Such are the details of privation which this meritorious body had long continued to endure in silent loyalty. Thus early did they afford the brightest examples of steady allegiance, which has transcended to their posterity under every change of constitution they have undergone, and what, I trust, will ever be the distinguishing characteristic of a British Marine, under all the destinies of himself or his country. One resulting and immediate consequence of this public inquiry was, that the Pay-Master made good the balance in his hands, which was lodged in the bank of England for the future benefit of those who were so justly entitled to it. Having introduced, in the preceding part of this inquiry, some terms which may not be understood by all, I shall take a retrospect of each, and define them in rotation. The first that occurs is _off-reckonings_--of these there are two kinds, _gross_ and _nett_ off-reckonings; the former consisted of all the pay of the Non-commission Officers and Private Men _above_ their subsistence: for instance, during the period to which I allude, the _full pay_ of a common Soldier was 8_d._ per day, out of which 2_d._ was stopped for clothes, &c. and 6_d._ remained for his subsistence. From this too, 6_d._ per week was deducted to furnish stockings and shoes when the regimental articles were worn out. The Captain of each Company always settled with his men for the balance, if any, every two months. _Nett off-reckonings_ were the amount of the _gross off-reckonings_, reserved for the purpose of clothing the men, _after_ the deductions of 1_s._ in the pound, and one day's pay from each Regiment, for the benefit of Chelsea Hospital, with 2_d._ in the pound for the agent of each Corps.--Such stoppages were always made at the Pay-Office. _Clearings_ were the balance of each Officer's pay _above_ his subsistence, after the deductions stated were made, which ought to have been regularly paid by the Pay-Master General to the different Marine Agents. _Warrants_ were documents with the sign-manual attached to each which authorized the receipt, and disbursements of money from the Treasury. They may be considered as the _sanctions_ of any Board. _Debentures_ were commonly made up at the Pay-Office, by virtue of warrants from the War-Office, annexing a general statement of the charges of each Regiment, upon which proceeded a _final_ or clearing warrant. Debentures originated in 1649, and they were a mode in the form of a bond, or bill, by which Government obliged itself to render payments of such monies as might be due to the Soldier, or his assigns, upon examining and closing the account of his arrears.