Sir,
At a time when the exigencies of the State appear to require the assistance of every good subject to alleviate the general burden our fellow-subjects bear, it is the unanimous wish of the non-commissioned officers, artificers, and labourers of the corps of Royal Military Artificers, &c., at this place, to manifest the gratitude they owe their King and country for the late increase of pay, as well as their attachment to His Majesty’s person and government, and their zeal for the service in which the country is engaged, by offering a contribution of three days' pay, to be applied as may be thought best to the defence of the State.
We request you will be pleased to lay this our wish before the Colonel Commandant of the corps for his approbation.
Signed on behalf of the artificers and labourers, &c., of the corps of Royal Military Artificers, &c., at Woolwich, and with their unanimous consent.
| Thos. Fortune, | Sergeant-major.[[106a]] | ||
| James Douglas, John Levick, Edward Watson, | } | Sergeants. | |
| Robt. Hutchinson, John Young, | } | Corporals. | |
| Benj. Roberts,William Bain,Hugh Kinnaird, | } | Lance-Corporals. |
Captain Charles Holloway,
Commanding the Royal Military
Artificers, &c., at Woolwich.
[106a]. Enlisted as a matross in July, 1761, in the royal artillery, and was pensioned from that regiment in October, 1783. On May 1, 1795, he enlisted into the Royal Military Artificers, at the age of 52! and died at Canterbury, August 10, 1799. Was known as the author of a small work called “The Artillerist’s Companion,” published by Egerton in 1786.
[107]. The greater part of the detachment had been specially employed in mining services at Dover.