Part 473

Marble, is of various sorts and colors; the most beautiful of which is exported from Italy. The marble found in England is mostly blackish, and so very hard and difficult to polish, that very little use is made of it, except to burn and make lime. The American marbles are various, and every day produces new discoveries of marbles of the most beautiful colors.

Fire-STONE, or Soap Stone, serves chiefly for chimneys, hearths, ovens, furnaces, and stoves; being a dry, porous, gritty stone, which bears the heat without breaking: on account of this quality, it is called fire-stone.

Purbeck-STONE, is a hard, greyish stone, and serves chiefly for paving, coping of walls, and for all such other uses where strength is required, it being the most hard and durable stone.

Rag-STONE, is of a bluish color, and commonly used in paving: but there is a stone called Kentish rag, that is very useful in building: it splits very easily, and yet is very hard.

Free-STONE, more generally called Portland stone: it is a fine whitish stone, without any veins. This stone is very soft when it comes out of the quarry, is easy to be worked, and becomes very hard in time. Hence it is very fit for military works.

Gypsum, is a clear whitish stone, not unlike coarse marble. It is plentiful in some parts of Italy; in France; and very abundant in Nova Scotia, whence it has been lately imported to a vast amount to be pulverised for manure; it is to be had in great abundance in Scotland, and makes the very best lime.

Whin, or Aberdeen whin, is of a greyish color, intermixed with veins, not unlike coarse marble. This stone is the fittest of any for military works: because it withstands the weather, and the violence of the waves, better than any stone found in England.

STOPPAGES, in the British service, deductions from a soldier’s pay, the better to provide him with necessaries, &c. A soldier should never be put under a greater weekly stoppage from his pay, than what will afterwards leave him a sufficiency for messing.

There shall be stopped out of the pay of an artillery soldier, (beer money included) the sum of 5 shillings and one penny per week, to be applied towards the expence of his mess, (including vegetables &c.) A sum not exceeding one shilling and six pence per week shall be retained for necessaries, to be accounted for, as usual, monthly. The remainder, amounting to 3s. 10³⁄₄d. per week, shall be paid to the soldier, subject to the accustomed deduction for washing, &c. or articles for cleaning his clothes and appointments. Stoppages for rations for man and horse. See the word RATION.

STOPPAGE, for the subsistence of the sick in the British army. In the regulations for the better management of the sick in regimental hospitals, it is particularly laid down, under the head subsistence, page 16, that sufficient funds should be established for the support of the sick without any additional charge to government; and at the same time, that the sick soldier should be provided with every reasonable comfort and indulgence that can be afforded. The sum of four shillings per week from the pay of each soldier will, under proper regulations, and with strict economy, be sufficient for this purpose; which sum is to be retained by the paymaster of the regiment.

The sick are to be furnished with bread made of the finest wheat flour, and fresh meat, perfectly good and wholesome.

That the greatest economy may be used in laying out the money for the sick, every article ought to be purchased by the surgeon, who is required to keep a book, in which he is to enter the amount of the weekly consumption of each man according to the diet table; and this book, with the diet table, is to be laid before the commanding officer and paymaster every week to be examined and signed by each; and it is of the utmost importance to the welfare of the service, that every commanding officer, and every regimental paymaster, should superintend the expenditure.

STOPPER. A piece of wood or cork, made to fit the bore of a musquet barrel, which soldiers use in wet weather; and on other occasions, when the piece is not loaded, to prevent moisture and dust from getting into the barrel.

STORE-keeper, in war time, must take care of the stores in the magazines, such as the provisions, forage, &c. receive the same from contractors, and deliver them out to the troops. He has several clerks under him, appointed to the different departments, of provisions, hay, straw, oats, &c. In time of peace he has charge of all the public stores, belonging both to land and sea service.

STOREHOUSE. See MAGAZINE.

STORES, Military, are provisions, forage, arms, clothing, ammunition, &c.

Medical STORES on board transports.--Certain articles of diet which are put on board each transport, are so called. These are to be considered as intended solely for the use of the sick, or convalescents; they are to remain in the charge of the master of the transport, and only to be issued upon demand in writing made by the surgeon from time to time as he shall judge proper; or, when there is no surgeon, upon demand of the commanding officer. And the surgeon or commanding officer is to give the master at the end of the voyage, a certificate that his demands for the said medical stores have been made only upon proper occasions, and have not been expended for any other use, than that of the sick, or convalescent.

To STORM, in military matters, to make a violent assault on any fortified place, or works.

STORMING party. A select body of men, consisting generally of the grenadiers, who first enter the breach, &c.

STRAGGLERS. Men who wander from the line of march. It is the business of the rear guard to pick up all stragglers, &c.

STRAPONTIN, Fr. A sort of hammock which is used in hot countries, &c. See HAMMOCK.

STRATAGEM, in war, any scheme or plan for the deceiving and surprising an army, or any body of men. See SURPRISE.

STRATAGEMS in war, (Stratagêmes de guerre, Fr.) Certain feints which are resorted to by able generals, &c. to cover their real designs during the operations of a campaign. It is impossible to lay down any specific rules on this head, as every general, according to the capacity and activity of his mind, makes use of the various means and expedients which grow out of times, circumstances, and occasions. It has been asserted by some writers, that all sorts of stratagems, even those which are connected with treachery may be adopted for the accomplishment of any design. This maxim is, however, strongly combated against by those who have written upon the law of nations. Probity, in fact, and elevation of mind, (which are superior to the pitiful measures of treacherous affiliation or intercourse,) should always bear the ascendancy in human actions. There are stratagems which may be practised and carried on, without the least deviation from honor and good faith. Many distinguished generals have had recourse to these; but none ever succeeded so well as Hannibal. Wishing to cross the river Rhone, and being in want of almost every article that was necessary to effect the passage in the presence of an enemy who was diligently watching his motions, he caused him to imagine that it was his intention to keep the ground he occupied. He ordered large fires to be lighted up in different quarters of his camp, and directed some of his troops to shout and make loud noises, as if they were perfectly stationary. During this apparent state of inactivity, he broke up his camp, marched up the river side, and crossed it at a place where it was least expected he would make the attempt.

General Washington executed a similar stratagem with success on the British at Trenton; and a very memorable stratagem in baking bread at King’s bridge and amusing the British at New York, while he made forced marches with his army for Yorktown, to capture Cornwallis.

Among other good qualities which are indispensibly necessary in an able general, that of knowing how to conceal a projected march, and to anticipate the motions of an enemy, is not the least important.

The army under the command of the duke of Saxe-Weimar, having laid siege to Brisac in 1638, the imperialists went to the relief of that place. The duke, on receiving intelligence of their approach, instantly marched against them, with a body of forces composed of Swedes and French allies. The imperialists, who had advanced by rapid marches, had gained possession of an eminence by means of which they would have enjoyed all the advantages of local superiority, had not the count de Guebriant, who was then a lieutenant-general in the Swedish service, suggested a stratagem to dislodge the enemy. The plan was adopted, and it succeeded to the full extent of his design.

The drums and trumpets of the different corps were collected together, and stationed in a neighboring wood, so as to draw the whole of the enemy’s attention away from the quarter proposed to be carried. The imperialists being naturally led to believe, from the noise and concurrence of so many military instruments, that they were going to be attacked from that quarter, beat to arms, and left their position in complete order of battle. They had scarcely quitted the eminence, before the duke of Saxe-Weimar appeared in their rear, took possession of the ground which they had so imprudently abandoned, and became master of all the advantages which his enemy would otherwise have enjoyed. An interesting account of this ingenious manœuvre may be found in the History of Le Marechal de Guebriant.

Stratagems of this description have been frequently used by the French during the present war, particularly in Italy. Stratagems, in fact, constitute one of the principal branches in the art of war. They have been practised in all ages by the most able generals, and have contributed in a great degree, to their military reputation. Virgil, in his Æneid, book II. says--