1830-3 The United Service Smoke-shop : a Winter Sketch. 549 



Major Claymore. These, my dear Cleverly, are contingencies insepa- 

 rable from a state of war ; recollect also, that general officers have what 

 is termed their family (and I like the expression much), consisting of 

 their staff, to provide for daily ; and if these officers do their duty, they 

 have quite enough to employ the faculties of body and mind, without 

 having to provide their individual subsistence as an additional task on 

 their exertions. 



Lt. Col. Towlter. I remember on the passage of the Pisuerga the rush 

 on one of the bridges was tremendous ; the mules of our artillery tum- 

 bril took fright, by which it was forced up on the low parapet, then half 

 demolished, in such a situation as to impede the rapid retreat of the di- 

 vision. " Throw it over ! throw it over !" shouted our general. An 

 order which was about to be obeyed, when the commanding officer of 

 artillery rode up, and urged the preservation of the tumbril, inasmuch 

 as it contained valuable " carcass ammunition." By the great exertions 

 of our people at the head of the column, and a further delay often mi- 

 nutes, the carriage was rescued from its dangerous position, and the 

 mules set off in a brisk trot. On our short halt that evening we dis- 

 covered that it was laden with hampers of WINE and PORTBR, with 

 HAMS, CHEESE, and other most essential " carcass ammunition," of which 

 we salvagers were liberally invited to partake. All's fair in campaigning ! 



Major Claymore. The ordnance people certainly had a great latitude ; 

 but the arrangements for carrying on that arm of the service have ever 

 been conducted on a scale of liberal, I might add prodigal expense : but 

 its splendid services throughout the war was cheaply purchased at any 

 price. I am told Lord Beresford (following up the plans of the duke) 

 has applied the axe of retrenchment and reduction with a heavy hand. 



Lt. Col. Towlter. True ! But we keep a parcel of fat tom-cats that 

 catch neither rat nor mouse ; sometimes, indeed, they play a little with 

 the former, and latterly they lap out of the same dish together. 



Major Claymore. Do you know, Mester Vino, what may be the in- 

 come of the master-general of the ordnance ? I have heard various esti- 

 mates of it. 



Vino. I believe it may be taken in round numbers at eight thousand a 

 year, one thing with another (I know it is generally stated at much 

 less) ; and its patronage, always great, has been augmented by the ar- 

 rangement which merged the office of barrack-master-general in that of 

 the ordnance. 



Major Claymore. Yes, yes ; there's no want of patronage. Ech ! the 

 marshal 's a lucky man. 



Lt. Col. Towlter. Faith ! you may say that. 



Major Claymore. Master-general ! 



Lt. Col. Towlter. A pensioner of two thousand a year ! 



Major Claymore. Colonelcy of 16th foot ! 



Lt. Col. Towlter. Government of Jersey ! 



Major Claymore Viscount Beresford ! 



Lt. Col. Towlter. I wonder does his grace ever reflect on the chance of 

 again taking the field with British troops ? I wish he had never turned 

 statesman. " Confound his politics." I hate to think of them. 



Capt. Cleverly. With due deference to the legislature, I must express 

 my doubts that a barrack-master is, in strictness, a civil servant of the 

 crown j he is amenable to martial law; and if subject to all the pains 

 and penalties of the military code, he ought in fairness to be allowed to 



