Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-07-29
IMPREssMENr OF sEAMEN.

British House Of Commons, jane 10.
AIr. Hume moved resolution pledg
ing the House to go into the subject OF
impressing Sesmen early in the next
Session. The Hon. Member contended
for the necessity of going into CON.
mittee on the subject, and IN the iDte-
rim to agree to the production of such
informatlon as might De necessary
Unless the House was convinced that
the salvation of the empire depended
upon this measure being continued with
all it's oppressiyeuess, he was cure they
would not refuse his motion. He wish
cd to zee our navy efficient and pre-
eminent but he was sure the removal
of this coercion and oppression would
be the means of manning our nsvy In q
quicker manner, as wellas in perfect
~ voluntary way Some persons(, though
improvements had been o. long contin-
usnce) yet considered It most illegal;
and if there had been 100000 decisions
IS TO its legality, he should still contend
that it was most UNCONSTITUTIONAL. ks
quoted the opinion of Judge Foster. on
the trial of a man who had killed one
Of press gang at Bristol, in which he
admitted that he knew of DO state au.
thorising improvement, though, he salo,
that immemorial usage would give it
the force of statute law. 1t was for
those who supported the odious sys,em
GO prove the necessity, but he contend.
ad that none such did exist. Biake's
fleet was manned almost entirely with
volunteers, and yet none ever exerted
themselves more gloriously. Men had
often brsved death, and all sorts Of dan.
Ger and priyatioD. rather than subject
themselves to such slavery and coercion
He read circumstances of this kind re-
lated By Officers of the Navy IN proof
of his assertion. II was not any dislike
60 their Officers, or their treatment, bot
60 the compulsory nature of the service;
that was the reason why they could get
plenty of Admirals. Captains, Lieuten.
ants, sc. aud so few men. 1t was be.
Gauss such slender pay was given to
them: and surely the laborer was wor-
thy of his hire. In the Navy it was
true, they bad plenty Of food, medicines,
and medical attendance, spirits, wine,
See. &c.: but with all these advantages
over the Merchant Service, men would
rather brave death, and mutilate their
bodies, than tsmely submit to t0cb q
compulsory service; and would even
rather Join in the ranks of our enc.
mics than to submit to the disadvanta.
ges Of this service. One of these was
the irregularity with which they re-
ceive their pay which was small pit.
lance. In the reign of King William
the paw Of 9 seaman was twenty.four
shilliDgs, and it had never risen above
thirty two shilling per month. He
would ask them if such a sum was ade.
ouate for such services. The Hon.
member contrasted the situation of our
seamen with those in the American Ma
Wv. The American sailors did not de-
cert, though they we're allowed to 60 OF
shore, and make their own marketings,
while ours were never suffered TO 60 on
shore; and when they had come homo
from long Indian voyage, ANTIQUE TO
see their relations, they were often, in
che very port of their destinations, drag
ged away, like felons, to unlimited ser
Vice Another grievance was, the
mode of punishment. There ought to
be an inquiry into the nature of the pu-
n,shment OF the white slaves as they
had forbidden the punishment of the
black slaves, except under strsDg and
particular regulations. He read let
ter IRON captain of an lndiamap,
shelving the frequency of punishment,
90 board the Lion, Oh, Captain ROLES,
on board of which ship the writer had
been impressed. He also instanced the
cruelty on board the HermoiDe, which
induced the men to rise and murder
Capt Piggot and most of his officers =
On board the Bulwark, for Is months,
there was no flogging, nor on board the
llarne. and no ships were better man
ned, or better disciplined Much drunk
enness at one time prevailed on board
the Dictator, GA, and when Captain
Stuart jo,ned her, be resorted to fog
rius for IT,, which lac increased, bot
without diminishing the offence. He
then substituted solitary confinement,
and in short time there was not @
more orderly ship in the navy. He
would not trust loo or more of his coun.
trymen under boys of2l or 90, Der IN
der the comwsnd of any one who bad
not seen so years at least. He con-
tended strongly against impressment.
and was of opinion that the officers