hauling down of their Admiralty flags, for commands afloat, in a higher degree, than in union with the other distinguished members of the Board to fill up the vacancies on the £90 and £80 scale of widows' pensions, with the widows of the junior retired captains on the "U" List, that their cruse of oil may not fail to flow of equal value, to that so liberally poured out by their Lordships hands into the cups of the widows of the masters, retired with the rank of retired captain, under Order in Council, 28th February, 1855. But my Lords will perfect their improved scale of Naval widows' pensions, and not leave to their successors to perform this one act of justice to the junior retired captains' widows.

The master-captains receive masters' out-pensions of
Greenwich Hospital
Commanders promoted to captains on the "U" List,
commanders' out pensions

But widows of master-captains, above three years'

Under three years' standing

Whilst widows of captains from the commander's List, if above three years' standing

وو

Per annum.

£50

£65

£90

£75

£75

If under three years' stauding Widows of captains retired "slap-bang" from the masters' list in June, 1861, £50 per annum-in September, 1861, £90 and £80; but the widows of the "U" captains, promoted from the commanders' list still remain with the minor pension £75 per

annum.

No doubt" comparisons are odious,"
If to good, they are victorious.

It is to be greatly regretted, that the Committee of the Executive Officers, in their memorials for redress of grievances, did not select the classes who had cases of hardship in their existence on the miserable pittance of the old scale of half-pay, like those on the junior list of the "H. I. K." captains. The singular position of those meritorious veterans-particularly those promoted from the commanders' list, under Order in Council of 10th August, 1840, which included those who were commanders-the senior, T. O. Hewes, August, 1811; the junior, W. Woodley, March, 1816. Those retired captains, on 10s. 6d. per diem, of whom remain thirtyseven, who were commanders previous to the Battle of Algiers, excited the sympathy of their Lordships and we have reason to believe their condition would have been ameliorated by granting to the first fifty-which now include Captain Matthew Liddon, Commander, of November, 1821-twelve and sixpence a-day, and the remainder eleven shillings; the half-pay of lieutenant-colonels, to succeed to the higher scale of retired-pay as vacancies occur. However, the inopportune, and prodigious "protest" of the "F. G." captains, promoted from the commanders' list to captains'

reserved half-pay, "capsized the binacle and all" of their Lordships' intention, to amend the half-pay of any one class on the Reserved and Retired Lists. And their Lordships were right. The word protest is not to be found in the vocabulary of Naval Discipline.

The memorial of the junior captains on reserved half-pay was drawn out according to the sure game of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." We shall continue to receive the increase of extra pay for sea-time and mate's compensation, which increases from three pence to six shillings and three pence a-day our present reserved pay ten shillings and sixpence, but we "protest" in not rising to the active captains' increase of half-pay in general, and hereafter by seniority to the rank of flag-officers and twenty-five shillings per diem.

Now for one step from the sublimity of the "F. G." captains' "protest" to the ridicularity of the petition of the Royal Marine corporals of the Chatham division, who signed their names to their characteristic petition, as stiff as crowbars, and were as respectful as postmen for Christmas boxes. "To the Right Honourable our Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that your Lordships' honours will be pleased to raise our non-commissioned pay from 1s. 6d. and 1s. 4d. a-day, according to our respective classes, to that of our equals, the second-class petty officers in our Most Glorious Majesty, the King's fleet, that is to say, the captains of the fore-castle, captains of the tops and after-guard, who are recompensed with 1s. 8d. a-day-these captains' pay being in excess of the corporals' by two pence and four pence a-day—and as in duty bound, your Lordships' petitioners will ever pray for your Honours' long life, and chorus up with heart and voice, God save the King!"

The memorial of those reserved captains, who were never commissioned to the active captains' list, and the petition of the Chatham corporals of Marines are pigeon-holed in the Admiralty, as rare curiosities of a Naval protest and a Marine petition. The ceporals' non-commissioned respect to their Lordships is a reflection on the reserved post-captains' commissioned protest.

That protest was a Naval blow to a general redress of grievances. The joint-stock bubble of admirals, captains, commanders, and lieutenants burst, numerous subscribers saved their cash in their purses, and the accounts were closed to the discomfiture of the Reverend Secretary of the Committee, whose names cannot now be purchased for love or money, to be framed and glased in remembrance of their tact and discernment, their judgment and impar. tiality in the memorializing for increase of their own pay, leaving out that of the sub-lieutenants and midshipmen, too insignificant for consideration.

These satirical hits are made at the protest only, a Naval historical fact, not at the claims to higher retired pay of the meritorious officers who were selected for promotion from the

commanders' Active List for zealous and faithful services, as proved by the great majority decorated with war medals-three pensioned for wounds and ten in receipt of Out Pensions. These Out Pensions to officers generally, on the extension of the List, could be appropriately termed, "Service Pensions."

Many of the "F. G." captains would participate in the increase of retired-pay-were the commanders' sea-time reduced from twenty to eighteen years, and the Coast-Guard time increased from one-third to half, which, we believe, was in contemplation by the Admiralty, and which, we trust, is yet in abeyance, as the estimate of the expense has long been prepared, for that undoubted act of justice to those retired previous to July, 1884, by granting half Coast-Guard time to officers retiring after that date.

Our esteemed brother officers might bear in mind that, it is not in the nature of men, or lords, to be Parliamentarily, or newspaperly badgered, hence a scientific officer and experienced seaman has been run to half-pay earth.

The turret-squabbles of Captain Coles
Made holes in his jacket-

He would squabble on, till he made holes
In his full-pay pocket.*

There is not a period in British Naval History in which a boon was granted to the Navy, equal to that of the Naval Retirement of 1st August, 1860. It extended promotion and increase of halfpay to the captains, commanders and lieutenants on the Active List, by the retiring of the superfluous number of the veterans. There are certainly some anomalies and unfairness in the scheme of August, 1860, and its amendment of the 9th July, 1864, which bear hadly against many individuals, yet, most generally, it has created satisfaction by its increased retired-pay and promotive honour. Did the hoary-headed commanders and lieutenants ever contemplate, that, by their sea-time in those ranks, and with mate's time, reckoned after the first two years of their passing for lieutenants, they would retire, by long sea services, or sea-time, upon more than full-pay, with a step in rank and increased widows' pensions, and are further to be rewarded, if eligible by sea-time and services, with the increase of "Out Pensions?"

The Captains' Active List being reduced from 350 to 300, those officers, if above mediocrity, are nearly certain of employment, and the increase of their full-pay will buoy them over the rocks and shoals of agency, when harboured on half-pay. They now increase their half-pay from 10s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. in five years-and to 14s. 6d. in eleven years-whereas previous to August, 1860, they did not obtain the first increase before eight and years, and the second one under fifteen years.

a half

The commanders increase their half-pay from 8s. 6d. to 10s., in less than six years, but not less than thirteen years previous to August,

* Vide" Standard," 3rd February, 1866.

1860. The number of commanders actually employed is considerably increased, the List having been reduced from 450 to 400.

The Lieutenants' List having also been reduced-and but comparatively few on half-pay-the new rates of half-pay are increased from 4s., 5s., 6s., 7s. to 8s. 6d., according to sea-time from under 3 to 12 years' complete sea-time. Before the reduction of their Active List in August, 1860, by the retirement of the "old buffers," they did not attain the 6s. list under eighteen years, nor the 7s. list under forty-five years. The Senior Lieutenant, and Brevet Commander A. Woodward on the "P" List, 21st of March, 1812, has been fifty-four years, if now promoted, to the "O" Retired List of commanders, 1816, before he obtains Ss. 6d. per diem.

After these observations, we may return to the essential points which would materially add to the advantages of the Admiralty

measures.

66

An honorary governor" henceforth to head the Greenwich Hospital Establishment, though by Act of Parliament termed "Visitor," and his duties confined to that office only.

Brevet commanders I. Pollard, T. Williams, and W. V. Lee, to be removed from the "P" List of Retired Lieutenants to the "W" List of Retired Commanders, as their superiors on retiring from Greenwich Hospital were promoted, or retired, to superior lists.

The pensions of the widows of the "U" captains promoted from the Commanders' Active List, under Order in Council, 1860, to be raised to the scale of pensions, granted to the captains retired from the Masters' List.

And the commanders' maximum sea-time for retirement be reduced from twenty to eighteen years, and the Coast-Guard seatime for commanders and lieutenants, retired under Order in Council, 1st August, 1860, from their respective Active Lists, be raised from one-third to half, as granted to those younger officers retired after the Order in Council, 9th July, 1864.

These boons to the aged officers promoted under Order in Council, 1st August, 1860, and to their widows, would be hailed with gratitude, during their brief existence, their average age having reached that "allotted to man-three score years and ten."

A FEW NOTES ON MILITARY MUSIC IN PAST TIMES.

Music appears to have been associated with deeds of arms and martial array, from the earliest times of which we have note.

We are not aware that any traces of musical instruments have yet been found in the strange remains of what is now called the age of stone' by the side of the primitive weapons there found, but in the earliest remains of the historic period to which we have now access,

viz. the Egyptian antiquities, the connection of war and music appears frequently.

Nearly all the bas reliefs of bands of warriors, pourtray them headed by musicians; various forms of trumpets and small drums seemingly of the size of the modern snare drums, being the instruments most frequently depicted, the trumpets appear to have closely resembled in shape a modern post horn, while the drums seem to have been beaten with the tips of the fingers like the modern 'tom toms' of the east.

A figure given by Sir Gardner Wilkinson (Ancient Egyptians, vol 2,) shows the method of carrying the drum to have been precisely similar to that now in use.

So also in the Assyrian antiquities, trumpets and drums both are depicted as in use repeatedly. The Greeks had many forms of trumpet, the Lacedemonians using three distinct kinds as we are told.

The Cretans are said to have advanced to battle, to the sound of their native lyres as the Celts of later days marched to the strain of the harps of their bards.

In the Roman armies, two kinds of trumpets were in common use, the Tuba' used by the Legionary Infantry which was straight, with a wide mouth, often apparently of great length, and which was stated to possess immense power of reasonancy.

The Litmus shaped like an augurs rod, which was in use in the cavalry. Both these instruments were of bronze; another form of horn the, cornu' resembling a modern French horn, was also used by the Romans, but not for military purposes we believe. Instruments resembling both drums and tambourines were used by the Greeks and Romans, but not in warlike operations.

Skill in winding the hunting horn, is constantly alluded to, as a knightly accomplishment in the days of Arthurian romance, as in the later times of Merrie Sherwood and Chevy Chase.

Horns of various kinds have been found among ancient British and Saxon remains, and the songs of the Welsh bards repeatedly refer to the dread notes of the Saxon War horn. The voice was also often used, it would appear, both alone and as an accompaniment to musical instruments. In the days of the Troubadours and Trouveres' a system existed of intoning' the romances then in vogue. The accounts of the Norman host describe the Trouvere called Taille-fer from the power of his lungs (not a very harmonious qualification it would seem) as riding in front, chanting the Romaunt of the death of Roland, beating time with the pommel of his sword upon his saddle bow, and occasionally tossing the former in the air and catching it again, somewhat in the style of a French Drum Major, as a signal for the host to join in a chorus of their mercy Dieu aide-Dieu aide.

This species of chant was occasionally practised by the Chouan bands in the wars of La Vendée. A noteworthy instance is said