214 COLONEL HANGER S 



features of our country evidently point out 

 their utility and eiRcacy. Look only, for 

 instance, to the counties of Essex, Kent 

 and Sussex. 



I know full well the powers and superior 

 efficacy of des gros battalions ; no man res- 

 pects them more than I do, for I am posi- 

 tively persuaded no signal victory can be 

 gained without them. But let me ask a ques- 

 tion candidly : Cannot such a corps, 

 constituted, disciplined, and trained accor- 

 ding to those rules which I have prescribed, 

 be formed at all thnes INTO A GROS BATTA- 

 LION and PERFORM EVERY DUTY REQUIRED 

 OF A SOLID BATTALION in CLOSE ORDER, 



on the day of battle in the line ? I trust it 

 will be allowed that they certainly can. To 

 this I will presume to add an opinion. 

 Trained as marksmen, and armed with a 

 gun which possesses such superior and uni- 

 versal qualities, it is but just to suppose that 

 tliey are entitled to do more execution, as regu- 

 lars, in tlie day of battle, than any battalion 

 of the line in his Majesty's service, armed 

 as they are at present with a common mus- 



