§ Sir James Grahamsaid, though the hour was late, and the attendance of Members then rather thin, yet, as he apprehended there would be no objection to the second reading of the Smuggling Act Amendment Bill, which stood for that evening, he would then move, that it be read a second time.
§ Captain Yorkesaid, he had an objection to the Bill. It was usual to allow Magistrates to send persons convicted of certain offences to serve on board King's ships, as a commutation of the sentence of imprisonment and hard labour. An objection was raised against the licence granted to Magistrates, on the ground that many convicts were thus forced into the naval service who were rather calculated to injure than promote it. There was some justice in that objection. But, then, the right hon. Baronet would extend his 828 objection to all cases. He thought that was going too far, as thus the service would be deprived of an experienced and hardy class of men, the smugglers. He was of opinion, that a great good would arise by sending convicted smugglers into the navy. Smugglers would make most useful seamen. They were already inured to, and familiar with, the service. At Algiers they were so useful, and behaved so well, that Government discharged many of them. He had another objection, namely, that Magistrates would, in all likelihood, have a reluctance to convict if smugglers, whose guilt was, in very many cases, difficult to be established, were, of necessity, to be confined to hard labour. If smugglers were confined in a house of correction, there was a great chance that they left it more immoral and degraded than when they entered; whereas, if they were sent to sea, they would be of advantage to the country, and return better men.
§ Sir Edward Codringtonsaid, that he could not, from his experience, concur with the hon Member. He should strongly object to making a man-of-war a common prison for felons. The naval service should not be made a punishment for crime. The great object should be to make it more comfortable than that of other employment; and was it the way to do that, to make our men-of-war a refuge for convicts? He did not wish to see the service thus degraded. It should be a voluntary service, and filled with men of good character; and that it could not be, if every flag ship were made a prison for convicts.
§ Mr. Humewould wish to know if men-of-war were not made prisons for other purposes? He maintained, that convicted smugglers, if sent to serve on board King's ships, would return home better men, and be a service to their country; but, if sent to the treadmill, would go back worse members of society.
§ Sir James Grahamsaid, the policy of the Government was, to render the King's service as acceptable as possible. But he did not think that would be the case if smugglers were to be thrust upon it in the shape of convicts, to be confined in flagships, which were to be reduced to common gaols. Was it likely that independent and honourable men would be anxious to enter the service if the first object they saw on entering a ship was men in 829 irons? The Government had only a choice of evils; and, after due consideration, they felt it their duty to balance the loss of smugglers, as seamen, against the moral example of making the ships-of-war common prisons.
§ The Bill was read a second time.