The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—Your correspondent " A. B." tells us that many
thousand stout lads should be at once enlisted in the
navy. The neighbourhood of our seaports may probably
supply a large proportion ; but there is no reason why-
recruits for our navy as well as army should not be
sought in places further inland. Our agricultural coun-
ties are full of the stuff from which goal sailors may be
made. There are thousands of lads now following the
plough, stout, healthy, active, well-grown, who would
thankfully abandon their present ill-paid overworked
condition for one of greater enterprise, less labour,
and higher payment, if the chance were but given them.
At present they have scarcely heard of the sea, and
know as little about a ship as they do of a Roman gal-
ley or of the real shape of Noah's Ark. At the same
time they would gladly hail any opportunity of escap-
ing from their present drudgery. They are hired
to their masters, most of them for the year, at
wages, for lads of from 14 to 16, of 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d.
a-week. No wonder that both they and their parents
complain. This hiring takes place at Michaelmas, when,
with starvation staring them in the face, and with a
long and dreary winter before them, they are glad to en-
gage in service at almost any wages. From the engage-
ment thus made they cannot release themselves. Unlike
the young men of 18 or 20, they cannot cancel their en-
gagement to their master by joining the recruiting ser-
geant. They would get away, if they knew where or
how ; but their engagement to their master and their
lack of means keep them at home. Give them the same
chance of enlisting in the navy as is now offered those
who are older of enlisting in the army, and you will hay.
no lack of candidates for admission. When the summer
cruise in the Baltic is over let some warrant and petty
officers be sent into the country to recruit. If they
ccoomes among us seasonany :toutfor
ladshiring
w
again
me
they
round,when h
ieill fitiide
m
prefer ploughing the waves to tilling the soil. There
could not be a greater service to an agricultural dis-
trict than to carry off some of these young lads, who,
by the
competition, reduce the fair price of labour,
and who .veryoar eaccordingly underpaid, overworked, and a
acnodsthbeuatvylibttulredetno tturythethirefreixepnedrsiment. I am
neeldticeassn
confident it would answer. It was but a few days since
that I suggested to a lad, who was complaining to me
of his miserably low wages, that he should enter the
navy. I explained to him that he would have to rough
it at times, but he was still very anxious to go ; and it
was only on discovering that he had a deformity which
incapacitated him for service that I forbore to apply for
his admission. His case is that of thousands of others.
Give them a chance of rising from their present condi.
tion of almost serfdom, and they will show their gratis
tude by the good services they will render to their
country.

The'recruiting boatswain will, I trust, be ere long as
well known as the recruiting sergeant, and as successful
in his avocation.--I remain, Sir, your obedient serf
vant, • 13. J.,

THE WEATHER.—Sun Orrics, AMIE. 18.
TENDMOIINTIKE, IN TIM SHADE.
54—highest since noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during the night.
61—this day at noon.
BABOBIETZB, 3012.
WIND, S.E.—Fresh breeze, with fine, sunshiny wea.
ther.