“Our pleasure is, that this establishment of six regiments of Marines, and six other regiments for Sea-Service, do commence and take place from the respective times of raising.
“And our further pleasure is, that the order given by our dearest brother the late King, deceased, and such orders as are, or shall be, given by us, touching the pay or entertainment of our said forces, or any of them, or any charges thereunto belonging, shall be duly complied with, and that no new charge be added to this establishment without being communicated to our High Treasurer, or Commissioners of our Treasury for the time being.
“Given at our Court at St. James’s, on the first day of June in the first year of our reign.
“By Her Majesty’s Command.
“Godolphin.”
Other regiments were also embarked, at different periods, during the war, on board the fleet to act as Marines, and the efficiency and usefulness of these corps, while so employed, were attested by the capture of several fortresses in Spain; more especially that of Gibraltar in 1704, the taking of which was effected by the Navy and Marines.
Rules and Instructions for the better government of the Marine regiments were issued by authority of Her Majesty Queen Anne, on the 1st of July, 1702, in which it was directed, “That when on shore they were to be quartered in the vicinity of the dock-yards, in order to guard them from embezzlement, or from any attempt that might be made on them by an enemy.”
Full instructions were also given as to their pay, subsistence, and clothing, which directed, “that the same deductions should be made for clothing as was usual in the land forces. Also that one day’s pay in every year be deducted from officers and soldiers for the Hospital.
“When on board ship they were to have an equal proportion of provisions with the seamen, without any deductions from their pay, the soldiers receiving short allowance money like the seamen.”
In order to render such portions of the Marine regiments as might be on shore, useful on all occasions when their services might be required, Her Majesty directed, that it should rest with herself, or with the Lord High Admiral, the Prince George of Denmark, to dispose of them at such places nearest to the several dock-yards as might be judged most convenient; and as there might be occasion for labourers to despatch necessary public works, Her Majesty empowered the High Admiral, or the Commissioners for executing that office, to cause to be employed in the dock-yards so many of the marine soldiers as might be judged fitting, and to make them such daily allowance for their labour, besides their ordinary pay, as should seem reasonable.