These united causes originally suggested the expediency of forming an establishment of Marines, who were raised and embodied with the sole view of being a nursery to man our fleets. They were always quartered in the vicinity of our principal sea-ports, where they were regularly trained to the different methods of ship fighting, and to these various manœuvres of a vessel, in which numbers were necessary. Being thus locally placed, their value was early felt by their exertions in equipping the squadrons fitted out, when but little confidence could be placed in the sailor, perhaps just impressed into the service.
The general principles and regulations that were instituted for the conduct of the Marine regiments, from their formation, to the close of the reign of King William III. evidently shew that they were entirely devoted to naval purposes. As each individual became properly qualified to act on board of ship as a foremast-man, which was uniformly encouraged, he was discharged from his regiment, entered upon the books as such, and levy-money was granted to the officers of his corps, in order to supply the vacancy of him who was thus transferred.
The first authentic instance of any regiment of this description appears in the Army List of 1684, and from the return of the general review on Putney Heath, upon the first day of October in that year. Neither the exact æra of its establishment, or that of the other maritime forces, is clearly ascertained; and it would be absurd to speculate upon dates which can yield no material result.
The return which I have mentioned runs thus, and is annexed at large: "The Lord High Admiral of England, his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, commanded by the Honourable Sir Charles Littleton, called also the Admiral Regiment.
Sir Charles Littleton, Colonel.
Oliver Niclas, Lieutenant Colonel.
Richard Bagett, Major.
| CAPTAINS. | LIEUTENANTS. | ENSIGNS. |
| Col's. Co. commanded by Capt. Lt. | Robt. Crawford, Capt. Lt. | Philom. Powell |
| Lt. Colonel's Co. commanded by | Lieut. Edm. Yarborough | Arthur Townshend |
| Major's Co. commanded by | Lieut. Theoph. Bleehenden | William Pearson |
| Geo. Littleton, Captain | Lieut. Edmund Wilson | James Man |
| Sir Thomas Cutler | Robert Lloyd | John Hill |
| Edward Nott | Francis Hobblin | Alexander Erwin |
| Francis Ezod | Francis Butler | Thomas Man |
| Edward Harris | John Thorn | William Somers |
| Samuel Scudamore | George Rooke | Gilbert Simons |
| Chichester Wray | Henry Hewys | Geo. Littleton |
| Charles Herbert | Thomas Whaley | Francis Ezord |
| Edmund Plowden | William Oglethorpe | Jo. Whaley |
State Major, or the Staff Officers of the Admiral Regiment,
Richard Beauvoir, Adjutant.
Tobias Legross, Quarter-Master.
Samuel Tatham, Chirurgeon.
John Tatham, Chirurgeon's Mate.
This regiment consisted of twelve companies, without any grenadiers, had yellow coats lined with red, and their colours were a red cross, with rays of the sun issuing from each of its angles. It stood the third in seniority in the line of that day; and it may be presumed, from its subsequent reduction, that a step was obtained in it by the 4th, then the Regiment of Holland, commanded by John, the second Lord Mulgrave, and now entitled The Old Buffs.