During the remainder of the reign of George I. and the early part of the reign of George II. the regiment was stationed in Ireland. In 1717 its establishment was fixed at 22 companies, of 3 officers, 2 serjeants, 2 corporals, 1 drummer, and 38 private men each; and the expense of the regiment was estimated at £16,710 18_s._ 4_d._ per annum. Thus it continued for several years; but in 1727, when 10,000 men were held in readiness to embark for Holland to assist the Dutch in the war with Austria, an augmentation of 20 serjeants, 20 corporals, 20 drummers, and 500 men, was added to the establishment; no embarkation, however, took place, and the regiment was afterwards placed upon a peace establishment. [Sidenote: 1737] In January, 1737, Field Marshal the Earl of Orkney, who had commanded the ROYALS nearly 45 years, and had often led the regiment to battle and to victory, died in London; and in June King George II. conferred the Colonelcy on the Honorable James St. Clair, from the 22nd Regiment of Foot. [Sidenote: 1740] The death of Charles VI., Emperor of Germany, having occurred in the autumn of 1740, the succession of the Archduchess Maria-Theresa, as Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, was disputed by the Elector of Bavaria, and immediate signs of war appearing, an augmentation was made to the strength of the ROYAL Regiment; and its establishment was increased to 1628 officers and men. [Sidenote: 1741] [Sidenote: 2nd Batt.] [Sidenote: 1742] [Sidenote: 1743] Previous to this period both battalions had usually been employed at the same station: they were considered as one corps, and few instances occurred of their being engaged in separate services, even for short periods; but on the 21st of October, 1741, while the first battalion remained in Ireland, the second battalion, having been placed on the English establishment, embarked at Cork for the West Indies. It however remained in the West Indies only a few months, and arrived in England in December, 1742, together with the 6th, 15th, and 24th regiments[94]. In the following year it returned to Ireland. [Sidenote: 1st Batt.]