Page:The Next Naval War - Eardley-Wilmot - 1894.djvu/34

 and sailing ships, which were likely to lay up in war, carried few, if any, reserve men. It was seen that we had been trusting to a broken reed in our system for manning a large fleet at prompt notice. A week had elapsed before even 5000 of these men had reached the ports, and having never served in a man-of-war they had not only to be instructed in the most elementary routine duties, but it was a week before they could find their way about the ships to which they were sent.

We have, however, a force which can always be relied upon. When Louis Philippe instituted many years ago a parliamentary inquiry to compare the French and English Navies, before which the most distinguished officers were examined, their general opinion was that in personnel and matériel the Navy of their country was equal to, if not superior, to that of England. But they said "that country has a force which no other possesses. It is unique and of inestimable value to the Navy. It is the marines." When again, fifty years ago, we fitted out a large experimental squadron, and seamen could not be obtained, marines completed the crews, and no more efficient squadron had been seen afloat since the old wars. We now found once more in this body the only reliable reserve we possessed. In six hours from the order 6000 marines were embarked and settled down to their places as if they had never been on shore. I may remark in passing that as a result of the war the