Engineers
ROYAL, a corps in the British army intrusted with the construction of all military works, plans, surveys, etc. In 1772 the first company of "sappers and miners" was organized at Gibraltar. In 1783 the engineers were raised to be a royal corps, and in 1812 several companies of artificers were converted into "sappers and miners." This name was abolished and that of royal engineers substituted in 1857. The corps usually numbers from 5,000 to 6,000 officers and men. The privates, who are generally skilled artisans, receive a much higher rate of pay than ordinary infantry soldiers.