"The scandalous abuses which have been so often, and so justly, complained of, as detrimental to the public service, of children being taken from school, and appointed Officers, cannot be too soon remedied, though it will be a Herculean task to cleanse the Augean stable. In mentioning the following circumstance, we have certainly no kind of ill-will towards the party concerned; but it is a fact, that a child, _not fourteen years of age_, is now under orders for embarkation at Plymouth, who has been taken from school, to join his regiment at _St. Domingo_, as Captain!!! It is impossible for any man, who has the interest of his country at heart, to hear of such abuses without commenting on them with the utmost severity. The fault is not with Government, but is attached to the custom which prevails in officering the army; a custom which cannot be too soon corrected."--(_Times, Feb. 10, 1795._) * * * * * "The Duke of York has ordered circular letters to be sent round to the Colonels of Regiments, desiring a return to be immediately made to his Office, of the number of Captains in each Regiment, under TWELVE years of age; and of Lieutenant Colonels under the age of EIGHTEEN!!! The very scandalous abuses that have, of late, crept into the mode of officering the army, are such, as to have demanded a very serious enquiry: for numberless are the evils that have resulted from it, besides that it has given so much disgust to veteran Officers, whose fortunes were not adequate to the purchase of rank. Various are the instances of boys having been taken from school, to take the command of Companies of Regiments."--(_Times, March 20, 1795._) * * * * * "Over a Warehouse for fashionable dresses, in Fleet St., is written up 'Speculum modorum,' or, the mirror of the fashions; and several young Gentlemen of the Guards are actually learning Latin, in order to understand them. Others have sent for the Alphabet, in gingerbread, as preliminary education."--(_Times, Oct. 27, 1795._) * * * * * "An alteration, we understand, is shortly to take place in the uniform of the officers of all the regiments of the line. The present full dress coat is to be abandoned in favour of a very short one, without any lace, or lappels, which the officers are always to wear when on duty, but discretionally at other times."--(_Times, Nov. 16, 1797._) * * * * * "A number of _baby_ officers have threatened to sell out of the Guards. They purchased for the privilege of wearing handsome regimentals, and the new uniform they say is so ugly."--(_Times, Nov. 20, 1797._) * * * * *