By the benevolent Act of 1792 Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Marines were allowed the privilege of allotting a portion of their pay (usually a moiety) to their wives, families, or others, which, till that period, was confined to the Seamen alone.
Immediately after embarkation, he who has a relative or a friend to whom he inclines to allot such a part, should execute this instrument, which the Captain of the ship he may belong to, will forward to the Navy Board; the Treasurer of which, authenticates the ticket and transmits it to the person for whose benefit it is designed.
The Receiver General of Land Tax, Collectors of Customs or Excise, and Clerks of the Checque, are officially obliged to pay these allowances to the holder of it, every four weeks, and should no money be in hand for the purpose, one or other must name a day of recall within a fortnight, under a penalty, as likewise if any deduction shall be made from the net sum. Tickets of allotment are irrevocable by the grantor, while he lives and is in public pay, unless he shews a very solid cause for cancelling them. If a wife who holds one, having children under fourteen, shall die, the fact must be attested by the Minister and Church Wardens of the parish, a person named who undertakes to receive their future allowances, and all the circumstances thus established must be remitted to the Navy Board for its sanction. He who becomes the representative ought to appear in person to receive such monies, unless prevented by sickness. But should a wife die (leaving children of the above description) and if no steps are taken or any claims made for their benefit, within six months, such allotments become void, and they will in future be paid either to the grantor himself, or his heirs and executors after his decease.
Those who hold such tickets may always be assured of the friends who gave them being alive, up to the date of the latest payment, as the Navy Board never fails to acquaint those Agents who have been accustomed to issue the money for allotments, with every death that happens; each of whom is bound, under a penalty, to acknowledge the receipt of such an intimation within two days. The same forms are observed in Ireland, where allotments are paid by the Collectors or Commissioners of Revenue.
All enquiries concerning the situation or destinies of distant relatives serving in the Royal Marines when embarked on board of ship, should be preferred to the Navy Board, Somerset Place, London, and through its present Secretary, (R. A. Nelson,) or whoever may succeed him, as the returns of ships are transmitted to that office, in which the Marines are included. In order to identify the Soldier, about whom an enquiry is made it is necessary to hand, at the same time, the number of his divisional company, as well as that of his allotment ticket, if he has granted one. Successful reference may also be had to the division, where he is attached, by addressing a letter, "On his Majesty's service," to the Adjutant of it; always remarking the number of his Company.
In the year 1792 Marines were placed on the same footing, and became sharers in the benefit of an Act "To prevent frauds and abuses in payment of wages, prize-money, and other allowances." Wills, or letters of Attorney, when executed on board of ship, must be attested by the Captain, and one or more of the signing Officers. They are not valid unless they are revocable. The Captain acquaints the Navy Board in his ship's return when any Seaman or Marine under his command has made his testament, which is an evidence of the justice of future claims on his property in case of decease. Any will made by either, after his discharge from the service, or any power of Attorney affecting pay, prize-money, or other property acquired by him, while on board his Majesty's fleet, if executed within the bills of London or Westminster, must be attested by an Officer appointed by the Treasurer of the Navy, where wages are paid. If either a will or power of Attorney, as above, is made in England or Ireland, it must be witnessed by the Minister and Church Wardens; if in Scotland, by the Clergyman and two Elders of that parish in which the executor of such an instrument may reside.
Any Marine dying on board intestate upon information of his decease reaching his friends, he who is entitled to his effects must give in a petition to the Inspector of Wills, (J. Bedingfield, Esq.) Somerset Place, London, or whoever may be his successor, stating the name of such Marine, to what part of the King's dominions he belonged, the name of the ship or ships in which he served, the applicant's own name, at full length, his relation to, or connexion with the defunct, what other kindred the deceased may have alive to the best of the petitioner's knowledge, and where resident. This must be certified by two respectable housekeepers of the parish, town, or place where the applicant dwells, who must aver that they believe such account to be true, which is also to be attested by the Minister and Church Wardens, that those subscribing witnesses live in the parish, and are of honest repute. Upon a petition and a certificate, executed agreeable to such prescribed forms, being transmitted to the Inspector of Wills, he will enquire into the truth of all, and when satisfied that no will of the deceased remains with him, he will send or deliver to the claimants an abstract of his petition, with a note or ticket signed by himself and subjoined, marked by his stamp, representing that such statement of the claimant appears just, and that the person so petitioning may have letters of administration to the deceased, provided he is otherwise entitled by law, which will be addressed to a Proctor in Doctor's Commons, that letters may pass in favour of the applicant, while the original petition and certificate are preserved on the records of the Treasurer of the Navy and kept by him, and the letters of administration must be lodged and registered in the same manner as the probates of wills, with the Inspector, who must give a cheque signed and stamped by him, or his representative, to the Administrators or their Attorneys, which will be sufficient for either to demand payment of all sums due to them on account of the deceased. Proctors are liable to a penalty of 500l. if aiding to procure probates or letters of administration to empower any to receive pay, prize-money, &c. for service in the fleet, without having first obtained a certificate from the Inspector of Wills and powers of Attorney, and they will, moreover, be incapacitated from acting in any Ecclesiastical Court of Great Britain or Ireland.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Marines should be cautious to execute latter wills and powers exactly conformable to the prescribed rules, for if not attended to, they will be of no effect, besides the testator or executor being subject to a penalty.