John, Marquis Granby, who held it until 17th January, 1770, when we find that he resigned all his appointments, except the command of the Blues. For nearly two years the office remained vacant, and on the 1st October, 1772, it was conferred upon
George, Viscount Townshend, whose tenure of office extended over nearly the whole of that anxious period in the history of England which included such episodes as the American War of Independence and the great Siege of Gibraltar. The sequence of the remaining Masters may be taken from Kane's List, and is as follows:—
| Charles, Duke of Richmond, K.G. | Appointed | 1 | Jan. | 1782 |
| George, Viscount Townshend | Re-appointed | 1 | April | 1783 |
| Charles, Duke of Richmond, K.G. | Re-appointed | 1 | Jan. | 1784 |
| Charles, Marquis Cornwallis | Appointed | 15 | Feb. | 1795 |
| John, Earl of Chatham, K.G. | Appointed | 18 | June | 1801 |
| Lord Moira | Appointed | 14 | Feb. | 1806 |
| John, Earl of Chatham, K.G. | Appointed | 4 | April | 1807 |
| Henry, Earl Mulgrave | Appointed | 5 | May | 1810 |
| Arthur, Duke of Wellington, K.G. | Re-appointed | 1 | Jan. | 1819 |
| Henry, Marquis of Anglesey, K.G. | Re-appointed | 1 | April | 1827 |
| Viscount Beresford, K.G. | Re-appointed | 28 | April | 1828 |
| Sir James Kempt, G.C.B., G.C.H. | Re-appointed | 30 | Nov. | 1830 |
| Sir G. Murray, G.C.B., G.C.H. | Re-appointed | 18 | Dec. | 1834 |
| R. H., Lord Vivian, G.C.B. | Re-appointed | 4 | May | 1835 |
| Sir G. Murray, G.C.B., G.C.H. | Re-appointed | 8 | Sept. | 1841 |
| Henry, Marquis of Anglesey, K.G. | Re-appointed | 8 | July | 1846 |
| Henry, Viscount Hardinge, G.C.B. | Re-appointed | 8 | March | 1852 |
| Fitzroy, Lord Raglan, G.C.B. | Re-appointed | 30 | Sept | 1852 |
On the abolition of the Board of Ordnance, the command of the Royal Artillery was given to the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces at that time,
Field-Marshal Viscount Hardinge, G.C.B. His successor (appointed Colonel of the Royal Artillery on the 10th May, 1861, and at this date holding that office) was
H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, K.G., &c. &c., now Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief.
[1]. Clode.
CHAPTER II.
The Infancy of Artillery in England.
The term Ordnance was in use in England before cannon were employed; and it included every description of warlike weapon. The artificers employed in the various permanent military duties were called officers of the Ordnance.