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.Campbell, James
History
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.
Campbell, James
Great Britain. Army
The officers of the board and secretary for performing what cannot be
otherwise than troublesome duties, all the details of which they would
have to regulate, and as they must have considerable responsibility
attached to them, probably requiring security to be given, I conclude
they would be allowed respectable fixed salaries. The clerks will
also be of course well paid. I may be sanguine, but I confess I feel
very confident, that the plan would be found, under the management
of an able board, to work well. I have been more minute than I could
have wished, but my object in being so, was to obviate many of the
objections which are likely to be started. I regret much, however,
that I cannot now see how to include the officers of the navy in it;
for, unless it were so arranged, that they could contribute towards the
fund, as retiring officers of the army are made to do, I fear that so
desirable an object cannot, as they are now situated, be effected for
them.
By establishing this military fund, Government would not only be able
to do away with half-pay, but also to discontinue the practice of
granting pensions, excepting in particular cases to officers of the
army, their widows and children, as I conclude that they would all in
future be provided for under the regulations to be made by the board
of management; and what a relief to the minds of officers, and what a
proud and proper feeling it would be for them to indulge in, that they
could at such a trifling sacrifice, and on such easy terms, provide
for themselves; and for those about whom they must naturally be so
anxious, without becoming a burden to the country; and would not this
plan give them a stake in it, which must perpetuate (though it cannot
for a moment be supposed, that in such feelings and principles they
can be wanting,) that attachment to their Sovereign, and to our free
and admirable constitution, which they have ever so strongly evinced;
and thus an additional and powerful barrier would be formed against
the dangerous designs of men, who apparently wish to see our excellent
institutions destroyed, and the country thrown, to suit their own
selfish purposes, into such confusion, as could only end in a despotism
of some kind or other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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