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21 this indispensable condition of life on board ship always falls; but the iron hand on the good right arm of authority must be there and ever ready, though it be kept concealed under cover of a thin silk glove. To control a crowd of men from goodness knows where merely by moral force and example is, perhaps, rather pretty to think of. But your sea bully is not of the kind that affects contentment under such rule; sooner or later he exhibits himself, and then, only then, does the lack of power on the part of the shipmaster become apparent, for there is not, and has not been for years, any more discipline on board a British ship than the biggest bully she carries ever cares to submit to; knowing well the helplessness of the shipmaster, he plays a game accordingly.

One does not need to go far for evidence to support so bald a charge; we therefore cull from a pamphlet—as we have borrowed all round—by Captain G. C. Thomas, R.N.R., on a Scheme both for the manning of England's Navy and the reformation of the merchant service. The author says:

"In introducing this scheme to the reader, I must state that I am not presumptuous enough to expect for one moment that it will ever be accepted by the Government. I am only’ conscious of the very great need that our Navy, Naval Reserve, and merchant service should form collectively a proper naval defence to our country, and of the urgent necessity of some sufficient reforms in the crews of our mercantile marine, in which most of my life has been spent. There I find, amongst other lamentable things, that the British sailor is gradually becoming extinct, to the advantage of the foreigner, the danger of our country and the detriment of the service, notwithstanding the admirable and indefatigable interest exhibited by Lord Brassey in the welfare and condition of that body for many years past.

“In framing my scheme, I am aware that one or two of my suggestions are like to prove expensive to the country; but while it is very important that all waste should be avoided, it must be remembered that a cheap Navy is not really an economical one, and it would be both expensive and disastrous if we awoke some day to find, when we looked for our Navy to protect us, that, through too great economy, we had neglected to keep it in its proper state of efficiency. Great Britain’s very existence depends upon her Navy, which should not be found lacking in any point whatever, and, with all respect to my fellow-taxpayer, I can scarcely believe that he would begrudge any extra payment necessary to uphold and protect the great name, honour, and reputation of our fatherland, bought by the blood of our forefathers, and to protect our commerce and colonial possessions and dependencies, to avert the possibility of war by letting the world see we are prepared. We cannot be prepared if our first line of defence is defective, either from a lack of crews or an insufficient and improperly organised reserve.