The authority for this was not embodied in the warrant for raising the corps, but conveyed in a letter to the Duke of Richmond, dated 10th October, 1787. With regard to the officers falling in with their companies, it was necessary to issue a special order, as, by a previous warrant of the 25th April, 1787, the royal engineers were to take rank with the royal artillery, and to be posted on the right or left of that regiment, according to the dates of their commissions. At Gibraltar, it was the custom of the companies with their officers, to take the right of the artillery; and they were always inserted first in the Governor’s states and returns. This was a local arrangement occasioned, probably, on account of the companies being stationary at the fortress. ----- The Duke of Richmond located the companies at the principal dockyards or military stations, and ordered the following officers to command them:— Woolwich—Colonel Robert Morse. Chatham—Colonel William Spry. Portsmouth—Colonel John Phipps. Gosport—Lieut.-Colonel James Moncrief. Plymouth—Lieut-Colonel Fred. George Mulcaster. One company was ultimately divided between the islands of Guernsey and Jersey.[76] ----- Footnote 76: The companies at Gibraltar, although similarly constituted, paid, and officered, remained a distinct and separate body until their incorporation with the corps in the year 1797. ----- The officers above named were the commanding royal engineers at the respective stations.[77] To each was allowed the sum of 56_l._ per annum for defraying certain incidental items connected with his company; and a lieutenant of engineers was appointed adjutant, with an extra allowance of 2_s._ a-day, to assist in conducting the drill and in maintaining discipline. ----- Footnote 77: From this arrangement, it sometimes occurred that even a _Major-General_ was _captain_ of a company. -----