THE BROME FAMILY. 
305 
regard by Colonel Borgard during the many years in which he virtually 
dominated all artillery interests, was given a smaller train and estab¬ 
lishment, mounted lighter ordnance (32-prs. versus 42-prs.), and their 
relative annual cost in 1717 was Port Mahon £3756, Gibraltar £2898; 
and notwithstanding the heroic bravery of the Gibraltar garrison dur¬ 
ing the subsequent great siege of three years, the baneful licensing 
system may account for the broad line of demarcation between its 
system of artillery training and discipline and that of Minorca : only 
two of the Gibraltar early officers attained distinction, or were, during 
Borgard’s regime , given opportunities of active service elsewhere (and 
in the latter half of the great siege the R.A. Commanding Officers 
were ex Minorquins). But over Minorca Borgard watched with 
parental care and affection; he had captured it; its command he en¬ 
trusted, in 1725, to the ablest officer of the time—Captain Thomas 
Pattison, 1 2 and kept him there nolens volens until 1737—energetic, rigid 
disciplinarian, one who throughout his whole career ever asserted and 
conserved the functions and status of the artillery. To Minorca 
Borgard had sent off five of his nephews, each of whom he made to 
pass through the ranks, and for four of whom he procured commissions 
early in life, 3 and when war broke out in Europe, Minorca yielded 
(before General Borgard yielded up the helm) the officers who were to 
mould the destinies of the Royal Artillery in the Seven Years’ War. 
In Minorca Royal Artillery Officers first successfully maintained their 
right to be considered as integral parts of the army, and to rank in 
Royal Commission with other officers of the army; and the Royal 
Engineers obtained their first company (of sappers and miners). 
Like Calais to Queen Mary, Minorca must ever lie near the heart 
of every British Gunner and Engineer. Minorca was, in fact, the com¬ 
bined Woolwich and Aldershot, School of Gunnery and of Engineering, 
of the day; and to Captain Pattison and Sergfe.-Major Charles Brome 
the deservedly high character of that garrison was certainly due. 
I cannot close this chapter without recording my deep sense of 
obligation to the following :—■ 
Marquis of Salisbury, for instructing H.M. Consul for the Balearic 
Islands to search ecclesiastical archives of marriages in Minorca; 
Lieut.-General Milman, for portraits of General Joseph Brome and 
sons; Rev. A. P. Cornwall and Dr. William Wallford for Brome- 
Walton family documents; Capt. H. D. Jones, D.-A.-A.-G., Gibraltar, 
for searching local records. 
1 Pattison was with Bougard and Brome at the capture of Minorca, 1708, as “ Gentleman of the 
Ordnance,” and returned to Catalonia with Borgard in 1709 ( Cleaveland , p. 169). Captain 
Pattison’s nephew (James) married Mary, eldest daughter of General Borgard. Vide 'England's 
Artillerymen , p. 11 (foot note). 
2 Kane is still utterly unreliable as to origin of many of the artillery Officers in the early pages 
of that Artillery List, as proved by muster-rolls and pay-lists. 
George Michelsen (pronounced Miclmelsen), commissioned from the ranks, 1719. 
Borgard Michelsen l( „ „ „ 1729. 
William Sumpter, commissioned from the ranks 1731. 
Withers Borgard „ „ „ 1736. Died Captain R.A. in 1743 ; aged 29. 
William Withers (came to grief). 
(To be Continued), 
