It is provided, that the sailors employed in the cruisers and convoys in the Channel, shall not be turned over but to other cruisers and convoys; by which, I suppose, it was intended, that our outguards should be prevented from being weakened, and that our merchants should never be destitute of protection; an end truly laudable, and which deserves to be promoted by some establishment better concerted.

To prevent us from being surprized in the night by the wandering Tartars, outguards were placed every night in three directions around our resting-place.

These groups are called outguards.

Pickets are placed at the more important points in the line of outguards, such as road forks.

As a rule not more than one-third of the support should be on outguard duty.

When the outguards are established, the members of the support may stack arms and remove equipment except cartridge belts.

At nights all roads and trails should be carefully covered and the country to the front and between adjacent outguards well patrolled.

The line occupied by the outguards is called the LINE OF OBSERVATION.

Outguards move to their positions providing for their own protection and so us to conceal the movement from the enemy.

The duties of the outguard are to observe the enemy, to guard the outpost from surprise, and to make a preliminary resistance to the enemy's advance.

The strength of the outguard will vary according to its object.

When an important road which at night will afford a line of advance, or a bridge is to be covered, or when several posts are established from an outguard it should be of considerable strength, two squads or a platoon.

The outguard should be carefully concealed.

The intervals between outguards will depend upon the situation and the terrain.

The distance of the outguard from the support likewise is governed by the terrain, but in general may be said to be from 300 to 400 yards.

In thick country or at night outguards patrol along the line of observation between posts.

Communication between outguards and the support is by signal and messenger, in special cases by wire.

Members of the outguard retain possession of their weapons and do not remove their equipment.

Sentinels from the outguard are posted so as to avoid observation, but so that they may have a clear lookout and be able to see, if possible, by day, the sentinels of the adjacent outguards.

Sentinels from the outguard are posted so as to avoid observation, but so that they may have a clear lookout and be able to see, if possible, by day, the sentinels of the adjacent outguards.

For every sentinel and every patrol there should be three reliefs, and outguards should be of a strength sufficient to allow this.

With an advance guard consisting of a battalion, 2 companies in the reserve, 2 in the support, the latter having as advance party one-half a company, a typical march outpost would be formed as follows: The advance party would send one platoon, four or five hundred yards to the right as outguard No. 1, the remaining platoon constituting outguard No. 2.

A platoon from the head of the support would be sent a similar distance to the left as outguard No. 3.

Now you are safe, you have my outguards past.

26 Holland, to gain your friendship, is content To be our outguard on the Continent; She from her fellow-provinces would go, Rather than hazard to have you her foe.