introduced into the Electoral Army. 697 



He was obliged to supply every new recruit with the 

 small equipment, for the most part, on credit. This 

 advance commonly amounted, as has been shown above, 

 to more than eleven florins. For the payment of these 

 debts he could take nothing from the money given to 

 the recruit on his enlistment. This was expressly for- 

 bidden by a special order. If the recruit, however, 

 desired, of his own accord, to apply some of it to this 

 purpose, he was free so to do ; but he could not be 

 compelled to do it. If now the recruit deserted, which 

 happened very often, since he found himself at the very 

 beginning so loaded with debts, the officer lost the 

 eleven florins almost entirely; for your Electoral High- 

 ness recompensed him, on account of this debt of a 

 deserter, to the extent of three florins only. 



How could the officer, then, extricate himself without 

 loss from such a position, except by selling the articles 

 furnished to the other soldiers so much the dearer? 

 And, if the officer had once begun to exert himself for 

 gain, who could set bounds to this passion ? He was 

 compelled to indemnify himself for the loss caused by 

 desertion, if he did not wish to sacrifice himself in the 

 service of his sovereign. Will he, however, always con- 

 tent himself with simple indemnification for this loss ? 

 Experience has unfortunately taught, long since, that 

 this was not to be always expected. 



4th, This trading between the officer and his subor- 

 dinates has always given occasion for dissatisfaction 

 among the latter. Any one who is obliged to pay for 

 a thing commonly thinks that he has the right to pro- 

 cure the article for himself ; or, at least, to judge of the 

 necessity of procuring it, and to bargain as to the price 

 of the goods. But by this arrangement the man was 



