAL REFORM.

The Financial Reform Association was instituted in Liverpool, on the 20th of April, 1848, for the following

OBJECTS.

1st. To use all lawful and constitutional means of inducing the most rigid economy in the expenditure of the Government, consistent with due efficiency in the several departments in the public service.

2nd. To advocate the adoption of a simple and equitable system of direct taxation, fairly levied upon property and income, in lieu of the present unequal, complicated, and expensivey-collected duties upon commodities.

Political partisanship is distinctly disowned, the Association being composed of men of all political parties.

ROBERTSON GLADSTONE, Esq., President.

TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP.-Five Shillings per annum for the year ending 19th April, 1849. A Subscription of Ten Shillings and upwards will entitle Members to receive all the publications of the Association free by post.

The publications issued up to 1st December, 1848, are— -Reports of the Public Meetings of the Association, and Tracts Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

No. I. treats of the CIVIL LIST, of the augmentation of National Burdens since George I.; of her Majesty's Privy Purse, Household Salaries, Household Tradesmen's Bills, Bounties, and Charities; and also of the Departments of the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, the Master of the Horse, the Mistress of the Robes, and of all those idlers whom ages of custom have permitted to be fixed on the Royal establishment, eating up her Majesty's Royal income, and leading the public to believe that Royalty is more costly than it really is. No. II. treats of the PENSION LIST.

No. III. of TAXATION: its Amount and Sources; its Effect on the Physical Condition of the People; and on the Trade of the Country.

No. IV. on the ARMY EXPENDITURE.

No. V. on the ARMY, ORDNANCE, COMMISSARIAT, NAVY, and COLONIAL EXPENDITURE.

N.B.-Public Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month; the Council meets every Monday and Thursday; and the Secretary attends the Office daily. Sections of the Tracts, in printed slips, are forwarded once a week to nearly every newspaper in the Kingdom.

Post-office orders to be made payable to EDWARD BRODRIBB, Esq., Treasurer of the Association, North John-street, Liverpool.

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