CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



rendering themselves liable to the penalties fo: 

 desertion. When the ship is paid off, they be 

 come free, have a run on shore, spend their money 

 with startling rapidity, and then engage in anothe 

 vessel. Of late years, however, there has been 

 organised another class of men, called ' continuous 

 service seamen,' who engage for a specified num 

 ber of years ten, afterwards renewable anc 

 when their ship is paid off, have a few weeks 

 leave to visit their friends, then join a depot, anc 

 subsequently are drafted into another vessel, as 

 their services may be required. As it is of import- 

 ance to the Admiralty to obtain as many of these 

 continuous service men as possible, they are paic 

 at higher rates than other sailors. It must, how- 

 ever, be borne in mind, that although never exer- 

 cised since the great French war ended in 1815 

 the power of impressment still rests with the crown 

 All seamen become entitled to pensions after long 

 and faithful service. 



Officers are either employed in ships or are on 

 half-pay, the latter being a recognised condition 

 in the navy for all officers for whom the state has 

 no immediate necessity. 



In point of pay, that of the officers is extremely 

 low as compared with the remuneration of men of 

 the same class in civil life ; but there is honour to 

 be obtained, the life is healthful, and neither the 

 mental nor bodily labour oppressive. The com- 

 mand of a ship is, under existing rules, so expen- 

 sive, that few officers can venture to undertake it 

 unless they have private means besides their naval 

 pay. As regards the men, the pay is tolerably 

 liberal ; though many merchant services and some 

 foreign governments are able to outbid the royal 

 navy. During war, prize-money adds much to the 

 allurements of the service. Unlike the army, the 

 navy is a perpetual establishment, its discipline 

 maintained by a special martial code permanently 

 sanctioned by parliament Parliament does not, 

 as in the case of the army, vote first the number 

 of men for the navy, but merely the wages of the 

 number fixed on by the government. The navy 

 expenditure in 1879-80 was .10,586,894; number 

 of men, 58,800 ; the expenditure in 1883-84 was 

 ji i, 578,058, while the number of men was as 

 follows : 



Seamen. . 

 Boys 



-35,090 

 . 4,800 



Marines afloat 6,200 



Marines ashore 6,200 



39,89 



Total. 



COASTGUARD. 



Afloat and Ashore, Officers and Men. 



52,290 



4,000 



Grand Total 57,250 



These figures include 17 flag-officers, 30 officers 

 superintending dockyards and naval establish- 

 ments, and 2506 other commissioned officers on 

 active service. 



Dockyards. 



Although recourse is had, in times of emergency, 

 or for particular constructions, to private shio- 



208 



builders, the greater number of war-ships are built, 

 and all are frequently repaired, in the royal dock- 

 yards. These consist of vast establishments at 

 Portsmouth, Plymouth, Pembroke, Sheerness, 

 Chatham, Woolwich, Cork, Malta, and the Cape, 

 most of which are fitted with huge docks, basins, 

 slips, and factories for manufacturing all the 

 appliances of the vessels. The steam-engines 

 are, however, always made by private firms, and 

 arms are made in the army factories. 



Besides the dockyards, there are victualling 

 yards at Dcptford, Gosport, and Plymouth, in 

 which ship-biscuit, salt meat, cocoa, and other 

 articles of food, are prepared and barreled in vast 

 quantities. 



Royal Marines. 



As an auxiliary to the navy, and under the same 

 government with it, are the Royal Marines, an 

 amphibious and very valuable corps of soldiers for 

 sea-service. Every ship of war has a detachment 

 on board, where they act as sentries, are an armed 

 guard to restrain the sailors in case of insubor- 

 dination, and, during action, serve as marksmen 

 to annoy the enemy's crews. The officers of the 

 marines have military titles and rank, and for 

 purposes of brevet promotion they join in seniority 

 with the army. In their own corps, promotion is 

 by pure seniority, and the numbers in the higher 

 ranks being small, it is but slow. When on 

 shore, the marines are in divisions at Portsmouth, 

 Plymouth, Woolwich, and Chatham. 



Reserve Forces. 



The navy has two numerous and valuable 

 reserves : first, the Coast Guard ; second, the 

 Royal Naval Reserve. The Coast Guard was 

 originally a semi-naval organisation, partly on 

 shore and partly in revenue cruisers, for the sup- 

 pression of smuggling. Smuggling having almost 

 disappeared, the force has been converted into a 

 defence for our shores. The coasts of the United 

 Kingdom are divided into eleven districts, each 

 under a naval captain, with a block-ship for his 

 castle. Subordinate to him are inspecting officers, 

 in charge of sub-districts, to each of which a gun- 

 boat or cruiser is attached. The men are old 

 seamen of good character, living free in neat 

 little cottages along the shore; they are liable 

 for service in the district block-ship or cruisers 

 whenever required, and in time of war, to service 

 n any of Her Majesty's ships. This force com- 

 jrises about 4000 men. 



The Naval Reserve is a species of naval 

 militia, auxiliary to the royal navy. It consists 

 of men who have during the ten years preceding 

 heir enlistment served five years at sea, and 

 one at least as able-bodied seamen. Unlike 

 he former Coast Volunteers (a similar force, 

 vhich has now ceased to exist, but was recruited 

 rom men in the coasting trade, or in ships often 

 at home), the men may belong to ships making 

 ong voyages, and are liable to be called on for 

 ive years' service in case of war. Besides men, 

 his force comprises lieutenants and sub-lieuten- 

 nts, who must be certificated masters and mates 

 f merchant-vessels. They train for twenty-eight 

 days every year. The act recognises a force of 

 0,000 men ; usually there are about 20,000 in the 

 Reserve, and in a state of high efficiency. 



