The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 13, 1853,

conclusion whatsoever upon one solitary particu-
lar, they appear to have invariably subjected the
subject in hand to a minute, and painstaking,
and almost, so to speak, microscopic investiga-
tion. They have, to this end, examined both
seamen and officers in the Royal Navy, besides
others connected with the mercantile marine, as well
as divers shipowners and public functionaries.
From these different sources, moreover, they
acknowledge, and not withoo considerable reason,
to have derived " much valuable information."
Every separate statement made in the course of
the document seems, indeed, from those portions
which we have already perused attentively,
to have ' been admirably well authenticated.
A catalogue of the various witnesses summoned
before the Committee is given at the close of the
Report as a sort of appendix ; while as early as
the fourth section of it we find honourable men-
tion_of the Admirals of the Fleet, Sir BYAM MAR-
TIN and Sir GEORGE COCKBURN, to whom the
Committee allow themselves to be largely indebted
for their many inestimable observations.
Perhaps the most notable announcement made
throughout the whole of this important and ela-
borate document is one which occurs in the very
:►ext paragraph. That paragraph (§ 5) expresses
itself in one part as follows :—" The general cha-
racter of the evidence thus brought before us, con-

rmatory as it is of our own experience, has
ed us forcibly to the conclusion that the
)resent system of entering seamen into her MA-
rEsTY's Navy for short terms of servitude, and
,hen discharging them, is highly detrimental to
is interests and efficiency, and requires an entire
revision." Now, if only for that one announce-
ment we should welcome the Report before us
with no common degree of satisfaction. It is
a declaration that goes to the very core of the
existing grievance. It asserts what we ourselves
have long maintained. It proclaimsthe existence of
an evil which we have for years past in these
columns, again and again, in the strongest terms
of which our vocabulary is capable, denounced
and reprobated. After this the matter under con-
sideration cannot be once more—as it has been
already so frequently--cushioned. It must now,
perforce, extort the interposition of the Imperial
Legislature. For it has received at last an of-
ficial recognition. A committee has at length
been found to avow in so many words that " the
present system of entering seamen in her MA-
JESTY'S Navy for short terms of servitude, , and
then discharging them is highly detrimental to
its interests and efficiency, and requires an
entire revision." Having spoken thus directly
to the point, and that too in the plainest
possible language, the Committee go on to
explain how it is they would sug-
gest that the evil complained of should be
remedied. Among other things they say, with-
out further delay in the way of mere circum-
locution, " These evils would, in our opinion, be
effectually remedied, so far as the peace establish-
ment of the Navy is concerned, if both men and
boys were entered for longer periods." Bearing
all these considerations in view, they avow,

Shortly afterwards, that they have arrived unani.
mously at the conclusion " that the time has ar•

rived for placing her MAJESTY'S Navy on a more
permanent basis, on a similar principle to that

established in the Army and Marines," adding that
the change would be calculated, in every respect,
to be productive, both to the Crown and to the

Seamen, of numerous and solid advantages. Al-
though we cannot, of course, recognise how any

basis that is once permanent can be rendered

more permanent," and although we would

hereby enter a passing exception to that ludicrous
!law in the language of the Report, we cannot
'nit hail with unalloyed satisfaction the whole of

Le remarkable clause in which this Mutts-

is slip of the tongue, or rather of the

is encountered. For the Report thus affords
Is ample reason to augur well for the future de-