CONSIDERATIONS UPON THE AUGMENTATION OF THE ARMY. ADDRESS'D to the PUBLICK.
Simul parta ac Sperata decora unius horae
Fortuna evertere potest.
T. Liv.
DUBLIN: Printed for H. BRADLEY, in Dame-street. M,DCC,LXVIII.
CONSIDERATIONS Upon the Augmentation of the ARMY on the ESTABLISHMENT of IRELAND.
AS the Scheme for augmenting the Army on the Establishment of
Ireland
with three Thousand two Hundred and thirty-five Men, excites a good deal of Curiosity at present, it may not be unacceptable to the Public, to know what are the Sentiments of a sincere Well-wisher to his Country, uninfluenced by Passion, Prejudice, or private Interest, upon this very important Subject.
THE Objections which have been yet urged against this Measure, even with any Degree of Plausibility, may be fairly reduced within a very narrow Compass.
THE extraordinary Expence to be incurr'd the first Year, of near seventy Thousand Pounds, and the annual Expence afterwards, of about thirty-five Thousand, for the Support of this increased Establishment. The Probability that twelve thousand Men will not remain in
Ireland
for the Defence of the Country: And the Inexpediency of increasing our military Force in a Time of Peace, and apparent Security.
IT were to be wished, that this, and every other Scheme of public Utility, could be carried into Execution, without laying the smallest Burthen upon the People: But as this in the Beginning, has seldom been found practicable in any Age, or Country; let us examine the Weight of the first Objection, upon the fair Footing of a Comparison between the slight Inconvenience of raising the Sums requisite for this Purpose, and the great Advantages derived to this Kingdom from so prudent and necessary an Application of them. A
slight
Inconvenience it may well be called, for by the equitable Tax of four Shillings in the Pound imposed upon Absentees this Session of Parliament, and by the contingent Produce of the altered Duty upon Teas, a new Fund will be added to the Revenue nearly equal (according to the best Calculations) to the whole annual Charge of the proposed Augmentation: And this too without any Oppression to the landed or mercantile Interest of the Country.
IT appears then, that for a moderate Sum, not exceeding what may, perhaps, be spent in vicious Hospitality, at two or three contested County Elections, a respectable Body of Forces may be maintained in this Country, to protect us from Insurrections at Home, and against Invasions from Abroad; the Reliefs which
Ireland
is to furnish to Garrisons, and Settlements, will be compleat. and regular; and our Army no longer subject to that pernicious, (though hitherto unavoidable) Practice of Draughting, which like a slow Distemper, has consumed the Vigor of our stoutest Corps.
BUT it will be said, what Pledge is given us, that twelve Thousand Men will continue in
Ireland,
to defend the Country that supports them? Superadded to the Faith of the Royal Declaration, to this Effect, we have the Security of an Act of the
British
Legislature, which, while it enables his Majesty to augment his Army, specifies at the same Time, the Place and Purpose of their Service: And in the Ballance of Candor and Justice, such Assurances will certainly preponderate against the vague Conjectures of uninform'd Writers, or the jealous Assertions of a peevish and turbulent Incendiary. It requires no very comprehensive Memory to register Engagements from the Throne, which have been entered into since his present Majesty's Accession, and till some Violation of them is charged and proved, we may, I think safely rely upon the Honour of our Sovereign, that he will give no Reason to mistrust his want of a Principle, which among the lowest Orders of his Subjects, is scarcely dignified with the Name of a Virtue, but is rather considered as an indispensable Rule of Morality, which Men must not depart from, while they expect to live with ordinary Credit in Society, and to reap the Benefits, which, Truth, the great Bond of it, intitles them to.
IN Time of Peace, to be prepared for War, is a Maxim of sound Policy in every Country: To none can it be more applicable than to ours, no where should it be more frequently inculcated, and no where does it seem less understood.
The Fertility of our Island invites, and its Accessability exposes us to Invasion. We must still consider the two great Monarchies of the Continent as inseparably united by Compact, by joint Interest, and join Ambition.
France,
which has long influenced the Councils, and so lately guided the Arms of
Spain,
is averse to
Great Britain,
from Commercial Emulation, from the recent Dishonour of her Arms, and from long Habits of Hostility. The complicated Interests of the
British
Colonies, her numerous Dependancies, and enterprising Spirit, may easily furnish a Pretence to these two Powers for a Rupture with her, when they are again in a Condition to bustle for Dominion, and the next War may probably begin, where the last pretty nearly concluded, with another Attempt to invade us. Expelled, as France is, from the Continent of
North America,
her Efforts will be exerted slowly, if ever, to regain a Footing in that Quarter. Her Fleets can't cope with those of
England
in the
West-Indies,
and the Leeward Islands; the Settlements in
Asia
are too remote and well established: And the Garrisons of
Minorca
and
Gibralter,
are now rendered almost impregnable.—What Object then remains so inviting? What enterprize so practicable as a Descent upon
Ireland?
Abounding with Harbours, Bays and landing Places; unfurnished with Forts and Soldiers: Where too, the unhappy Prevalence of the Religion of our Enemies, which keeps much the greatest Number of our Countrymen in a discontented and fearful Subjection to the Government they live under, renders their Loyalty suspicious; and in this Respect, Population, one great Means of Safety in other States, suggests nothing to us, but the Idea of Danger. A little Attention to the internal Condition of this Kingdom, will be sufficient to convince every impartial Person, that this Description is not overloaded, and it would be well no Doubt, if such a State of Imbecility could not be aggravated.—The hasty Charts of Geographers who seldom visit the Countries the pretend to delineate, but deliver to the World Errors taken upon the Credit of those who went before them: The Intelligence of Merchants, or more inaccurate Descriptions of such as travel from Curiosity, or for Amusement, are the Means by which Countries are generally known to each other, and many hostile Projects have been formed, upon such fallible Authorities, and many have miscarried because they were so formed.—In respect to
Ireland,
an Enemy has peculiar Advantages. Men born and educated in every Province, in every Town, in every Corner and Spot of this Island, are to be found in the Dominions and under the Allegiance of France and Spain. They have our Natives to fill their Levies, and our Mariners to Pilot their Vessels. The very Indigence of these Fugitives renders them formidable, as it drives them to embrace a Profession in these martial Governments, which furnishes an immediate Subsistence; and finding it impossible to be any Thing at home, they become Soldiers from Necessity abroad. Let us not despise their rude Education and uncultivated Talents, they have Science enough to be useful to our Enemies, and dangerous to us.
Ireland
they still consider as their natural Inheritance, and the Claim of original Possession is transmitted amongst them from Generation to Generation. To revisit the Land of their Fore-fathers, and to enjoy again the Property they have forfeited, is the favourite Topic of their Discourses, and the Object ever present to their Hopes. Bold and ready for Battle upon any Pretence, and in every Quarrel, they are animated with no common Ardor when this Enterprize is started. Innovators and Robbers are the Characters we are described under; and, as such, should the fatal Opportunity happen, we must expect to be treated. It is a fact too notorious to be contested, and too recent to be forgotten, how we were once preserved from the worst of all Calamities which hung over us; and had not the superintending Vigilance of our Mother Country interposed at that Juncture, we might now perhaps in Poverty, in Banishment, or in Prisons deplore the Consequences of an Event, which, whether we may be again exposed to it, or not, we at present only discuss the Probability of.
To those who are candid enough to acknowledge what indeed can scarcely be contested, that the Conquest of Ireland, at least the Devastation of it, will be a likely Object of our Enemies Policy; but who argue that even a greater Number than our proposed Establishment would be insufficient to defend it; the Answer is obvious. Twelve Thousand Men are a better Defence than a third Part of the Number, and three times as much may reasonably be expected from them. Open the above Argument a little more, place it in a fairer Light, and then examine what is the Force of it. Our Island is extensive, and exposed every where; then how is it possible for a handful of Soldiers, though never so brave, alert, and well disciplined, to be present at the same Instant in many Places? The Attack may be made at once in different Quarters, and while we March to sustain one Post, we leave another open to the Invador? Besides, a watchful Eye must be kept upon the People who surround us, lest their Rising should be as fatal as the landing of an Enemy.
Under such Circumstances it must be admitted, that an Army would have much to do, and all Lovers of their Country much more to fear. At such a Crisis, the thriftiest Stewards of the public Purse, the most watchful Dragons of the Exchequer, might probably wish in vain to make one common Mass of public and private Property; and to exchange it all for what is still more precious, security of Life, and Liberty to enjoy it. Yet from twelve thousand brave Soldiers, every Thing may be expected but Impossibilities: nor can it be strictly said, that we need defend equally the whole of our extensive Coasts, since 'tis probable the Northern Parts of them will not be attempted. The Religion of the Inhabitants, their Wealth and Numbers, are well known to the two Maritime Powers from whence we have any Thing to apprehend: nor should it be supposed they will endeavour to make an Impression in the Quarter, where they must expect to meet the most vigorous Resistance. The landing of
Flobert
and
Thurot
near
Carrickfergus,
in the Year 1760, was the Effect of Accident and not Design. The Destination of that little Squadron ('tis well known) was for the South, though by Distress, and contrary Winds, they were reduced to the Necessity of Anchoring in the North; where it was not at first intended. 'Tis then reasonable to conclude, that the Southern, and South-West Parts, are to be principally attended to; as the same Reasons which endangered them before, exist in full Force at this Instant. Here then we must be prepared to expect an Enemy, and 'tis something at least in our Favour, to know where Preparation is necessary. Let it be considered besides, that no Armament can Approach the Coast, without giving Notice of it by their Appearance: And that Disembarkations are more subject to Delay, Confusion and Accident, than any other Military Operations.
The Strength and Spirit of the Soldiery, upon such Services, is enfeebled by the unwholesome Confinement in the Vessels that transport them, and by the Effects of an Element to which they are not accustomed. If they meet with no Opposition, but can Disembark, Form and March forwards with as little Resistance, and in as good Order, as if they came to relieve a Garrison, or to take quiet Possession of an undisputed Territory, the Case is very different; if so indeed, I know not what we have to resort to, except Supplications, and their Mercy; but in my poor Opinion, the Appearance of a single Regiment or Company of our own Soldiers, would be a much safer, and more honourable Resource in such a Calamity. Peasants, Children and Women have hurled stones, and brandished Clubs, have done something, in such Causes; and shall we now be told, that twelve thousand brave Soldiers, such as by their excellent Discipline and unexampled Courage, have raised the Reputation of these Nations above all others this Day in Europe: Shall we be told, I say, that they can do nothing? And will it still be urged that except their Numbers are encreased beyond what 'tis possible to encrease them, they are a Burthen and not a Bulwark.
Much illiberal Industry 'tis true has been of late exerted to raise unfavourable Impressions of the Soldiery in the Minds of their Countrymen, and impotent Malice has exhausted all her pitiful Expedients, to sow the Seeds of Division and Jealousy, between the Civil and Military Powers. Invidious Insinuations, invented Anecdotes, ridiculous Calculations, false Facts, false Arguments, and bold Calumnies have been obtruded upon the Public, for Reasons to Prejudice their Sense of a Measure, which is shortly to be decided by their Representatives in Parliament.
There no doubt,
the Merit of this Question will be determined properly upon the Information which is before them: They will not prefer an inconsiderable Saving to a great Security, nor suspect a lurking Mischief under a fair Proposition, because they have not themselves suggested it. As the Crown advances in Condescension, they will not recede in Confidence, nor while the Necessity of an additional Defence to their Country, is on all Sides admitted; postpone an expeditious and practicable Mode of defending it, to one which is visionary, or at best precarious. In examining the Scheme before them, they will consider all the Relations of their Country, and respect the Means proposed; as they regard one great End, its Security and Preservation.
FINIS.