190 
change was actually gazetted upon the Sa- 
turday following. Mrs. Clarke in consequence 
geceived 9001. from the agent. This case 
then serves to shew-—=first, that, in addition 
to promotions, exchanges also were at the 
@isposal ef Mrs. Clarke; and secondly, that 
the purse of the commander-in-chief was sa- 
ved by the supply which his mistress derived 
fsom. such sources.. The witnesses to this 
ease are, Liewtenant-Colonel Brooke, Lieute- 
gant~Colonel Knight, Mrs. Clarke, and Mr. 
Thynne. 
As acontrast to-the preceding | exchange, I 
ghall take leavetostate a caseof peculiar hard- 
ship whichocurred within the year; two meri- 
torieus officers, Major Macdonaid and Major 
Sinclair, both of the first regiment of infant- 
*¥, and both indisposed, were anxious to make 
en-exchange—the one desiring, for the reco- 
weryof hishealth, toremainin England; while 
the other, from a‘similar movive, desiredto go 
tothe West Indies, These gentiemen sought 
their object by every honourable means. The 
most urgent requests, and the most respecta~ 
tie recommendations were made in their fa- 
our, but in vein. No mistress was resorted 
to—nobribeo! 2001. was offered —Major Mac- 
@ionald was forced to go to the West Indies, 
and fellimmediately a victim to the climate ; 
Biajor Sinclair was forcedto remain in England, 
and survived but afew months. Thus was 
the country deprived of two highlydeserving 
G@uicers. 
“Phe fourth ease I have to adduce refers to 
Bfajor John Shaw, of Colonel Champagne’s 
Ceylon regiment. Major John Shaw was ap- 
pointed deputy barrack master of the Cape of 
Good ‘Hope, on the 3d of April, 1806, 
*hrough the influence or Mrs. Clarke. It was 
Snown that this officer by no means enjoyed 
the favour of the Duke of York—that in fact 
‘Bis Royal Highness entertained some prejudi- 
es against him. But these obstacles Mrs. 
Clarke easily contrived to overcome 5 for it 
was agreed to pay Mrs. Clarke 10001. for the 
majors appointment. The appointment was 
‘therefore made, and the major himself paid 
Biss. Clarke 3001. Soon after, 2001. more 
were sent to Mrs. Clarkeby MajorShaw’s un- 
ele, through Coutts’s bank, and the payment 
was made by one of Mr-Coutts’s clerks. The 
remaining 5001. however, was not paid; and 
when it was found not. tobeforthcoming, Mrs. 
Clarke was enraged, and thredtened reven.ze. 
Sheactually complainedtothe commander-in- 
ehief of Mr. Shaw’s breach of contract, and the 
consequence was, that the major was soon af- 
-ter put on half pay. i am in possession of se- 
veral letters which passed upon this subject, 
from Major Shaw and Mrs Shaw, threatening 
beth the commander-in-chiet and Mrs Clarke 
with public exposure, &c. if their complaints 
were not redressed, but in vain. In conse- 
quence of this business; Ihave been induced to 
- examine the hail-pay list, inorderto see whe- 
ther any similar reduction to that of Major 
Shew hadtaken place inthe barrack depart. 
Duke of York ond the Army. 
“tiations: 
[March J, 
ment—-but I have found no such thing, such 
officers being, in fact, kept on full pay, even 
on the home staff. This case of Major Shaw 
‘was indeed the only instance I could find of 
such an officer being reduced tohalf-pay. The 
case of this officer, then, demonstrates, that 
Mrs. Clarke’s influence extended to appoint- 
‘ments on the staff of the army, aswell as to 
promotions and exchanges in the army itself; 
secondly, that, the commander-in-chief pu- 
nished an individual by reducing him from full 
to half. pay, for non-performance of anefarious 
contract with his mistress; and, thirdly, that 
the commander-in chief was a direct party to 
all this shameful transaction. ‘The witnesses 
to this case are, Mrs, Clarke, Mr. Shaw, un- 
cle to Major Shaw, Mr. Coutts’s clerk, and 
Mrs. Shaw. 
IT now come to the very novel case of Co- 
fonel French and his levy. This oilicer was, 
through the influence of Mrs. Clarke, appoin- 
ted by the commander-in chief to conduct a 
levy inthe years 1804-5. ‘The colonel was in- 
troducéd to Mrs: Clarke byCaptain Huxley San- 
don, and the condition upon which ‘he ob- 
tained his appointment was, that Mirs. Clarke 
should have one guinea out of the bounty of 
every man raised, together with the sale or 
patronace of a pares number of the commis~ 
sions. The agreement being concluded, it was 
communicated to, and approved of, by the 
commander-in-chief. Colonel French was ac- 
cordingly sent by Mrs. Clarke to the Horse 
Guards, and, after many interviews, the levy 
was set on caok As the levy proceeeded, Mrs. 
Clarke received several sums of money from 
Colonel French,Captain Huxley Sandon, and-a 
Mr. Corti. She also received 5001. froma 
Mr. Cockayne, who isa well known solicitor 
in Lyon’s-inn, anda friend of Captain Huxley 
Sanéon. “But, to return for a moment to Mr. 
Danevan, the garrison-battalion Heutenant. 
This gentleman, who was such a prominent 
agent in these ‘transactions, was acquainted 
with an old officer, a Captain Tuck, whom he 
very strongly recommended to seek promotion; 
and to encourege bim by a display of the faci- 
lity with which it might be attained, he sent 
hima written scale of Mrs. Clarke’s prices, for 
differentcommissions, which, instating, I beg 
leave to contrast bis the regulated ‘prices of 
‘the army. 
Mrs. Clarke's Prices. Regulated Prices. 
A Majerity £900 — £2600 
A Company 760 1500 
A Lieutenancy 408 550 
An Ensigncy 200 400} 
From this scale it appears, that the fates iF 
have before alluded to, lost, in an enormous 
ratio to. the gain of Mrs. Clarke, or any 
other individual acting upon the same system, 
Here 1 am to take leave of Mrs. Clarke. 
Here the scene closes upon her military nege- 
and in what follows, the com- 
mander in chief alone is interested. It ap- 
pears that his Royal Highness required a loan 
of .5000], sient Colonel French, and Mg, 
Grant 
