NAVAL RESERVE, RoY.u., is a sort of militia, auxiliary to the royal navy. It is a force held in high esteem by naval men; and is considered an extremely valuable reserve of trained men ready to man the fleet in case of emergency. The force was instituted in 1859, 'nettr the act 23 and 23 Viet. c. 49. That act authorizes the engagement of 30.600 men, each for a period of 5 years, and provides that each shall be trained, for 28 days in every year, to the use of arms and naval tactics, either in her majesty's ships or on shore. In ease of national emergency these men can, by royal proclamation, be called out for service in the navy in any part of the world, for periods not exceeding 5 years. trainin r and while called out for actual service, the men receive the same wages as •orre s2 aiding ratings in the royal navy: in addition, they each receive, as retaining fee, a sum of S•i for every year in which the regulated training has been completed. On actual service, after 8 years—whether of uninterrupted service, or at broken intervals—the vol unteer becomes entitled to twopence extra per diem. The man can terminate his engage mmt at th t end of 5 years, unless on actual service, when the queen may require him to complete 5 years of such service before discharging him. During the continuance of his engagement'. he must not embark on voyages which shall entail a longer absence from the United Kingdom than 6 months, unless with special permission of the midi:Malt v. Tmw periods of training are made as far as practicable to suit the sailor's convenience: lie may break the 28 days intoshorter periods, none being less than 7 days. lie is drilled as near as practicable to his own home, the drilling being intrusted to the officers of time co ist-guard. While drilling, if on board a queen's ship, he has the regulation victuals; if billeted on shore, while for great-gen exercise in batteries, he is allowed ls. 4d. a d iv for victuals. It is optional to renew his engagement from time to time. as the respective periods of 5 years expire; and at about the age of 45 he becomes e.rd.led to a pension of ..-C12 or upwards for the rest of his life, subject to the usual cm/dig-Ilion of service in certain circumstances in the navy, which all pensioners are stitcher.
Tais pension may be commuted, if desired, into one of less amount, to last until the death of the longest liver of the volunteer and his wife.
To he eligible for the royal naval reserve, a man must be a British subject, under 35 years of age, in good health, and, within the preceding 10 years, must have served at least 5 years at sea, of which 1 year shall have been as able seaman. Soldiers, militia men. and coast volunteers are ineligible, and subject to a penalty if they join; butt a member of the last force may obtain hisdischarge therefrom for the purpose of joining the naval reserve. Penalties are enacted in case men fail to attend: and failure after proper notice to come up for actual service is held equivalent to desertion. While train ing or on minty, the men are liable to all the punishments, as they are entitled to all the rights and privileges of regular seamen. The men considered most desirable are (1) those having fixed residences, and personally known to the shipping-master or his deputies; and (2) men having regular employment in the coasting-trade, or in vessels the business of which brings them back to the same ports at frequent and known intervals. In 1890, about 20,000 men belonged to the naval reserve, and were in a state of great efficiency.
In 1861 the system of the reserve was extended—by the act 24 and 25 Viet. c. 129—to officers of the merchant-service, certificated masters and mates being respectively grantod commissions in the naval reserve as lieuts. and sub.lieuts. The holders arc required to train for 28 days annually on board her majesty's ships, and are liable to be called out for actual service when required. When training, or on actual service. lieuts. receive 10s., and sub-Malts. 7s. per clay, with all the privileges, pensions for wounds, pensions to widows, uniforms, etc., of naval otlIcera of corresponding rank. The number of these oiliness allowed by regulation is 130 lieuts. and 270 sub-hems.: of these, in 1874, com missions had been granted to 117 hems., 78 sub-lieuts., and 2 enginecisi. The total Post of the naval reserve, oflicers and men, for the year 1876-77, was estimated at .4S:240,109.