[63]. Lieutenant Carter had been taken prisoner by the enemy's fleet on Lake Ontario in 1813, and was closely shut up to be hanged in retaliation for deserters. He succeeded, however, in making his escape, and after travelling 1500 miles of country, joined his company previously to the opening of the campaign of 1814.
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX No. 1.
Chap. IV.—Page [60].
ROYAL WARRANT. Dated 22nd August, 1682.
CHARLES R.
Whereas our Royal progenitors established the number of 100 gunners with a yearly fee payable out of the Exchequer and finding that divers of them were such as were not taught nor trained up in the practice and knowledge of the Art of Gunnery but men of other Professions and that by reason of their receiving their fees by virtue of their patents out of the Exchequer they did not attend according to their duties as well for performance of Our Service as to be exercised and trained up in that Art by Our Master Gunner at such time as they were required thereunto and also that the places of such Gunners and Mattrosses were commonly bought and sold to such as would give most money though very unfit for the said Employments whereby great inconveniences and disappointments were occasioned for prevention whereof We thought fit to Authorize Sir William Compton sometime Master of Our Ordnance, by Our Warrant under Our Sign Manual and Privy Signet, dated 2nd January, in the twelfth year of Our Reign from time to time to grant his Warrant to such person or persons as he should find fit and able to be Entertained as fee'd Gunners in Our Service and Order that the future payments of their respective fees should be placed upon and made good to them out of Our Ordinary and entered into the quarter books of Our Office and likewise We did empower Sir Thomas Chicheley late Master of Our Ordnance by Our like Warrant bearing date 16th January in the 22nd year of Our Reign to cause Our Master Gunner or such other person as he should think fit to examine all the Gunners and Mattrosses then employed within Our Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or town of Berwick-on-Tweed commanding them to be subject to him and the Successive Masters of Our Ordnance for the time being and that if he should find any of the said Gunners or Mattrosses unfit or unable to execute their several places he or they should remove or cause them to be removed or dismissed from their said employment and after such removal or after the death resignation or voluntary departure of any such Gunner or Mattross to commissionate and empower such Gunners or Scholars as should be certified by Our Master Gunner of England to be able to execute the duty of a Gunner or Mattross in the place or places of such as should by him or them be removed or be dead or have voluntarily resigned without any fees or reward except Common Fees:—
And whereas on the 8th day of February last the Lords appointed a Committee to inspect and examine the present state and condition of the Tower have represented unto Us that whereas the number of the Gunners which belong to the Office of the Ordnance is One hundred whose pay is sixpence per day each and many of them of other trades and not skilled in the Art of Gunnery and that it was their opinion that if this number were reduced to sixty effective men whose pay might be twelve pence per diem and they required to lodge in the Tower and duly exercised that it would be much more useful for Our Service. Upon due consideration of all which We have thought fit to dissolve the said number of One hundred Gunners and do declare they are hereby dissolved and that the said number from henceforward shall be reduced to the number of sixty effective men and no more and we do by these empower authorize and appoint Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor George Legge Esq. Master-General of Our Ordnance to elect sixty good able experienced and sufficient men for Gunners and three Mates to Our Master Gunner of England to be chosen out of the best Gunners or fittest or ablest men for Our Service and to allow each Gunner twelve pence per diem and to each Mate 2s. 6d. per diem.
And to the end that the said Gunners and Masters may be bound to a more strict performance of their duty Our Will and Pleasure is and We do hereby Authorize and empower Our said Master-General of Our Ordnance from time to time to grant his Warrant to such person or persons as he shall choose qualified as aforesaid for whose encouragement We hereby direct and appoint that the said allowance to the said Gunners of twelve pence per diem and to the said Mates of 2s. 6d. per diem be placed and made good to them out of Our Ordinary of Our Said Office of Our Ordnance and that an order thereunto shall be entered into the quarter books of the said Office without paying any fees or reward excepting only the Ordinary fees for drawing and recording the said Warrants or Commission in Our said Office. And We further require and direct that the said Gunners to be chosen as aforesaid be constantly exercised by Our Master Gunner of England once a week in winter and twice a week in summer and to be kept to their duty either in Our Tower of London or in whatever other place or places they shall by you Our Master General of Our Ordnance be thought fit to be disposed hereby requiring and commanding all the said Gunners and Mates to observe and obey such Orders and directions as shall be given unto them by Our said Master General or by any other Master General of Our Ordnance for the time being or the Lieutenant General of Our Ordnance and the principal Officers of Our Ordnance in your Absence for the better behaviour of themselves in Our Service. And We do hereby further Authorize and empower you the said George Legge M.G.O.R.O. and the Successive Masters of the said Office for the time being if he or they shall find the said Gunners or Mates unfit or unable to execute their several and respective places from time to time to remove or cause them to be removed and dismissed from their said several and respective places and to place others fitly qualified for such Employment in their several and respective places.
And as for all other Gunners of Garrisons Forts Castles Blockhouses or Bullworks or Traines that are or shall be appointed You are to govern yourself as by Our Warrant bearing date 6th January 1671 &c. &c.
By His Majesty's Command.