Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-24 00:00:00

ble to them only in the I

Islands.

by a review of the r

pared with the coast guard and other branches of the

The commissioners think also that of the 4;00

men retained in the home ports, 1,000 should always b

" These measures, ia our opinion
all that are needed under the foregoing heads to place' the
peace establishment of the navy on a firm and satisfactory
basis, and to secure the complete and efficient working of
the continnons service system. -Great care should,
how-
ever, be taken in selecting the men. Looking to the
efficiency of the reserves, which we hope to form out of
those who have served for ten years continuous service,
we think that it is desirable that they should not be above
the age of 25 at the time of their admission, and above
all that they should be strong and healthy."
The condition of the seamen in the royal navy next
comes under notice. Her Majesty's service, it is ,granted,
is not so popular as it should be with the great body of
the mercantile marine. To make it more so, the commis-
sioners advise improvements in the internal arrangements
of the hulks in which the men are lodged whilst their
ships are fitting out ; the increase of the allowance of
both bread and salt meat to one pound and a quarter
daily (the rate of payment. for savings, however, to be
diminished) ; that the bedding and mess utensils be issued
as the hammocks now are, and that a suit of clothes be
given to every man, on his first entering for ten years'
continnons service. Other minor recommendations of the
commissioners relate to the mode of payment of wages
whilst the ship is fitting out ; the system of allotments
(which they recommend should be assimilated to the
practice in the-merchant service) ; the badge money ; the
rank
sand promotion of warrant officers. The com-
missioners anticipate the best results from " the occa-
sional promotion of a warrant officer to the quarter
deck ; at the same time, we are ready to admit that the
promotion should only be granted for distinguished
service, combined with exemplary conduct ; and it should
not be limited to the warrant officers, but should be
open, in the case of very signal and extraordinary
services, to any-seaman in your Majesty's navy."
The second point to which the attention of the com-
missioners was directed is the mode of manning the fleet
on an emergency: The old system of naval impressment
is quickly disposed of as utterly impracticable, and the
ballot, the commissioners think, is open to most of the
same objections._ In our standing reserves, the com-
missioners counsel an increase of 5,000 men to
the present reserve of marines in the home
ports, and the coast-guard he raised to 12,000 men.
Naval coast volunteers are not believed to be a reliable
force for manning the fleet. The most serious objection
to them is the limit of distance (namely, 100 leagues) to
which they can be, carried from the shore ; so that " the
operations of a fleet might be seriously impeded by having
a few naval coast volunteers on board of some of the
ships composing- it." As seamen, the short service
pensioners—seamen who have retired after ten years'
service on a pension of 6d. a day —will never be
numerous, but a large reserve could be formed out of
the marines, if the principle were extended to
them, and this the commissioners strongly recom-
mend. But these services, estimated in all at
30.000, exclusive of the naval coast volunteers, are
believed to be insufficient ; it is desirable to have a
further force of from 20,000 to 30,000 seamen well trained
in gunnery. A plan to obtain them is then proposed :
"It appears," continues the report, " from the returns
that have been furnished to us, that the coasting trade
of this country employs 63,000 men, including masters.
The returns do not comprise watermen and others. who
might be made-available for the purpose. If we add the
Baltic and Mediterranean trades and the voyages to the
North American- and other ports, including the seamen
employed by the large steam packet companies,
we shall not have less than 100,000, men, who
are never absent for any length of time from
the ports of thi's country. We propose that not less
than 20,000 such men, as in point of age, ability;
character, and' permanent . connection with their
respective ports may appear most suitable for the
purpose, shall' be selected from this number. This new
body of men might be called the Royal Naval Volun-
teers.' The inducements which we propose to hold out
to seamen to-join this force will be - 1. A payment at
short period:s. 2: A pension at the age of 50 to 55:
3. Payment for time spent in practice. 4. Admission to
the coast-guard. 5. Participation in the benefits of
Greenwich Hospital. On their part they would engage
to practice Annnery; and to serve in case of emergency;
and conditions would be framed to secure their coming
forward' to join the, navy within a very short time after
their services were required."
The influence of the marine department of the Board of
Trade is chiefly relied upon for the selection of the force at
first ; and the establishment of school ships in the principal
commercial ports, capable of accommocla tine: from-100 to 200
boarders in each ship, of whom 100 should be• supported
by the state, for its future supply. These spools would
be open. to all children residing at the ports as day
scholars contributing weekly. The most eligible, it is
estimated, would go into the navy, but the majority
would probably go into the merchant service. As to
subsequent arrangements, it is proposed that at the end
Id each period of five years it shall be in • the option of
anyone to withdraw, and that the same option shall arise
when a youth obtains the certificate of -the Board of
Trade, and becomes master or mate of .a merchant ship.
The only penalty on anyone who retires will be the loss
of his claim to a pension, unless he elect to continue the
necessary contribution out of his own, funds. This per-
mission to retire will admit of a larger number of the
whole merchant seamen of the country passing through
the force, and so becoming trained its gunnery, while the
country will not be charged with any additional payment
on that account.
The
amountasstEni
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," it is added, " are,

of reserve
ing- that the coast guard and naval coast volunteers are
raised. to the full amount contemplated for those forces
respectively, before the commission was issued, and that
the, additions which they have recommended are h/so
carried into effect :
Reliefs in the home ports 4,000
Coast-guard
Marines embodied , ".6,000
Ditto short service pensioners . ,
Seamen, short serrke pensioners, say 3,000

Royal naval voMnteers
Naval coast volunteers

----...• 30,000
20,000
10,000

------- 30,000

Making in all ,
This does not include the addition of 5,000 men, which
it has been said might be made to the marines, without
impairing the efficiency of that body as a naval force, if
her Majesty should be advised either to substitute that
number of marines for troops of the line, or to add that
number of men to the whole military and naval estab-

lishments of the kingdom ; nor does it include the 5,000
volunteers whom it-is assumed are absent on leave in the
long voyages. "Of these forces," says the commissioners,
"the reliefs in the home ports and the coast-guard
both be speedily raised, and this should be done at
The marines embodied are taken at the number
men in this country. The short service
'n as well as marines, will be filled up in
The royal navy volunteers may, in
ses, be recruited without any

usually"

pqnsionerS;

~~ WL~~A.

£104,671

494,150

£598,821