The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-05 00:00:00

MANNING THE NA VY.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE TIMES.
Sir,— I shall endeavour to show your correspondent
who signs himself "A London Manufacturer," and who
has written an excellent letter, that a stout boy, after six
months' floating school discipline such as I proposed,
would be worth 91. per annum and his food on board
merchantman. Observe—l don't mean children of 13
14 hardy fellows of 16 years
oor r thereabouts.years of a
g but strong,

While the vessel is in port, and the crew dismissed, a
constant routine of petty work has to be performed,
scarcely
enough for a.man, and not often too much for a
boy. You must have some one to do it. Now a man's
wages will be 18s. per week, but the boy's wages would
only be 3s. 11d. ; add food, 108.—Inakings
are 245. per
13s. lid, per
wweeeekk.. If you employ a rigger his wages

when the "men "
were
In foreign ports boys are very useful ;
many a time
better employed in the hold or aloft, and many a
have they pulled the master ashore
hogshead of sugar have they helped to bring alongside
in the West Indies. • _

When a green boy joins his- vessel
a day or so before
she leaves port, he finds himself totally adrift and in
every body's way ; his ignorance and
---
bewilderment are
he picks up a know-
called stupidity, and, of course, he
is bullied by the
officers and cursed by the men. Slowly, amid sea sick-
nessdge andnf the acquiring
andhis
sails,"sea
and cautiously goes legs,aloft. "
By degrees he becomes of some little use but in most
cases it is by very slow degrees indeed. 'The common
saying is, that for the first six months he is scarcely
worth his food.
on board after six
months' Compare
floating
such a
schoolboywith
oneteaching ; taken
latter is at once atthe
home, knows the ropes and gear, runs nimbly aloft, lies
out on the yard, and is able to handle the light sails.
This fellow is at once of service, inure than double the
value of the green hand ; yet the usual pay of the latter
as an apprentice is 4/. for the first year and his food. It
isa easily seen that the trained lad would be worth two

of him:
As to the value of a boy after six months' training, I
may give the following example :--I engaged a strong,
hardy lad, of some 16 years of age ;, he joined his ship
for the first time last March ; he has made two North
American voyages, and has been most serviceable during
the recent trip home from Quebec. He deserved a
present, and has received one.
I fully agree with your correspondent on the great
benefits which would result from the addition of moral
and intellectual training to the nautical education.
When your correspondent arrives in Liverpool I shall
send him my address.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
A LIITURooi, Sairovim.

Jan, 1.

St.
St.
St.
St.

50
St.
16
16

26
13i
20
20 ,

20
20
50
20

TEE SHARE MARKETS.

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Closing Prices
this Day.

31i -- 32il
- 7

10 11

64 —54 cl

22 - 23

2i -- 2 d
107 -- 109
67i -- 084
23A -- 24
17i -- 181
3 -- 2 d

8i -

-- 6
4f 4
13 -13 g

10 -- lli

7i - 84,,, 177 - 79

55 -• 60
77 - 79
29 - 30
61 - 63
81i -82 i
43 - 45
120 -122,

106 108
941 -- 951
6t -- 74
89 -- 91
114 -- 12ip
841 --85
3 3/ d
2. -- 2 d
17 —lB

"
1 _ - 2 p

109-
I 5 126
3 41 p
1 2 p
)1 923
4. - 3A d
.1 123
;0 21

303 314
3i —3 d
80 81
47 49

50 - 52
2i - 21

8- 94
57 - 59
8 - 9
2 -2i
404 - 41A'
-64

2k
d,
3 di

8i -
3A - 4i p
52 - 53
96 - 98
64 - 66
66 - 68

75 - 80

19 - 20
si 10
14 - 15
3 - n

23 - 24
84 - 85
39 -
13 - 13:1
4 - 41

1321 -
11
911 - 93
27 - 28 1
9i- 101

73 74
61 —68 d.
2 2 d
59 6041

1.09 - 1111

106 - 1081

19 ,-- 20
id —ip

6 -
-
3 - 4
2

1i 2 p
- p
14 - 15

18 18.

3 = *a.

St.
St.!
64

127 -:1i.6

112 E 114

81 - 9

1 -li p
1091 - 1101
15E -----155 P

- - PI

3i -- 4 p
8i --
13i -- 14
9 - 14
10i -- 11,

1 - 1 )

149 -- 151
23* :: 23iP
6 -- 64

2- 21
1014 -102 i
25i - 26

10
25
10
1.0.6

2i 2i p
11 11}
171 —17 i
1 p
16 7i
par i p
26 —26 i

Bee3ness done
this day.

19 - - 20

-
103 - 104
5i -

40
100
100
100

i - iPI

BANKS.

853,

all
13.5
243