Part 329

Article XIII. and XIV. provided for those officers, who were actually in the service at the promulgation of the edict, in proportion as the prescribed periods were filled up. This provision related wholly to the personal service of officers; as no proof was acknowleged or received, relative to services done by their fathers or grandfathers, who might have retired from the army, or have died prior to the publication of the edict.

The XVth, or last article, was a sort of register, in which were preserved the different titles that enabled individuals to lay claim to military nobility.

The whole of this edict may be seen, page 206, in the 3d volume, Des Elémens Militaires.

The French emperor Bonaparte has instituted an order of nobility called the legion of honor, the political influence of which appears to be greater than any order ever established, even than that of the Jesuits. He has also adopted the ancient military title of duke; which he has hitherto conferred only on men who have merited renown by their military greatness. The title of count is also established, and all the members of the legion of honor hold a rank corresponding with the knights of feudal institution. Private soldiers and tradesmen, for acts of public virtue, have been created members of the legion of honor.

NOEUD de l’artificier, Fr. a particular knot which artificers or fireworkers make use of to bind fusees together.

NOEUD de charrue, Fr. a particular knot or stress, which is used in the artillery when ropes are passed under carriages, for the purpose of raising any piece of ordnance that has been overturned. For the various knots used in military service, see the Am. Mil. Library, Art. ARTILLERY.

NOMADES, a tribe of wandering Arabs, so called in Asia.

NOMINAL, by name. Hence

NOMINAL Call which corresponds with the French appel nominatif; and, in a military sense, with our roll call.

NOURRICE, Fr. a nurse. A female who attends the sick. This word is likewise used by the French to express the means of subsistence, &c. which are supplied by the agricultural part of a kingdom. Hence une province est la nourrice d’une ville; the town is fed by the country round it. La Sicile est la nourrice de Rome. Sicily is the nurse of Rome; meaning thereby that the latter was supplied with corn, &c. by the former.

NOURRIR. To feed. The French say familiarly, la soupe nourrit le soldat; broth feeds the soldier.

NOYAU, Fr. in English mandril, a long piece of iron, which is placed in the middle of a cannon mould, in order that the liquid metal may be poured round it, and the piece obtain an equal thickness on all sides.

NOYAU, Fr. likewise means the whole of the vacant space or bore of a cannon, under which are comprehended the diameter of the mouth, the vacant cylinder, the breech, and the vent.

With respect to bombs, grenades, and hollow balls, that which is called noyau consists of a globular piece of earth, upon which the cover of bombs, grenades, and hollow balls, is cast. The metal is poured in between this cover and the noyau, after which the noyau or core is broken, and the earth taken out.

NOWARRA, Ind. An establishment of boats, which is kept at Dacca, for a defence against the Decoits, Mugs, and other plunderers.

NUDDEE, Ind. The name for a rivulet.

NULLA, Ind. This term likewise signifies a rivulet, and means the place which was once the bed of a river.

NUMEROS, Fr. round pieces made of brass, or other metal, which were numbered and used in the old French service in the detail of guards. See MARON.

NURSE. A person, generally a female, whose whole business is to attend the sick in the general or regimental hospital. She is under the immediate direction of the surgeon, whose duty will be to prepare the slops and comforts for the sick, and occasionally to assist in administering medicines, cooking the victuals, washing, &c. and for every ten men confined to bed by fever, an additional nurse and orderly-man should be allowed. All the patients, who are able, are every morning and evening to assist in cleaning and airing the hospital, carrying away dirt, &c., and by every means to assist the helpless.

There are also serjeants, orderly-men, and nurses, in regiments of the line.

In every regimental hospital, a room should be appropriated to the accommodation of such convalescents, whose state of health will admit of their being placed on full diet. This hospital to be regularly visited by the surgeon once, twice, or oftener in the day, as circumstances may require.

A non-commissioned officer should be appointed to the particular charge of the convalescent hospital, with an orderly-man, and when the convalescents are numerous, more orderly-men are to be attached to it, to keep it clean.

It is particularly necessary that none of the hospital tables and orders, which are to be hung up in a conspicuous place in every regimental hospital, shall be defaced by any person whatever, nor taken down, but by the surgeon or serjeant, the latter of whom will explain the allowance ordered for those patients who are not themselves in a situation to read the table for the distribution of diet.

O. This letter is generally used in the orderly books to signify orders, viz.

GL. O. General orders.

R. O. Regimental orders,

GN. O. Garrison orders.

B. O. Brigade orders.