APPENDIX I. 413 



moted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the same ; which 

 request I nattered myself would not be thought unreason- 

 able, as it was originally intended that there should be a 

 colonel and a lieutenant-colonel to the regiment, and as 

 your Excellency had given me reason to hope that you 

 would have honoured me with the provincial rank of 

 colonel had I embarked for the West Indies with the 

 corps to the command of which you had appointed me. 



' I took the liberty of writing to your Excellency upon the 

 subject by the last packet, since which his Majesty has 

 been graciously pleased to approve of the King's American 

 J)ragoons having the full establishment of field officers, as 

 was originally intended, and that I should be promoted to 

 the rank of colonel. I cannot help nattering myself that 

 this arrangement will be agreeable to your Excellency, and 

 that I shall be returned in your list of the provincial officers 

 for half-pay as colonel. 



* The rank to me is of infinite importance, as I am going 

 abroad in a short time with a view to foreign service ; but 

 the half-pay is also an object, as I have little else left to 

 depend on except my industry. 



4 The paper No. 3 will explain itself. I wished much 

 that the House of Commons would have voted the full or 

 complete establishment of the different corps, but Lord 

 North seemed very desirous of bringing the sum wanted 

 for the provincial staff" pay as low as possible, that it might 

 pass the easier. With that view the calculation of the 

 savings of part of the chaplain's half-pay, the adjutants, 

 quartr- masters, &c., were made. But all these regulations 

 will depend entirely upon your Excellency. Whatever you 

 think right I am confident will be done without any kind 

 of objection or difficulty. 



* As it was impossible to lay correct estimates before the 

 House at the time, none of the corps have been voted 

 specifically, but their claim to half-pay in general is sub- 

 stantiated by the vote of a certain sum on account of Jialf- 

 pay, and so the matter must rest till your Excellency can 



