Diftrict. From Sheep's Head to Gulley-Head General Rendezvous. Castle-Townfhend Kinfale Cove Carrickfergus MILITARY DISTRICTS. In order to render the operation of the land force equally eafy, certain, and confiftent, the kingdom is also divided into military diftricts, each having a proper proportion of troops, and a staff attached to it. Thefe districts are as follows: the Home, which contains the whole of the counties of Middlesex and Surry; and places in Effex, within any plan of defence for the capital; Kent, to the river Cray and Holwood Hill inclufive; Hertfordshire and Berkshire. The head-quarters are at St. James's palace. The Southern diftrict contains, Kent eaft of the river Cray and Holwood Hill; Suffex, and Tilbury Fort in Effex. Head-quarters are at Canterbury. It has a cavalry depot at Maidstone. The South-inland diftrict extends over the counties of Bedford, Northampton, Oxford, and Buckingham. Head-quarters, Oxford. The Southweft diftrict contains Hampshire, Wilts, and Dorset. Headquarters, Winchester. In it is included the grand army depot at the Isle of Wight. In the Eastern district are comprifed Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Huntingdon, exclufive of the hundreds of Beacontree and Waltham, and Tilbury Fort. Headquarters, Colchester. In the Western, are Devonshire, Cornwall, and Somerfet, exclufive of the vicinity of Bristol, viz. Bath, Troubridge, Bradford, Wells, and Axbridge, and any other place occupied by detachments from Briftol. Head-quarters, Exeter. The Severn diftrict includes Gloucestershire, and vicinity of Briftol in Somerset, the counties of Worcester, Hereford, Monmouth, and South Wales. Head-quarters, Bath. The Northern contains Northumberland, Cumberland, Weftmoreland, and Durham. Head-quarters, Newcastle. The North-inland, the counties of Derby, Nottingham, Stafford, Leicefter, Warwick, and Rutland. Head-quarters, Litchfield. The York diftrict is formed by Yorkshire and Lancashire, the head-quarters being at Beverley; and the Northwest by Cheshire, Shropshire, Lancashire, North Wales, and the Ifle of Man. Head-quarters, Liverpool. North Britain, Jerfey, and Guernsey, form separate districts. INSTRUCTION. The establishments for inftruction in military affairs. affairs have not been numerous; and perhaps, while the opinion of the illegality of a standing army is tenaciously maintained, they will not be duly popular. The experience of late years has however been fufficient to convince the British nation, that officers of the most finished description are no lefs neceffary in the military, than in the naval fervice. ACADEMY AT WOOLWICH. The most ancient and beft known place for instruction in military affairs, is the Royal Academy eftablished at Woolwich, under the board of ordnance, for the purpofe of qualifying of young gentlemen, intended as candidates for the office of engineer, in the military branch of that office; these are called cadets, and are appointed by that board. They are taught the principles and art of fortification, and every branch of military fcience relating thereto, with the French and Latin languages, writing, fencing, and drawing. They are under the immediate direction of a governor, lieutenant governor, and mafters in each refpective branch of litera ture. The models of fortification preferved in this feminary are fpoken of in high terms of commendation; and it is no small advantage to the ftudents, that they are placed near the Warren, where artillery of all kinds and dimenfions are caft, and frequently proved before the principal engineers and officers of the board of ordnance, at which many of the nobility and gentry often attend. The gunpowder purchased by contract is here proved, as to its ftrength and goodnefs. Here is also a laboratory, where the matroffes are employed in the composition of fire works and cartridges, and in charging bombs, carcafes, grenades, &c. for public service. COLLEGE AT HIGH WYCOMBE AND MARLOW. This eftablishment (for, although locally divided, it is but one) owes its origin to Major General Le Marchant, who began it in 1799. In 1801, his majesty, looking beyond the mere occafions of the day, and contemplating the abfolute neceffity there was, in the prefent ftate of Europe, for a school in Great Britain, where a certain number of young perfons might be regularly trained up in military fcience, informed parliament, by a meflage, that such an establishment had been formed under his direction; and confidering that it muft conduce to the improvement of that fkill and difcipline, which, combined with the valour of the British troops, had fo often maintained the rights, and afferted the honour of the nation, he recommended to the commons, the making of an adequate provifion, for enabling him to accomplish an object of fuch great national importance. The meffage being referred to a committee, Mr. Yorke, fecretary at war, explained plained the plan in the following terms: "The propofition applies to the inftitution of a royal college or feminary for military inftruction, comprehending as well the education of << fuch young men as are from early life intended for the army, "in the rudiments of military science, previous to their attaining the age which enables them to hold a Commiffion, as the "perfecting and forming a certain number of officers of matu"rer years, and riper experience in the more arduous, difficult, "and important duties of their profeflion; I mean those which "belong to the general staff of the army, and in particular to "the quarter-mafter general's department in the field. It is "intended to confift of a fenior, and a junior department; "the first and most important of which will be occupied in "the education of officers for the staff, and will include thirty "officers, felected from the fervice, and recommended by their "zeal and intelligence, grounded at leaft in the rudiments of "their profeffion, and of an age capable of reflection. It is to "this clafs more particularly that the chief military director"and fuperintendant will devote their time, and apply their "perfonal inftructions. The plan of inftruction for this clafs "appears to have been conceived on the jufteft practical military principles; adapting itself particularly to the nature of "ground actually under examination at the time; to the choice "of camps and pofitions; to the beft mode of occupying, at 66 tacking, or defending them with a given force; to the proper "combination of all the component parts of an army; to its "movements from place to place, either in advancing or retreat"ing; and among other effential acquirements, to the most "ready and effectual means of affording affistance to the com"manding general, in making his difpofitions, by military plans rapidly defigned, by the habitual accuracy of the eye, cor"rected by the fcientific preparation and judgment of the mind. "This plan of inftruction, fo defcribed in its nature and de"tails, has been already acted upon, and brought to maturity, "by the very able and skilful general officer, whofe fervices in "this line this country has at prefent the advantage of poffeffing; (I mean generai Jarry;) firit in the Pruffian service, under the "inspection, and with the approbation of Frederick the Great; "and latterly in this country, at High Wycombe, (with the "affiftance of a very able and intelligent officer of our own, "colonel Le Marchant), though on a very limited fcale, in a "manner the most useful and advantageous to the fervice. I "must also observe, that this inftitution is nearly of the fame "fort and defcription, with that which is now in ufe, for the "formation of staff-officers, in the Auftrian, Pruflian, and "French armies; and that it has the advantages of having "been "been examined and recommended by his royal highness "the commander in chief, affifted by the quarter-master and "adjutant-generals, and by a board of general officers of the "highest reputation in the British army." "The fecond, or junior department, is intended to receive 300 young men, from the age of fourteen to fixteen; 100, "the fons of noblemen and gentlemen intended for the pro"feffion of arms; 50, cadets of the Eaft India company; "100, the fons of officers actually in his majefty's fervice; and 50, the fons of officers who have died or been difabled in the "fervice, leaving families in diftreffed circumstances. thefe, mafters and profeflors of all the arts, fciences, and ac"complishments relating to the military profession will be pro"vided. It is further propofed, that as the establishment is "intended to be entirely of a inilitary nature, it fhall be govern"ed and regulated as a military body, by the rules and ordinan❝ces prescribed for the difcipline of his majefty's fervice; with "fuch additional regulations and reftrictions as may be found "neceffary for the conduct of youth, and the good order of the "inftitution." On the plan thus ably and clearly delineated, and which met the approbation of all parties in parliament, an united establishment compofed of two branches has proceeded; the fenior department being continued at High Wycombe, the junior at Great Marlow; but it is intended to remove both, when the building about to be erected for their reception at Sandhurst, in Berkshire, fhall be completed. The regulation of this eftablishment is confided to commiffioners who are all general officers, and at their head the commander in chief; and there are a governor, and a lieutenant governor both the departments have proper officers, and the moft exact difcipline is obferved. All neceffaries are fupplied by contracts entered into in pursuance of a public advertise ment. CHARITABLE ESTABLISHMENTS. Of foundations formed by private benevolence, for the relief and comfort of maimed and fuperannuated foldiers, it is not intended here to treat; but two great national eftablishments demand attention. CHELSEA HOSPITAL. This receptacle for foldiers no longer able to exert themselves in the fervice of their country, is generally called by the fofter name of Chelsea College, and, in fact, its first inftitution correfponded with that title. Toward the beginning of the feventeenth century, Dr. Sutcliffe, dean of Exeter, fet on foot a project for establishing a college of polemical divines, to be employed in oppofing the doctrines of papifts and fectaries. At first the undertaking feemed attended with good |