standing all these means, however, it was found absolutely impracticable to accomplisis their object. The ultimate view was abandoned, and the promotions took place, bơcause government could no longer conceal the fear of national reproach which they justly apprehended, in sullering field officers of nameless importance to retain the bolding of troops, which (among a thousand other hoary headed abuses in the service) ought long ago to have been relinquished, and the places filled up by meritorious and efficient officers. But the timid and temporising system which Virginius has remarked to have a meridian ascendancy at the HorseGuards and the War Office, sufficiently accounts for the languid and procrastinating steps followed on this occasion, as well as in every thing else of the simplest utility, or of a regenerating tendency. Before the first reparable injury which they have done to the regular service, by the shameful and dastardly evasion of performing those duties, which, without the law of exemption, they would have been compelled to, either by personal services, or at least by virtue of substitutes: but, as this subject has been so ably and judiciously treated by the Editor of the Political Register, I shall, at present, decline any further comments upon them than what must necessarily occur in prosecuting my observations relative to the recruiting of the cavalry.When we compare the contemptibly small and penurious bounties allowed by government in order to recruit the regiments of the line, with the enormously large and unprecedented bounties given for filling up the militia and battalions of reserve, it would almost appear that govern ment, either considered the angmentation of the line as comparatively trifling and unim-angientation was in general completed, or portant, and that their services could not be sufficiently confided in; and that every thing should yield to their favourite system of national defence, the volunteers, &c.: or, otherwise, they have betrayed the most criminal neglect in the proper application of, as well as the most unpardonable ignorance of the resources of the country: or would upwards of six months have been indolently suffered to elapse befor the first augmentation of the regular troops has even partially been completed? Notwithstanding, the most gigantic and formidable preparations which the enemy has incessantly been making in order to accelerate and mature his plans for invading our coasts. The failure of that selfish expedient of government which was resorted to, on the appointment of effective captains to those troops which were previously held by field officers, requiring those lieutenants* and cornets who were to succeed to the vacancies by promotion, to produce a stipulated quota of men in proportion to the degree of rank to which they were respectively to succeed, might have suffieiently convinced them how perfectly idle. and unproductive is the present mode of recruiting the cavalry.I am perfectly satisfied that every means were most strenuously adopted by those officers who were sent out on that occasion to recruit for their respective ranks, and that in addition to the full bounty allowed by government, very liberal sums from their own private purses were expended, and the most indefatigable pains used to raise their stipulated quotas within the prescribed period.--Notwith It will be understood that the cavalry is here only considered. that of the second partially begun, another order comes out for the formation of two additional troops to each regiment. This order is worded with extreme caution, but vaguely conditional, although the tenor of it appears essentially to correspond with that issued for the recruiting men for the effective captaincies; and, it is evident, must be attended with equal success. Five weeks scarcely remain to complete the required numbers, and yet it may be confidently affirmed, that scarce twenty men per regiment at an average have hitherto been raised towards effecting this; notwithstanding the unremitting exertions of the officers, and numerous recruiting parties sen out for this purpose. As it is perfectly evident that half the number of men required for the stipulated aggregate of 160 cannot be raised; is it to be expected that the augmentation of two additional troops will take place? And that those officers at present employed to raise men for this purpose will succeed to their appointments, in the same manner as those officers who recruited for the effective captaincies succeeded, notwithstanding they failed in raising their stipulated quotas? It need not here be stated, should the augmentation not take place, and those officers now recruiting not succeed to their appointments, what serious injury and pecuniary loss they must inevitably sustain in consequence of the large sums which they have industriously expended in their endeavours to procure men, over and above the full bounties allowed by government. As there is no provision whatever made for the reimbursement to officers of those high extra-contingent expenses, they must necessarily incur on this service, when they have such complicated difficulties to en counter, and to oppose their success.—————It shall now be attempted to explain the imperious necessity of an effective augmentation of the cavalry immediately taking place, and to point out the only remaining resources in the country by which this can possibly be accomplished. That the present low establishment of the cavalry may be attributed to a mistaken and ill-founded opinion of government, with regard to the very limited utility of their operations in a country like this so intersected and enclosed, may be safely affirmed. A more dangerous idea likewise, generally prevails, that the invading enemy will confide entirely to their infantry for success; as they neither are possessed of, or can employ means to transport their cavalry. But let us for a moment examine these two important considerations.——With regard to the very limited use of which cavalry can be in an enclosed and intersected country like this, it must certainly be admitted, that their operations in line can seldom be employed to such effectual advantage, as might be expected in a free open campaign country, uninterupted with hedges. and other agricultural fences, which chagrin and diversify rich cultivated plains; but as experience sufficiently demonstrates, that the essential use of cavalry is not merely confined to situations where they can act in line, but that equally important services are more frequently derived from them in detached bodies, on which kind of services during the course of the most active campaign, the most signal advantages have been gained from them; it is from such operations in separate and detached bodies, that we may anticipate the most fortunate employment of them on the event of being called out against the invading enemy. Independent of cavalry indispensibly forming the advanced and rear guards of columns, furnishing the advanced posts and patroles of communication, and their being constantly employed in scouring and reconnoitring the country, without considering the important duties of escorting foraging parties, covering the artillery, and furnishing guards for the ammunition, for the waggons of the commissary department, and the general baggage of the army; in all of which occasions they are constantly employed on active service; a number of others equally momentous might be enumerated, the care and execution of all which is consigned to the cavalry; and without the necessary aid and co-operation of which, an army of infantry, even supported by the finest artillery in the world, according to the principles of modern warfare, would soon be annibilated. Was it consistent with the cir cumscribed limits of this paper, I might here mention the formidable and dangerous demonstrations which a few squadrons only of horse can make, when hanging upon and threatening the flanks of a line of infantry, unsupported by cavalry. How peculiarly galling and harassing they are to columns of a march, by their intrepid ardour and indefatigable activity, attacking and intercepting the enemy's convoy, destroying and cutting off their chain of communication, &c. all of which indispensable services could not possibly be accomplished, without a well mount ed and numerous cavalry. But we are only hitherto considering their use in a partial view. However highly their services must be estimated in detached bodies, they can' likewise, in this country, be employed upon all those grand operations, of which extensive lines are susceptible. We are not to confine our ideas merely to the narrow limits of the marshy interrupted coasts of Essex or Suffolk, when an assailable chain of several hundred miles in extent presents itself to a bold and enterprising enemy. Could not our gallant cavalry act with the most com bined advantage on the downs of Sussex or Dorset? And should the enemy successfully penetrate into the country upon the eastern coast, where could there be a finer place for cavalry to act than on that grand theatre of our equestrian amusement, Newmarket, and its vicinity for several miles round? And should they attempt to invade our coasts, uni supported by cavalry, would it not be a most prudent and eligible measure to let them penetrate thus far into the interior, and, by ai judicious manœuvre, insensibly cause them to concentrate their strength near such a place,. where our cavalry, by its irresistible and overwhelming impetus, in one decisive battle could annihilate the whole invading host.--That the enemy, however, could ever entertain the idea of making a serious and effectual impression on this country, in their system of attack, without the powerful and indis pensable aid of cavalry, is by no means either probable or consistent with a well concerted plan of operations. An advancing army, whose constant and determined object is at tack and conquest, without very peculiar ex ceptions indeed, never can act decisively without the sovereign aid of cavalry. And this has been laid down as an axiom by the most able and experienced generals. have, however, the most indubitable proofs that a very powerful force of cavalry are des tined by the enemy for this expedition, and are at this moment assembled upon the coasts, in order to co-operate with their infantry; a force too, which, in point of numbers, will We present a very formidable opposition to all the regular cavalry which we could assemble at this moment, either at one or more places of attack. The means of transporting them are not more impracticably difficult than those for the infantry; as, equally cautious and vigilant measures adequate to the mag nitude of their importance, will certainly be taken, in order to effect their disembarkation on our shores. I come now, succinctly, to point out the very disproportionate difference which at present exists between our cavalry and infantry force; a difference which most imperiously requires to be regulary adjusted, and the proportion relatively established. In examining the total number of battalions which compose our infantry force, comprehending foot guards, line, and West India regiments, garrison battalions and battalions of reserve, not including the artillery foreign corps now raising, we find the amount to be 172 battalions, were all of which completed to their present establishments, would make an army of 149,000 effective. The militia of the United Kingdoms compose 130 battalions, which, if completed to their establishment, would produce upwards of 112,000 effective: the whole of these, viz. infantry of the line and militia, omiting the odd hundreds, compose a grand total of 201,000 effective men. The total number of our cavalry regiments is 34, which produces, according to the present establishment, a total of only 24,798 effective men. Those regiments which compose 136 squadrons, if properly distributed, would not furnish the proportion of one squadron to two battalions, which is a most glaring disproportion for any kind of efficient service. From the above calculations, which are only made according to the respective establishments of cavalry regiments and battalions; we find the present existing proportion of the former with the latter, to be the immense one of one-fifth in place of one-third, which ought to be at least the proportion of an ef Acient force of cavalry. The continental powers have been of late so sensible of the incomparable advantages which an army possesses, in having a numerous cavalry, that the whole of their attention appears of late to be solely directed to this important branch of service; as witness the immense augmentation which the Prussians are about to make to their cavalry. By returns which have been lately delivered into the War-Office, of the effective number of volunteer cavalry, (which I presume includes the yeomanry), the statement is laid down to be about 31,000. And hence, probably, an argument may be deduced, that these will form a most important accession of strength to our cavalry, and effectually preclude the necessity of further increasing the establishment of such an expensive branch of our re gular forces. This accession must certainly appear, upon paper, to be great, and adequate for every purpose; but what field services are we to expect from this aggregate body of volunteer and yeomanry troops on the event of their being called out? Have they ever been brigaded to act in concert? Are they capable of performing together those necessary evolutions, the combined relative movements, and various changes of position which are required in lines? The respectability of their military appearance, and their unquestionable zeal to be useful, will little avail them in the face of an experienced and desperate enemy. Their horses which have never been accustomed to, or even heard the fire of a line of infantry; the natural confusion which must attend such raw and inexperienced horsemen, together with the want of proper leaders to conduct them amidst the dangerous and complicated movements necessary to be performed amidst the tremendous fire of artillery and small arms; if under all these unfortunate disadvantages they should be left to themselves, they must inevitably be lost; or should they act in concert with the regular cavalry, it is impossible to foresee what dangerous an effect their confusion must produce upon the latter; so that universal route and irretrievable defeat might ensue to the whole. Those only who have seen real service can truly imagine the indiscribable effect which the contagion of panic, the natural concomitant of confusion, produces oftentimes in the bravest and most veteran troops, and which experience shews has occasioned the loss of many important battles. The cause of this, in general, originating from the confusion and trepidation of raw unpractised troops, when mixed with others in line.I need not mention their total unfitness to act in detached bodies near the enemy, as none but veteran troops, perfectly acquainted with mounted field duties, can possibly be employed on such service to any advantage; a kind of service which would require the most active and experienced of our finest light troops.- -The gallant and meritorious services which the Irish yeomanry performed during the late unfortunate commotion in that country, decidedly point out the proper sphere of employment and action for their brethren here. To preserve, internal tranquillity and civil. order in the country, whilst the regular troops are drawn out upon the coast; holds. out to them awery extensive and responsible. tion, but a government order of permission for the voluntary enlistment of soldiers from the army of reserve or militia, I do not mean that a bounty should be indiscrimi nately offered to every man who might be inclined to transfer his services to the cavalry, but that a certain number of young, active, and robust men, constitutionally fit for all the variety of laborious duties required of dragoons should be selected from each battalion. For this purpose two experienced general officers might be appointed to form them into two classes, one for the heavy, the other for the light cavalry; as however, the most extended services of light regiments will be most particularly wanted at this crisis, a decided preference should, at the same time, be given to the latter, in order to have its numbers completed first. Should the full bounty alone, which is allowed by govern ment in the regular recruiting service be of fered to these battalions for this purpose, need not hesitate to affirm, that more than two thirds would volunteer their services into the cavalry, such a general fondness and emulation British soldiers entertain to serve in the horse; and on such a pressing exigency as the present, it would be highly impolitic in government not to encourage this generous and honourable predilection they entertain for the cavalry. As the complete formation of a dragoon naturally presup poses his having been instructed in all the dismounted duties, in common with those of the infantry soldiers, previous to his having been instructed in the manage, and being taught the mounted duties; it must be a most important consideration to have the augmentation filled up with such men as are already formed on foot; and as their services might, in a very short period, be required, a very inconsiderable space of time would be line of duty, for which they are most peculiarly adapted; and to perform which effectually, their numbers are barely adequate. To be the safeguards of public as well as individual property, to keep up the necessary communication of the interior with the armies on the coast, to protect, to conduct and expedite every kind of necessary supplies, to convey dispatches, and maintain the necessary relations of every kind between the army and the country; such various and important services will be a sufficient field to them for a display of their most active exertions and patriotic zeal. Having considered the indispensable necessity of an immediate augmentation of the cavalry taking place; I shall now recur to the only remaining resources in the country, by means of which this can possibly be accomplished. As it appears sufficiently obvious that the above mentioned augmentation of the cavalry cannot possibly succeed, according to the present established mode of the recruiting service, the whole system of which, at this moment, militates so strongly against the cavalry, in consequence of the inspecting field officers of districts, by the most shamefully partial and unwarrantable privilege they give to the infantry of the line over that of the cavalry, in passing of them by intermediate approval; by means of which numbers of recruits fit for the cavalry are rejected by them. In order that the infantry may reap the advantage, upon the most frivolous and vexatious pretences, every obstacle is studiously thrown in the way of cavalry officers, in order to oppose their success, and to gratify their own partiality to the infantry, from which the whole of these inspecting field. officers without scarce an exception have been appointed. I need not hesitate to af. firm, that unless some adequate and decisive steps are immediately taken by the Com-requisite under the auspices of regular dis mander in Chief to put a stop to this shameful and hurtful conduct of these field-officers, that the recruiting of the cavalry will be entirely annihilated. This flagrant and growing irregularity might easily be remedied, by appointing a proportionate number of those inspecting field-officers from the cavalry, by means of which, a proper counterpoise to the undue influence of the infantry would be established, and the regulation for the general recruiting service put into impartial execution, and implicitly adhered to ---In consequence, therefore, of the inseparable obstacles, which at present oppose every prospect of success, from the present mode of recruiting the cavalry, it will be found, from conclusive references, that no alternative whatever remains for effecting their augmenta I cipline, to render them sufficiently acquainted and expert in the mounted exercises. It might here be adduced as an argument against the mode of raising men for the aug mentation, that a sufficient number of horses could not be procured to mount the recruits within the necessary period, this may be partially true; but was government to undertake, of itself, the purchase of all the remount horses for regiments of cavalry; instead of this important affair being consigned, as it generally is, to colonels, or commanding officers of regiments, very consi derable advantages would accrue to the pub lic. Horses of a very superior kind to those which are at present purchased would be procured, and the number wanted procured within a shorter period of time. Even at your valuable Weekly Register.Ia conse quence of its being announced by public advertisement, that the Reverend Gentleman intended to preach a sermon to the Volunteers, a great concourse of people assembled at the Chapel. A continued line of Volunteers was making for the Chapel over Blackfriars Bridge, and in all directions leading to the Chapel, from about half past one o'clock till past three.--Every precau- . tion was adopted to keep order; the door nearest to Blackfriars Bridge was opened at two o'clock, for the reception of the Volunteers only to the gallery; those who were admitted to the principal seats, or those inclosed round the pulpit, were a linitted through the area of Mr. Hill's house, where constables attended to keep order.-- By three o'clock the gallery was completely filled, and it was one of the grandest military spectacles ever beheld. Near two thousand were supposed to be there; and the Chapel being of an octagon form, every man was to be seen at one view -The center door was then opened for the reception of spectators to those seats which are allotted to persons who attend the Chapel, free of expense, The pressure to gain admittance exceeds all description. The screams of the women were heard for a considerable distance.-A seat was fitted up for Mr. Sheridan in the gallery, on the right hand side of the pulpit. He was coducted to it by the Rev. Mr. Jay, the Evening Lecturer, and the venerable Mrs. Martha Wigmore, who has been pewopener to the Chapel for three and thirty years, and is upwards of three-score and ten, Mr. Sheridan was dressed in the uniform of the St. James's Volunteers. He looked remarkably well, and was in the highest spirits. The Hottentots, lately brought to England by the Missionaries, had been invited upon the occasion, and were seated in the reading desk to the left of the pulpit.The service commenced by singing the 100th Psalm. The curate then read a chapter out of Deuteronomy and Ephesians. The Vo this moment were agents employed by government, for the purchase of horses in the different districts, and a judicious commissioned officer appointed in each to pass them, and afterwards conducted to certain dépôts established for that purpose, where they could be instantly formed for the ranks, previous to their being finally sent to their respective regiments to which they might be appointed, would be a most eligible and be-. neficial circumstance.Since the necessity of recruiting the cavalry from the battalion of reserve and militia first occurred to me, a circular order has been issued by the Commander in Chief for permission to such men of the battalions of reserve as were inclined, to extend their services to the artillery, foot guards, and line, to an unlimited period, by voluntary enlistment; the period for putting this in execution is prescribed and limited very short; it appears, however, very singular, that on this occasion, the cavalry, who ought to have been the first to which this permission should have been extended, should be peculiarly excluded; and can only be accounted for by this very sin gular reason, that all those military characters who are officially attendant or in the confidence of the Commander in Chief, infantry officers from the guards, who are either not acquainted with the nature and utility of cavalry, or must, from a strange persuasion of sentiment, have induced H. R. Highness to sacrifice that which is calculated for the general good and safety of the Hation, to personal accommodations and serving the private interests of friends.-It is to be hoped, however, that the horseguards will begin to take more liberal and extended views into the service, solely directed and compelled by pure and disinterested motives to serve that country, which so munificently rewards every department of the military from the commencement of such an æra, we may fondly anticipate once more the renovation of the laureled fields of Cressy and Agincourt; and the British empire once more proudly assert her pre-emi-lunteers, after that, sung a hymn to the tune nence among the nations, as not only the seat of the sciences, but the nurse of heroes and of arms. Suffolk, 20th Nov. 1803. MARCELLUS. ROWLAND HILL, MR. SHERIDAN, THE SIR,As an incorrect statement of what took place at the Rev. Rowland Hill's Chapel on Sunday last, has crept into most of the daily papers, I rely upon your candour for an insertion of the following account in "God save the King!" Mr. Hill then went to prayer; and another hynin was afterwards sung. Mr. Hill then took his text from the 20th Psalm, and 7th and 8th verses.—— The Rev. Gentleman commenced his discourse with a very excellent and appropriate pane gyric on the patriotic conduct of the Volunteers, in gallantly standing forward in the defence of their country. Under the second head, he spoke in very high terms of the excellence of the government of this country, and then compared this government with that of France. He concluded with obser |