The preliminaries of a peace, which are not my business to discuss, upon the 3d of November, and ratified in February of the following year, closed the military services of the Marine Corps for a long period, until they were again drawn forth into action by an enlightened patron, who had marked their conduct, and who resolved to avail himself of their animated zeal and spirit, upon the earliest emergency that his Country required them. CHAP. XXVI. The era of peace was marked, as usual, by a general reduction of his Majesty's servants. In the course of the year 1763, a very considerable and impolitic diminution took place in the effective force of Marines; but as it is a narrow system, which experience and their acknowledged utility have subverted, at the period I now write, any discussion upon its erroneous principle would be superfluous and unbecoming. As I have already noticed that the Field Officers of my Corps are peculiarly calculated for maintaining discipline and good order throughout, it is a matter of surprize that the establishment should have been so very low at this time, and that their situations should have been more generally considered as posts of sinecure than of active duty. The meritorious services of the Marine Corps, during the late brilliant contest, well entitled it to _some solid_ marks of public recompence, as well as of public applause. With this view, and striking home to the national gratitude, as yet unallayed by time, the following proposals for increasing the number of established Marine Field Officers were ushered in to the Board of Admiralty in 1763:-- "Proposals for increasing the number of established Marine Field Officers from six to fifteen, at a very inconsiderable additional expence to the public. The Field Officers to have Companies, and to serve on their present pay until six Companies become vacant; those Companies to be given to the six senior Field Officers; the nine _junior_ Field Officers have Companies already. The fifteen senior First Lieutenants to have Brevets as Captains, or to be appointed Captain Lieutenants, and to do all duties as Captains on their present pay. "This plan will cause no _present_ additional expence, and but a very trifling one after the whole is completed, as will appear from the following scheme: 1763 Present Establishment. Proposed Establishment. PER DIEM. PER DIEM. 3 Lieut. Colonels a £2 11 0 3 Colonels a £3 12 0 3 Majors a 2 5 0 6 Lieut. Colonels a 5 2 0 9 Brevet Captains a 4 10 0 6 Majors a 4 10 0 ------- -------- Total 9 6 0 Total 13 4 0 ======= ======== Difference £3 18 0