MANNING THE NAVY.
Sia—The appointment of a Commission of Inquiry as to the best mode of "Manning the Nary," is indeed very promising of those "practical re- sults" which you anticipate from the recent debate. It is also satisfactory to have the subject of inquiry narrowed to a chief point—the feasibility of obtaining from the merchant-service, on an emer- gency, a sufficient number of seamen-gunners to man a large fleet im- mediately. It seems to be generally allowed that we shall, ere long, have an effective "nucleus," if we persevere in the recently-adopted measures. "Coast volunteers," an improved Coast Guard, steam-guardships at the chief mercantile ports, and at other important stations, increased entries, and training of boys, and the renewal of the " continuous service." The question, then, remains—how are the services of merchant-seamen to be suddenly obtained, when required? Impressment is abolished under any circumstances. " Bounty " is still suggested by several influential officers—Sir C. Napier, in the House of Commons, Sir H. Koppel at Man- chester ; but if it is to be offered, as formerly, only when the exigency arises, it becomes a premium on delay in repairing to the Queen's flag, and operates unfairly upon those who spontaneously join her Majesty's service when needed. Sir II. Keppell justly remarks that "Jack will serve the highest bidder "; but he would not be loth, now in time of peace, to enter into a bond, of which a five-pound note might be the pledge, and his rating (wider penalty,) as " Queen's seaman " on board a merchant-ship the sear, to go on board the nearest of her Majesty's ships, as soon as ho should hear that war was declared.
Candidates for such " bounty " should be required to pass an examination as seamen-gunners to entitle them to certificates as Q. S. For this, as well as for the training requisite to qualify them, the steam-guardships afford every facility. It should be also uuderstood that whenever suddenly called on to serve her Majesty, they would receive the same rate of wages which they were earning on board a merchant-ship, previously to the declaration of war.
Such an arrangement would have the further advantage of not distressing commerce by the abstraction of an excessive number of prime hands ; as owners might regulate their entries of Q. S. accordingly ; and, moreover, a proportional number of such seamen might be drawn from each mercantile port as the exigency of the case might require.
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