The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-15 00:00:00

NAVAL.

PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 14.—The Champion sloop, 18, and
the Serpent, 16, are both to be brought forward fur commis-
sion with as much despatch as possible.
MANNINO THE NATT.—We are happy to have it in our
power to state, that the promises held out previous to the
prorogation of parliament, by the secretary of the present
Board of Admiralty, respecting the adoption of certain
measures for the procuration of seamen for her Majesty's
navy, are, to a certain extent, already being carried out. We
recently adveitcd to a very judicious order, issued by the
Admiralty, that henceforth all seamen belonging to ships
about to be paid off, may at once re-enter the service, and
have leave of absence for several weeks, with their
time and pay going on, and their hammocks and 'chests
placed in safety in the dockyard during their absence. By
these means the vrviees of those seamen already in the navy
will be retained, thus affording every opportunity for the
men to pass some time with their friends, and securing them
employment at the expiration of their leave. In the absence
of this arrangement hundreds of our men of war's men have
been lost to the service, for after being pair( off, and passing
some period with their friends, when desirous of again
joining the nal), there has been no ship fitting oat
at the time, and with their resources all gone,
they have had no other alternative than to join the
merchant service. This measure is, however, only one of
many intended to be adopted by the Admiralty for effec-
tually manning the navy at all times without again resort•
ing to that infamous system of impressment which placed
the British sailor in a state of slavery equal to that of the
negroes kidnapped from the shores of AlliNs, and at the
same time rendered the service unpopular, and prevented
seamen volunteers from entering, from the stringent means
of necessity adopted on board to preserve discipline
and order, and to prevent the seamen sieves from eman-
cipating themselves at the lint favourable opportunity. The
I intention of the Admiralty, in order to secure volunteers fur
the navy, is to make the Service popular, by rendering the posi-
t tion of the seams•; on board a man-of-war as comfortable as
possible, allowing him every relaxation consistent with the
interests of the service, and offering him such inducements
as may make it worth bin while to seek the royal instead of
the mercantile navy. We believe it is the intention of the
Admiralty to have a number of seamen at the various ports
on board some of the ships in ordinary, as a corps de risme.
Twenty millions of money were expended to purchase the
emancipation of the blacks. The interest alone of that
money annually, will not only purchase the emancipation of',,
the sailors from the slavery of impressment, but will also
give the means of forming a powerful protective force upon
which this country can rely in the hour of danger. Twelve
thousand seamen could be maintained in victuals and wages
upon half the interest of that money. In the navy estimates
for this year, thirty-five thousand seamen and marines are
maintained and paid wages fur 1,130,5,531.. consequently,
one-third of that sum would support a reserve of twelve
thousand seamen.

The Globe of last evening states that
"Active exertions are at present being made in Bristol in order to
procure men for the navy. Naval officers, and hardy-looking tars,
accompanied by a brass band, have been pemmirdeing the sfreets in
order to induce men to enlist. This is another' sign of the times.' The
services of sailors are now solicited, instead of the men being dragged
from their ships, and wives, and families, by means of the infamous
pressgang system. There is, too, we apprehend, as marked an im-
provement in their treatment when on board as in the means adopted
to get them on board. Other improvements in the navy still remain
to be elated."
NAVIGATION OF THN MENA! STBAITS.—A few weeks