Fusileers

are soldiers armed like the infantry, with this difference only, that their musquets are shorter and lighter than those of the battalion and the grenadiers. They wear caps which are somewhat le in point of height, than common grenadier caps. There are three regiments in the English service: the royal regiment of Scotch Fusileers, raised in 1678; the royal regiment of Welch Fusileers, raised in 1685; and the royal regiment of Welch Fusileers, raised in 1688-9. It is always presumed, that these corps, like the guards, po e an esprit de corps , which is peculiar to themselves. As the fusileer regiments upon the British establishment are distinguished from other corps by some peculiarities, we shall briefly state what has occurred to us on the subject. In former times the officers of these regiments did not carry spontoons, but had fusils like the officers of flank companies throughout the line. At present they wear swords. It is nece ary to remark, that there are not any ensigns in fusileer regiments; their junior officers rank as second lieutenants, taking precedence of all ensigns, and those of the 7th or Royal Fusileers, have no second lieutenants; so that they rank, with the rest of the army according to the dates of their several commi ions, as lieutenants. On account of this difference, the first commi ion in the fusileers was, by a regulation i ued from the War Office in 1773, rated fifty pounds higher than that of an ensign; whilst the first commi ion in the 7th having the pay of lieutenant attached to it, was rated at 500 l. that of the other two, having only the pay of ensign annexed, was 450 l. When the estimates of the British army were made out for the year 1755, the extra sum of 164 l. 5 s. per annum was charged against the 7th regiment. This surplus, however, was easily explained when it came to be understood, that that regiment, being a fusileer corps, had 20 lieutenants, instead of 11 lieutenants and 9 ensigns. The difference between these commi ions amounted to 9 s. per diem, and the sum total to 164 l. 5 s. per annum. The 23d, or royal regiment of Welch fusileers, wear helmets; and all officers belonging to fusileer corps have two epaulettes.