20 Far ADA V, Corrcspondeticc of Lt.-Col. J. L. Philips. 



I l)eg my respects to the ladies, and to all the family at I5ank. I hope 



Mis Earle has had no return of her complaint. I remain 



Your sincere friend, Ilbl Sir 



THOS. TAYLOR 

 I hope the oranges arrived safe. 



Pray tell Mrs Earle that I have just received a letter from Fa • • • that the 



young woman she wrote to was engaged before the letter reached her. 



The Air. Gill Slater mentioned was a prominent 

 merchant of Liverpool, and took some part in founding 

 the Sunday School in that town. He lived in Castle 

 Street.* The lieutenant of the Military Association was 

 Mr. Joseph Brooks. The next letter continues the sub- 

 ject of the volunteers : — 



Liverpool 14 June 17S2 



I thank )-iiu for your letter of yesterday with the Plan of your \'olunteer 

 Association which in general I approve of much but not entirely the 7th 

 article I do not like. I would have n<i fine for anything but dirty Arms, if 

 you have any man among you wh(j requires to be quickened in his attendance 

 by the fear of a trifling fine, depend upon it you had better got rid of him, 

 and all others of that stamp, ii?ake a point of honour to attend strictly and 

 the disgrace of being absent at the calling of the Roll will be a sufficient spur. 

 I had introduced your 9th article into my proposal, but I found it did not 

 meet with general satisfaction, I mean that part of it which proposed the 

 officers to be chang'd, it can answer no good end, Officers that are frequently 

 to be renewed will never properly understand their business, for by the time 

 they have attained they must resign, they won't be able to carry that 

 authority which is absolutely necessary if you mean to i)ut yourselves on a 

 respectable footing, and as you are to elect your own ofllcers it is your own 

 fault if they arc not respectable and proper persons, and should it happen 

 any of them prove disagreeable, there can be no doubt but the representation 

 of it by the Company would effect their removal — we had several different 

 opinions what the facing of our Cloaths should be, but that the Coat should 

 be scarlet was determined without a dissenting voice. We shall have the 

 appearance of soldiers if ever we have the occasion to turn out, which we 

 never should have in a fantastic livery — we still continue to exercise, but 

 intend to procecil no further till we hear the event of the motion which the 

 Secrelary-al-War has given notice of in the house of Commons, my opinion 

 is that Lord Shelburn's plan will be defeated, and indeed I wish it may for 

 my sentiments about it have always been that it is a very weak measure, for 

 it is an acknowledgement that Government is inadequate to the defence of 

 the nation, a period at which we are not I hope arrived, and till that day I 

 think the unliounded supplys which are granted by the nation ought to 



•Died at Bath, Sept. 24, 1802. 



