His Majesty's ship Milford having run on shore, was nearly lost in the beginning of December. Such were the exertions of the Marines upon the occasion, that Sir William Burnaby, her Commander, felt it his incumbent duty to tender them his thanks in these words--"Sir William Burnaby desires his thanks may be given to the Officers and men of the Battalion, who so actively assisted in getting off his Majesty's ship Milford." This was read to the Companies at evening roll-calling. Lieutenant Trollope having been appointed Secretary to Major General Massey, Lieut. Tantum, a respectable young Officer (who was afterwards unfortunately drowned in the Ville de Paris), was attached as an assistant Artillery Officer in his stead; a party of Marines was trained to the great guns, and the command of the Half-moon Battery, as well as of the Citadel, was allotted him under the event of an alarm. Although neither the circumstances of the action, or name of the achiever, are alluded to in the following detail, still it carries in it that zealous anxiety to promote discipline, by recompencing merit, that I cannot omit its insertion. "General Orders, Halifax, February 27, 1778. "That good Marine Soldier who was yesterday with General Massey, and who now forgets his name and Company, the General wishes to see to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, as he wants to reward him for his loyalty. General Massey will be much obliged to Major Souter to order this to be read by an Officer, at roll-calling, to the different Companies." In April, Lieutenant Jacobs who was an ornament to his Corps, (subsequently drowned at St. Lucia) was appointed to act as Overseer to the King's Works, which were carrying on. No occasion seemed to have been lost by General Massey in calling forth talents wherever they were to be found, and applying them to the public good. Such precedents, if generally adopted upon service, would stimulate the Marine Officer to the early study of every branch of military education. It is but rarely that we are inclined to devote our attention to sciences which may never be called into action, and what our professional views seem almost to render unnecessary. This knowledge may adorn the man, but it is too often restrained from being useful to our Country. Upon the 25th of August the Marine Battalion was struck off the roster of duty in the garrison of Halifax, previous to its embarkation for Europe. Major General Massey delivered, in Public Orders of the 30th, his testimony of the general conduct of both Officers and men to this effect:-- "The Commander in Chief cannot part with the Marine Corps, without telling them he was pleased with their soldier-like appearance at the review of yesterday, and now has the pleasing satisfaction to say, that he has had the honour to command that Corps for above two years, _without ever hearing of a Court Martial in it, or ever rebuking an Officer or Soldier_.