In order to bestow a particular mark of distinction on the Noncommissioned Officers or Soldiers who should have a claim to such a remuneration, a Badge of Honour should be allotted to each of them, to be borne on their breast in embroidery, or a medal bearing the name and date of the action in which the bearer should have distinguished himself.

Your Royal Highness will be pleased to observe, that a Badge of Honour on the breast or sleeve, worn occasionally by an unbearded youth, would command respect, and for certain impress upon the bearer a consciousness of his consequence, which he would studiously endeavour never to forfeit, and also induce young men to enter the army, with a view of deserving and receiving so honourable a recompence. It would also tend to induce those who had merited such an honour to remain attached to the service.-The aforesaid Badge of Honour to be conferred by a Board of General Officers, in consequence of the report of the Commandant of the company or detachment, attested by the Commanding-Officer of the corps. This ceremony ought to take place on the parade, and the badge given by the General commanding the brigade, when in the field, otherwise in the presence of the whole garrison.-The names of the men so rewarded, either non-commissioned officers, or rank and file, should be mentioned in the order of the day of the brigade, and those of the officers in that of the army, and likewise in the dispatch to the Secretary of State.-In case there should be a contention between two individuals, having served the same length of time, to become a Chelsea Pensioner, the preference should be given to the bearer of the Badge of Honour.

No one can be more sensible than myself, a Captain on half-pay, (who is far from blushing at having risen from the ranks) how ardently such a reward will be courted and commended by the noncommissioned or privates, and still more so, if possible, by the officers of the British army.

If a man so rewarded should happen subsequently to be found guilty of any gross offence, the penalty imposed on him might be, 1st, to divest him of the badge of honour; 2d, to deprive him of the pecuniary advantage deriving therefrom.-It has been ascertained, from good authority, that in the French army there are but very few instances of a Légionaire having ever incurred any punishment ever so trifling. Mr. Secretary Wyndham did not think proper to insert those clauses in the Bill which he submitted to parliament, because he was not conscious of their importance, or because he did

not think that the circumstances of the times required such encouragement to be afforded to the army. But now their utility, as well as the necessity of establishing those clauses, is obvious from the circunstance of the British army having to cope with troops for which such rewards have been established, and have induced men to perform wonders, in order to obtain them. What must the feelings of a British soldier be, when he hears of rewards being given to the soldiers of other powers for an act of bravery displayed on such or such an occasion, when he perhaps, in the same action, has covered himself with glory, but remains unrewarded in the like proportion-It may be argued, that the British soldiers are fighting for their king, their country, and their constitution, and that, in performing a glorious action, they enjoy the reward for having done so; but let any one be asked what they think of such a reward only, and the answer will be that, that proposed ought to be granted, as amongst the ranks of the enemy.

I most humbly beg leave to point out to your Royal Highness some new mode of rewarding the Non-commissioned Officers, Corporals, &c. &c. which consists in establishing intermediate ranks, which would in no manner alter the actual constitution of the British army, and which would prove the best method of creating emulation amongst the inferior members of the army. I conceive, for instance, that instead of trusting the colours of the regiment, not unfrequently, into the hands of a young inexperienced officer, they should be given to the charge of such non-commissioned officers as, by their length of service or memorable actions, had deserved that honour, for bearing the colours of the regiment should be considered a great one. This serjeant might be promoted Non-commissioned Adjutant, with an increase of pay accordingly: but on this subject more will be mentioned hereafter.

I likewise most humbly beg leave to suggest to your Royal Highness the creation of a Pay-Serjeant for each company, as is practised in the French army, with an additional pay of 3d. per diem, who will have the same distinction, and be employed in the same capacity as those who are now attached as Serjeants-Major to the Battalion. Although this might appear rather novel, yet it would be found ultimately of great advantage for the regularity of the service, and for the encouragement of both the non-commissioned officers and privates. The Pay-Serjeant thus appointed, would keep a more watchful eye over every member in the company. It would also be adviseable to create a Quarter-Master Corporal for each company,

who would have the charge of superintending the distribution of the provisions, the quartering of the men, of keeping the Orderly-Book, &c. &c. and act, when required, as Secretary to the CommandingOfficer of the Company. It is hardly credible to what degree the French service is benefitted by the appointment of the abovementioned Non-commissioned Pay-Serjeant, and Corporal Major, and how the distributions take place in the most quiet, unembarrassed manner, without dismembering the non-commissioned officers of companies.

If such an address should meet with the approbation of your Royal Highness, the actual Serjeant-Major of each Battalion should be considered as Adjutant (Warrant Officer) and receive.3s. 3d. per diem, besides clothing. A non-commissioned officer destitute of fortune would prefer such a situation to being promoted an officer, as being unequal, with a subaltern's pay, to meet the expences of the latter situation.-Should the proposed amendment be adopted by your Royal Highness, it need not be observed that the subaltern officers, in favour of whom your Royal Highness has already done so much, are in expectation of being rewarded in a similar manner.

As it might be dangerous, perhaps, to grant 7 or 14 years service as a recompence to an officer, either on account of the expence, or of the jealousy which might ensue throughout the army, let it be stipulated that never more than 3, 5, or 7 years seniority in the army will be granted to gentlemen holding his Majesty's commission.In case an officer, thus rewarded, should solicit promotion, the additional years of service, obtained as a recompence for some memorable action, should be considered as if the said officer had served the number of years that are required by the regulations.

Pursuant to the regulation, all Captains and Lieutenants, after having served above 7 years, receive an extra pay. Wherefore should not the Serjeant-Major, Ensign, and Serjeant, be rewarded in the like manner? To that class, as being the soul of the army, the bounty of your Royal Highness ought in due justice to extend.

Would it not be adviseable likewise, nay urgent, to grant extra pay, according to seniority, to Majors, Lieut.-Colonels, and Colonels? Methinks it would be a very just and not altogether very expensive mode of ameliorating the situation of such General Officers, on the Half-pay list, who have no regiment.

The following is a sketch of the proposed plan, shewing the daily rate of pay to be granted according to length of service.

ADDITIONAL PAY PER DIEM, ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS

Let it be observed that the men who obtain a Badge of Honour and extra pay according to their rank at the time, are not to claim the pay of the rank to which they may be promoted, unless they have an opportunity of distinguishing themselves in their new situations.-The fortune of war, and the various circumstances occurring in the course of a campaign, may so ordain that a meritorious officer has not an opportunity of distinguishing himself more than any of his brother-officers; but then such as are not successful this year for instance, may expect to be so the next, of course let them not repine, who have been once disappointed, though with equal courage undoubtedly, and equal abilities, they see such officers as have fallen in the way of a glorious deed, meet with a recompence, that awaits them in their turn, namely, a gold medal, entitling the noble bearer, according to the rank he holds at the time, to an extra daily pay of Lieut.-Colonel, 5s.-Major, 4s.-Captain, 3s.-Lieutenant, 1s. 6d. Ensign, 1s.

N. B. The additional pay granted on account of a meritorious action, to be distributed half-yearly, at the same periods as the bât and forage money to officers.

N. W. A.

NEW ORDER OF KNIGHTHOOD.

Mr. Editor,

AT a period when the British Army has been brought to such a high degree of discipline, owing to the judicious attention of His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, to emulate and even to improve on the theory and practice of Frederick the Great; when the British Army has met with an opportunity of displaying in both hemispheres their national valour; it is to be lamented indeed that no Military Order is established in this country, the same as in many others.

An ingenious correspondent has suggested that, (as we have already the orders of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick,) St. David, should be appointed patron of the new intended Military Order. With due deference to the opinion of my worthy cotemporary, I will submit to the decision of your readers, whether it would not be preferable to have the present Knights and Companions of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath nominated each Grand-Cross, and the Extra Knights Commanders, wearing besides the embroidery on the left breast of their upper garment, the red ribbon as usual; and such officers as were entitled to a military badge of honour, to wear a narrow red ribbon on the left breast at the third button-hole, with the cognizance of the Order of the Bath, and the motto in miniature, in a similar manner to what the Knights of the Military Order of St. Louis in France, and of Mariè Theresa in Austria, &c. &c. used to wear.

Instead of this cross the non-commissioned officers should be allotted a gold or gilt medal, and the privates a silver one, with the cognizance and motto of the order on one side, and on the other the name of the bearer, with the name and date of the action in which he has distinguished himself.

The officers thus decorated should be gazetted accordingly; the names of the non-commissioned and privates recorded in the Orderly Books of the army.

The Commander-in-Chief of an army alone, ought to be authorised to confer that military distinction on the field of battle occasionally; upon every other occasion a Court-Martial should be summoned to decide upon the merits of the individual who might claim that recompense, and the case to be dissented pro and con by the members of every rank composing the Court.