finds himself just as much in his element, as a live salmon would be while floundering on Salisbury Plain; he is among persons, of whose names he never heard before; with whose habits he is unacquainted, and who, in a great measure, consider him as an exotic intruder-an invader of their peculiar province. Thence arise feuds, contentions, courts-martial, military heresy, schism, and memorials without end to Your Royal Highness, on the part of the exotics, praying to be removed to a regiment in which they can live; thence does it proceed that, since the establishment of royal veteran battalions, Your Royal Highness has had more trouble with each one of them, than with a dozen regiments of the line.

The superb cavalry of England is greatly worthy of notice, and the institution of two or three mounted regiments to be officered by gentlemen not over-rich, but such as had never been serjeants, corporals, or trumpeters in the army, is a desideratum in the service, which would tend infinitely to its advantage, and add, in an extraordinary manner, to the comforts of Of ficers who have spent their best days in fighting the battles of the country, and in securing to Britons the continuation of every social and political blessing. Those regiments would prove excellent and ready substitutes for the more regular cavalry, in case of any popular ebullition, to which all free states are more or less liable; they would be no strangers to their duty, and, when placed upon the retired list, as a remuneration for their faithful services, they would, with grateful hearts, exclaim, speaking of your Royal Highness," what a godlike man is this! to him do we owe our comforts and our ease!"

8th December, 1812.

"Deus nobis hæc otia fecit."

A VETERAN.

REGIMENTAL MEDICINE, AND TRAVELLING EXPENCES TO WITNESSES ATTENDING COURTS-MARTIAL, &c.

IT is a prevailing opinion, that a British Officer, who falls sick, while with his regiment, or who has been, more or less, dangerously wounded in action, is not intitled to resort to the regimental medicine-chest for the drugs, which may be necessary to effect a cure, nor to apply to the talents of the regimental surgeons without paying for both, though there be not a word in the articles of war susceptible of being tortured into that sense. If a military surgeon, however, be questioned on that subject, his answer will be generally equivocal, or rather of no meaning at all.

"THE MI

It would be a desideratum, that such an important work as LITARY PANORAMA," should have, among its Correspondents, a gentleman well-versed in the interior economy of a regiment; a kind of JudgeMartial, capable of expounding military questions; an Oracle ever at hand, and ready to solve difficulties, and unravel knotty points. Might not, for instance, his decision relative to the above case, be solicited for the general good, and the matter thas be for ever put to rest?

The following strange case came to the knowledge of the writer of this article; it will prove meanness in the extreme on one part, if the existence

of the abuse can be made to appear; and, on the other part, it will exhibit an instance of infamy, which never had a precedent, except, perhaps, in Buonaparte's Legion of Honour.

An officer, at his own solicitation, was to be tried. Conscious that an officer, serving in another regiment, had it in his power completely to invalidate the leading charge, on which all the others hinged, as on a pivot ; he caused him to be subponed on his trial, perfectly at his ease respecting the result. The important day came, when an over-officious friend of the prosecutor's whispered the following words, at least in substance, to the officer, as he was about taking the oath" Recollect, Government only pays the travelling expences of those who give evidence in behalf of the prosecution." This hint operated as the head of Medusa; it petrified the travelling witness, and of course hardened his conscience. The evidence he gave was diametrically the reverse of that which he had previously determined to give. The writer is not physically sure that he received the wages of prostituted honour, though he has learned there is nothing more certain; but he knows that the guiltless officer lost his commission in consequence of the infamous evidence which his former friend had delivered, as taken down by the acting Deputy Judge-Advocate !—

Is it possible that Government can countenance such a palpable dereliction of principle and of justice? What then is become of the famed British axiom-" Every man is reputed innocent until his guilt be proved?" If any advantage be intended, is it not more congenial with the British character to bestow it on the more helpless side? This question is well worth an explicit

answer.

What is the difference between being "cashiered" and being" dismissed” the army? Answer the above-" Eteris mihi magnus Apollo.”

THE BAD ACCOMMODATION of soldiers BILLETTED ON INNS.

HOW happens it, Mr. Editor, that our British Soldiers are uniformly treated with great disrespect in their own country, and that, on the Continent, nay, in the enemy's territory, the same men are universally liked by foreigners, and said by them to be the best kind of people in the world,mild, gentle, and inoffensive with the disarmed? In effect, there is nothing so dismal as to see how our soldiers and non-commissioned are received and treated at the inns, at which they are billeted on a march. They are looked upon by the landlord and his imperious, ignorant wife, with the most pointed contempt; the meal, which is scantily prepared for them, and for which they dearly pay, is of the worst kind, and dressed in the worst manner: the bed, in which they are to sleep,-nolentes, volentes,—is an antidote against rest,-so filthy and so hard; and the room is seldom so good as where the hens are sentenced to roost; but the looks, with which they are favoured by BONIFACE and his wife, are such as beggar all description, repulsive, uninviting, forbidding." Tip us a smile, sweet landlady," said a

Shigo Militia-man the other day to his hostess," and charge the novelty in the bill to-morrow." The British Soldier, though not unfriendly to a good hot dinner and its accompanyments, will always prefer decent behaviour towards him to the most comfortable meal. If our English inn-keepers were a little accustomed to have French, Austrian, or Cossack troops billetted upou them, they would soon act differently, and deeply regret the absence of their civilized countrymen; for, when our soldiers are compared with those who constitute the belligerent armies, they are as the lamb and the tiger, the dove and the hawk, the protector and the despoiler.

Now this is a subject which is deserving of parliamentary investigation, and which demands the interference of a certain Chipinporridge Baronet, who is ever dwelling on the hardships and deprivations of our military defenders; who thinks that " Magna Charta” is rent to pieces if a disorderly soldier receives the punishment due to his insubordination,—and if, in order to keep up an efficient army formed to beat our enemies in every quarter, a severe, but just discipline is maintained in our military system; yes, it would prove a praise-worthy and a salutary act to provide for all the comforts with which a British Soldier should be accommodated on a march, and the inn-keepers found to have been deficient in any part of the duty which he owes to the men billetted upon him, and for which he is but too well paid, should not only be liable to, but receive the chastisement to which his delinquency intitles him,-to be fined, for instance, or ultimately to be deprived of his licence. On more mature consideration, however, the Westminster-Knight, who is deservedly considered a parliamentary Marplot, is not of sufficient consequence in the senate to be intrusted with the defence and interest of our soldiery, as he is so notorious for having introduced complaints before parliament, which, primâ facia, were pronounced unfounded, frivolous, and vexatious; but let such a man as "MR. SHERIDAN," the steady friend of England and of her rights,—the orator, in whose bosom glows the hallowed flame of well-ordered liberty,—the advocate of the injured; let a SHERIDAN revolve this question in his mind, and urge it with a portion of his astonishing powers in the grand council of the nation, and our soldiers will soon experience the excellent effects of his pre-eminent interference.

AN OLD SOLDIER.

LETTERS OF INSTRUCTION TO OFFICERS, CIVIL AND MILITARY, GOING OUT TO LISBON, OR ON FOREIGN SERVICE.

[Continued from page 369.]

LETTER VII.

Off the Lizard, May 4, 1812.

BEING at this moment sailing with a fair wind and smooth sea, although about half-way between Ushant and Cape Finistere, and enjoying all the advantages of a well-regulated society; I cannot resist a wish to describe the source from which we derive these comforts, for the advantage of all who may hereafter find themselves in a similar situation.

Our party consists of officers, surgeons, and commissaries. By a mutual inclination to accommodate each other, the four and twenty hours are so regulated that every thing passes as in a family:-we rise at seven,-breakfast at eight,— dine at two,-drink tea at six,-sup at nine, and retire to bed at ten. A time is allowed for washing out the cabin, and arranging the births,—and, although we have two separate messes, yet the general anxiety for mutual accommodation prevents that confusion which would otherwise occur. Cards, back-gammon, and books amuse us alternately, and as the two former are confined to very small stakes, there is nothing but an adverse wind and bad weather that can obstruct our harmony.

I subjoin a scale of ship allowances, &c. and a list of such articles of provisions it seems necessary an individual should take on board.

Sea stock for one person, calculating the voyage at fourteen days, exclusive of the ship allowance :-fresh meat 10lb. 3 couple of fowls, 1lb. of tea, 4lb. of sugar, 3 gallons of potatoes. In regard to wine and liquors, as the ship's allowance of spirits is ample, any provision of that quality must be left to choice. Annexed is the ship's allowance; it being understood that officers draw exactly the same allowance as the private soldiers.

The above articles are in general good of their kind. I recommend a supply of soda water and chocolate to be laid in.

The candles they allow on board for the officers are twelve to the lb. but they are generally broken and filthy; as for candlestick, unless the passengers have one, an old bottle must be the substitute. One inch of candle per night is all that is allowed for each passenger to drink his tea, eat his supper, and turn into his birth,this requires no comment. I will give you a further idea of the liberality with which unfortunate passengers are treated.

Our master, like many other boisterous bullying heroes, is a married man,-and as the lady rules the roast, her commands, when she is present, are indisputable. We have on board three surgeons and two commissaries, and, neither of them having a man-servant, they were much inconvenienced; this, I conceive, was a

matter of delight to the woman, and, when parting from her literally better half, she strictly and clamorously enjoined his two cabin boys, on no account whatever to do any one thing for the cabin passengers." But the boisterous Son of the Elements did fortunately consider, that as she was not present, there existed no immediate necessity for obeying her orders, and having some faint sparks of humanity in his composition, winked at the little claims now and then made on the good temper of the boys; indeed I will do the man the justice to say, and I am supported by the general sentiment of those on board, that the woman seems to have taken with her the greatest share of the family ferocity. But I must observe that the Officers of government can possess but little feeling, when in giving gentlemen an order for a passage in a transport they launch them into a situation uncomfortable, cheerless, disgusting, and totally dependent on the rough and savage urbanity of a master of a transport,—a fellow who unfortunately has it in his power to make every thing uncomfortable, and who certainly never loses sight of that power. The man who is master of this ship, for instance, was civilly solicited by the senior officer in the cabin, on account of a lady being one of the passengers, to lend a couple of flags or colours to be hung before the birth :—he at first acquiesced, but, repenting soon after, came into the cabin, and, with great roughness and insolence, took one away;-the consequence of which is, that the lady, an invalid, is confined to a hole, called a state room,-hot, noisome, close, and unwholesome.

Government should consider that, as officers are not overburthened with money, every possible allowance should be made for their convenience. How much it is otherwise the following narrative will disclose.

An officer having embarked at Portsmouth, and purchased the utensils he unavoidably required, which, on his arrival at Lisbon, he found too cumbersome to take with him, was obliged to leave them at that place. After marching in the country for some time he was reimbarked at another port, and had no alternative than either to supply himself with a fresh stock of utensils, or submit to the inconvenience and difficulties the want of them would subject him to. His finances would not admit of the former, and, in taking possession of his scanty and uncomfortable birth, the master of the ship described the mattress and blanket to have been often previously occupied by persons who had fallen victims to diseases of various kinds, and gave it as his opinion, that the officer run a great risk in sleeping on bedding which he had often reported as unwholesome, and should have been thrown into the sea.

Why should not government transport the troops in ships of war, and study a little the comforts of those who are to fight her battles? I assert as a fact, that masters are frequently put into these vessels who know not how to keep a reckoning, and who are very unfit persons to entrust the lives of our brave soldiers with.

What can be said of the fellow who last November, coming from Lisbon under convoy, with near 400 soldiers on board, quitted the convoy,-and, ignorant where he was, cast anchor within a quarter of a mile at the back of the Isle of Wight,— and when fortunately getting a pilot on board, could hardly be persuaded he was not close to the Lizard; he could not believe he was in the channel ;-and finally acknowledged that he had never in his life sailed there.

If the Transport Board would be more particular on this subject, and less indifferent to the accommodation of passengers, it would be more creditable to them. Conceive the forlorn situation of two young lads going out clerks to the Commissariat: I had the following information from their own mouths. They got an order for