Royal Naval Reserve (Volunteer) Act 1859
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1859 c. 40 |
(22 & 23 Vict.) C A P. XL.
[13th August 1859]
'WHEREAS it is expedient that there should be a Reserve Volunteer Force of Seamen for Service in Her Majesty's Fleet in Time of Emergency, and that the Seamen composing such Force should be duly entered and trained:' Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:
I Power to Admiralty to raise ‘Royal Naval Volunteers,’ not to exceed 30,000 Men.
I. It shall be lawful for the Lora High Admiral, or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, to raise and from Time to Time to keep up a Number of Men not exceeding Thirty thousand, to be called ‘The Royal Naval Volunteers,’ such Men to be raised by voluntary Entry from among seafaring Men and others who may be deemed suitable for the Services in which such Volunteers may be employed, and to be so raised and entered at such Times and in such Places in the United Kingdom and the Islands ofMan, Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney , and Sark , or any of them, by such Persons and in such Manner as the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners shall from Time to Time direct.
II Term of Service.
II. Every Volunteer raised under this Act shall be entered for the Term of Five Years, and shall continue subject as a Volunteer to the Provisions of this Act during such Term, and no longer, save as herein-after after otherwise provided; and at the Expiration of every Fifth Year of the Period of his Service as a Volunteer he shall be entitled to claim his Discharge, save as herein-after provided; but when any Volunteer shall be entitled to claim his Discharge as aforesaid, he shall continue liable to the Provisions of this Act until actually discharged from such Volunteers by the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners, or by some Officer duly appointed by him or them to give such Discharges.
III Volunteers may be trained and exercised for 28 Days in each Year, and on shore or on board Ship.
III. The Lord High Admiral, or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, may cause all or any of the Volunteers under this Act to be instructed, trained, and exercised on shore or on board any Ships or Vessels, or partly on shore and partly on board any Ships or Vessels; and for the Purpose of such Instruction, Training, and Exercise all or any of such Volunteers may be called out, and may be required to attend at such Times and Places, and may be placed under the Command of such Officers as the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners may think fit, and may form Part of and be under the like Command as the respective Crews of any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War which the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners may see fit to cause them to join: Provided always, that no Volunteer shall under this Enactment be required to attend Instruction, Training, and Exercise more than Twenty-eight Days in the whole in any One Year.
IV Her Majesty may order the Volunteers to be called into actual Service.
IV. It shall be lawful for Her Majesty, on such Occasions as She shall deem fit (the Occasion being first communicated to Parliament if Parliament be sitting, or declared in Council and notified by Proclamation if Parliament be not sitting or in being,) to order and direct that the Volunteers under this Act, or so many or such Part of them as Her Majesty may deem necessary, shall be called into actual Service.
V Volunteers to be called into actual Service accordingly.
V. Whenever Her Majesty shall as aforesaid order all or any Number or Part of the Volunteers under this Act to be called into actual Service, the Lord High Admiral, or Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, shall cause the said Volunteers, or such Number or Part of them as Her Majesty may have ordered, to be called into actual Service accordingly; and the Volunteers so called into actual Service shall be liable to serve on shore or on board any Ships or Vessels, or partly on shore and partly on board any Ships or Vessels, as the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners may direct; and such Volunteers shall be placed under the Command of such Officers is the said Lord High Admiral or Commissioners may direct, and where he or they may so direct, shall form Part of the Crews, and be under the like Command as the respective Crews of any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War which the, said LordHigh Admiral or Commissioners may see fit to cause them to join; and every such Volunteer so called into actual Service shall be liable to such Service for the Term of Three Years from the Time of his coming into actual Service, and at the Expiration of such Period he shall be entitled to be discharged from actual Service: Provided always, that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, in case She see fit, on any Emergency by Proclamation to declare that such Volunteers as may at the Date of such Proclamation be in actual Service as aforesaid shall continue in such actual Service for the Period of Five Years from the Date of their respectively coming into actual Service, if their Services be so long required, and such Volunteers shall not be entitled to claim their Discharge during such Period, and every such Volunteer who may be in actual Service at the Date of such Proclamation shall be liable to such Service accordingly; and every Volunteer whose Period of actual Service is extended under or in consequence of such Proclamationshall, beyond Three Years from the Date of his coming into actual Service, be entitled to receive for his Services during the extra Period for which they are required beyond such Three Years Twopenceper Day in addition to his ordinary Pay: Provided also, that in case any such Volunteer be called into actual Service, and shall be detained in such Service for a Period of less than Five Years, he shall, during the Period of Five Years from the Dateof his joining the Royal Naval Volunteers, be liable from Time to Time to be again called into actual Service, and to service therein for such Period as with his former actual Service will make up a Period of Five Years actual Service, but after Three Years actual Service, either continuously or from Time to Time during his Engagement as a Royal Naval Volunteer, he will be entitled as aforesaid to Twopenceper Day, in addition to his ordinary Pay, for the Period of his actual Service beyond Three Years.
VI Volunteers when called out to be victualled in the same Manner as Seamen of the Fleet.
VI. The Volunteers under this Act shall, for such Time as they shall be called out for, and shall attend Instruction, Training, and Exercise, be victualled in the same Manner as Seamen of the Fleet; or if trained on shore and not victualled, they shall be entitled to a Money Allowance in lieu of Provisions, at such Rateper Diem each as may be established on this Behalf by the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral; and for such Time as they shall be in actual Service under this Act they shall be entitled when on shore or afloat to the Pay and other Advantages of Petty Officers or Seamen in the Royal Navy entered for Ten Years continuous and general Service, according to the Ratings which they may be found qualified to fill; and they shall be entitled to such Conduct Money in respect of travelling to and from any Place at which they may be required to attend for Instruction, Training, and Exercise, or for the Purpose of entering into actual Service as aforesaid, as may be allowed by the Regulations made under this Act: Provided always, that any such Volunteer who may be appointed, and be or perform the Duties of a Petty Officer, shall be entitled to the Pay and Allowances of a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy of the same Rank, in lieu of the Pay and Allowances...
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