ForTHE GENERAL ADVERTISER.
The outline of a plan for establishing a most respectable body of Seamen to the number 20,000, to be ever ready for the manning a fleet upon twelve days notice.
The outline of a plan for establishing a most respectable body of Seamen to the number 20,000, to be ever ready for the manning a fleet upon twelve days notice.
THE proposer is humbly of opinion, that his plan is capable of many wholesome improvements, which he thinks would prove no unprofitable study, even to the Lords of the Admiralty.
Ist, Let the number of seamen, now upon actual service, be each man inrolled upon his Majesty’s books, at the rate of 5l.per annumfor life; let them also receive the same quarterly, or half-yearly, upon personal application.
IIdly, Let books be opened for them in all his Majesty’s different yards and sea ports, and there their dwelling, age, time theyhave served, &c. to be fairly entered; each man to bring a certificate from his ship, signed by the captain, or some one he shall please to depute.
IIIdly, As an encouragement to his Majesty’s service and population at the same time, let there be instituted in each of the ship-yards, or ports, &c. of these Kingdoms, a kind of asylum, or house of refuge, for the sons of these honest tars, to be received therein at the age of six years; there to be taught navigation, or, after the common school learning, to be bound to such parts of ship-building as they by nature are most inclined to; such as chuse sea service, to be disposed on board his Majesty’s ships at fifteen years old, and to be enrolled upon the pension-books after ten years faithful service, unless better provided for.
Might not there be some plan hit on to employ the daughters, as well as sons of poor sailors? Does not our Fisheries (if they should ever happen to be attended to) open many doors of useful employment for both sexes?
To defray the above, I would advise the following methods:
First, The pension of 5l.perman for 20,000, amounts only to 100,000l.: let this be taken from the Irish list; it will surely be better employed, than in the present mode for Pensioners of noble blood.
Secondly, Let the book and office keepers at the different yards, ports, &c. be collected from under-officers who have served with reputation; it will be a decent retreat for them in the evening of life, and only a grateful reward for past service.
May some able hand, guided by a benevolent heart, point out and strongly recommend something of this sort, that the honoured name of England may be rescued from the scandalous censure of man-stealing, and from the ingratitude also of letting their preservers perish in the time of peace!
I am, Sir, yours, &c.
Africanus.