178 The Imperial Century, 1725-1825
used to keep order at private theatrical performances earned no less than 600
roubles a month.^15 This random evidence does not allow an estimate of the
extent to which side earnings from such sources, or else from artisanal activi-
ties within the regimental economy, supplemented the soldiers' regular pay.
lh1s was supposed to be issued (apparently in advance) in three instalments
during the year, on I January, l May, and I September. Payment was generally
more punctual than it had been in Peter's day, although sometimes the money
might still fail to arrive, especially when the troops were campaigning in
foreign parts.^16 One source claims that this was not too serious a matter for the
soldier since he received food and clothing anyway and the money 'serves only
for his pleasures';^17 but this view needs qualification. The men might indeed
put up patiently with delay that was genuinely due to wartime difficulties (for
example, the interruption of communications by enemy action), but it was a
different matter where the authorities simply forgot about their existence^18 or
ncld back the money on some pretext or other. A senior officer alleged in 1764
~hat as much as a third to a half of soldiers' pay might be retained in this
Nay.1^9 One purpose of the inspectorate set up by Potemkin was to check such
:tbuses, but it was short-staffed: initially there were only four inspectors.^2 ° Fre-
~uently regimental commanders came to private arrangements with officials in
:he commissariat or supply departments and built up a sizeable regimental
fund, called a 'church chest'.^21 They had some justification for doing so, since
:hey had to provide against sudden contingencies. However, proper accounts
Nere seldom kept and the money might be used for purposes that had nothing
n common with soldiers' welfare, such as banners and regalia, musical instru-
nents for the band, and the like.^22 Officers also 'borrowed' money for such
urposes from the soldiers' artels as well as from the regimental fund. 'We are
;hort of fat, salt, carts (povozki) and horses,' reported a company commander
n the Yelizavetgrad musketeers (1790), 'but the recruits' artel has 124 and the
Id [that is, company) artel has 99 roubles, so I ask the regiment[al com-
nander] whether part of this sum may not be used to buy what the company
1eeds.' Permission was readily granted.21
The soldiers' artel was in principle an excellent institution. It often elicited
·avourable comment from foreign observers. Organized at company level or
IS Eyler, 'Zapiski', p. 371.
16 Stein, Geschichte, p. 216.
17 De Raymond, Tableau, p. 539. He also argued against more frequent payment on the
pecious grounds that this would only encourage drunkenness.
18 This was the fate, two centuries before Voinovich's 'Private Chonkin', of three soldiers in a
hasseur regiment who had taken part in the storming of Ochakov ( 1788) and had been left behind
1ere to guard some stores; over a year passed before they were discovered, 'suffering extreme
ecd, and the state property rolling away due to holes in the roof'. Ya. A. Kastro-Latserda to
'ulcnbach, 8 June 1790, TsGVIA, V-UA, ed. khr. 16449, I. 166.
19 Dubrovin, Suvorov, p. 133.
20 PSZxliii. 16972(18 June 1791).
21 Dubrovin, Suvorov, p. 134; de Raymond, Tableau, p. 536.
22 Vyazemsky, 'Zapiska', p. 13.
(^23) TsGVIA, V-UA. ed. khr. 16449, I. 138 (19 June 1790), signature indecipherable.