The very important services of the fleets of Britain, through
successive generations, have justly entitled her Seamen to public
recompence and protection. Every means, therefore, which good
policy or expediency could suggest, have been adopted at different
times, for their comforts and welfare.
Whether from an illiberal distinction, or a faulty omission, I know
not, still the Marine Soldier, habitually a sharer in the dangers
and the glory of our Navy, notwithstanding such natural claims
to notice, was, for a long while, excluded from a participation
in these humane regulations which afforded independence to the
destitute families of our Sailors when afar off in their Country's
service. It was reserved for a recent and a more enlightened era to
extend also to the Marine, a privilege which must constitute the
sweetest joy of every good man--that of allotting a part of his
pay, when embarked, and distant from his home, for the constant
support of a wife and family otherwise doomed to want, an aged
parent weighed down by poverty and years, or a dependant friend
struggling hard against adversity.
I shall state the nature of those rights which have progressively
been granted to the Marine Soldier, and point out the mode by
which they can be practically adopted. It is a tribute, however,
meritedly due to the Right Honorable Mr. Dundas, to remark, that
from his intelligent and generous conceptions, first emanated
all these estimable privileges to the subordinates in the Royal
Corps of Marines, which were eagerly discussed and sanctioned by a
grateful Legislature.
Without recurring to the express Acts of Parliament, upon which
those indulgencies are founded, I will simply digest their spirit,
and detail the necessary steps to be observed, under every possible
contingency. It will be proper to mention, in the first place,
that every Marine Recruit should intimate to his wife or kindred,
immediately after his joining Head Quarters at Chatham, Portsmouth,
or Plymouth, the number _of the divisional Company_ to which he has
been attached. Young men too frequently name only _their parade
Companies_ which is of no use after they are embarked on board,
as such often undergo a change while they continue on shore. By
particularizing the former, it serves as a certain clue to their
friends in every enquiry concerning their destinies, and will
correct mistakes when two, or more, of a similar name shall happen
to belong to the same ship or division.
In April, 1763, Marine Soldiers obtained the right of following
their trades in any town of Great Britain (except those having
Universities) after their discharge from the service. This remains
the same.
It is to be observed, for the guidance of legal heirs to
prize-money, which may be due to any deceased Marine Soldier,
that if they do not exhibit their claims _within_ three years
after notice has been given by the Agent or Agents, of its being
in course of payment, such goes into the funds of Greenwich
Hospital. This shews the absolute necessity of every family or
kindred maintaining a constant correspondence with their distant
military friends, and as the life of a Soldier is ever precarious,
_he_ should not fail to report, by letter, the circumstantial
particulars of each fortunate capture at sea, in which he may have
an interest, in order that his legal or designed heirs may meet
with little difficulty in tracing out where his property lays, in
the event of death.
As the Country wisely permits the Marine, in common with all the
subordinate servants of his Majesty, an œconomical communication
with his dear and remote friends, by the abolition of every postage
excepting the payment of one penny, no occasion should be lost
of availing himself of this valuable privilege. From this item
being lodged with each letter into the office from whence it is
dispatched, I am afraid, however, it often happens, when on the
eve of putting to sea, that those poor fellows, in the hurry of the
occasion, entrust their money and their secrets to unprincipled
watermen, who may be tempted to pocket the one, and destroy the
other without a chance of detection. _Were the receivers_ of each
letter obliged to pay this little impost, correspondence might
be more regular, such frauds prevented, and the revenue continue
unaltered.
By the benevolent Act of 1792 Non-Commissioned Officers and Private
Marines were allowed the privilege of allotting a portion of their
pay (usually a moiety) to their wives, families, or others, which,
till that period, was confined to the Seamen alone.
Immediately after embarkation, he who has a relative or a friend
to whom he inclines to allot such a part, should execute this
instrument, which the Captain of the ship he may belong to, will
forward to the Navy Board; the Treasurer of which, authenticates
the ticket and transmits it to the person for whose benefit it is
designed.
The Receiver General of Land Tax, Collectors of Customs or Excise,
and Clerks of the Checque, are _officially_ obliged to pay these
allowances to the holder of it, every four weeks, and should no
money be in hand for the purpose, one or other must name _a day of
recall within a fortnight_, under a penalty, as likewise if any
deduction shall be made from the net sum. Tickets of allotment are
irrevocable by the grantor, while he lives and is in public pay,
unless he shews a very solid cause for cancelling them. If a wife
who holds one, having children _under fourteen_, shall die, the
fact must be attested by the Minister and Church Wardens of the
parish, a person named who undertakes to receive _their_ future
allowances, and all the circumstances thus established must be
remitted to the Navy Board for its sanction. He who becomes the
representative ought to appear in person to receive such monies,
unless prevented by sickness. But should a wife die (leaving
children of the above description) and if no steps are taken or any
claims made for their benefit, _within six months_, such allotments
become void, and they will in future be paid either to the grantor
himself, or his heirs and executors after his decease.
Those who hold such tickets may always be assured of the friends
who gave them being alive, up to the date of the latest payment, as
the Navy Board never fails to acquaint those Agents who have been
accustomed to issue the money for allotments, with every death that
happens; each of whom is bound, under a penalty, to acknowledge the
receipt of such an intimation within two days. The same forms are
observed in Ireland, where allotments are paid by the Collectors or
Commissioners of Revenue.
All enquiries concerning the situation or destinies of distant
relatives serving in the Royal Marines when embarked on board
of ship, should be preferred to the Navy Board, Somerset Place,
London, and through its present Secretary, (R. A. Nelson,) or
whoever may succeed him, as the returns of ships are transmitted
to that office, in which the Marines are included. In order to
identify the Soldier, about whom an enquiry is made it is necessary
to hand, at the same time, the _number_ of his divisional company,
as well as that of his allotment ticket, if he has granted one.
Successful reference may also be had to the division, where he is
attached, by addressing a letter, "On his Majesty's service," to
the Adjutant of it; _always_ remarking the _number_ of his Company.
In the year 1792 Marines were placed on the same footing, and
became sharers in the benefit of an Act "To prevent frauds and
abuses in payment of wages, prize-money, and other allowances."
Wills, or letters of Attorney, when executed on board of ship,
must be attested by the Captain, and one or more of the _signing
Officers_. They are not valid unless they are _revocable_. The
Captain acquaints the Navy Board in his ship's return when any
Seaman or Marine under his command has made his testament, which is
an evidence of the justice of future claims on his property in case
of decease. Any will made by either, after his discharge from the
service, or any power of Attorney affecting _pay_, _prize-money_,
or other property acquired by him, _while on board his Majesty's
fleet, if executed within the bills of London or Westminster_, must
be attested by an Officer appointed by the Treasurer of the Navy,
_where wages are paid_. If either a will or power of Attorney, as
above, is made in England or Ireland, it must be witnessed by the
Minister and Church Wardens; if in Scotland, by the Clergyman
and two Elders of that parish in which the executor of such an
instrument may reside.
Any Marine dying on board _intestate_ upon information of his
decease reaching his friends, he who is entitled to his effects
must give in a petition to the Inspector of Wills, (J. Bedingfield,
Esq.) Somerset Place, London, or whoever may be his successor,
_stating_ the name of such Marine, to what part of the King's
dominions he belonged, the name of the ship or ships in which he
served, the applicant's own name, _at full length_, his relation
to, or connexion with the defunct, what other kindred the deceased
may have alive to the best of the petitioner's knowledge, and where
resident. This must be certified by two respectable housekeepers
of the parish, town, or place where the applicant dwells, who must
aver that they believe such account to be true, _which_ is also
to be attested by the Minister and Church Wardens, that _those_
subscribing witnesses live in the parish, and are of honest repute.
Upon a petition and a certificate, executed agreeable to such
prescribed forms, being transmitted to the Inspector of Wills, he
will enquire into the truth of all, and when satisfied that no
will of the deceased remains with him, he will send or deliver to
the claimants an abstract of his petition, with a note or ticket
signed by himself and subjoined, marked by his stamp, representing
that such statement of the claimant appears just, and that the
person so petitioning may have letters of administration to the
deceased, _provided_ he is otherwise entitled by law, _which_ will
be addressed to a Proctor in Doctor's Commons, that letters may
pass in favour of the applicant, while the original petition and
certificate are preserved on the records of the Treasurer of the
Navy and kept by him, and the letters of administration must be
lodged and registered in the same manner as the probates of wills,
with the Inspector, who must give a cheque signed and stamped
by him, or his representative, to the Administrators or their
Attorneys, which will be sufficient for either to demand payment
of all sums due to them on account of the deceased. Proctors are
liable to a penalty of 500_l_. if aiding to procure probates
or letters of administration to empower any to receive pay,
prize-money, &c. for service in the fleet, without having first
obtained a certificate from the Inspector of Wills and powers of
Attorney, and they will, moreover, be incapacitated from acting in
any Ecclesiastical Court of Great Britain or Ireland.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Marines should be cautious
to execute latter wills and powers exactly conformable to the
prescribed rules, for if not attended to, they will be of no
effect, besides the testator or executor being subject to a penalty.
The stated fees of Proctors are as follow, and with them I shall
close an Appendix, which, I humbly trust, will prove of general
benefit. Every remark which it contains is alike applicable in
pursuing the interests of the heirs of Seamen as well as of Marines.
For seal, parchment, writing, and suing forth the probate granted to
the Executors of any Marine whose property is 20_l_. £0 15 2
To Proctor on letters of administration on do. when 20_l_. 1 4 2
--------
To Proctor for probate when property is 40_l_. £1 8 8
Do. letters of administration when do. do. 1 17 8
--------
To Proctor for probate when property is 60_l_. £1 11 2
To do. letters of administration when do. do. 2 8 6
--------
To Proctors for probate when property is 100_l_. £1 13 8
Do. letters of administration when do. do. 2 11 0
If the funds exceed my statements, the charges progressively become
augmented, of which any Proctor can inform, as they are uniformly
limited.