ENGLISH GARRISOX OF GUERNSEY. 79 



With the Revokition of 1688, and the accession of 

 William III. to the throne, began another long period of wars 

 with France, and to us consequent danger of invasion. Early 

 in 1689 seven companies of foot were stationed in Guernsey 

 and six in Jersey. These, we gather from a draft order of a 

 Committee of the House of Lords, dated the 15th June of 

 the same year,* it was decided to further reinforce by 300 

 men. In 1698 we find six companies of Colonel Mordant's 

 Regiment stationed in the island, and in 1699 to 1700 six 

 companies of the Royal Fusiliers. At this period there were 

 no barracks in the island, and only accommodation in Castle 

 Cornet for about three companies.! The remainder df the 

 troops were therefore billetted in the town, chiefly in private 

 houses, as there was no room in the public houses to receive 

 them. The 23eople considered it a hardship to be obliged to 

 house and feed the soldiers for a length of time, and the pay- 

 ment for their keep was frequently long in arrears. Repre- 

 sentations were made to the Government on the subject by the 

 States in 1700, and it was ordered that two of the companies 

 should return to England, and the remaining four should be 

 accommodated in Castle Cernet, with the exception of about 

 21 men, who were still to be billetted on the public houses 

 until such time as new barracks were built. 



During the war with Spain, in 1719, the whole of the 

 garrison stationed in the island was withdrawn and sent to 

 Plymouth, and on representation of the Lieutenant-Governor, 

 Giles Spicer, the Royal Court authorised him to draw the 

 number of men required for the daily guard of Castle Cornet 

 from the Militia. J 



The Island was not left long without English troops, and 

 this is the only time on record of a total withdrawal of the 

 garrison. In 1769 four companies of Invalids were quartered 

 at Castle Cornet, and as there were still no barracks in the 

 island, nor sufficient room to accommodate all of them in the 

 castle, many of the soldiers were permitted to live in town, 

 anrl serve as porters. On the outbreak of the American war 

 of Independence, one entire and two half Regiments, and also 

 two more companies of Invalids, or veterans, were stationed in 

 the island for its protection. § A few years later, in 1780, 

 Fort George was built, |i and for the aecommorlation of the 

 large number of men stationed in the island at this time, and 

 during the wars with Fr mce, at the end of the 18th century, 

 further barracks were built at Amherst, De Lancey Hill, the 



* Report XII. Hist. MSS. Commission, p. 101. House of Lords MSS. 



t Tupper, Hist. Gnernsey, 2ncl Erl,, p. 385. t Uo., p 555. 



§ Tupper, Hist. Guernsey, 2nd Ed., p. 405. || Do., p. il6. 



