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

ment may vote an addition of 20,000 seamen to our
fleet, but where are they to be found during the
emergency ? The nation would no more sanction
the 7pressgang system, the dragging of innocent
men into compulsory servitude,and the total depri-
vation of their liberty, than it would ac-
quiesce in the capital punishment of a young
woman, who had been robbed of her hus-
band, for shoplifting to the value of a few
shillings. The ballot for a certain number of
conscripts is almost equally objectionable. The
principle is the same, although each man obtains a
chance of escape. But why should he be compelled
to part with any portion of his natural freedom ?
why should he be compelled to encounter certain
risk ? why should the burden be permitted to fall
on one class while all others are exempted ? These
are questions not easily answered save on the plea
of expediency ; and

"The gentlemen of England, who live at home at ease,"
have certainly no right to expect that their pockets
should be saved at the expense of the persons of

seafaring men.

The truth is—and, unpleasant as it may be, it is
necessary to meet it boldly—that sailors have de-
cided objections to enter into the Royal Navy. This
cannot be altogether mere prejudice,' although the
Commissioners ascribe it to " ignorance of the usages
on board ships of the Navy, and of the advantages
and privileges it holds out." If this be so, means
should be taken to remove the erroneous impres-
sion, and to exhibit the true state of the case in a
proper point of view. It is not strict and fair
discipline that is complained of, but the possibility
of getting a " tartar" in command, who will sub-
ject the men to a series of petty annoyances, and
who regards "the cat" with peculiar favour, re-
sorting to it on every occasion. Besides, they
have less liberty, less rations, and less wages.
Can we, then, feel surprised that they prefer the
merchant service, notwithstanding it does not offer
a pension for old age or a certain term of service ?
Indeed, the latter is one of its great inducements to
honest JACK, who is rather of a mercurial disposi-
tion, and is rather desirous of spending his wages
as fast as he earns them, than of placing them to
provide for the time when age and infirmity pre-
vent him from earning his own bread.
There are certain petty stoppages charged
against the men on first entering which led to
great complaints. They were charged for bedding,
mess utensils, &c. ; and this, like the kit deducted
from the recruit's bounty, was looked on as a
regular fraud, which long rankled in the men's
hearts, and created considerable discontent. The
Commissioners recommend that these evils should
be removed, and also that the sailors in the Royal
Navy should be as well fed as those in the
merchant service. The present reserves of the
country consist of: 1. The Marines now quartered
ashore ; 2. The Coast-guard ; 3. The Volunteers ;
4. Short Service Pensioners. Of the Marines it is
impossible to speak too highly; they are as
fine, as efficient, and as well-disciplined a
body as any that the State has at its disposal.
They are available either as artillerymen or
infantry, and, having their " sea-legs,". they can
perform many deck duties ; but then their number
is necessarily limited, because their efficiency, of
course, depends on their being drilled for a consi-
derable time afloat. There is at present a reserve
of 6,000 Marines in the different home ports. The
Commissioners recommend that that number should
be increased to 11,000, who would be well qualified
to garrison the sea-ports in time of peace, and could
be embarked at short notice, their place being then
taken by the regular army or militia. The present
complement of the coast-guard is 10,000. A sug-
gestion is offered for increasing it to 12,000, at an
annual cost of £116,525. The above suggestions are
exceedingly judicious. We confess that we should
gladly see that relating to the Marines carried
even to a still greater extent. They are first-
class soldiers, and are always ready for sea work.
No body of men have ever proved themselves more
trustworthy, and none can be obtained on cheaper
or more reasonable terms.

There are other recommendations to which we
shall not at present advert. The entire expense
will amount to some £600,000 per annum, but
never was money better applied. It may, in fact,
be regarded as an adequate assurance for the pre-
servation of the safety, honour, and welfare of our
Sovereign Lady the QUEEN and her dominions.

Ominous rumours of war still coming to us in
muttered words of sinister ambiguity—now from
Vienna, now from Paris, now from Turin—it is
remarkable to notice at this moment the significant
contrast observable between the army estimates
recently issued by General PEEL and the navy
estimates now being prepared by Sir JOHN
PAKINGTON. A considerable increase of expendi-
ture will in all likelihood be required by the latter,
and will thereupon be at once readily acceded to
by the House of Commons. An appreciable
decrease in the number of our land forces is already
recognisable, on the other hand, in the army
estimates for 1859, as compared with those of 1858.
The military strength of the British Empire—
apart from the troops required in Hindostan—is
estimated at 122,000 men, instead of 130,000, as in
the year preceding. A diminution of exactly
8,000 altogether. Again, in regard to the cost
upon those estimates :—While there is an increase
upon the effective services of about £BO,OOO, there
is a more than compensative decrease upon the non-
effective services of about £9o,ooo—showing a
balance of economy upon these accounts amounting
to just £lO,OOO altogether. Remembering, on the
other side, that the Admiralty is upon the eve of
demanding additional aid from the patriotic libe-
rality of the House of Commons, with a view to effect-
ing, as rapidly as possible, the total reconstruction
and reorganisation of the Royal Navy of England, so
as to ensure the continuance of our maritime supre-
macy, by taking all reasonable measures to keep
pace with the rapid improvements in naval archi-
tecture--it is sufficiently manifest that the English
Government looks rather to defensive than to
offensive operations.

It is unquestionably true that, taking the whole
of our military forces together into consideration,
adding to the
total of the British army proper
the total of our troops in Hindostan, there is
noticeable an increase of some
7,000 fighting men in
the aggregate of the soldiery 'tinder our banners_
the combined forces in 1858 numbering 222,000,
while in 1859 they are numbered at 229,000. But
whereas our Indian army amounted last year to
very little over 90,000—t0 be precise, to just 92,000
—that Indian army in the new yeai
considerably
exceeds 100,000, or, to give the exact number,
according to the new estimates, reaches a grand
total of 106,000. Hence it is from the peculiarity
of this redistribution of our land forces that there
is actually observable in the face of an in-
crease of 7,000 upon the entire force—a positive
decrease of nearly £B,OOO in what is popularly
known as our British establishment. Hence,
moreover, in consequence of the revision of our
military estimates generally, by reason of the com-
prehensive reorganisation of our Indian Govern-
ment, coupled with the recurrence of leap year—
there is observable together with the decrease in
the number of our troops (not engaged in Asiatic