boo k , i n f t a n t a n e o u i l y , a n d w i t h o u t u n d e r g o i n g t h e l e a f t a l t e r a t io n ,
'— .— > c o v e r e d w i t h v e f le ls .
III. M i l i t a r y E s t a b l i s h m e n t .
The king has a corps of 2000 troops in his own pay,
and entirely dependent upon himfelf. Thefe troops confift
chiefly of Ulans or light horfe, who furnilh alternately the
efcort which accompanies his majefty. We faw a fmall
party, about thirty, who were encamped near his villa, and
had afterwards an opportunity of examining them more
minutely. The Ulans are chiefly Tartars, many of them
Mahometans, and are greatly to be relied on for their fidelity.
The corps is compofed of gentlemen and vaflals :
they all form in fquadron together, but are differently armed;
they both indifcriminately carry fabres and piftols, but the
gentlemen only bear lances of about ten feet long; inftead
of which, the others are armed with carabines. Their drefs
is a high fur cap, a green and red jacket, pantaloons of the
fame colour, which cover the boots as low as the ankle; and a
petticoat of white cloth defcending to the knee. Their heads
are all ffiaved after the Poliih manner * . Their lances, at the
end of which is fattened a long fwallow-tailed flag of black and
red cloth, are lhorter and weaker than thofe of the Auftrian
Croats, but they carry and ufe it much in the fame manner,
and with no lefs dexterity. The men were of different fizes,
and feemed fine and well-grown, but were greatly disfigured
with their petticoats and pantaloons. The horfes on
which they were mounted were about fourteen hands high,
of remarkable fpirit, with great ftrength of ihoulder. Poland
is much efieemed for its breed of horfes; and the king of
Pruflia procures his light cavalry from this country. The
* See Book II. Chapter II,
4 breed,
breed, however, has been almoft ruined during the late civil c h a p .
wars, and the nobility are now chiefly fupplied fromTartary., n' ,
The armies of Poland and Lithuania are independent of
each other, being feparately commanded, and under the di-
retttion of the refpedtive great generals. In time of war
the king in perfon may lead the forces o f the republic.
Formerly the power of thefe great generals was uncon-
trouled, excepting by the diet, to which they were only
amenable for their adminiftration. Their enormous authority,
however, underwent fome limitation in 1768, by the
appointment of a committee of war, of which they are perpetual
prefidents; and. was ftill further circumfcribed by the
eftablilhment of the military department in the permanent
council, whofe office has been already defcribed *.
In 17 78 the following was the ftate of the Poliffi army.
Staff officers
Troops- of Poland.
Complement.,
m i
Ejfe&ivc men. 1
27.
Wanting,.
Cavalry
Infantry, including artillery
4997,;
7 2 86;
4708
670 3;
289.
583
Total of Poland 1 2310 H 4 3 8 8.72
Staff officers
Army of Lithuania.;
2 5 25 '
Cavalry
Infantry, including artillery
2670
4770
2497
446-5;
173
305
Total of Lithuania 7 4 6 5 6987 478
Total of the Poliih and Lithuanian troops,
1 9 7 7 5 18425 1350-
* See p. 84.
The