The Organisation of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers Explained
3It has been thought desirable to publish the followingstatement, for the purpose of giving some explanationof the services, duties, privileges, and general organisationof the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers.
In inviting persons to enrol themselves in the corps,the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty desire toextend the volunteer movement, so successfully establishedas an auxiliary to the land forces, to the defenceof this country by sea. The proposal is novel and unprecedentedin its character. In any other countrythan our own, it would, in all probability, be visionary.In England, however, we possess a guarantee for thesuccess of such an undertaking, which cannot be foundelsewhere. A taste for maritime pursuits pervadesthis insular nation, and the hope may therefore be confidentlyentertained that the appeal, now made to the4patriotism of the nautical and aquatic sections of thecommunity, will not be urged in vain.
Eminent naval authorities have, for many yearspast, recommended the formation of a corps, for thepurposes of coast defence, composed of persons who,while not possessing the wider experience of the seaman,are accustomed to the management of boats, andin the constant habit of going afloat. The Act for theRoyal Navy Artillery Volunteers, passed in the lastsession at the instance of the Admiralty, and the regulationsrecently issued under that Act, afford the mostconvincing proof that, in the estimation of those whoare actually responsible for the efficiency of the navalservice, such a force is desirable. The concurrence ofthe naval members of the late administration in thevarious steps which have been taken, may likewise bequoted, in order to show that there is a general desire,among those to whom the welfare of the navy is anespecial object of solicitude, for the success of themovement, which it is the object of the present writerto explain.
It has been already stated that coast defence, andnot service at sea, constitutes the especial sphere proposedfor the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers. Theterm coast defence is perhaps, in a certain sense, a misnomer.The defence of the most important of ourcommercial harbours against an attack from the seacould not be effectually conducted by a force composedexclusively of men trained for the land service alone.The approach to all the great ports of the United5Kingdom from the sea invol