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A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c. — John Shaqi

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A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

Name: A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.
Author: Campbell, James

Campbell, James

Great Britain. Army

battalion of Foot Guards, and the number of similar duties performed in
any battalion of the line, and the balance will be as three or four to
one against the Guards.--Hence is it that the casualties produced by
consumption and other pulmonary diseases are exceedingly more numerous
amongst the battalions of the Foot Guards than amongst any other
battalions in her Majesty's service.

"I come now to the third objection that has been raised against the
household troops--namely, 'that the officers of the household corps
(especially of the Foot Guards) enjoy privileges with respect to rank
which are not enjoyed by the officers of regiments of the line.'
No doubt the privileges with respect to rank which are enjoyed by
officers of the household corps are high privileges. But the question
is, whether the Sovereign of these kingdoms shall be despoiled of the
prerogative which has been so long exercised by the Sovereign, of
maintaining near the Royal person a select body of household troops,
and of conferring upon the officers of such select body some especial
mark of Royal favour? I deny that the privileges accorded to the
officers of the Guards, with respect to rank, have engendered invidious
feelings amongst the officers of the army at large. Individuals, no
doubt, will be found in every service to complain of wrongs and of
grievances. But the said privileges have not been of _ex post facto_
creation. They have been productive of no breach of contract or of
faith with the officers of other corps. Every officer now serving in
the line accepted his commission subject to the disadvantages which
might arise from the privileges accorded to the officers of the
household troops with respect to brevet rank and brevet promotion.

"The most important question of all remains to be considered--a
question which, I am persuaded, can never have presented itself to
those Hon. members of the House of Commons who would advocate the
disbandment of our household corps. By what description of troops, and
by what course of service, are the military duties of this metropolis
to be regulated and carried on when the household corps shall have
ceased to exist?

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

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