The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-14 00:00:00

any way whatever. Aftet what they had heard it
was his desire that they should think the matter
over, and when they had decided upon the course
they had intended to take he would be happy to meet
them. (Hear.) At the outset he proceeded to
reply to some objections which seamen were said to
entertain against joining the navy. The first of
these *as the use of the " cat" on board of men-of-
war. It was oily bad skulking characters who
were punished. The man who behaved himself
well was well treated and cared for. (Hear.) They
laid great stress in reference to alleged cruelty in
the navy, but they forgot to mention how men were
frequently used in the merchant service. The press,
however, during the past year had not told them of
a single case of cruelty perpetrated on board of a
man-of-war, but it had told them of a man in the
merchant service having been tied up before a fire
and roasted to death. (" Shame.") In making these
remarks he did not wish to excite any unkind feel.
ing against the mercantile marine ; far from it.
(Hear, hear.) Many men who had not been in the
navy fancied that the old system pursued in the last
war was still in use, and that any of the officers of
a ship could order a man up for punishment. This
was not the case. A captain alone had this power,
and before he could carry this order out he must
allow a certain number of hours to intervene between
the sentence and the punishment, so as to allow time
for cool and calm reflection. No man, so long, as he
was entitled to wear a good conduct badge, was con-
sidered liable to corporeal punishment, except in
cases of mutinous conduct or for desertion. Capt.
Pim then proceeded to discuss the wages question,
and considered that the wages given in the navy
were better than those given in the merchant service.
In the navy an ablebodied seaman received £2 9s.
a-month ; extra for good conduct, 7s. 9d., and sav-
ings, Os., making the total receipts £3 ls. 9d. This
made his income for the year amount to about £37.
He contrasted this with the wages given in the mer-
chant service, which he calculated at about £4 per
month. Only about eight voyages, he said, were
made in the year, so that the total income would only
be at that rate about £39. Continuous employment
was given in the navy, and therefore he considered it
preferable in a pecuniary point of view to the mer-
chant service. He also stated that the clothing was

obtained at a cheap rate, and that the men were only
charged ls. per pound for tobacco. The victuals were
excellent, and if a man was not able to consume the
whole of the provisions served out to him, he re-
ceived pay in hard cash for those he returned. (Hear.)
If a seaman continued in her Majesty's service for
10 years he was eligible for a pension. If a man
continued 20 years in the service, of course, he was
entitled to a much larger pension, for instance, the
cook on board the Gorgon, who was present at the
meeting, had £2B a-year pension, and £47 2s. 11d.
his present pay, making his total income for the
year amount to £75 2s. 11d. (Hear.) As he
came across in the ferry boat that evening he ob-
served a number of poor old broken down fellows
trying to pick up a few pence in the sculler-
boats. This or the workhouse seemed to be the only
refuge for the old sailor in the merchant service.
How different was this from the state of the old
men-of-war's men. The other day at the Sailors'
Home, a young fellow objected to the navy on ac-
count of the risk. Well, if they meant the risk of
war, such persons had better stay away. If, how-
ever, he meant the risk attending shipwreck, he
might inform him that more than 2,000 merchant
vessels were wrecked to one man-of-war. (Hear,
hear.) If persons did not like the smell of powder
they had better stay away, for he expected that
they would have plenty of it by and by. (" Hear,
hear," and laughter.) After alluding to the north
country seamen—a number of whom he would like
to see join the navy—he concluded by inviting any
present to address the meeting.
Mr. CHARLES LIDDLE was the first seaman to
accept the invitation given by the gallant captain
to address the meeting. The seamen, he said, were
not afraid to go on board a man-of-war on account
of any risk to their own personal safety. By no
means. There were, however, other objections which
they entertained. The Government had net treated
the British sailor in a proper manner, but he had no
doubt that if the safety of England was placed in
jeopardy, they would, notwithstanding, repel any
foe who dared to attempt to set his feet on English
soil. (Hear, and applause.) He referred to the
lash as one objection to seamen joining, and con-
sidered that it was a brutal and unnatural treat-
ment, for which some other mode of punishment
ought to be substituted. (Hear, hear.) It was also
desirable that there should be some provision made
for the wives and families of those who lost their
lives in the service of their country. (Hear, hear.)
He hoped that in case of a war breaking out, and
men being needed, the " press" would not be re-
sorted to, but that the ballot would be adopted in
its place. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. JOHN FISH, an old veteran, was the next
speaker, and on ascending the platform he was re-
ceived with applause. He had been on board of a
man-of-war five years—three years and a-half
in one ship, and eighteen months in another—
and therefore he knew something about the
service. He had seen a good deal in his time, and
some flogging too, but it was necessary at times, he
could assure them. (Hear.) Whenever the captain
of his ship flogged a man, he always afterwards sent
him ashore about his business. He had then done
with him. (Hear.) Captain Pim had referred to
the old scullermen, but if they were treated as they
ought to have been after the last French war, they
would not have been compelled to go in a sculler-
boat. (Hear.) Referring to the manning of the
navy, he said he was now too old or else he might
think of going again. [Captain Pim.—" No, you
arc not ; I will take you."] (Applause.) He was
of opinion that the Government would obtain plenty
of men, provided they dealt out to them the same
privileges which were awarded to the officers.
(Hear.) What he wanted was that the seamen
should be put on half-pay when they retired from
service as well as the officers (Hear, hear.) Speak-
ing of himself, he said he was not a man until he
went on board of a man-of-war, and while there he
learnt more than he did all the time he was in the
merchant service. What., however, was wanted
was a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. (Hear.)
Mr. KING, secretary to the Seamen's Friendly
Association, also addressed the meeting at consider-
able length. He considered that the wages in the
navy should not be less than £3 per month. This, of
course, would he independent of the extras adverted
to by Captain Pirn. It was also desirable that there
should be shorter periods of service, and that pen-
sions should be given. If these suggestions were
acted upon no great difficulty would be experienced
in obtaining seamen to man the navy. (Hear.) Mr.
King, referring to the treatment on board of a man-
of-war, said if a man conducted himself properly he
was respected. (Hear.) He next alluded to the
number of foreigners employed in the British mer-
chant service, and remarked that if our Government
wished to protect England they must treat the sea-
men better than they had hitherto done.
Mr. GRAHAM next addressed the meeting. He
said that he had been in the navy, and was not
afraid to go again. (Hear.) They must under-
stand that he was what they called an efficient dis-
ciplined man. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) He
could load a musket, work a gun, follow a division
of boarders, and if it came to a push he could lead
them. (Hear.) He, however, was not the man to be
caught by a bounty of £lO or even of £lOO.
(" Hear, hear," and laughter.) He wanted some-
thing more beneficial to his wife and children in
case anything happened to him. (Hear.) The dis-
cipline in the navy was strict, and it needed to be
so. There must be attention to duty and obedience
to officers. No prospect, however, was held out for
such as him joining the navy. He had been three
years in the service, but if he was going back he
could not expect to be rated as a petty officer over
the heads of those who had served 10 or 12 years.
(Hear.) Before a man was promoted he must do
something to entitle him to the promotion. It must
also be seen that he was fit for the place that it was
intended to promote him to.
Mr. A. LESLIE having spoken,
Captain PI3I rose to reply to the various observa-
tions which had been made. There appeared to be
certain prejudices entertained against entering the
Royal Navy, but he hoped that when the Gorgon
arrived in the Tyne, they would be removed. They
would then be able to see how things were con-
ducted on board of a man-of-war. (Hear.) Refer-
ebwnaecare
e character hadti.r e been e
fe r
h. e made to men being distressed who
had been in the navy. It was not so bad as repre-
sented. Those who conducted themselves properly
could
fuc course,
eexpifQ cto at
mraencelieNf-te wasistihsta-
ance. They must not take it for granted that all
13sechmareitilywhom they saw in the streets excit-
inghad
Nbeoerrth on board of men-of-war
had a sailor's dress. Certainly
tlhicaYd overhauletslhoienled.,,of tclphse
discovered
In)coet:ithiieie
ttetaltilelekrndeaNYv nothingiii at all about-anthe
sea. (Hear,
hear.) Some of them talked about coming. forward
appeared. It was ridiculous
gt the ehnactminYanner. Unless they were able to
ItNINa-1.111;1Cilnnl e a musket it was ne use. They must first be
trained, rind that they would require to be, for but
few among them knew how to handle a gun.
(Hear, hear.) With respect to the "press," he
hoped that there would be no occasion to resort to
such a means of manning the navy. (Hear, hear.)
Captain Pim, after referriug to a remark which
had been made about seamen receiving half•pay,
said the suggestion respeeting shorter periods of
service was a very sensible one. With respect to
the wages, he was of dpinion that. those given in
the navy were better than those paid in the mer-
chant service. In rea and to promotion in the navy,
Captain Pim said if Mr. Graham, one of the pre-
vious speakers, would produce a certificate that h©