county, their defire to affemble under the command of their own officers, at any convenient place within the fame county, for the purpose of being trained and exercised for any time not exceeding fourteen days, either fucceffively or at intervals, within the space of twelve months, either in feparate corps, or together with other corps of yeomanry or volunteer cavalry, or with regular cavalry, if his majesty shall think it proper; the lord lieutenant, or, in his abfence, deputy lieutenants, may, with the king's approbation, fignified through the fecretary of ftate, direct an order to any juftice of the county where fuch corps of yeomanry or volunteer cavalry are appointed to affemble, fpecifying the place at which, and the time during which, fuch corps, are to continue fo affembled; and the justice fhall iffue his precept to the constable or other peace officer of that place, for quartering and billeting the noncommiflioned officers, trumpeters, or buglemen, and privates, in the fame manner as regulars; and the fame rules are generally to be obferved, except that the corps is not fubject to the mutiny act, or articles of war. At these times the fecretary at war, or his deputy, is, if required by the lord lieutenant, to iffue for every private 25. per day, and for every horfe 15. 4d. per day for any term not exceeding fourteen days. In all other cafes, when corps are affembled on military duty, they are fubject to military difcipline, the mutiny act, and articles of war. All adjutants, ferjeant-majors, drill ferjeants, and ferjeants of yeomanry or volunteers, receiving the conftant pay of their rank, and all trumpeters, buglemen, and drummers receiving any pay as fuch therein, are subject to the mutiny act, and articles of war, and liable to be tried for any crime committed against such act, or articles of war, by any general or detachment, or regimental court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence, in like manner, and under the like regulations, as adjutants, ferjeant majors, ferjeants, corporals, or drummers of his majesty's military forces; provided that every fuch court martial be compoled wholly of officers of the yeomanry or volunteer establishment and no punishment awarded by fuch court martial is. to extend to life or limb, except when fuch corps are called out in cafes of invafion, or appearance of an enemy in force upon the coaft.

RETURNS. The commanding officers of corps are to make certified returns on the first days of April, Auguft, and December, to the clerks of general meetings of lieutenancy, of the number of men on the establishment and the fupernumeraries in their corps, diftinguishing the effective from non-effective, and tating the names of all fuch as have been admitted into, and joined the corps fince the last return, the names of all perfons abfent

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abfent on leave, and all who have been difcharged from, or quitted the corps fince the laft return; and alfo in all cafes where exemptions are allowed, diftinguishing the perfons entitled, from fuch as are not entitled to them; and in all cafes where any arms required by any corps, at the expence of his majefty, fhall not have been fupplied, ftating fuch circumftance fpecially at the foot of the return. Accurate returns are also to be made to the fecretary of ftate, and the general officer commanding the district, fpecifying the numbers of effective and non-effective men, as nearly as may be, in the form in which monthly military returns are ufually made. Copies and abstracts of these returns are to be made by the clerks of general meetings, and forwarded to the clerks of fubdivifion meetings, under penalty of 50/. and a commanding officer making a falfe return, forfeits 2001.

RESIGNATIONS. Doubts having arifen refpecting the right of volunteers to refign, it was enacted, 44 Geo. III. c. 54. that, except when fummoned, or affembled upon actual service, in cafe of invasion or appearance of the enemy in force upon the coaft, or voluntarily affembled for the purpose of doing military duty, under any of the provifions, or in any of the cafes fpecified in the act, any volunteer may quit fuch corps, and he shall accordingly be ftruck out of the muster roll. But he must give fourteen days notice of his intention to the commanding officer, give up all arms, accoutrements, clothing, and appointments, furnished to him at the public expence, or by any fubfcription, in good order and condition, and pay all fubfcriptions and fines. Perfons entering into his majefty's service are however inftantly difcharged from that of a volunteer corps; but those who are difmifled for misconduct are liable to ferve in the militia, and deprived of all their privileges and exemptions, Perfons aggrieved in any of thefe particulars, may appeal to two deputy lieutenants, or a deputy lieutenant and a juftice.

ACTUAL SERVICE. In all cafes of actual invafion, or appearance of any enemy in force on the coaft of Great Britain, or of rebellion or infurrection, on the appearance of any enemy, or during any invafion, all corps of yeomanry and volunteers muft, whenever fummoned by the lieutenants of the counties, vice-lieutenants, or deputy lieutenants, or upon the making of any general fignals of alarm, forthwith affemble within their refpective diftricts, and be liable to march according to the terms and conditions of their respective services, whether general or limited, on pain of being treated as deferters; and from that time they are fubject to all the laws and articles of war. Their commanding officers are, on thefe occafions, entitled to demand from the receiver general, two guineas per man for

their ufe; and the treasury may direct, one guinea for every volunteer to be paid to the commanding officer by the receivers general; and the money fhall be laid out in providing neceffaries; and the commanding officer fhall, within one month after the receipt, account to the parties entitled, for the application of it; but the commanding officer is not to draw money for any perfon who is not defirous to receive it. While on actual fervice, volunteers are to receive pay, and be billeted as other forces; and after the defeat and expulfion of an invading army, to be returned to their refpective homes, and paid one guinea. each toward their expences.

FAMILIES. While thus embodied, the wives and families of volunteers are entitled to the fame relief, and under the fame conditions exactly, as thofe of militia-men under the fame circumstances.

PRIVILEGES. Commiffioned officers difabled in actual fervice are entitled to half pay according to their ranks; non-commiffioned, drummers, and privates, to Chelfea Hospital; and widows of thofe killed in fervice to the fame compenfations, as widows of regulars. Officers on half pay do not forego it by filling any ftations in volunteer corps, nor do members of parliament vacate their feats by accepting commissions.

MONEY. The commanding officer of every corps is to keep an account of all monies paid to him on account, during their exercise; and within ten days after its termination, deliver the account figned, and pay the balance (if any) to fuch perfon as the fecretary at war, or his deputy, fhall direct. And all money fubfcribed by or for the ufe of any corps, and all arms, ftores, ammunition, drums, fifes, or mufical inftruments, or other articles whatever, belonging to, or used by any fuch corps, not being the property of any particular individual, are vested in the commanding officer, for all purpofes of indictment or action; and no proceedings are difcontinued or abated by the death, refignation, or removal of any commanding officer, but may be proceeded in by his fucceffor. On non-payment of fubfcriptions or fines by members of corps, any commanding or field officer, or ferjeant major by their order, may make application to magiftrates, who may direct double the fum to be recovered by way of penalty, and if not paid, to be levied by diftrefs on the defaulter's goods and chattels, and to be applied to the general fund of the corps; or the juftice may mitigate the penalties to one half.

FURTHER REGULATIONS. Thefe are the principal regulations relating to thefe troops; the ftatute 44th of the king already mentioned, has further provided, that in future, no rules or regulations relating to any corps fhall be valid, unless trans

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mitted

mitted to the lieutenant of the county, and by him to the fecretary of state; and if after twenty-eight days they are not difallowed by the king, they are confidered as allowed and confirmed. And the king may alfo annul at any time any rules or regulations of any volunteer corps whatever.

AGENCY OFFICE. For tranfacting all matters relative to the pay and allowances of these corps, an agency office, under the direction of the fecretary at war, is established in Spring Garden; in it are a general agent, with a chief, two fubordinate, and several extra clerks.

ARTILLERY COMPANY. Befides the troops already mentioned, there are in some places peculiar corps, of which it is not neceffary to give a detailed account, but the artillery company is of the most ancient establishment, and highest confideration among them. This affociation had its origin about 1585, when London being wearied with continual mufters, a number of its gallant citizens, who had ferved abroad with credit, voluntarily exercised themselves, and trained others to the ready use of arms. The ground they used was at the north-eaft extremity of the city, nigh Bishopfgate, and nad before been occupied by the "fraternity of artillery," or gunners of the Tower. Within two years there were near three hundred merchants and others fufficiently skilled to train common foldiers; and in 1588, fome of them had commiffions in the camp at Tilbury; but this atlociation foon after fell to decay. From the company's regifter, the only book they faved in the civil wars, it appears, that the affociation was revived in 1611, by warrant from the privy council; and the volunteers foon amounted to fix thoufand. Three years after this, they made a general mufter, when, according to contemporary authority, the men were better armed than difciplined. In 1622, they erected an armoury, towards which the chamber of London gave 300/.; it was furnished with five hundred fets of arms of extraordinary beauty, which were all loft in the civil wars. Their captain, during a part of thofe affrighted times, was Mr. Manby, who irrecoverably detained for his own purposes, the arms, plate, money, books, and other goods of the company. The protector was in vain folicited to enforce their being restored. In 1640, they quitted their old field of difcipline, and entered on a spot of ground in Bunhill-fields, leafed to them by the city. This company at prefent forms a regular battalion of infantry, confifting of a grenadier, light infantry, and battalion divifions; together with the matrofs divifion, for the ufe of two field pieces, prefented in the year 1780, by the city. There is alfo kept up a divifion of the archers; archery being the art cultivated by the company, in days when the bow was an inftrument of war. The command

of

of the battalion is vefted in officers who are annually elected. This municipal corps is authorised and privileged by many royal patents and warrants; and particularly by one of his prefent majefty, under the fign manual, wherein his royal highness the prince of Wales is declared captain general. It confifts of gentlemen of character and property, bound by a folemn declaration and obligation of attachment and fidelity to the king and conftitution, and of readiness to join in supporting the civil authority, and defending the metropolis. It is regulated by a court of affiftants, confifting of a prefident, vice-prefident, treafurer, the field officers; the lord mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs for the time being, and twenty-four elective members.

SEA FENCIBLES. The force called fea fencibles may also be reckoned among the affociations purely for the defence of the realm. It comprizes all fishermen and other perfons employed in the ports and on the coaft, who from their occupation are not liable to be impreffed, and they act either on fhore or afloat. On actual service their daily pay is as follows: fenior post-captains, 17. 10s. and 5s. for contingencies; junior post-captains, 1. Ios.; commanders, 17. 15. and 10s. 6d. per week for contingencies; lieutenants, 85. 6d. per day. The senior post-captain of every district of fea fencibles has command of the armed boats, compofing the armed flotilla for the fencibles of the diftrict; and he regulates alfo all the fignal pofts within his district, at each of which there is a lieutenant. There are from three to fix lieutenants at each diftrict, according to the number of fencibles enrolled.

The districts of the united kingdom comprehended in their line of defence, with the general rendezvous of each, are as follows:

Diftrict.

General Rendezvous.

At Chatham, Rochester, &c. to Sheernefs Chatham