The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-28 00:00:00

)L NAVAL 11881 EVE.

TIM

On Saturday, a number of gentlemen, shipowners,
&idolises ebbed the Berstiags, of Liverpool, for the purpose
of seeing the men of the Naval Reserve, about 8 in number,
drill The men were first of all put through sighting prac-
tice at • mechanical target, fixed 'tween decks, which rolls
end heaves as • Tema would do in • sea way, and which
records the result of the aim, good,_bad. or indifferent- A
popular ex-mayor who was co board was successful in hit-
tang the bull's eye. It wee pleasant to see the earnest
member in which the ?nineteen went through their duties.
The visitors then descended to the main deck to witness
the drill with 32-pounder guns. The men were first put
through handspike drill, and the eroartners and
alacrity with which they performed it could
warmly be surpassed. They then went through the
operation of sponging, loading, aiming, and firing,
without • miake, and with • minimum of prompting. In
"quick time" they loaded and fired three tames in fifty-
eight woods. The mounting and duimounting • heavy gun
were also performed must satisfactorily. And yet many of
these men have only. bees at drill for a few days. The cut-
lass and ride exercises followed. At the termination of
the drill all the Men were paraded. A inter body of sea-
men never stood on • ship's deck. Their eppearaaes wee
intelligent, clean, and respectful Fick man Mid a rigida.
tion dap, with the letter R. N. K. inecribed ea the ribbon. t
Whs. they had amembied, Captain Lear:weft oddment
41............,
them in tame language. He mogratalased theft en tha
sir themelApilmortiourie, aid en Nair
r-,..0011114 11.111.... .

lilidaiNTl-1411H-A MOVEN&
Luckaraft, as neeimesteW awed by *Mt
Hr. S. IL (NAM seeped lama* sod said—Om
behalf of ray is shipweresne, who lave *day
permitted* bellmldiat ikriag year drill, I desire * ex-
press the verygroist-pliesure we have all expertise* is
witnessing the toristocy and neartnces with which yea
went through your work. We have all *aid ef *the
Naval Reserve, aad that the men componing it were the
meant of the Webs= service; but this is the ant time
we have been brought into personal contact with any
portion of the bees, and, outman, it the men I see before
me may be Mkt* he • file sample of the raw material,
Hogneed will indeed have cause to be proud of her
Naval Reserve when it reaches its full proportion of
30,000 men. Captain Lucke/aft has informed na that
many of you have only been a few days on board, and
none of you your full time. The preecieucy which you
have shown in so short a time is marvellous, end only to
be accounted for by the innate love of fighting which has
always cluuncteneed the British seaman. Much is no
duubt due to your own smartness, intellnence, sad atten-
tion bat I am equally Punk your drill instructors have
dens their duty, and that in Captain. Lutheran you have a
easomatider who takes the deepest interest in your pro-
liciency and welfare, and we are much indebted to
biro fur the opportunity he has afforded us of witnes-
sing year proassanp to-slay. While =acting you
ping them* year week I could not avoid thinking what
mimes* penemal advantage you would all derive from
year easeentiou with this reserve mentally and
physically every Gee of you will leave this ship better
mesa than whenyon ester* her. You feel already, l ven-
ture to my, pester self-respect—yon will carry with yon
Wee year respective merchant ships better discipline and
pester respect for your ocrousseding 050011 than ever you
possined before. You have acquired the knowledge of self-
defame, sad you have now the ability, the willingness
yea do not want, to defend Old ltogned. Then you
have*, mere solid *vantages in the shape of a mien-
leg fee of 61. a year, four guineas far your four weeks'
drill, sad a pomace when yea have ruched the age of
Atty. Now, I must confess, with all those reasons for
jailing the weave, my =pros is that in the fourth year
•Of its existence Is should not have reached one-third of
its unloose strength. It is true there were old, preju-
dices to remove, and imeddenee to gain, but this scarcely
mationnes few the indifference Jack has shown in this
quarter* swept the great boon which is offered bun.
We are far behind every other seaport of any note. Your
nunabers are entarigy disproportionate to the extent of our
ieeferlig population, and I cutlet help thinking if the
ehipearsers and captains of the port exercised a little
mane penual interest ia the matter, and gave a pro
femme to naval reserve men, with an extra pay of, say
N. to 10s. per month, they wodti be giving powerful
ancomageownt to you, while they would be doing the State
good terve= and beaefitting themselves at the SUM time.
Within the past four wee* an usstauce of the value of the
rem* to the iseroutile marine came ender my notice.
It became advisable to arm the vessels of aa important
mail Its. in whisk lam satereated, on the wed nese
of death America ; the guns were obtained, but the
Admiralty could spare no men to work them ; the Weal
reserve was suggested, and four sod twenty very fine
young men volunteered to go out as seamen; they will
be shortly distributed through the company's fleet,
prepared not only to work the game, but to teach every
other seaman to do so in their respective ships. Expe-
nse* teaches us that the true way to preserve peace is
to be prepared for war, sad I believe that the system of
reserves which is being established will prove the most
inexpensive, and at the same time the greatest safeguard
wheels we possess. I believe the system to be capable of
immune extension, and see no reason why it should not
embrace in souse one class or other of a reserve, every
=amen in the British merchaut service cenahle of being
tram= to gueuery. AB that is uow wanted to imitate
such a system is dm airehlishment of national training
ships fur the education of boys to recruit the Naval
reserve and cement the two services in one bond of union
and beemosy. Day by day we we the navy and mermaids
marine brought closer together, soil the value of the latter
more recognised. Look at the service the mercantile ma-
rine reedited the country within the past month, when,
without in the least interfering with the ordinary trade of
the country, it conveyed in the depth of mid-winter an army
complete in every respect across the wild Atlantic, and
would have taken 60,000 men as easily as it conveyed
10,000. One ship of that fleet penetrated within a few
hours of the heart of Capsule, and landed her
living freight in defiance of every obstructiou. We have
insane on record of generals receiving the favour, of
their sovereign for ming troops through intricate
countries; but the gallantry of Captain Judlcius mid 'the
import** of his undertaking (had we been at war with
America) will contrast not unfavourably with any
similar operation, and I hope that the mercantile marine
my menu in the palms of Captain Judkius some suitable
acksowledgmeut from the government of the impede=
monies which Le rendered during an abxuuua and critical
emergesey. It has afforded us very great pleasure to hoar
Oaptiun Luckcraft speak its such favourable terms of your
weeduct while under his care. I hope, whoa you separate
from him, you will show the tame resistance to tempta-
tion, sad that you will, one and all, endeavour to maintain
flee high character which the force is attaining for steadi-
ness and good conduct, and that you will always consider it
to be au honour and a privilege to be a member of the
Meal Reserve of Reigned.
/Ir. Graves was frequently interrupted by subdued but
earnest expressions of satisfaction from the men, and, at
tie conclusion of his address, one of them came forward,
sod iu a very respectful manner hugged permimion to say
few wade Ho alluded warmly to Captain Luckcraft's
kind treatment of them, and then proceeded to explain a
Off en* in which it was evident his comrades usani-
mown concurred, that British seamen were not fairly
treated by shipowners. He said that tho port wag swarin-
km with foreign seamen, and that owing to im-
mrinfluences exercised by boarding-howee keepers
were preferred to Lliglislimen. Perhaps it
was because British seamen would not put up with the
brutal treatment on board ship which foreigners endured.
lie hoped and trusted that shipowners would look to this
matter, end assorted that some of Lis comrades bad been
out of employment for mouths. He also expressed a hope
that the men of the reserve, by their discipline sad effici-
ency, would endeavour to raise the character of the British
seamen at home and *read. He then respectfully with-
drew.
Mr. RLIIKIN, chairman of the Hersey Docks and Harbour
Board, next &dammed a few words to the wen, telling them
he thought that shipowners should not only give ;inference
to the men of the Naval Reserve, hut that they deserved se.
a month extra. His remarks were enthusiastically received.
Another of the seamen then cause forward and spoke
much in the same strain as his comrade bad done, foreign
seamen being evidently their Wu noir. Previously to the
men being dismissed, Captain Sproule pointed out the ad-
ventage of belonging to the Naval Reserve, and alluding to
the employment of foreigners, advised the men always to
weer their uniform caps, soil Waned of seeking employment
at the Sailors' Home, to call at the offices of the slopowurs.
He expressed • hope that the ulcers of the mercutile marine
would not be backward in forming the reserve.
The men then dispersed with three cheers.

SOUTH YORKSIIIHZ COAL THAD' AND RAILWAY
BATE& —The new MIS for coal on the various lines con-
nected with the South Yorkehir• coalfields has rimed the
neatest dissatisfaction azoonpt the colliery proprietors.
On Friday, • meeting of the colliery oilmen who are con-
nected with the Groat Northern was held at the Hines
Head Hotel, Barnsley. Nearly every firm on the line was
represented, and we understand a unanimous opinion was
arrived at as to the course to he takes. On the Blan-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire HIM the new rates
have also met with the en-ingest opposition, notwith.
'Articling that the company Las thrown the trade open,
their own contract with the Barley Vale collimie haying
expired.. In some instances the increase has been as
much as 6d. per ton for 20 miles. In sums instances the
remonstrances of the owners have been stwocisful io ob-
taining a return to the old rates. But the general feeling
is that Wes ought to be in every way permanent, so as to
allow entracte to be made on a sure basis. Many of the
largest collieries in the district are working but two or throe
• days per week.—Manchcster Guardian.