IN a lecture recently delivered, and since published, by Rear-Admiral Sir WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY, entitled " A Lecture on the Character, Condition, and Responsibilities of British Seamen," will be found the following abstract of the various legislative enactments, which had been issued for the protection and improvement of the merchant seamen of this country up to the date of the lecture (December 1853).

Sir EDWARD PARRY- is so well known to his countrymen as a distinguished member of his profession, and as the consistent friend and benefactor of seamen generally, that anything emanating from him on subjects connected with their welfare, must carry -great weight with it; we do not, therefore, think it necessary to offer any other apology for our insertion of this extract from his lecture:— " Several statutes were enacted, and frequently amended from time to time, from the reign of Queen Anne down to that of George the Third, embracing a considerable portion of the last century. But they were still deficient in provisions calculated to improve the mariner's condition ;—more particularly by affording him a cheap, easy, and ready means of obtaining redress from injury. He was oftentimes inveigled into engagements, by signing articles of which he did not know the conditions; defrauded of his hard-earned wages at the end of his voyage; and being often a stranger in the port of arrival, became the prey of crimps and other unprincipled persons, until, as the old adage goes, ' his money was spent, and he went to sea for more.' It was not until the year 1835 that any material improvement took place, when the attention of the Right Hon. Sir JAMES GRAHAM, then, as now, the First Lord of the Admiralty, became directed to the subject; and he prepared an Act, commonly called the ' Merchant Seamen's Act,' which laid the foundation for subsequent improvements, and has been justly called ' The Seamen's Charter.' " By this excellent statute all beneficial regulations to be found in former Acts are consolidated, and provision made for further measures of the same character.

" Now, just let us consider for a moment what it is that the Government of this great maritime country is bound to provide for, as regards her seamen.

" It may all be comprised, I think, in this:—To give such encouragement to the rearing of able-bodied and skillful seamen, as may ensure a sufficient supply, both in our naval and mercantile marine. This is a vital question, concerning, as it does, the State, the shipowner, and the seaman himself; for on the number and capability of those who navigate our trading ships in peace, and man our fleets in war, depends, under Providence, the prosperity, nay, the Very existence, of our country, as an independent and first-rate nation.

"The time to which I am necessarily limited this evening, will only allow me briefly to recapitulate the laws which have been enacted, and the regulations that have been made with this great object in view, and most especially for the advantage and encouragement of seamen, since the passing of the ' Merchant Seamen's Act,' in 1835.

Among these provisions are the following:— " ' Written articles of agreement in a prescribed form in all vessels above 80 tons, likewise a written discharge in a prescribed form.

" ' The time for payment of wages limited; and the recovery of wages, or redress for injury, obtained by a summary appeal to a justice, instead of being obliged to resort to the tedious and expensive process of going into the Admiralty Courts.

" ' No seaman to be abandoned abroad, and, if found in distress in a foreign country, to be sent home by the British Consul at the public expense.

"' A victualling scale to be inserted in the articles of agreement, and a survey to be held on bad provisions and water when necessary.

" ' A medicine chest to be provided in all cases, and a surgeon under certain circumstances.

Lime-juice, sugar, and vinegar to be served when on salt provisions; payment for short allowance of provisions.

"' Wages to be paid up to the time of a ship's wreck, and shipwrecked men provided with a passage home.

"' Crews discharged from ships abandoned or sold abroad to have a free passage home.

"' A proper space established for berthing, and the dryness and ventilation of the berthing- place provided for.

" ' The crimping system checked by rendering it unnecessary for seamen.

" ' Shipping offices established for superintending the agreement and discharge of seamen.

" ' The competency of masters and mates secured by a due examination of their qualifications, thus giving additional security to ships, and, therefore, to the lives of their crews.

" * Forfeiture of these officers' certificates, if found guilty of tyranny or drunkenness.

" ' Adjustment of disputes by arbitration of the shipping-master, " ' Facilities for remitting money or investing it in Savings' Banks.

"' Regulations for the maintenance of discipline, good order, and contentment during the voyage, so essential to the comfort and happiness of all on board while at sea, and to prevent harassing litigations and unseemly .broils arising out of misconduct.' " I think it must be admitted that this is a goodly array of advantages conferred on British seamen, sufficient to show that the Legislature and the Government of England have not, of late years, been unmindful of the seamen's welfare." Sir WILLIAM next proceeds to enumerate all that has been done for the welfare of seamen by the beneficence of private individuals and societies, such as the founding and maintaining hospitals and infirmaries in sea-ports; the providing " Seamen's Orphan Schools;" the organization of " Sailors' Homes;" and the establishment of societies to afford succour to stranded and wrecked vessels, and to furnish shipwrecked seamen with means for returning to their homes, or to the sea-ports to which, they may be bound.

The Author likewise offers much valuable advice to sailors on their moral and religious duties and responsibilities, to which they may with much benefit attend, and for information respecting which we refer them to the lecture itself. With reference to that part of the subject, however, we think that we may with advantage make some remarks, and offer some advice to sailors generally, on what we esteem to be their great failing, perhaps the most vulnerable point in their character, since it stands at the very threshold of the door of improvement, alike in their mental and their moral culture.

We allude to that want of self-respect, of proper pride, of true dignity of character, the possession of which need not be, nor is, in fact, confined to any one class of society, but which may attend a man in every walk of life, howsoever humble, except in that of the professional mendicant. In using the word pride, we do not allude to that mere self-conceit or arrogance which lifts men, in their own opinion, above the sphere in which God has seen fit to place them, and which alone they are fitted to occupy, but to that quality of the mind which prompts its possessor to self-exertion, which leads him to feel that it is more honourable and more dignified to work out his own welfare, to be the architect of his own destiny, than to remain all his life long in the leading-strings of others, dependent on them for benefits which he might have earned for himself by his own exertions.

But what is too generally the characteristic of the sailor in regard to this point ? He is proverbially looked upon as hardly fit to take care of himself; he is regarded as a singular exception to the ordinary race of men; as a grown-up child, with the same want of thought and judgment as a child; and, which is the worst feature of the case, he is content to be so looked upon—he forgets that if he can thus simulate the simplicity and unskilfulness of a child, he cannot enrobe himself in a child's innocency; that he has now to act the part of a man, and will, hereafter, be answerable for his acts as a man.

Theology does not come within our province ; yet, as we regard it to be of some importance to the class of men of whom we are, in particular, now treating, we cannot refrain from expressing the opinion that religionists of the present day, in their zeal for the promulgation of an essential part of Christian doctrine, have often, especially in their teaching of the poor and illiterate, dwelt too exclusively on the corruption of man's nature, and the self-abasement that is consequently incumbent on him; forgetting that he may thus be led to look on that corruption as not only the cause of his sins, but also as an excuse for them, if not, moreover, as at once a barrier to his repentance, and to all hope of improvement; thus, in fact, leading him to forget the equal truth that he is made in God's own image, although he has defaced it by sin, and that as he stands at the head of His creation in this world, so he is especially bound to lead his life in conformity with the dignity of such a position. What we fear is, that many, thus learning only to despise themselves, may become careless of the commission of acts which will certainly make them despicable.

We are, however, trenching on controversial ground, which is not our desire; we will, therefore, conclude by entreating our sailor readers, whilst they gladly avail themselves of the aid of " Sailors' Homes," or any of the above-named advantages which Providence may place in their way, and of which, at present, they especially need the assistance, yet not to rest on them alone, but labour to make themselves, by their own exertions, as far as possible, independent of them; remembering the old fable of the carter, who, when his vehicle stuck in the mire, received no answer to his prayer to Jupiter for assistance, until he put his own shoulder to the wheel: and applying to themselves the moral, "That those who will make no effort to help and improve themselves, have no authority either from the word of Revelation or the • light of reason to suppose that they will receive the blessing or the help of God.".