The issue of the journal that was the origin of Swift's The Answer to the Craftsman (above, pp. 218–27).

CRAFTSMAN's First Letter of ADVICE,

To the People of GREAT-BRITAIN, and IRELAND, with Respect to some French-Officers being arrived in that Kingdom, in order to raise Recruits, for his Gallick Majesty.

By CALEB D’ANVERS of Gray's Inn, Esq.; Saturday November 7th. 1730

The following Article, which hath lately appeared in the News-Papers,1 deserveth our immediate Consideration, viz.

“THEY write from Dublin, that an Officer from every Regiment in the French Service is arrived there, in order to raise Recruits for their respective Corps; which is not to be done in a clandestine Manner as formerly, when several Persons suffer’d Death for it, but publickly. These Gentlemen are to disperse themselves into the several Counties, where They have the best Interest; and a Field Officer is to reside constantly at Dublin, to hear all Complaints, which may be made by any of the Recruits against their Officers; and also to prepare for sending them off – Count Broglio hath been solliciting an Order, to this Purpose, these two Years.”

When I first read this Account in the publick Prints, I look’d upon it as a common Piece of false Intelligence, and was in full Expectation of seeing it contradicted in the next Day's Papers, according to frequent Custom; but having since heard it confidently affirm’d to be true, (although I can hardly believe it; especially, as to every Part) the Duty, which I owe my Country, and my Zeal for the present Establishment oblige me to take some Notice of an Affair, which I apprehend to be of very great Importance to both.

It will be necessary, in the first Place, to give the Reader a short Account of the Nature of these Troops, as They are now established in France.

They consist, as we have been infor’ed, of one Regiment of Horse, and five Regiments of Foot, all doubly or trebly Officer’d; so that They are, of Themselves, a very considerable Body of Men.

But their Number is the least Point to be consider’d in thisAffair. There are other Circumstances, which render these Troops infinitely more formidable to Great Britain.