PAY, or pay of the army, is the stipend or salary allowed for each individual serving in the army; first established by the British government in the year 1660.
FULL PAY
Of the Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Privates in the British army.
| Rank. | Life Guards. | Cavalry. | Foot Guards. | Infantry of the line. | Artillery. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse. | Foot. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | £. | s. | d. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Colonel | 1 | 16 | — | 1 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 19 | — | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Colonel en Second | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st. Lieut. Colonel | 1 | 11 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 8 | — | 19 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2d. Lieut. Colonel | — | — | — | 0 | 15 | 11 | — | — | 16 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st. Major | 1 | 6 | — | — | 19 | 3 | 1 | 4 | — | - | 0 | 14 | 1 | - | 1 | — | 9 | — | 14 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2d. Major | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | — | 16 | — | — | 14 | 7 | — | 16 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 5 | — | 15 | 4 | — | 9 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Captain Lieutenant | - | 0 | 11 | — | — | 9 | — | — | 7 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 8 | - | 0 | 10 | — | — | 7 | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 1st. Lieutenant | 0 | 9 | — | — | 6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2d. Lieutenant | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cornets | — | 8 | 6 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ensigns | — | — | — | 5 | 10 | — | 4 | 8 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pay-Master | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Quarter-Master | — | 6 | — | 5 | 6 | — | 5 | 8 | — | 5 | 8 | — | 6 | — | — | 6 | — | |||||||||||||||||||
| Adjutant | — | 11 | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Surgeon | — | 12 | — | — | 12 | — | — | 12 | — | — | 9 | 5 | — | 11 | 10 | — | 9 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Assistant Surgeon | — | — | 5 | — | — | 7 | 6 | — | 5 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 5 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Veterinary do. | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serjeant-Major | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Quarter-Master do. | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 10 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serjeant | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 10 | ³⁄₄ | — | 1 | 6 | ³⁄₄ | — | 2 | 4 | — | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Corporal | — | 2 | 6 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 7 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 4 | ³⁄₄ | — | 1 | 2 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 2 | 2 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 2 | ¹⁄₄ | |||||||||||||
| Bombardier | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 10 | ¹⁄₄ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st. Gunner | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2d. Gunner | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 3 | ¹⁄₄ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Private | — | 1 | 11 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Farrier and Smith | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | ³⁄₄ | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collar Maker | - | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | ³⁄₄ | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wheeler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trumpeter | - | — | 2 | 6 | — | 1 | 7 | — | 1 | 2 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 1 | 1 | ¹⁄₄ | — | 2 | 1 | ³⁄₄ | — | 1 | 3 | ¹⁄₄ | |||||||||||||
| Drummer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full PAY. The pecuniary allowance which is made to officers and non-commissioned officers, without any deduction whatsoever. Since the abolition of arrears in the British service, which took place in 1797, commissioned and warrant officers, &c. receive their full pay, or daily subsistence. The private soldiers are subject to temporary deductions, for the purpose of appropriating part of their pay and allowances to the expence of their messes, including vegetables, &c. and to a stoppage not exceeding 1s. 6d. per week, for necessaries; which stoppage is to be accounted for monthly, as stated in their regulations of 1st September, 1795, and the remainder being 1s. 6d. must be paid, weekly to each soldier, subject to the accustomed deduction for washing, and for articles to clean his clothing and appointments.
The full pay of the British army is given in advance on the 25th of every month, and accounted for to government by the several district and regimental paymasters, through army agents appointed for that purpose. For further particulars, see Military Finance, page 48, &c. Non-commissioned officers and private soldiers serving as marines, are not liable to any deduction whatsoever from their full pay, on account of provisions. It will be further observed, that although the British army is now paid its full pay, in consequence of the abolition of the distinction between subsistence and arrears, that pay is nevertheless subject to the usual deductions on account of poundage, hospital, and agency. This will explain the mutilated appearance of the different rates of pay. Thus a captain of infantry, who is nominally supposed to receive 10s. per diem, gets only 9s. 5d. the 7d. going for the above deductions. The full pay of the subaltern officers has been very judiciously increased, but that of the captains, &c. remains as it was in the reign of Queen Anne. For the several rates of full pay, see Military Finance, page 66, &c.
Half Pay, (Demi solde, Fr.) a compensation or retaining fee which is given to officers who have retired from the service through age, inability, &c. or who have been placed upon that list in consequence of a general reduction of the forces, or a partial drafting, &c. of the particular corps to which they belonged. The half pay becomes due on the 25th of June, and on the 25th of December in each year, but it is seldom issued until three months after the expiration of each of those periods. The only deduction from the half pay is the poundage, two and an half per cent. See Military Finance, page 113.
Irish HALF-PAY. Every officer upon the Irish establishment, when reduced to half pay, must swear to, and sign the following certificate:
| County of | - | |
———-——— of foot, came this day before me, and made oath, that he is no otherwise provided for by any commission or employment, civil or military, in his majesty’s service, than by half pay on the establishment of Ireland, and is on no other establishment of half pay.
| Officer’s | - | Sworn before me this | |
| Name. | day of |