Part 477

SUPERANNUATED, (Suranné-ée, Fr.) In a military sense, rendered unfit for service through old age.

SUPERFICIES, (Superficie, Fr.) Outline; exterior surface; extent without depth. The curved superficies are divided into two sorts, viz. the convex and concave.

SUPERINTENDANT, (Surintendant, Fr.) A person appointed to take charge of any particular district or department. Hence, military superintendant.

SUPERIOR officer. Any officer of higher rank, or who has priority in the same rank, by the date of his commission, &c.

SUPERNUMERARY, (Surnumeraire, Fr.) Beyond a fixed or stated number. In a strict military sense it means the officers and non-commissioned officers that are attached to a regiment or battalion for the purpose of supplying the places of such as fall in action, and for the better management of the rear ranks when the front is advancing or engaged.

Supernumerary officers and non-commissioned officers must always divide their ground equally in the rear of the division they belong to, and pay the strictest attention to the orders which are issued for its exercise or movement.

If an officer is killed or wounded in action, the first supernumerary officer of the division takes the command, and so on to the quarter-master and serjeants.

To SUPERSEDE, (Remplacer, Fr.) See TO RESPITE.

To be SUPERSEDED, (Etre remplacé, Fr.) Both these terms are used by the French in the same military sense that we employ them, viz. to be deprived of rank and pay for some offence, and to have others put in one’s stead.

SUPPLEANT, Fr. A substitute. Any person named to do the functions of another.

SUPPLEMENT. Addition; augmentation, in case of deficiency.

SUPPLEMENT of an arch. In geometry or trigonometry, the number of degrees which it wants of being an entire semicircle; as complement signifies what an arch wants of being a quadrant.

SUPPLEMENT d’un angle, Fr. Supplement of an angle. The number of degrees which are wanting in an angle to constitute or make up two angles.

SUPPLEMENT, Fr. A certain pecuniary allowance, over and above the ordinary pay or subsistence, which was given by the king to officers belonging to the old French service.

SUPPLEMENTAL, SUPPLEMENTARY, (Supplementaire, Fr.) Additional; such as fills up what is wanting.

SUPPLY. Relief of want; making up of deficiencies. A fresh supply of troops, ammunition, &c.

To SUPPLY. To makeup deficiencies. To aid; to assist; to relieve with something wanted. To fill any room made vacant. Thus, covering serjeants supply the places of officers when they step out of the ranks, or are killed in action.

To SUPPORT. To aid, to assist; it likewise signifies to preserve untarnished, viz. To support the ancient character of the corps.

Well SUPPORTED. Well aided, well assisted. It likewise signifies well kept up, as a well supported fire from the batteries; a well supported fire of musquetry.

SURAPAN, Ind. An honorary dress, which is given to an inferior by a superior.

SURAT Haal, Ind. A state or representation of the case.

SURCINGLE. A girth with which the saddle or any other burden is bound upon a horse.

SURFACE, in fortification, is that part of the side which is terminated by the flank prolonged, and the angle of the nearest bastion: the double of this line with the curtain is equal to the exterior side.

SURGEON, (Chirurgien, Fr.) A staff officer, who is chief of the medical department in each regiment or hospital, &c.

SURGEON-general. The first or senior surgeon of an army.

Particular instructions to the regimental surgeons of the line in the British service.

Each regimental surgeon of the line, when provided with a chest of medicines, is required half yearly to make a return to the inspector of regimental hospitals, (under cover to the secretary at war,) of the medicines used by him during the preceding six months, and what remain; and this return must be accompanied by an affidavit taken before a magistrate, that none of the medicines have, to his knowlege, been converted to private purposes, or applied to any use but that of the regiment, or some other military service; for which he must produce the special orders of the commanding officer, or of the inspector of regimental hospitals.

Should a regiment of the line be placed in an unhealthy situation; or, from any prevailing disease, should the surgeon’s stock of a particular medicine be exhausted before the next yearly supply becomes due, he is to apply to the inspector of regimental hospitals, (under cover to the secretary at war) for a fresh supply; the existence of such cause for the extraordinary consumption of the medicines to be certified by the commanding officer.