ad GE se 
1825.] 
art then seems to consist in properly ap- 
preciating the capacities of the men, and 
so appointing their respective duties in 
every department, as to get them into akind 
of mechanical train; when the future su- 
‘perintendence will be easy and pleasant, 
and the health of the crew secured.” 
But to return. It is possible that, 
from the character and opinions of his 
commanding officer, the sailor may not 
experience many of the inconveniences 
above enumerated; but the conscious- 
ness of being at any time liable to. them 
must remain, and the apprehension will 
exist conjointly with the possibility of 
his suffering from the eyil; or until 
other advantages are introduced, of a 
nature to counterbalance that terror, 
which universally pervades the mari- 
time classes of this country when a 
man-of-war is in question; and per- 
haps nothing would contribute more 
to such an end, than an immediate and 
decided improvement in the situation 
of petty officers, with respect to pay, 
privileges, character and authority. 
The most favourable circumstances 
connected with the king’s service, 
which are not equaily enjoyed in that 
ef the merchant, are, in the first 
place :— 
The great care and attention paid to 
the sick. 
2d. The pensions given for service 
and wounds, as well as the pecuniary 
compensation for accidental hurts re- 
ecived in the service, which is known 
by the name of smart money. 
3d. The scrupulous regard paid to 
the quality of the food, and the cer- 
tainty of enjoying the luxury of fresh 
provisions and vegetables whenever 
they can be procured. 
4th. The assurance of not being im- 
posed upon in the purchase of ‘their 
clothing; although this is, perhaps, 
balanced by the sailor being obliged to 
have an assigned number of each sort ; 
amounting to more than is required in 
_ the merchant service, where so much 
expediency of having a more commodious 
_ place for the men to make use of, instead 
of the exposed, and sometimes eyen dan- 
_ gerous situation of the head or fore-chein- 
nels: this may appear ridiculous, but it is 
a fact, that many men will suffer all the in- 
conveniences of long retention, by which 
their bowels are disordered and their 
health injured, sooner than run the risk 
of being ducked over head and ears ; and 
‘we are convinced that a little more atten- 
tion to this point would saye many of those 
feverish colds and fits of illness, so com- 
_ mon after a continuance of bad weather. 
On the Impressment of Seamen. 
395 
importance is not attached to appear- 
ance and cleanliness. 
5th. The allowance of spirits, which 
few, if any, merchantmen issue to their 
crew. 
6th. Short allowance money for th 
above and other provisions, if not con- 
sumed; whether voluntarily, or from 
the necessities of the service. 
7th. The excellent arrangements by 
which any man may allot a portion of his 
pay to his wife and family during his 
absence. And lastly, 
If we add the universal hope of mak- 
ing prize money, it will comprehend 
every benefit a man can possibly antici- 
pate. by entering his Majesty’s naval 
service; for the rank of warrant officer, 
although a great object after a man has 
been some years in the navy, is seldom 
a sufficient temptation to enter. 
Of the above advantages, the 1st, 2d, 
and Jast, are distant or contingent, and 
the 7th a partial convenience; conse- 
quently, ill calculated to balance the 
immediate, and therefore more influen- 
tial evils that are in the cther scale, and 
press with greater weight on the ima- 
gination: for there are few men of that 
temper who will voluntary suffer an im- 
mediate and lasting evil, for the distant 
prospect of an uncertain good. 
These appear to constitute the mate- 
rial objections, and the probable rea- 
sons of that dislike to the King’s ser- 
vice, so much deplored by all those 
who wish well to their country, and 
feel the importance of making the sea- 
service the ambition, and not the bug- 
bear, of the people; and the only mode _ 
of subduing this disinclination is that 
of meliorating the condition of the men, 
by a milder and better managed, but 
not less efficient, discipline ; which will 
soften the harsher features, and remove 
many of those asperities that now ob- 
struct the channel of communication 
between the maritime population and 
his Majesty’s service. But surely the 
noxious custom of impressment is: ill 
calculated to accomplish this object; 
its immediate effects are the conceal- 
ment, and the smuggling away of the 
prime seamen, in which a cordial as- 
sistance is rendered by every inhabitant 
of the district; the driving of many to- 
tally from their profession, which, by 
enhancing the value of their labour, 
raises wages, and magnifies the hard- 
ship, by shewing the impressed men 
what they could earn if free: thus in- 
creasing the temptation to desert when- 
ever an opportunity offers, Let us add 
3E2 to 
