The Navy League is apprehensive lest' tho manning< of British -ships falls into the hands of foreign seamen, and at a recent conference adopted a scheme with the r object of establishing train ing ships for boys of good character who desire to enter tho mercantile ma rine and the Royal Navy Reserve. 'It is. contemplated that the' naval training ships shall be distinct from' the indus trial training ships; and that boys leaving theso vessels should be sent to sea as apprentices to the Registrar general of Seamen.' These apprentices, it is -proposed, are to get a premium from the Government, and "on comple tion of their indentures they are to go into the Royal -Navy for a term, after which they wiU be drafted into th° mercantile marine, where they would be available, as reservists, should their ■services bis required. The scheme,-pro jounded by Lord Brassey, is an'admir able one,' but, if adopted, would require _a good deal of money to carry it out. It is only ' by some such scheme, offering "an inducement to suitable lads to adopt a seafaring life, that tho manning of British ships by British' seamen can be maintained. The large, > swift passenger and mail steamers that now sail under tho British flag may at any time re quire to be chartered as auxiliary cruisers, and obviously in such a caee they must be manned by British, crews. Germany has ' made a good start to tr^in German boys for the sea wiCh thr view to officering the mercantile ships with woll-traincd officers, as well as to provide a naval reserve in time of need; arid manifestly England cannot afford to Jag' behind such a lead. The success of tho scheme adopted by the Navy League depends upon the Government giving .premiums -which will represent 'tho difference between the average pay of seamen and' tho remuneration to which the special closfl of men required might fairly bo entitled. Tho rates of sailors' pay on British ships is deter mined by foreign competition, and this, an Lord Brassey points out, brings about a state of things which precludes highly-trained mon securing remuner ative employment at sea. 