The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-24 00:00:00

MANNING TBE NAVY.

The following is the Report of the Royal Com-
missioners appointed to inquire into the best means
of manning the Navy, just presented to both Houses
of Parliament by command of her Majesty :
TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
We, your Majesty's Commissioners, appointed
" to inquire into the best means of manning the
navy, and in what manner, and under what arrange-
ments, seamen may be readily obtained for such
purpose, either during peace or in case of sudden
emergency of war," and to offer such suggestions
as may occur to us " for the amendment of the
system at present in existence, and the means by
which, under the prerogative of the Crown, the
fleet was heretofore manned in time of war ;" and
especially to report to your Majesty our " opinion
as to the way in which the valuable services of the
seamen of the mercantile marine and the seafaring
population of the United Kingdom may be rendered
more readily and willingly available, when required
for your Majesty's naval service," do most humbly
report to your Majesty as follows :-
1. We have, in obedience to your Majesty's com-
mands carefullyperused the reportof the committee
of naval officers appointed in the year 1852 to in-
quire into various subjects relating to the manning
of the navy, together with the evidence taken before
them, as also your Majesty's order in Council, dated
the Ist of April, 1853, by which the recommenda-
tions of that committee were, as far as it was then
deemed necessary, carried into effect ; and we have
called for such papers and returns, and have ex-
amined such witnesses, as appeared to us to be
likely to afford the best information on the matters
referred to us.
2. The points to which our atttention has been
directed are :-1. The mode in which your Ma-
jesty's ships are manned in time of peace, the con-
dition of the seamen, and whether any alterations
could be introduced by which the service might be
rendered more popular; 2. The mode in which the
fleet has heretofore been manned in time of war ;
the means which exist for that purpose ; the cha-
racter and extent of the reserves on which reliance
can be placed ; what measures it is now desirable
to adopt ; and the means by which the services of
the merchant seamen and the seafaring population
of the United Kingdom could be rendered more
readily available.
MODE OF MANNING THE NAVY IN TIME,OF PEACE.
3. Prior to the year 1853 the practice during
peace was to enter volunteers for particular ships,
nominally for five years, but practically for the
period during which the ship remained in commis-
sion, averaging from three to four years. This
system was attended with great inconvenience to
the public service, and even to the seamen them-
selves. Men who had been trained atgreat trouble
and expense, and had been brought to a state of
the highest efficiency, were suddenly dismissed,
and, being unable to obtain readmission to the ser-
vice, often sought employment under a foreign flag,
and thus, when required for your Majesty's ships,
were not to be procured. This lea not only to
great delay in conducting the ordinary duties of
the service, but was the source of serious embar-
rassment, when political considerations rendered
necessary the speedy equipment of a fleet.
CONTINUOUS SERVICE SYSTEM.
4. With the view of ascertaining whether other
arrangements might not be adopted with advan-
tage to the service, and at the same time be the
means of improving the condition of the petty
officers and seamen of the fleet, a committee of naval
officers was appointed in the year 1852 by the Duke
of Northumberland, the then First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, to consider " the question in all its bear-
ings ;" and, in pursuance of the recommendations
of that committee, the continuous service system,
by which seamen were induced for certain advan-
tages to engage themselves to serve continuously
for a period of ten years, was introduced into your
Majesty's navy.
5. That system has now been in partial opera-
tion between five and six years, and, although it
has not been carried out to the full extent contem-
plated by, the committee, it has already been at-
tended with very beneficial results, and has secured
to the country a body of well-trained and efficient
seamen, whose attachment to the service is the best
security for the faithful performance of their duties,
6. We have the strongest evidence before us that
under this system the ordinary peace establishment
of the navy can be maintained by voluntary recruit-
ment at whatever constant force your Majesty and
Parliament may determine ; and if the recommen-
dations of the committee, to which we are about to
advert, were carried into effect, we think that the
country would reap the full benefit of the system,
and that the peace establishment of the navy would
be placed upon a satisfactory footing.
BOYS.