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born when those officers had already served their country in every quarter of the globe.

I beg to add, that a Naval Officer is preparing a scale by which to put the services of the Navy, as to years, on a par with the Army with reference to this suggestion.

If necessary, I am prepared with a sketch of the decoration and the detail of the order.

United Service Club,
Dec. 15, 1831.

A VETERAN SOLDIER,

Decorated, and therefore not an interested person.

Cavalry Affair of Rio Mayor, 8th October 1810.

MR. EDITOR,-Having perused an article in your last Number, entitled "The British Cavalry on the Peninsula," by "An Officer of Dragoons,” I hope I shall be excused in correcting an error into which he has fallen relative to the affair of Rio Mayor, 8th October 1810.

I was engaged in that affair, and kept a journal of every thing that occurred during our retreat to the lines; and take the liberty of begging the insertion in your next Number of the "United Service Journal," of the following extract from the notes I made on that occasion.

"7th October.-On the enemy driving in the pickets, (which consisted of the Royals, 14th and 16th Dragoons, and German Hussars,) Major-Gen. Slade went with two squadrons of the Royals to their support, and after waiting from seven o'clock till after twelve, the enemy advanced with three regiments of cavalry, four of infantry, and four pieces of cannon, and followed us above two leagues on the road to Rio Mayor, at a distance which at no period exceeded five hundred yards. Considering his great superiority in number, it showed a want of spirit and daring very unusual in the French, and wholly at variance with Montbrun's customary bearing, not to have attacked our rear division. We retired upon Rio Mayor, leaving Capt. Murray of the 16th in our front.

"8th.-Marched to Alcoentre, where we encamped, imagining ourselves so secure from any attack from the enemy, that we began to cook; and Capt. Bull, who was in Alcoentre with his troop, obtained permission to take his harness to pieces, for the purpose of being cleaned.

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We were bivouacked about a mile in the rear of the town, in full confidence of remaining unmolested for the remainder of the day-standing much in need of such repose. We were, however, deceived; at about three P.M. Gen. Slade came galloping up, and ordered forty men to mount as quickly as possible, without regard to what troop they might belong, and moved off rapidly with them to the town, where, it appeared, some French Hussars had made their way, and entering the square where the guns were parked, had almost got possession of a tumbril."

It is far, very far, from my intention or wish, to detract in the slightest degree from the praise of Capt. Murray, so justly and gallantly earned on this and many other occasions; and am foremost to extol the courage and intrepidity of the 16th, whenever opportunity was afforded them :-at the same time I feel assured they, as a corps of officers and men, would be the first to allow a just participation of praise to their comrades in Gen. Slade's brigade, amongst whom were many meritorious officers who distinguished themselves during this retreat. Suffice it to name from among the many, Hulton and Lamotte, of the Royals; and Brotherton, Townsend, and Badcock, of the 14th, bright examples of courage and intelligence :-nor could the British cavalry boast better out-post officers.

21st January 1832.

AN IMPARTIAL REPORTER OF THE DEEDS OF THE
BRITISH CAVALRY IN THE PENINSULA.

Remarks on the Purveyor's Department.

*

MR. EDITOR,-Some observations, under the signature of "Spes," appear in the United Service Journal for December, which are in most respects so misapplied, that I am induced to notice them. After admitting that Purveyors may virtually be called Hospital Commissaries, and that their duties are important and multifarious, "Spes" goes on to state, that they are to all intents and purposes hospital stewards or storekeepers of the first class. How he can reconcile these two statements, I know not, the duties being totally different, the latter having none of the functions of the former, their duties being confined to the receipt and issue of stores. Now this forms only a small part of the Purveyor's duties, as every one conversant with them can testify. He has to hire or provide hospitals and servants of all classes, from the steward down to the orderly; to provide the necessary diet for the sick and wounded, frequently amounting to many thousands, and diet for the servants; to provide the requisite stores and provisions for invalids in their embarkation; to receive, in many instances, the pay and allowances, and the rations of the medical staff; to act as executor to deceased officers; and, if I am rightly informed, the purveyor has done the duties of commissary of prisoners of war. His returns, accounts, and cash disbursements, are numerous, and require great labour and assiduity. He has much correspondence, and being a public accountant, his responsibility is consequently great. Such are a part of the multifarious duties of the purveyor; and I would ask "Spes," in perfect candour, what similarity there is here with the duties of a mere storekeeper, and whether he ever heard of a storekeeper having three, four, or five duties, and twelve or fifteen clerks attached to him? The fact is, the purveyor has charge of a department, the duties of which are complex and difficult, and only to be acquired after long experience.

I am at a loss to know where Spes acquired his knowledge of the duties of purveyor, after admitting "how valuable is his aid to the sick and wounded soldier, and how essential a thorough knowledge of those multifarious duties connected with his situation is to the invalid, as well as to the medical officer under whom he acts;" and again he states, "that the purveyor is in constant attendance upon the sick." Now the purveyor has nothing whatever to do with the medical officers attending the sick, further than complying with their requisitions; he is not under their orders, neither is he in constant attendance upon the sick. I would ask him, could he act under forty, fifty, or a hundred medical officers? and if his duties are multifarious, as "Spes" states them to be, how could his whole time be devoted to the latter? (here is a manifest contradiction;) and if it were so, the purveyor's duties would resemble those of a wardmaster, rather than that of an officer of his rank; his duties preclude the possibility of such attendance, as being utterly impracticable, with even a thousand men in hospital, much more several thousands, a great portion of his time being required in his office in correspondence, and other important duties, too numerous to mention: and when it is considered that he has also the superintendence of and is responsible for the conduct of the deputies, clerks, stewards, and servants, and for the diligent discharge of their several duties, it must be obvious that

*By contract, purchase, or requisition, it matters not which; for although the commissariat usually supplies the common ration, (which forms only a small portion of hospital diet,) and frequently other articles, the purveyor's duties are not lessened thereby. It has happened, however, that purveyors and deputies have had to purchase, not only every article of diet, but even bedding, stores, and medicines, and live stock, in fitting out hospital-ships, &c.

+ Here again "Spes" is at issue with himself, if the purveyor is a mere storekeeper. The proper attendants, I should imagine, are the medical assistants and ward

masters.

he can have little leisure to visit the hospitals, except in particular cases, when a sense of duty and motives of humanity may prompt him to do so. That the comfort and recovery of the sick and wounded depend much on the purveyor's aid and exertions, I admit, but this depends chiefly in attending to their wants, and administering to their comforts. For the accuracy of those observations, I appeal to those individuals who have had a practical knowledge of the duties here mentioned with an army in the field: and so important were those duties considered at one period, that had the war in the Peninsula lasted six or twelve months longer, if my information be correct, a representation was to have been made to the Lords of the Treasury, for placing the department on a footing more commensurate with the responsibility and onerous duties attached to the office.

With regard to some observations of "M.M.," in your Journal for October, I coincide in many of his remarks, and readily admit that purveyors never can be necessary but with an army in the field; but when he states that purveyors are never at liberty to purchase or contract for anything which the general commissariat can furnish, I dissent from him, as I have already shown that the purveyor frequently does purchase many articles, and I can assure "M. M." that the purveyors and deputies have frequently furnished the hospitals by purchase and also by contract; not that the circumstance is of much importance, as the duties in consequence are not the less onerous if supplied by requisition.

As to individuals being appointed incompetent to discharge the duties of purveyor, I would ask “M.M.” if he knows a department in the service where this has not occurred? And with respect to the opinion of the Commissioners of Military Enquiry, in their fifth report, I very much doubt whether they had under their examination, persons properly qualified to afford the requisite information on which to ground a sound opinion.

London, Dec. 24th, 1331.

A Veteran's Suggestion on Reform.

CANDIDUS.

MR. EDITOR,-Supposing that both Parties in the present political struggle have the public good alone in view, it appears to me highly desirable that they should mutually concede, and unite in their efforts to tranquillize the country. I am a mere soldier, and know not how such an union is to be brought about amongst politicians; I know how soon the same sort of thing would be effected amongst soldiers; I therefore leave others to make that arrangement. I will confine myself to pointing out the measures to be adopted by the United Party.

1st. Raise a million of money by an income tax, touching very lightly all under 500l. per annum, none under 300%.

2nd. Then vote a grant of 500,000l. for the immediate employment of the poor or working classes for the next three months in public works, but especially in and about London.

3rd. Follow this up by taking off 500,000l. of taxes upon the articles which essentially affect the poor, and would therefore really be a relief to them. 4th. Adopt the spirit if not the mode and extent of schedule A. 5th. Give members to the large towns, now unrepresented.

6th. Fix the qualification to vote at 207. instead of 10%.

7th. THEN present an address to His Majesty, expressing the decided and unanimous determination to rally round the Throne and the Constitution, and to refuse all further concession, unless any points of glaring necessity. Thus bring to a crisis and put an end to that state of things which now exists, and which, if allowed to continue, must bring ruin upon the country from the state of excitement in which every one is kept, the stagnation of trade from want of confidence, and the alarm in which the timid live for

want of the certainty of support from the Government, if they were to muster courage enough to give vent to their feelings. The result of what I here propose, I have no doubt would be an immediate union of all loyal men, and the consequent putting down those Republican meetings excited and upheld by a revolutionary press, that are doing such infinite mischief to the community at large, and especially to the poor working classes, whose heads they fill with chimerical ideas, whose minds become too excited and unsettled to allow them to go to their work more than two or three days in a week, and whose pockets they pick of the few pence they earn upon those days. If you deem this paper worthy of a place in your valuable Journal, by inserting it, you will oblige, A VETERAN SOLDIER.

30th November, 1831.

Trisection of an Angle.

BY CAPTAIN BURTON, R. M.

MR. EDITOR,-In my last communication on the subject of a trisecting curve,* I have omitted to remark that the entire area of that curve, is equal to the Hexagon whose side = √2.

I now take the liberty of offering you another curve; differing from the former, but possessing a similar trisecting property. It may be called a demi cardioide; because, in the cardioide, the constant quantity e d, is equal to the diameter of the generating circle, whereas in this case, it is equal only to the radius.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

H. M. Ship Alfred, Malta,
October 1831.

d

ALFRED BURTON, Captain Royal Marines.

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EDITOR'S PORTFOLIO;

OR

NAVAL AND MILITARY REGISTER.

AFFAIRS AT HOME AND ABROAD. than to a deliberate neglect or

COLONEL BRERETON, THE TROOPS,

AND THE PRESS.

THE Court-Martial upon Colonel Brereton, Lieut.-Gen. Sir Henry Fane presiding, commenced its proceedings on Monday, the 9th ult. The preliminary forms having been gone through, and the charges exhibited, the official Prosecutor, Major.-Gen. Sir Charles Dalbiac, having addressed the Court in clear and becoming terms, proceeded to call evidence to the several charges in succession. The case had thus been prosecuted for three days, with every promise of complete developement and impartial justice, when it was unexpectedly suspended on the fourth morning, (Thursday, the 12th January,) by the suicide of Colonel Brereton, who was found to have shot himself in the course of the previous night, at his residence near Bristol. As to the interrupted proceedings of this Court Martial, we shall merely at present remark, that the evidence, as far as it went, fully confirmed the accuracy of our narrative of the Bristol riots. The usual details of Colonel Brereton's military career are given in our obituary for the present month. In these there appears nothing striking, except his rapid advance

ment.

The faults of Colonel Brereton, in the trying emergency which involved both himself and the City of Bristol in a common catastrophe, are ascribable, as far as we have the means of judging, to infirmity of purpose and of character, rather

U. S. JOURN. No. 39. FEB. 1832.

misprision of his very painful duties. We unaffectedly deplore so tragic a close of a comrade's existence, as well as the overwhelming causes which produced it; but we are not enabled by any facts within our knowledge, to aid in raising the memory and pretensions of Colonel Brereton to that "bad eminence," upon which the perverse sympathies of the sworn foes of the soldier would invidiously gibbet them.

It is the pleasure of the press, or rather, of the obscurer scouts of that Briarean despot, to divest the military profession of the attribute of Humanity, and to cry up the unfortunate weakness of the late commanding officer at Bristol, as a "rare" exception to their absolute rule. We can neither stop nor stoop to disabuse or confute these "gentlemen," whose paradoxes may at least help to earn them the wages of "intellectual" time-serving. During the many popular tumults which have afflicted Great Britain within the last thirty years, the conduct of the troops employed in the distressing and delicate duty of suppressing them, considered under every possible light, has elicited the admiration of every unprejudiced native of these isles. But it is doubtful whether, since the first organization of troops, more extraordinary discipline and forbearance were ever displayed than by the British corps employed at Bristol. When directed to attempt the dispersion of a furious and menacing Mob, by simply walking their horses amongst them, the troops obeyed to

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