The staff consisted of one director and administrator general, one governor commandant, one lieutenant du Roi, one major, two adjutants, one garcon major, one director and superintendant of the hospital, and one inspector and comptroller general, who did the duty of commissary at the different inspections.
No person could be admitted into the royal hospital of invalids unless he had served twenty years successively and without interruption, or had been dangerously wounded in the service of his country. The necessary certificates were signed by the commanding officers and majors of regiments, which were afterwards examined by the directors or inspectors.
No officer was received with the rank of officer, unless he had served two years in that capacity, and had been dangerously wounded, or was otherwise rendered incapable of doing duty.
The persons belonging to the Hotel des-Invalides were divided into three classes:
The first class was composed of officers belonging to the king’s troops, to the body-guards, gens d’armes, light-horsemen, musqueteers, serjeants of companies in the horse grenadiers, after having served five years in that capacity; of serjeants of the French and Swiss guards, after ten years service in that capacity; of officers attached to the constable’s jurisdiction, exempts and maréchaussés, after having been ten years with the rank of officers; and of gens d’armes and light horsemen belonging to established companies; of quarter-masters from cavalry and dragoon corps, and of infantry serjeants, who bore the brevet rank of lieutenant, after having served five years in the last capacity.
The second class was composed of gens d’armes, light horsemen belonging to established companies, quarter-masters belonging to cavalry and dragoon corps, and of serjeants from the infantry, after having served ten years in that capacity; of those likewise who, having left the cavalry to enter into the body-guards, had again returned to the cavalry. Within this class were also comprehended the gardes magasins, the captains and conductors of artillery, after thirty years service, ten of which were to be in the last mentioned capacities. All belonging to this class wore an uniform distinguished from the dress of the soldier, and were permitted to wear a sword. They received at the commencement of every month 15 sols, or 7¹⁄₂d. English, for ordinary expences; they were lodged in a particular quarter of the building, which was allotted to their use; they had a separate room to mess in; and they were fed like the common soldier, with this only exception, that each of them was allowed every morning a demi-septier, or an English pint, of wine. Those belonging to established garrisons in forts or citadels composed companies which were called compagnies de bas-officiers, companies of non-commissioned officers.
The third class was composed of private soldiers, heavy horsemen, and dragoons archers attached to the constable’s jurisdiction and marèchaussées, or patroles belonging to the police, masters or common workmen and artillery drivers.
HOTTE, Fr. a sort of hand-basket, which is often made use of in the construction of batteries and other works, and serves to carry earth from one part to another. Hence the word hod a well known machine for carrying bricks.
HOTTENTOTS, the Aborigines, or native inhabitants of our present settlement at the Cape of Good Hope.
HOULLIER, Fr. an obsolete French term, which meant what is now expressed by Picoreur des armées, or a free-booter.