Produced by Brian Coe, David King, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.) The Organisation of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers Explained The Organisation Of The Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers Explained By Thomas Brassey, M.P. London Longmans, Green, And Co. 1874 [Sidenote: Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers.] It has been thought desirable to publish the following statement, for the purpose of giving some explanation of the services, duties, privileges, and general organisation of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers. [Sidenote: How to be recruited.] In inviting persons to enrol themselves in the corps, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty desire to extend the volunteer movement, so successfully established as an auxiliary to the land forces, to the defence of this country by sea. The proposal is novel and unprecedented in its character. In any other country than our own, it would, in all probability, be visionary. In England, however, we possess a guarantee for the success of such an undertaking, which cannot be found elsewhere. A taste for maritime pursuits pervades this insular nation, and the hope may therefore be confidently entertained that the appeal, now made to the patriotism of the nautical and aquatic sections of the community, will not be urged in vain. [Sidenote: Naval opinions in favour of such a force.] Eminent naval authorities have, for many years past, recommended the formation of a corps, for the purposes of coast defence, composed of persons who, while not possessing the wider experience of the seaman, are accustomed to the management of boats, and in the constant habit of going afloat. The Act for the Royal Navy Artillery Volunteers, passed in the last session at the instance of the Admiralty, and the regulations recently issued under that Act, afford the most convincing proof that, in the estimation of those who are actually responsible for the efficiency of the naval service, such a force is desirable. The concurrence of the naval members of the late administration in the various steps which have been taken, may likewise be quoted, in order to show that there is a general desire, among those to whom the welfare of the navy is an especial object of solicitude, for the success of the movement, which it is the object of the present writer to explain. [Sidenote: The harbour defence only.]