Thomas Brassey

“ The term coast defence is perhaps, in a certain sense, a misnomer. The defence of the most important of our commercial harbours against an attack from the sea could not be effectually conducted by a force composed exclusively of men trained for the land service alone. The approach to all the great ports of the United Kingdom from the sea involves the navigation of extensive estuaries, where floating batteries, and armed rafts, and the use of torpedoes, are essential to a complete defence, and would in point of fact effectually prevent the nearer approach of a hostile fleet. ”

“ Our commerce the special object of attack. The protection of commerce would certainly be a difficult task for our Navy in the event of war. The ablest officers in the French service have abandoned the idea of contending, to use the words of Baron Grivel, with the '20,000 guns of our fighting Navy.' Their aim would be to pursue the '50,000 merchant ships' which are continually engaged in transporting the wealth of England over the watery plain. ”

“ Here I may venture to affirm, from personal experience, that the naval gun drills have been, in every detail, so carefully considered, the instructors are so completely masters of the subject which they have to teach, and the mechanical appliances are such effectual substitutes for heavy manual labour, that a few days of constant attention will suffice to make a volunteer a useful man in a gun's crew. The class of recruits required for the Royal Nay Artillery Volunteers possess advantages of intelligence and education, far beyond those which the practical seamen can enjoy ”

“ Whatever be the rate attained on the measured mile, in cruising in search of an enemy, the speed of unarmoured vessels will seldom be allowed to exceed 10 knots. The great consumption of coal at higher speeds will make it impossible to exert the full power of the engines, except when giving chase to an enemy. So again, if a fleet were despatched on the outbreak of war to take up a position at sea, for the purpose of intercepting the commerce of an enemy, or if ships were sent across the ocean to blockade an enemy's coast, the speed would not be allowed on the voyage to exceed 10 knots. ”

“ The experience of the war against the Confederates in America is enough to show that, when a blockade is to be maintained on a long line of coast, or, where the Navy is called upon to furnish ships to go in pursuit of privateers or cruisers, few perhaps in number, but roaming at large over the ocean, individual power will not compensate for insufficiency of numbers. ”

“ A Court of Inquiry is not a judicial body; it has no power to administer an oath.
It is to be considered as a Board of which the Admiralty or an Officer in command of a Brigade or Corps may make use, to assist him in arriving at a correct judgment on any subject upon which it may be expedient to institute an inquiry. ”

“ It is to be observed that a mere oarsman, although not trained at the great guns, or in the use of rifle and cutlass, would be enabled to do good work in a service in which the use of boats must be largely resorted to; and that, in order to take a number at a gun mounted on a raft, such as the 'Nancy Dawson,' which the late Captain Cole improvised for our naval operations in the Sea of Azof, or to serve in a gun's crew in a floating battery for harbour defence, neither sea legs nor sea experience are indispensable qualifications. ”

“ No fighting navy has ever been maintained without the support of a busy maritime commerce. Lord Bolingbroke has truly said:—'By trade and commerce we grow a rich and powerful people, and by their decay we grow poor and impotent. ”

“ In a long summer's day, the members of the London Brigade may embark in a gunboat at Erith or Gravesend, proceed to the Maplin Sands, off Shoeburyness—which is the most convenient place for firing practice over a sea range—and return to London by a convenient hour in the afternoon or evening. It will doubtless be the desire of every naval volunteer to avail himself of a sufficient number of opportunities for target practice, to secure his own efficiency. ”

“ It is always difficult,' he said, "to content one's self with a working speed, which, we may be satisfied, is on the whole the best, so long as a foreign power possesses ships of a similar class with higher speed. There are always people who are willing to insist upon the enormous superiority of even a slight excess of speed.' Mr. Barnaby believed 'there was a great tendency to exaggeration in that respect, and that a maritime war would show that working speeds of over 12 to 13 knots would be found to have been generally too dearly bought.'
Tendency to exaggerate the value of speed. ”

“ In the artificial conditions of modern society, there are multitudes of men, who, in the ordinary exercise of their vocation, are unduly deprived of the opportunities for physical exercise and development. More especially is this true of the younger members of the professional and commercial classes. To them an appeal is now most earnestly made on behalf of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers. In taking a part in our drills and exercises, they will do a work beneficial to themselves individually, and conducive to the welfare of their country. ”

“ The duties and services, which vessels of war are required to perform, are so various in their nature that it is altogether impossible that the same classes of ships can be advantageously employed, both in line of battle and for the police of the seas. It will accordingly be more convenient, in discussing the shipbuilding policy of the Navy, to divide the armoured from the unarmoured classes. ”

“ With the view of enlisting, in support of the Naval Volunteer movement, the potent influences which are derived from the esprit de corps, wherever it may reasonably and prudently be encouraged, it is proposed to associate certain batteries in the London brigade with some of the principal rowing and Corinthian yacht clubs on the Thames, and to give commissions to any gentlemen, otherwise eligible, who are instrumental in raising a full battery of Naval Volunteers. ”

“ Large tonnage not essential for high speed. Assuming, however, that extreme speed is required, it by no means follows that large tonnage is a necessity, The fastest vessel in the navy, the yacht 'Osborne,' is a comparatively small ship. The fastest ships in the merchant service are the steamers carrying the mails between Holyhead and Kingstown, and the blockade-runners which, during the war of the secession, escaped the United States cruisers by their superior speed. ”

“ It depends upon the resources of the enemy in vessels possessing that quality, which it is always most expensive to secure. In the actual state of naval power abroad, the most serviceable vessel for the protection of commerce would seem to be a ship not exceeding in any case the dimensions of the 'Volage;' though some vessels of that class might possibly be made more efficient for service in European waters, or even in the North Atlantic, if their spars were reduced, and their steam power and coal-carrying capacity, and perhaps their armament, were proportionately increased. ”

“ Although, under the regulations, no fixed standard of efficiency is expressly required in an officer of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteer force, those among them, who can command sufficient leisure for the purpose, will readily appreciate how excellent an effect must be produced by the personal example of an officer, who will take pains to make himself acquainted with the drills and exercises, in which the men under his command are instructed. ”

“ While, however, all these inducements and attractions are withheld, a higher standard of efficiency in the officers and the men is properly insisted on. In presence of the difficulties which arise from the altered conditions of the service, some earnest friends of the Volunteer movement have been oppressed with doubts, as to the possibility of stimulating the patriotism of the country to such a pitch, that Volunteers shall still be forthcoming in a time of profound peace. ”

“ It is admitted that the smaller cruisers must succumb to larger vessels in an engagement; but it does not follow that the smaller classes are incapable of doing effective service. The prospect of meeting a 'Raleigh' or 'Inconstant' is remote.
Vastum maris aequor arandum.
A ship of small size may have fully repaid her cost by the destruction inflicted on an enemy's commerce, before she meets with an adversary of overwhelming power; and, even then, in an engagement between unarmoured steamers, the chances of firing a fatal shot into the engine-room are about equal for either ship. ”

“ If any Volunteer has cause to think himself aggrieved, he will represent his case to the Commanding Officer of his Battery. Any appeal against the decision of the Commanding Officer of the Battery will be made through him to the Commander of the Brigade, and any further appeal will be made through both these officers to the Admiralty. ”

“ A becoming modesty will deter any individual connected with the Volunteer service from arrogating to himself any share in the prestige and distinction, which are the special privilege of the regular services. ”

“ It would be more correct to say that the power is directly proportionate to the weight of metal which can be fired in a given period of time. For these reasons the Commissioners condemned very heavy guns for cruisers. At the present day the unarmoured cruiser does not require guns of a sufficient calibre to penetrate armour-plating. For such a purpose 12-inch guns would be necessary; whereas, for the special work of a cruiser, the 64-pounder is sufficiently powerful, and, at short distances, will even penetrate the armour of all but the most strongly-protected ironclads. ”

“ Every Brigade is required to provide a secure place for the custody of its small arm ammunition; but in cases where the store of ammunition is sufficiently large to make it desirable that it should be stored in the magazines of any of Her Majesty's ships, used as Drill Ships for the Volunteers, Commanding Officers of such ships will afford facilities for its reception.
Conveyance of Ammunition75. Every care is to be taken in the conveyance and general handling of ammunition, and the Regulations and customs of the Royal Navy in that respect are to be strictly adhered to. ”

“ The estimated speed of the French ships is 16 knots. It should, however, be stated that the estimates of speed and the reported results of actual trials in the French Navy must not be unreservedly accepted. In armament the French ships are decidedly inferior to our own. The armament of the 'Duquay Trouin' is intended to consist of one 16 c/m., or 64-pounder, and eight 14 c/m. guns, while our own ships will carry sixteen 64-pounders and two 7-inch guns. ”

“ No firing practice with great guns is to be carried on by Volunteers, except under the superintendence of an Officer of the Royal Navy, or of an Officer Instructor of Volunteers, unless a relaxation of this rule has been especially sanctioned by the Admiralty.
Precautions when at gun-practice87. Sword bayonets are not to be worn at gun-drill, or when moving powder.
No smoking is on any account to be allowed in the vicinity of magazines or cases containing powder.
No persons are to be allowed to congregate round barrels or cases containing powder. ”

“ Armament A few observations may here be made on the subject of guns. Ever since the introduction of steam, armament has been sacrificed more and more to speed, reliance being placed on the superior calibre of the guns, as a compensation for the reduction in their number. The increase of calibre is, however, attended of necessity with many serious disadvantages. The fire is slower, the number of guns is much reduced, perfect accuracy of aim cannot be insured ”

“ There is neither insurmountable difficulty, nor unduly fatiguing labour, in the drill at the great guns. The intricacies could be mastered in a few days, if the volunteers were kept continuously at drill, as they necessarily would be, should they ever be called out for actual service. ”

“ They declared that no wooden vessel of war of such great length and small proportionate depth, however well put together, could endure rough seas without evincing a palpable want of longitudinal rigidity. ”

“ Naval officers of less exalted rank do not often retire, if they have a great zeal for the service. Some exceptions, however, there must be to this general rule; and it is probable that a certain number of retired officers from the junior ranks of the Navy will, hereafter, kindly offer their services to command brigades or batteries in the ports or districts, in which they may happen to reside. ”

“ The officers of the Voulnteers will do their utmost to assist the naval officers to preserve discipline. They may, if they think fit, set an example to their men by taking an active part in all the duties and manual exercises. They may fall in at quarters, and take any number at the gun. In short, they may become, as much as they please, active working seamen and efficient practical gunners. ”

“ But, as there are many who will be anxious to have a greater amount of exercise afloat, every volunteer, who wishes it, may embark once a year, and remain for a period of eight days in a gunboat, manned by a crew to be furnished from the battery to which he himself belongs. ”

“ The essential point in a volunteer corps is to secure men physically capable of doing their work, and who may be confidently relied upon as ready to serve, whenever they may be called upon.
The small-arm exercises are still more easily mastered. A rowing man will find himself able to use his cutlass efficiently in a few hours; and, after a couple of days of continuous drill, he would be able to go through the manual and platoon exercises with satisfactory smartness and precision. ”

“ Repairs of arms arising from fair wear, found to be necessary in order to make the arms serviceable, will be executed free of charge; the expense of other repairs will be borne by the Corps.
Allowance of AmmunitionAmmunition in the following proportion, to be Ammunition, reckoned from the 1st April in each year, is allowed:—
Storing of AmmunitionRequisitions for small arm ammunition, in accordance with the established proportion, are to be forwarded to the Commanding Officer of the nearest Drill Ship or District Coast Guard Ship for transmission to the nearest Control Officer. ”