received in order to ascertain their fitness. Both boats and cruisers
were also to be painted twice a year, above the water-line, this to be
done by the crews themselves.

A general pilot was allowed for two months when a cruiser arrived on a
new station, and an occasional pilot was permissible in cases of
necessity, but only licensed pilots were to be employed. General
pilots were paid 6s. a day as well as the usual rations of provisions.
The cruisers were provided with charts of the coast off which they
were employed. Naval officers holding appointments as Inspecting
Commanders of cruisers, Chief Officers of stations and Mates of
cruisers were ordered to wear the greatcoat established by any
Admiralty regulation in force for the time being, with epaulettes,
cap, and side-arms, according to their ranks. Commanders of cruisers,
if not naval officers, were to wear a blue lappel-coat, buttoned back
with nine Coastguard uniform buttons and notched button-holes, plain
blue stand-up collar with gold lace loop and button on each side
thereof--the loop to be five inches long, and the lace three-quarters
of an inch in breadth. There were also to be three buttons and notched
button-holes on each cuff and pocket, as well as three buttons in the
folds of each skirt.

The waistcoat was to be white or blue kerseymere, with uniform
buttons, white or blue pantaloons or trousers, with boots, a blue
cloth cap similar in shape to those worn in the Royal Navy, with two
bands of gold lace three-quarters of an inch broad, one at the top and
the other at the bottom of the headpiece. The sword was to have a
plain lace knot and fringe tassel, with a black leather belt. White
trousers were worn on all occasions of inspection and other special
occasions between April 23 and October 14. Blue trousers were to be
worn for the other months.

In 1849 the Select Committee on the Board of Customs expressed the
opinion that the number of cruisers might be reduced, and the
Landguard practically abolished; but it was deemed advisable that
these protections being removed, the coastline of defence ought to be
strengthened by securing the services of Naval Lieutenants who had
retired from the Navy on half-pay. So the number of cruisers and
tenders which in 1844 had reached seventy-six, and in 1849 were
fifty-two, had now sunk to fifty in the year 1850. In 1854, on the
outbreak of war with Russia, 3000 men were drafted into the Navy from
the Coastguard, t