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To the King!
Most humble declaration regarding Baron Wm. De Bretton’s application for employment as officer at the West Indian troops.
By forwarding, to Your Majesty, the enclosed application from Baron Wm. De Bretton, I must add my most humble recommendation as his appearance is favorable and additionally, according to the testimony of the commandant, he possesses the characteristics which promises that he will become a resourceful and capable officer; add to this that he is born here, has roots, and is not required to live on the mere salary of a second lieutenant.-
On this occasion, I most humbly dare to bring to the attention of Your Royal Majesty that employment of noncommissioned officers on a contingent basis, carries with it an inconvenience in the Westindies, as these persons, as noncommissioned officers for the most part cannot find any white social circle save among the soldiers, by which arises, in the absence of other connections, at least a familiarity, which affects the service when they are subsequently promoted. At home, noncommissioned officers on contingent live among the citizens, and need not, unless he himself seeks it, to resort to keeping company with subordinates. –
Should Your Majesty, however, consider this point of view correct, and therefore, for the future, most gracefully so order, then the noncommissioned officers already on contingent employment would not lose the expectations once given them, and I am therefore most humbly including the commandants note of January 11th and its relevant merit listing for the noncommissioned officers, of which Kruse is recommended first and Juul next, which ranking listing by the commandant, I have no reason to modify as I am not personally well acquainted with the military employees on St. Thomas.- |