66 HELPER REGIMENT. 



obtained upon communicating with the Ordnance." All the arms 

 bear the brand TOWER and the Crown. 



The Victorian volunteers are not permitted colours, but this 

 was not the case with their predecessors. In April, 1804, is the 

 following entry in the Belper cash book — ■" By Cash to Volunteers 

 on presentation of Colours, j£6 6s. od." 



Drums and fifes seem to have been the only military music, 

 with a bugle for signalling. The following items show the earliest 

 outlay of the Belper corps in this direction : — 



£ s. d. 



2 12 6 



1000 



o 14 o 



880 



4 14 6 



3 15 6 



In May of the same year, upwards of ;^5 had to be expended 

 in repairing and repainting drums, as " a pair of drum heads were 

 broken in going to Brailsford." Drink seems to have been very 

 freely supplied on special occasions, which may periiaps account, 

 to some extent, for the smashing of the drums. On March 25th, 

 1804, eight guineas were paid to the volunteers " for drink on the 

 Inspection Day, on being told they had the power to with- 

 draw, but not one man would resign." The daily mess bills for 

 the officers during twelve days at the " Green Man," at Ashbourne, 

 are preserved, and they show that this small mess consumed 113 

 bottles of port at 5s., and 45 of sherry at 6s., in addition to spirits 

 and malt liquor. 



Belper seems to have been considered a strategical point of 

 some value at this period, as well as in the times of the 

 Elizabethan musters. On March 8th, 1804, Colonel Charles 

 Miller, the commanding field officer of the North Inland district, 

 writes to Colonel Strutt that in the event of the volunteers being 



