Civil List Debt: Army Debt, Introduction

Army Debt at the Death of Wm. III.

Introductory Note.

The following record T38/728 forms the second part of the report drawn up in 1710 and presented in part in Feb. 1710–11 by Gregory King and William Vanbrugh in accordance with the address of the House of Lords and the royal warrant already described (see supra p. 942).

The report is prefaced by the following Report to Lord Treasurer the Earl of Oxford signed by the said Gregory King and William Vanbrugh and dated Queen Street, Westminster, 26 November 1711.

We the Commissioners appointed by her Majesty for stating all such debts as remain unsatisfied and are still outstanding to the Officers and soldiers of the Army for service done in the late reign and what is owing to any person on the Civil List to the death of the late King William, have on the 24 Nov. 1710 delivered to the late Treasury Lords a state of the claim or demand made by the 13 Dutch Regiments; and on the 19th February last the several states of the arrears on the Civil List at the said King's death; do now present to your Lordship in this third volume the states of the arrears due to Officers and soldiers of the Army, with several other claims payable out of the Contingencies thereof for service done in the said King's reign to the 8th March 1701–2; drawn up under the following heads:—

(1). Londonderry and Enniskillen claims.

(2). Other Irish claims.

(3). Army pensions.

(4). Half pay arrears.

(5). Aides de Camp.

(6). Forage and bread accounts.

(7). The three French Regiments.

(8). Works done at the Horse Guards.

(9). Claims of various sorts relating to the Army.

(10). Equitable claims relating to ditto.

The total of the aforegoing heads amounts to 372,452l. 4s. 9³/8d.

Some claims could not be allowed by us for want of proper vouchers and others are reported only equitable. Tis possible there may be some just demands standing out which have not been laid before us.

The whole subject of the Army Debts during William's reign is dealt with in pp. ccix—ccxiii of the Introductory Volume to Vols. XI—XVII of this Calendar. It seems clear

(1) that on the Disbandment after the Treaty of Ryswick the soldiers, (Horse, Dragoons, Foot and Engineers) were paid their arrears at the time of disbanding.

(2) the debts to the Officers, transport and clothing were (in intention) provided for out of the debentures for Forfeited Lands in Ireland.

(3) Outside these two main categories of soldiers and Officers there remained a miscellaneous group of other army claims which were not considered at the time of the legislation touching the forfeited lands in Ireland.

It is this third Category which forms the subject matter of the present report.