nd the Scilly Isles. The rest of
the coast is divided between Milford and Liverpool. Scotland has two
"Coastguard" districts, the east and the west coasts. Ireland has also
two districts. The services on which the ships are employed are
numerous. First, for the protection of the revenue; to keep up a
reserve of seamen, and as a depot for stores and clothing. The captain
of the ship takes the duties of the old inspecting commanders, and the
officers--of whom there are a large number appointed to each ship for
that especial purpose--have command of the different stations. Each
ship has four or five tenders attached to her, employed in protecting
either the revenue or the fisheries. The ships generally go to sea for
a month or so in the course of the year, and are kept ready to proceed
to any part of the world. They do not keep up their usual complement of
men, but when required the crew are drawn from the Coastguard. Besides
these ships, there are six in England and two in Scotland, called "drill
ships." They, however, never go to sea. They are employed in receiving
on board the Royal Naval Reserve Force,--seamen as well as officers,--
who go through a periodical drill. The Royal Naval Coast Volunteers
also drill on board these ships. These volunteers are seafaring men,
and they rank with ordinary seamen, and not, like the men of the Naval
Reserve, with able-bodied seamen.

Both the men of the Reserve and Coast Volunteers are expected to drill
twenty-eight days in the year, either on board a district ship, a drill
ship, or at the shore battery. By these means an efficient body of men
is kept up, ready for immediate service in case of war. The men quarrel
at times among themselves, the result frequently being a black eye; but
they will never tell upon each other; and sometimes a very curious cause
is assigned as the reason of having a black eye. A man once said "that
he had slipped and kicked himself," though how he managed to kick his
own eye it is difficult to say! Another reason often given is, "that
they have run up against a pump-handle," The man-of-war hats are very
unpopular, for they are particularly heavy. Good straw hats having
lately been scarce, an armourer was found constructing one of tin; but
that must have been not only heavier, but much hotter. The men usually
make their own hats, and as usually manage to lose them. As soon as the
hat is found, the man is placed before it, and compelled