Part 337

Marine OFFICERS, all those who command in that body of troops employed in the sea service, under the direction of the lords of the admiralty.

OFFICIAL, all orders, reports, applications, memorials, &c. which pass through the regular channels of communication, are called official.

OFFICIER, Fr. See OFFICER.

OFFICIER sur terre, Fr. a land officer, or any commissioned person in the land service.

OFFICIER du genie, Fr. an engineer.

OFFICIER sur mer, Fr. a sea officer, or any commissioned person in the sea service. The term, however, is not confined to this class only, it likewise signifies the master, pilot, boatswain, &c. of a ship, in which case the latter are called officiers mariniers, in contradistinction to the former, who are stiled officiers de la marine, or persons who have naval rank, and whose immediate business is to fight their ships. These consisted, in the old French service, of admirals, vice-admirals, lieutenant generals, commodores, captains of ships, or post-captains, majors, captains of light frigates, captains of fireships, captains of stores or ordnance vessels, port-captains, to which may be added, capitaines en second, together with the lieutenants and ensigns de vaisseau, whether actually employed, and bearing rank, or being only en second. There were besides various employments and situations under the old French government, which entitled individuals to the appellation of officier. Those of a military or naval nature were generally and specifically as follow:--

OFFICIER de guerre, Fr. a military man or officer.

OFFICIER dans les troupes, Fr. any person holding a military situation in the army.

OFFICIER général, Fr. a general officer.

OFFICIER subalterne, Fr. a subaltern officer.

Les hauts OFFICIERS, Fr. Commissioned officers.

Les bas OFFICIERS, Fr. non-commissioned officers.

OFFICIER de la garnison, Fr. an officer belonging to the garrison of a town, or fortified place.

OFFICIER en garnison, Fr. Any officer in garrison.

OFFICIER au régiment des gardes, Fr. an officer belonging to the guards.

OFFICIERS à la suite, Fr. During the existence of the French monarchy a certain number of individuals were permitted to wear the uniform of a regiment, without being otherwise connected with it. These were divided into two classes, viz.

OFFICIERS à la suite d’un régiment, Fr. Officers nominally attached to a regiment. Of this description were the gentlemen appointed by the German princes who were in alliance with France. It is mentioned, as a fact, that before the French revolution took place, there were 42 lieutenant-colonels à la suite du régiment Deux Ponts. The prince of that name having been permitted to extend this strange brevet to any number, provided the officers so distinguished, never went into the town where the regiment lay, or interfered with regard to quarters, &c.

The other class consisted of noblemen and gentlemen, who were appointed by the court of Versailles, and received their brevets from the war-minister. These were called officiers à la suite de toute l’armée; or officers bearing brevet rank without being attached, even nominally, to any specific corps.

This institution though extravagant, was nevertheless calculated to maintain the preeminence of military passions, and to cherish those military ideas which, by thus becoming national, conduced in a great measure to the present military character and triumphs of the French.

OFFICIER dans la marine, Fr. an officer in the marine service.

OFFICIER de marine, Fr. a marine officer.

OFFICIER marinier, Fr. See OFFICIER sur mer.

OFF-Reckonings, a specific account so called, which exists between government and the colonels of British regiments for the clothing of the men. This account is divided into two parts, viz. gross-off-reckonings, and net off-reckonings.

Gross OFF-reckonings consist of all the pay of the non-commissioned officers and private men, above the subsistence.

Net OFF-reckonings, are the produce of the gross off-reckonings, reserved for the clothing of the men, after the warrant deduction of one shilling in the pound, and one day’s pay of the whole regiment for Chelsea hospital; and also the deduction of 2d. in the pound for the agent, are made at the pay-office. The balance of the pay of the officers, over and above their subsistence, after the warrant deductions are made, and the respited pay, if there is any, is charged to the officer, is called clearings; which are paid by the paymaster to the agent, who pays them to the officers, and there finds his twopences.

Colonels of regiments either pay the clothier ready money, or allow him interest for forbearance. But no colonel can make a valid assignment of the off-reckonings, till the clothier has exhibited to a board of general officers, appointed by his majesty for that purpose, the patterns of each species of cloathing he is to provide; which patterns are left with the secretary to the clothing board, at the office of the comptrollers of the army, and compared with sealed patterns, already approved by the king; and if found conformable thereto, are sealed by all the general officers, who compose that board, in testimony of their approbation; and when the clothier has completed his clothing, ready to be delivered, the inspector of clothing is directed to view the said clothing, who certifies in writing, that he has found it conformable to his majesty’s instructions in quantity and quality; which certificate, together with the colonel’s assignment of the off-reckonings, is produced by the clothier to the board of general officers, who pass the assignment; but the contract between the colonel and clothier is not laid before any officer whatsoever; nor is any account brought afterwards of the expence of that clothing. Clothiers provide clothing for complete regiments, as upon the establishment.

There are several other articles of expence defrayed out of the clothing fund, as the charge of package, of carriage by land or water, of insurance, when sent abroad, of interest, more or less, as the off-reckonings are paid, of fees of offices, of clothing lost by desertion, of small accoutrements, colors, drums, and other contingent charges. The subsistence of the men, allowed for clothing lost by deserters, is paid to the respective colonels; and the off-reckonings only are included in the assignment. For the latest regulations on this head, see a British work called Military Finance, page 196.

OFFUSQUER, Fr. literally means to darken; or conceal. Ce bâtiment est offusque par les maisons voisines. This building is darkened or concealed from the eye by the neighboring houses. It likewise signifies in a figurative sense, to out-do or out-match. Il se sent offusqué. He feels himself out-done.