The Express. — London, England, 1847-02-27 00:00:00

••• measure or measure., on the subject of future poor-law o.;i- • ministration in England or Ireland, it should, by a full in quiry, obtain full information as to the real character of the existing law and its admihistration. Sir G. GREY said, that, on receiving the report of the Andover Union committee, he had address( d a letter to the poor law commissioners, forwarding the report, and requir ing them to state in detail the mode which had been followed by them in conducting the business of their office. He had received from them in return a lengthened report, which he had referred to the law officers of the crown, requesting their opinion as to the validity and legality of the proceedings adopted, end the rules and orders boned by the commission ers. The opinion, after mature deliberation, of the learned persons to whom the report was then referred, was, that the proceedings and orders of the commissioners had been con sistent with the authority given them by the act, so that these of fi ce had, perhaps, not so much reason to fear an inundation of iodietnenti, informations, and actions, es the hon. and learned member seemed to imagine. Its (Sir G. Grey) had every reason to consider, from his own ex perience, that the duties of the commissioners were fully and ettieierely performed. He could not at all consent to postpone the measure which had been framed by govern ment on this moat important subject, until the protracted inquiry suggested by the hon. member should have been made. The bill intended as a substitute for the existing pour-law would be presented to the house before the Irish l'aor.lisw Bill was proceeded with. Mr. HUME contended that, by their own showing, the commissioners had, throughout their administration, been guilty of the most illegal proceedings. After a few words from Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN and Mr. Straw, Lord J. RUSSELL observed that what his right how. friend had dated clearly showed that the government had promptly attended to the evidence taken before the Andover Union committee, for it had, in consequence, communicated with the poor-law commissioners, echo had returned an answer, which the law-officers of the crown deemed satisfac tory, as to the legality of the proceedings of the board. The opinion in that day's Times, mentioned by the hon. and learned member as signed MATTHEW DAVENPORT HILL, did not necessarily convince him (Lord J. Russell) that the whole proceedings of the poor-law commissioners had been illegal. As to the new English poor-law, the constant pressure of urgent business before parliament, thus far in the session, had prevented him from bringing it forward, but it would now be speedily before the house. With respect to the alteration in the Irish poor-law, he n that evening to lay on the table a bill to regulate its administration. The bill would be read a second time and committed pro foresee on Monday, when he would state substantially the alterations .he meant to propose. Ile should then move that the bill, as reported, be pnoted pre paratory to its full consideration on the Bth March. It must be understood, however that the loan bill stood first on the Bth March. He propo sed to carry that bill through committee first, and then go into committee on the poor-law, reporting the first-named bill immediately after. METROPOLITAN CASUAL POOR. Sir W. JAMES wished to know from the right hon. the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether go vernment had in cootemplation the introduction of any mea sure this session for the relief and regulation of the metropolitan casual r ? Sir G. GREY sal. that there was no measure of the kii.d is con templation. CAMBRIDGE BURGESS ROLL. Sir DE L. EVANS middle rose to point out certain erro neous allegations contained in the petitions which had been presented from the borough of Cambridge, com plaining of the omission or non-registration of - several duly qualified electors in the hit court of revision held in that borough. The petitioners complained that the revising barrister had in his return to the town clerk omitted a list of sixty voters, who had established their qualification before him. This, so far as the revising barrister was concerned, was an unfounded statement, inns. much as he hrd made a complete return to that officer. The town clerk had in the grit instance denied having received a full return, but subsequently wrote to the revising barrister, stating that the missing list had been found in a drawer, in which it bad been inadvertently placed by one of his clerks. Fortunately for the political interests of the borough, the voters omitted were pretty equally balanced as to their par ties, but he repeated his assertion, that in no way was the revising barrister to blame for the omission. STATE OF IRELAND. Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he felt it to be absolutely ne emery that he should for • moment call the attention of the government and the house to the melancholy state of Ireland. A morning paper of that day had given a pretty plain inti mation that among the other courtesies which Irish members might expect was, that their statements would be received as extravagant and gross exaggerations; and therefore he should not detain the hone by repeating the melan choly accounts which every post brought over from Ire land. lie believed, however, that few would be found hardy enouth to deny that distress was daily and fearfully increasing in that country. But there was one point to which he wished to call the attention of the government and the house, and which concerned England ea well as Ireland, and that was the rapid spread of pestilence in the latter country.. (Hear, hear.) The famine was bringing in its sure follower, typhus fever, and it would be impossible to prevent its introduction into the crowded cities of England, by the crowds of fugitives which hunger was driving from their native country. He did not in what he was saying mean to impute blame to the government ; on the contrary, he be lieved that they were in advance of public opinion, both in that house and out of it, on the question of Irish distress. He knew that en opinion was held in certain influential quarters, that if thebulk of the food of the Irish people pe rished, the population must be permitted to diminish down to the altered standard. Ile had beard that doctrine very quietly laid down, and if it did not raise feelings of anger in his breast, it was because of his deep terror list such an opinion should possibly prevail with the government or the house. This doctrine was held in not uninttuential quarters, and that too in spite of the fact that Ireland produced and exported more food than would support her entire popula tion. Was the edict to go forth to the people of Ireland that they must mesh? (Hear, hear.) He hoped that the government would not relax in their exertions to mitigate disease, and that some more solid food than soup would be provided for the starving people. Another thing which they ought to do wee to mil on every person counected with property in Ireland at once to return to that country, and to devote their best energies to its relief. He hoped therefore, that the Irish measures would be brought forward as speedily as possible, to as to enable Irish members to re turn to that duty which on them was more imperative than any other. Hear, hear.) Mr. LABOUC ERE said that his bon. friend the mem ber for Hilkeany, complained of certain opinions which he had heard promulgated in some quarters, to the effect, that it was desirable to allow famine to reduce the numbers of the Irish people. His hon. friend properly denounced that doctrine. (Hear, hear.) He knew not to what quarter his hon. friend refer red, when he spoke of the doctrine having been propounded in influential quarters. He hoped not to her Majesty's government. (Hear, hese, from Mr. J. O'Connell.) Whatever might be thought of the direction of their efforts, the government had certainly made enor mous exertions to alleviate the sufferings of the Irish people. (Hear, hear.) He hoped then, that his hon. friend did not mean the imperial part tament,for he thought that any one who had attended to the discussions of the present session could not fail to have observed the total absence of all distinction of party or politics, the deep sympathy and excellent spirit with which the question of the famine had been discussed. (Hear, hear.) Then surely his hon. friend could not have alluded to the English and Scotch public, because abun dant proof of their good feeling was to be fou ndi in the volun tary contributions which lately had a abundantly poured in. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") All these things proved that there was on the part of the Christian and humane people of England an ardent desire to do everything in their power to relieve the sufferings of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He should regret if so dreadful a doctrine as that alluded to by his hon. friend prevailed anywhere: he confined that he never had heard it, and he was sorry that his honourable friend had thought fit to allude to it on the present occasion. Hie hon. friend had expressed his apprehension that unless some more solid food than soup were provided for the people, some injurious consequences might follow. lie (Mr. Labouchere) could state that this, as well as every other question connected with the state of Ireland, was ender his daily consideration, IPA else that of the chief C4111121i111011 sitting in Dublin. He lad only that morning received a letter from Sir John Bargo in whit& it was suggested that a quantity of biscuit in auktion to the soup should be provided. (Hear, hew.) The wifintag fee the Admiralty further informed him that 68,000 lbs. bir exit were daily made at Clarence Yard, Portsmonth, Rs. this supply of Ireland, and steamers were constantly in readinsse to convey it to that country. (Hear, hear.) In het, the government was doing its utmost. The First Lord et Ms• Treasury . was negotiating • loan for the sole purpose of relieving Irish destitution, and the honourable member might depend upon it, that in no one particular would her Majesty's ministers shrink from doing their duty. Ireland had a claim oa the United Kingdom, and that claim had been freely and generously acknowle dged. He could not, therefore, accept from the hon. member for Kilkenny the compliment that the government were iu advance of the people. The feeling of the people of England and Scotland went entirely with the government, but there was also abroad a feeling, and he thought it was a just one, that in Ireland herself, seconding to her means and resources, there should be exertions corresponding with the occasion; —exertions on which would mainly depend the success of the government in relieving the present calamity. la reference to the other point to which the hon. gentleman had referred, ss to the steps taken by governmentto mitigate the disease which in many parts had resulted from the scarcity, the board of health were constantly • ' g in Dublin and were in communication with all pa rts the country, and he could enure the hon. gentleman that every mesas in their power had been taken to meet the dire which on this, as on all fanner occasions, accompanied great' mareity. (Hear.) Colonel T. WOOD emoired when further reports from the board of works in and might be expected? Mr. LABOUCHERE mastered, that as them reports were made monthly, they might expect that another would eery soon be laid on the table. lir. S. CRAWFORD suggested that the semis of war not otherwise employed, should be is in bringing eon, from foreign potato the digressed rieta it win ad mitted that there was plenty of corn abroad, especially in America, where they were told the last hareem had produced 17,000,000 quarters mere than was required for the popu lation of the states But the great difficult, was in obtaining ships to bring it to this country, and to Ireland. Freights had riven enormously in the ports of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Black sea, and grain was at this moment 60 per cent. higher in our own ports than or. the American side of the Atlantic. He therefore moved= address to her Majesty, to direct that imch ships of the navy.' eon be spared bon regular duty, shall be ad soder me regale. Sim as may be dossed &Mullis SW i&e soscomikillsa Mt merchants, in the conveying of corn and previsions from foreign countries into the ports of the united Lingdom. Lord J. RUSSELL said the suggeotion he embodied in the motive bad been brought under t consideration of the gove r nment some time ago, and they had decided against its adoption. There were now a great number of steam -gnarls and soiling ships belonging to the navy employed in the re , lief service between this country and Ireland, especially those district. of the latter, in which the greatest distress prevailed. There were 30 steam-vessels, 12 sailing-vessels, and 5 store ship, all usefully engaged in this service—(Hear, hear) —some of which were stationed on the coast of Ireland as depots. With regard to sending ships-of war to foreign ports to obtain supplies of grain, he thought the len, gentle man had not calculated the cat such a proceeding would oc casion, and oorapared it with the result likely to be obtained. The hon. gent. had talked of 17,000,000 of quarters of corn, as the disposable produce of the but American harvest. lie believed that estimate was wastrite'2lnearernt but the amount which could be brought over by our ships of war, if so employed, would be but a very small propor tion, indeed, of that estimate, and would by no means tem per:date for the expense. In the first place, it would be ne ceaary to fit up the ships for the purpaae, end the cost of such fitting up, in a ship like the Bellmsle, would be about 19,000!., and, after all, some 10,000 ton, would probably be so much corn as she could brit g-60,000 quarters would be as much am could be expected to be conveyed in this way ; and, looking at the time which must be lost in altering the Teasels, and the expense, it was obvious that no adequate result could be obtained. There would, however, be this certain evil consequence — when it was once known and proclaimed that the govern ment ships were to be so employed, a very great discourage ment would be given to the merchant service.—(Hear, hear)--and great reluctance to send private vessels to foreign ports for grain would ensue. There would be fewer ships consequently at Odessa and America, and freights at those places would still further increase. (Hear.) It was not merely the want of ships at New York and the other Ame rican ports tbat constituted the dillicuhy in conveying food from the United States. There was great difficulty in finding the means of conveyance from the western states where the bulk of the Indian corn was produced to the ports of the Atlantic. The coat in the states where it grew was 7d. a bushel, but ax the pore from whence it was exported it was worth several shillings. Mr. S. CRAWFORD would not press his motion after the explanation of the noble lord. He had not said that seventeen millions of quarters were require I—he believed one and a half million quarters would be sufficient to meet the wants of Ireland. Lord J. RUSSELL thought it right to state that a propo sition had been made to him by some members of the Society of Friends, who had been engaged most laudably to relieving the distress of Irclaad—they informed him that extensive contributions were being made in America fur the virchase of corn for the Irish poor, and asked if a ship of war might be placed at their disposal for the conveyance of such corn to Ireland. He had declined a literal compliance with that request, but had informed the parties that if the corn was subscribed for, the government would pay the freight of ftTothis country. Mr. KER. considered that a system of emigration might, with great advantage, be carried on in connexion with the import of corn by means of the Poor-law or otherwise, and some arrangement made by which the vessels employed in importing corn might be made available in conveying to the colonies some of those who could not be supported in Ireland. Lord J. RUSSELL could offer no direct encourageme,. toenail a plan. There was already a power under the Irish Poor-law to apply funds to the pupae of emigration ; and it was already permitted to those foreign vessels which, by virtue of the suspension of our tussigation laws were now bringing corn into this country, to take out passengers, pro vided they did not take out merchandise u well. Itis belief wee, that emigration would proceed during the season to a great extent. THE EIGHT MILLION LOAN. Mr. HUME had observed in the public pepsin of that day, a statement that the loan about to be contracted for by government, was t i be effected in the 3 per cents., instead of the higher stock. Such a proceeding was, he believed, op posed to all former experience as to the result upon the finances of the country generally. In the case of the 20,000,0001. loan, the lose to the country, from the selec tion of that particular stock for the operation, had been 260,0001. He thought it would be better to borrow the money at the lowest rate of interest at which it could be got, and agree to par the money hack again in six years, than consent to take WC for every 1001 of stock. Lord J. RUSSELL replied, that after receiving all the information Ord could be obtained, and giving the fullest consideration to the subject, the government were con vinced that the loan could he raised on much better terms to the public by the means proposed than by any other. The order of the day for the committee of supply was then read. PADDLE-130X SAFETY BOATS—SIGNALS. In answer to a question from Mr. Goan, Mr. WARD said there would be no objection to produce the correspondence which bad taken place on the subject of paddle box safety boats; and in reply to Mr. lion:, the same hon. gentleman expressed his willingness to produce, next week, returns, showing the result of the trials which had been made of certain signals for preventing accidents at sea. POOR-LAW COMMISSION. Mr. ROEBUCK inquired whether there would be any objection to lay on the table the opinion which bad been pre viously relined to, confirming the authority of the commis sioners in the proceeding. they had taken. Lord J. RUSSELL did not think there would; but would confer with his right hon. friend (Sir G. Grey) on the subject. STATE OF THE NAVY. On the motion for going into committee of supply, Sir C. NAPIER complained of the large sums wuich had been spent during the last Ave years in altering and cutting down vessels of war-8 three-deckers, 13 two-deckers, and 10 frigates, had been cut down since 1800 ; 30 ships h ad been altered by oar surveyors, many of them never having been at sea since they were built. Several 44 gun frigates had been cut down to 20 and 22 gun corvettes, a class of vessels by no means as effective as the frigates. Then there were several 110 gun ships on the stocks, built on the model of the " Queen, although that vessel had been admitted to be a failure as she was first launched. By the cobbling up she had since been subjected to he believed she had been made a pretty fair vend and had acted well enough in the two first trial mina, but in the last trial, when the other ships rolled so much , she had taken no part; so that what she could do in rough weather was not known. (Hear.) The Vanguard was at first looked upon as an excellent ship, hut found to be the very reverse in a heavy gale of wind. Besides, when in the Mediterranean, she sailed in yacht trim, a thing which was overlooked at the time, but when she had to carry stores and provisions, she was beaten by many other ships. The Albion, owing to her rolling motion, was rendered useless; one sea she took to leeward having covered her ports exactly like a cascade. The St. Vincent, on her second cruise, was obliged to reduce her tonnage about 100 tons, while she carried her guns only 6 feet out of water. As for the steam fleet, be considered it the disgrace of the navy. The late Board of Admiralty went on building steamers at a railway pace. lie asked I for a commission to examine into the subject, hut I was denied it. We began to build staiun.frigates in 1882. The first was the Gorgon, but he did not blame the con structor of that, because it was the first, and because her saes had been altered from his plan. The next was the Cyclops, which drew too much water—her shafts and puns wine too low ; it was impossible to mount her main desk gem, and her main-deck ports were obliged to be eaulked In. In that enormous frigate, the Terrible, the stern ports were altogether forgotten. She was made with theview to carry NO tons of coals, but when they came to be put in she would only . hold 550 tons, or about seven days' consamption. Her engines and steam boilers were abso lutely upwards of five feet out of the water, so that if a shot went through her into the boiler, every man of them would he completely cooked. (Laughter.) The Retribution, of 1611 tons, carried her main-deck only five feet four from the water. Similar, or equally bad, defects might be pointed out in the Vengeance, the Sampson, the Centaur, the Gladiator, the Firebrand, and others, but it was useless to go through them. Indeed, there was not one of them, except the Terrible, fit to go into action—unable to carry more than seven or eight days' fuel, and every man exposed to destruction, owing to the position of the boiler sad engines. Since 1840 there had been laid down no lees than 33 iron steam-veuels, and yet it was not until 1847 that the govern ment thought of having a shot fired at an iron boat, to try how she would stand it; and then it was found that the shot went clean through one side, and nearly knocked the other side cut altogether. (Laughter.) These stem-boots cost more than 1,500,0001.; hut, looking to their imperfections, he thought the best possible thing that could be done was to sell them all, for they were only fit to make coal-tugs of. One of them, the Birkenhead. had been converted into a troop-ship, but she was only capable of carrying 450 boptroos, and had no place to put her cable-tiers. She might a good troopship in time of peace, but in time of war no man had a chance of being saved in her, unless provided with air collars. (A laugh.) The Rattler, which had been sent to the coast of Guinea, opened at the sides and took in so much water, that they were obliged to bale her out. He objected to the use of the screw in steam men-of-war, be cause it took up the entire of their hold. Indeed, very great blame attached to the Board of Admiralty ever since he had been in her Majesty's service, for the thoughtless manner in which they had continued to build ships; deriving no ad vantage from past experience, or from experiments of their own. The bon. and gallant admiral then turned to the subject of promotions in the navy, which he said had been carried on upon a very large scale from 1818 to 1830, when Lard Melville, after doing all the mischief possible for 16 came to the resolution to sap them. Hence the Uti r it i i ' te of the Admiralty, dated Ist Feb., 1830, resolving that no promotions should take place beyond lin 3. Now, if they *mild adhere to that rule he would be satisfied ; bet they did not. A sum of 30,0001. was granted last year for the retired list, upon the express understanding that the list should be reduced It was stated that the flag officers wore to be reduced to 160, and the captains to 600. Now the flag ere down had th o tt palm y bian ' Ted liar d to 600, 16° ; and, instead of keep log 60 commanders had been i !as Pemmtad hi gstr i amir a nis e tevent/ A. ha sd regar -trr a h w i ere:r a . t b r ch a ow g n ood in of to fri lirra te ral -cee wu th k turned into a bad steamer. He understood a commissio n was sow sitting at the Admiralty to c onsider the increase of the pay of the men in the navy, and of the engineers. No steamer was ever sent to sea that did not break down, for, owing to the parsimonious way in which the engineers were paid, the wont of the clam were employed. If they had larger pay and the rank e lieutenants at least, and w allowed to superintend :be putting on of the machinery, this would not happen. And halides, if the men generally were better paid, the beet p u zishinent would be found to his their dieehine. He wished to know # the edosizalty mead EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 27, 1847. attend to the teermunendatioe of this commission. He should also recommend the establishment of at least one Seaman's Home. With regard to the merchant seamen's fund, he wished to ask it the government intended to ame liorate the mode m which it was dealt with, as if not they had better repeal the bill. As respected the registration of seamen, it was said that the tickets which were given to them did no good, but he had a letter which showed that the system had had the effect of decreasing the number of desertions in the merchant ser vice, and be thought it would he unwise, after only two years' experience, to put an end to it. Under the Enlist ment Bill, in time of wier, seamen were called on to serve, and even one who answe red to the proclamation in fine days, received double bounty ; but he objected to another provision of cue bill, which gave a bounty at the same rinse to all the men in actual service. He thought it would be an improvement if the men were celled out in classes. lie thought the government should take the present composition of the Hoard of Admiralty into consideration, tor there would not be so many errors in the service if the first naval lord had not too much on his hands. lie might have the fleets in his department, and give the dockyards to an ti member of the board. With regard to the manning of ships he thought the late Admiralty deserved great credit for sending out mt not-ear with their full complement of men and guns. lie perceivedthatthere were 4,000 men °Teethe comple went, and, if they were paid off, how were the ships to be put in MORIIIi4iIOR to be manned ? He was informed, there fore, that there were 4,000 men less in the estimates this year. After apologising for detaining the house on g ivin g his opinion on these matters, the gallant member went on to say that the noble lord (G. Bentieck) had said the other night that he (Sir C. Napier) was, anywhere but on the quarter deck, like a fish out of water. Now, the noble lord had • quarter deck of his own at Newmarket, and when he left it for his present position, he must have felt like a fish out of water too. (Laughter.) The noble lord had spoken of the Sidon. Now, she would be finished on Saturday and if the noble lord would take a c ruise with him round the bile of Wight he should be glad to sec him, and he would promise to give him a bottle of the best port in Eng land. (Laughter.) Mr. CORRY would not go at length into a reply to the speech of the lion. and gallant member, for he had made the same objections half-a-dozen time', and they had been replied to as often. There was one point, in which the conduct of the late board of admiralty was invoiced, on which he must observe. He alluded to the extensive experiments which had been said to have been made in iron ships of war. It was an important national question, inasmuch as the greatest portion of the timber of which our ships were built was of Minus growth ; and it was important, if possible, to iron, one of our own productions, fur the purpose, particularly as in ease of • sudden necessity it was impossible for the dockyards to supply a sufficient quantity of timber. The hon. and gallant member said that there were 33 of these iron ships, but those ordered by the late Admiralty on amounted to 24. It was fully proved that iron was well a d*pted for the con struction of vessels for ordinary purposes. He had • communication on the subject from an iron ship builder who had built 250 of these vessels and it was not likely that that would be the case, unless they were found to be valuable, at least for ordi nary purposes. The Great Britain, which had been exposed for months on the shore at Dundrum without injury to her frame, was a proof of it. In the 24 vessels ordered by the late Admiralty, six were of the Bloodhound claws, and were not intended for men-of-war; three were intended for packets for the lonian Island', one was her Majesty's steam yacht, and another, the Dwarf, was an experimental screw steamer; and of the whole 24, levee only were intended fen war-ships; two of these, the Lynx and the Sharpshooter, were of small size; and the Birkenhead and four other steam frigates were the only ones of importance ; and therefore the responsibility of the lee Admiralty with regard to iron vessels of war was limited to these seven. The hon. and idlest member said that they had never been tried, so as to know the effect of shot upon them, but the Nemesis, an iron steamer, had been employed ia the China war, and a Mexican ship of war, the Guadeloupe, commaaed by en English officer, Capt. Charleville, had been tried also. As to the experiment of an iron steamer under the guns of the Excellent, that was one which was only intended originally for carrying shipwrights from port to port, and was of so slight a construction that it could not be considered a con clusive experiment. lie had letters from Capt. Hall, of the Nemesis, and from Capt. Charleville, of the Mexican ship, the Guadeloupe. Capt. Hall said that the Nemesis had been struck by shot fourteen times in one action, and "only one pseud through the vessel, and it made asmall clean hole; another only made an indentation, and there were no splinters. The Nemesis had had holes made in her bottom by rocks, which were easily stopped by plugs of wood, and, in short, he gave the preference to iron ships of war over wooden ones. Captain Charleville, of the Guadeloupe, in the Mexican ser vice, in like manner wrote, " my opinion is as strong as ever in finny of iron ships, provided the vessel is properly built and I should prefer commanding an iron steamer to • wooden one." He (Mx. Corry) thought the opinions of two such officers of experience as Capt. Hall and Capt. Charleville were entitled at least to es much consideration as that of the hon. and gallant adm:rsl (Napier) who had not had any ex perience on board such vessels. (Hear, hear.) At the same time he quite concurred with the hon. and gallant member that the admiralty oughtnot to go further in building iron steam ships until they had been still farther tested. Such had been the determination of the late board, and he hoped their successors would adopt the same course. Whatever might be the results of the tests which would still be applied, and even if it should turn out that iron was not in all respect* a desirable material to use, still the vessels which had been built would be a great acquisition to the service in being employed in the conveyance of troops. With respect to schooners, seventeen only had been constructed, and in one of them (the Mulatto, as we understood). the screw principle had been fully anti successfully tested; and with respect to the block ships, or steam inar•d ships, so much condemned by the hon. and gallant admiral, he could only say that they had been adopted for the defence of the dockyards on the recommendation contained in the report of distinguished naval and military officers. He should not further detain the house, but he felt thus much to be due in justification of the late Board of Admiralty. Admiral DUNDAS thought that the attack of his hon. and gallant friend opposite (Sir C. Napier) upon the Board of Admiralty, with reference to the recent promotions, was most unjust. He (Admiral Dundee) held in his head a comparative state of the navy in 1816 and 1816, sad he found that not leas than 1,4.54 officers had died within that period. To have done full justice to most meritorious officers, the recent promotions ought to have been double the number. Capt. HARRIS said he had often before expressed to the house his conviction that the armaments of the ships in the British navy were wholly insufficient for war purposes, as had been proved over and over again, by the experiments made on board the Excellent He hoped some alteration would be made, and our ships of war equipped in a manner better fitted to meet an enemy than wee the case at present. Mr. HUME said that he so far concurred with the bee. and gallant admiral (Sir C. Napier), that, did he not know that the present Board of Admiralty was devising means to put a stop to the enters upon which shipbuilding wee car ried on in the dockyards, he (Mr. Hume) should bring for ward a motion on the subject. At present the ship-building for the public service was conducted on worse principles in this country than in any other country in the world. , There had not been any ship built, even for special purposes, that had answered any of those pur poses ; and there had been in the dockyards a waste of materials and of expenditure and labour in short ening or lengthening, or cutting down the vessels then built quite equal to that stated by his hon. and gallant friend (Sir C. Napier). He (Mr. Hume) never saw the right hon. baronet opposite (Sir J. Graham) pr sent on the occasion of the Navy Estimates being brought on, that he did not feel that the right hon. baronet, when at the head of the admiralty in 1832, had struck the greatest blow that the improvement of the naval architecture of this country me received. Instead of following tho Earl St. Vincent, who for twenty-four years had taken the trouble of turning the attention of men of ability and science to the subject of naval architecture, and had laid the foundation of a college for the advancement of that science, the right hon.' baronet, in 1832, has cleared all away and returned to the system of ship-building by the " Rule of Thumb," just as it had been practised before. The motion was then agreed to, and the house went into a committee of supply—Mr. GREENE in the chair. NAVY ESTIMATES. Mr. WARD then rose and said he could not but feel that be had a difficult duty to perform to-night in laying the navy estimates for the ensuing year before the house,—first, on account of the largeness of the expenditure, and secondly, from the great variety of matters over which that expenditure was distributed, and of which he wished to give a clear and intelligible account to the house. The gems estimate for the year exceeded net, the estimate pro posed for the last year, and the vote would exceed that of last year to a Mill greater amount, because the credits in aid (which were a sort of running account, from year to year) amounted this year to 175,0001., while last year they were 190,0001. So that the apparent excess was 77,0 001 . more than the money required to be voted last year. Now, be (Mr. Ward) perfectly agreed with the observations made the other eight by his right hon. friends, the mem bers for Portsmouth and Coventry (Messrs. T. F. Baring and Ellice) upon the financial statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when they impressed upon the house that nothing was so deserving the watchfulness of parliament as this perpetual tendency of estimates to increase. (Hear.) They referred the house, as a standard, to the estimate. for the year 1834-5, when the nayy estimates were only 4,24.5,0001., but he (Mr. Ward) might ask the house to go still further back, and to refer to the year 1817, when the number of seamen and marines voted was only 19,000 in all. His right honourable friends did not do that, because their own common sense told them that which was the justification of the present government *for the vote they were about to propose, namely, that no country could fix the standard of its own expenditure with reference to that of other countries. It was clear that all power was relevant—that it was matter of comparison—it was power only when met by power greater than itself, and, therefore, that which might have been an ample provision 20 years ago, after a war which had borne hardly upon every continental power, but from which the country bad escaped, might be wholly inadequate for the defence of the country now that other nations bad had 20 years of peace during which to develop° their own resources, and to bring them asp to the level of the resource. of this , country. When he said inadequate, he meant so strictly for the pur poses of national defence, not for purposes of aggrandisement of any kind. He estimated the blessings of peace as much as any man in the country ; but he was perfectly sure that the only way of preserving those blessings was to be in a po sition to defy attack. (Hear, hear.) We must keep up the Beet stay of our national importance, as • security for peace with other powers; and this consideration was sufficient com pletely to justify the vote he was about to ask. He had to , show, ui the firs-Instance what the increase rea ll y was in the Davy estimates ; whit poet of tho wool to be voted yards ; and about 4,000 had already ent ered at Deptford, Sheerness, Portsmouth, Plymouth, and nav y had been considered ; bat it was imporaihle to make any increase in the present year ; I.e hoped to see it done before long, believing it would be the last preventive of offences. With regard to the marines, a bill would be in troduced by the right hon. the Secretary-at-War, for limiting enlistment in the army to one year ; and it would be difficult not to give the marines the benefit of that: it was the wish of government to place them on the same footing as the army. A bill would also be brought for eqablishing second ary punishments in the army, on a system precisely similar to that which had worked so admirably in the army. An other bill would be brought in to legalise the apprenticeship of boys for seven years,thus introducing anew systemof training They had also endeavoured to get rid of the system of break ing up the crews of ships at thi ir first lending, by giving them six weeks leave, with pay during that time provided they kept their names upon the hooks, and by providing facilities for tho deposit of their kits and clothing. At pre sent this plan was new to the men, but he trusted and be lieved that as they became used to it it would work well. Now the next point to which he had to refer, war a new sys tem they were striving to introduce with a view to better inspection in dockyard'. These improvements would cost 5,0001. ; but when the house remembered that the salariee and wages in the yards had averaged 810,6641. for the last ten years, andthat this item was perpetually increasing, and when they considered, also, that stores of more thou a million in value were annually consumed in these yards, and that the other charges of the yards.arnounted to upwards of a million more, they could not fail to see that this question of dockyard superintendence was well worthy their attention. Indeed the necessity for that superintendence became more evident when they reflected on the increase which would be occasioned in thig department of the public eervice. At the present time France could repair her steamers in case of accident at Brest, Cherbourg, L'Orieet, Toulon, or Rochfort, whilst we had only one dockyard, Woolwich, at which say repairs of steam vessels could be effected. It wan this con sideration which had led the government of the right hon. baronet to commence the extensive works now in progress, and an they increased there would obviously be some necessity for vigilant inspection. The only way in which that vigilance could be obtained woe, as it seemed to him, by adding to the personal inducements of those emyloyed. Hitherto no emu lation had been excited in our dockyards. Promotion there woe a lottery. It was a thing canvassed for, not earned; and it was a well known saying that a ten pound house wen • better recommendation for dockyard promotion than the highest merit, skill or character. (Hear, bear, hear.) Never did a vacancy occur in a dockyard without its being canvassed for by lords, ladies, clergy, mayors of towns, and a heat of others equally ill-qualified to judge of the fitness of the candidate; and if the house wanted to know the influence they had exercised, and the way patronage had been abused, they might judge of it from the fact that, for the last 50 years, no outgoing SCRIM Lary of the Admiralty had left behind him a single record of the principles or recommendations upon which his promo lions bad been based. (Hear, hear.) Now he (Mr. Ward) did say, that such a system an this was a demoralizing sys tem. As a natural consequence, it occasioned a feeling of apathy in the yards, which was felt to be a great hin drance to all exertion. Feeling, therefore, that the exceeds" of this patronage wan at the root of the evil, the Admiralty had resolved at once to sacrifice it. They proposed, is future, that the patronage should be employed under an educational test. They would, first of all, have the schools for apprentices in dock-yards put upon a superior footing, requiring school certificates of goodeonduct, in order to obtain admittance to the yard, and selecting the most qualified youth. for advancement as draughtemen. They intended also to in troduce a system of weekly returns in the yards, making the head men of each gang report weekly as to the conduct of the people under them, and tarrying the returns from one superior officer to another, until at last it came to the muter shipwright, by whom a quarterly table would be sub mitted to the Admiralty. Whenever a man wan recom mended for promotion, it was intended by the Admiralty that the whole of the returns thus made should be laid before them, in order to enable them to judge of his capabilities and conduct. It was further intended that of all candidates for such promotion, the three standing best upon the lists should be selected, and from that number two should be nominated by the master shipwright to the Admiralty, in whom the final selection should be vested. lie thought this was a measure which would give great satisfaction. He ought also to state that it wan intended to raise the salaries of the inspectors from 1001. a year to 125/. a year at once, and that next year a "first clans" of inspectors would be formed, consisting of one fourth of the present number of inspectors of each yard. All these plans, he should mention, had been submitted to the admi rals now or lately at [la , head of the different dockyards., and had received their cordial approbation. (Hear, hear.) So much, then, for what they had done towards systematizing the navy of the country. Ile had now to allude to the de tails of expenditure under the several votes. The first we. an increase of 31,0001 ,which would provide for the increased number of seamen and marines of which he bad already spoken. In No. 3 there was an increase of 7,3401. for salaries, ific. in the admiralty offices. This sum would pro vide for the augmentation or the steam department, for an increase in the salaries of clerks, and for an increase of 2,0001. in protege expenses. In No. 6 there was an increase of 7,2911., which would provide for the payments of salaries to the engineers in the different yards. An increase of 58,8771., under No. 8, would provide for the wages of a larger number of artificers, &c. ; 20,000/. of this money would be spent in training artificers at home; 3,0001. fur the establishment of the metal mills at Chatham, which, when they were at work, would save the country 6,000/. leyear ; 10.000!. for the wages of artificers in the steam fae tore at Woolwich ; and 6,0001. for the steam factory at Portsmouth. Under No. 10 there would be a decrease of 89,0001., mainly arising from so much steam machinery and so many iron steam vessels not being required next year utast. ' Under No. 11. there was an apparent increase of 32,790!. for new works ; but this amount wan in • measure made up of sums which, in former years, had been voted under heads Ito which they did not properly belong. lie might observe that the new works in our ports, both at home and abroad, wore in satisfactory progress, so hat, in a few years, there would be comparatively no outlay required under this head. In the article of iron-steamers there would be a re duction of 70,0001. or 80,0001. ; in all probability he 'loped also for a reduction in the article stores, and there would be a great reduction in the cost of repair-., owi•ir to the more efficient system introduced into onr yards. In con elusion, the right hon. gentlemen said there was the utmost disposition on the part of the government to keep the expos= in this, as in every other department, as low as wan eeacieteat with the safety, honour, and dignity of the country. (Hear, hear.) On the first vote being proposed that the sum of 1,32.5,8201. be granted to defrsy the wages of seamen and marines for the years 1847-8, Admiral BOWLES expressed his general approbation of the improvements proposed to be made in the administration of the navy. Captain PECHELL cordially welcomed the improve ments so ably announced by his lion. friend. He should have been glad to have found among them a regulation for properly strengthening oar squadron off the coast of Africa, for while we kept any squadron there at all, it ought to be in a thoroughly effective state. lie regretted that no mention wan made am increase in the half-pay of masters and pursers, and complained of the delay in launching the Tench built by Mr. Whits, particularly that which was celled the Termagant. Competition in ship-building, under certain restrictions, ought to be encouraged, as far as wan practicable. (Hear, hear.) Dr. BOWRINO must acknowledge that he saw great im provements ea compared with those of former years in the estimates, but complained that the accounts of receipt and expenditure were not kept 'separate. There was one put improvement here, however, and that was, that the mast were not prospective estimates, but all were vouched by receipts. Capt. FITZROY wished to know what was the use of taking a vote for 27,500 seamen, when 4,500 more were borne on the books. It was utterly impossible to have the number reduced, but still he thought there should be more I accordance between the vote and the actual number. In the dock-yards, also, there was great room for improvement. Mr. WARD said that that subject was under the ear& deration of the Admiralty. Capt. BERKELEY said that the 4,500 seamen alluded to by the hon. and gallant member were required by the state of affairs in China, New Zealand, and the Tagus. He was surprised to hear the hon. and gallant member complain, seeing that he wan one of that board which had sent our fleet to the Tagus, manned with marines. Since then the boys enlisted under a late order had been sent out, and so efficient had they proved, that Admiral Parker had written home for permindon to rate them as ordinary seamen. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WARD said that arrangements were in progress by which steamers could be loaded with coal at the rate of 100 tons per hour, instead of 100 tons per day, se at present. Sir J. GRAHAM aid, that when he was in office, the great object he had in view was, as farce possible, to di. minish the naval estimates when it could be done without injury to the national service. (Hear.) He viewed with great regret the present increase in the estimates, and had heard with alarm the statement of the Secretary for the Admiralty, that notwithstanding their progressive increase, they were not so lug* as the interests of the country re quired. He should not have risen but for the introduction of one topic of extreme delicacy, one which he should not have ventured to allude to but for his perfect freedom from official responsi , ility. He meant the pay of the men in the naval service. (Hear, hear.) The Secretary of the Admi ralty hod stated that it would be desirable to have the pay of the naval service approximate more nearly to that in the merchant service. He (Sir J. Graham) believed that if once the Queen's service was brought into competition with the merchant service, every rise is the latter would cause increased expence to the country. (Hear, hem.) It would, in fact, create a necessity for altering the arrangements in the whole military and naval service of the country. (Hear.) lie. WARD aid he never meant to moot the subject to which the eight hat. geotimanrdened; and if he used any axpresions which elaveyol on ides that he did so, nothing was farther frees his nonaties. Sir C. NAPIER maid be we. sorry to hear whet fMI rem the hon. gentleman, beano he was of that the sea men in the navy WOWS net sedleistay Mr. q. HERBERT esti he Aid net l lisee the pay in the navy wan lower than be the ---sent seeks, 1 _they tech into consideration the mules whisk was Awed to the men in the naval service, and the peke of ekes. Mr. M. GORE hoped whatever party wee in 'weer, that the interests of the navy would sot be Mr. F. T. BARING WS/ sure no e im a g t4 Courier would refuse the supplies necessary to keep** navy in a proper state, but partook of the anxiety of the right hon. baronet at the increased expenditure in the several depart ments of the pnblic service. He regretted that the 'reek of his hon. friend the Secretary of the Navy did net pre any ' would be applied in increasing our effective naval strength ; and, in the next place, to show that it did not bear more than a due proportion to the increase which had taken plus in the naval establishments and affairs of other powers. He doubted whether we had yet reached a point where weeould safely stop, if the position, integrity, and honour of this em pire was to be permanently maintained. First, what was the real increase in the navy estimates ? what money was the house called on to vote for the effective naval protection of the country . ? To arrive at that, the nary estimates must be stripped of all extraneous matter; there must be deducted the packet service, which was swelling into a monstrous item every year. He did not object to this; it was the natural growth of our increased commercial inter course, not only with our colonies, but with every put of the world. In 1830, the whole of the charge on the naval estimates for the packet service amounted to 27,0001.; is 1831, to only 24,000/. ; and in the vote now to be proposed there was taken for the pocket service of the year in one slope or other, 820, 3831 . There had also been a large in crease in the transport service for both the army and the ordnance, and in the convict service for the home depart. anent. During the present year there was a decrease in the convict service. But taking those three, the packet servers, the transport service, and se hat might be regarded as a per tion of the dead weight, the pensions and superannuation@ (which did not correspond with any actual lid at ! present wished to be maintained, but were, in point of fact, a debt bequeathed to us by the ' lad war), the amount for non-nasal service, which would be voted in these estimates, was 1,564,9484 Deducting this sum from the Oct vote for the present year, there remained 5,996,0901. so the whole of the cum to be applied by Eng land to her maritime defence—by England, • country which had, literally speaking, no other defences, without a single fortified town, with her coasts absolutely unprotected, with an army of some 20,000 disposable men, without a militia, without military organisation of any kind whatever. In such a country they were voting 5,996,0001. for the naval evoke; while the French estimates for the year, for pre cisely the Mlle service, amounted to 5,039,0001., making a difference of only 3.57,0001.; and France, having her coast admirably fortified, Paris impregnable, a standing army of 300,000 men, and a national guard of 1,000,000 to fall back upon for her own internal defence. Within the last two years a very rema rkable change had taken place in the French navy estimates. In 1846 the chamber of Depu ties, upon a very elaborate report from the government, had added an extraordinary credit of 93,000,000 of francs, to be distributed over the space of "even years, to the ordinary budget that bad been voted in previous years. For the present year the estimates altogether amounted to 140,984,591 francs; to this was to be added about 13 millions more,—as one-seventh of the 93 millions; bringing 'the total up to 6,639,000/. In applying this sum they Lad very considerately ceded that proposition of the extraordi nary credit which ought to be applied to ship-building under ordinary circumstances ; and the minister of marine stated, at the close of his report, that " it was thought to be in ' harmony with the manifest intention of the chamber that the building of new ships should be proceeded with as fast as possible, so as to complete the projected increase in the fleet as soon as can be done, without waiting for the prescribed' term of seven years. The works of 1847 and 1848 are regu lated with this view." He added —" With regard to steamers, the rum of 2,847,084 francs for steam-vessels likewise for the same reason, exceeds its proportion of one seventh of the extraordinary credit." This was done in order to carry out systematically, year by year, a proposal for increasing the French naval force, in commission and in the service du roi, (rem 358 to 390 ships of all classes; to which number it was to be brought up in as much under seven years as it might be found convenient to execute the work. He found no fault with France for this; be stated these facts not in a spirit of jealousy and suspicion ; France did what she thought right and necessary to maintain her own position and power. She set us, in many respects, a noble example. He admired the wise liberality with which her works had been systematically carried on, from year to year, until she had absolutely replaced the positive died ventages under which she laboured, along the whole coast of the channel, by some of the most magnificent works of art that now existed. From north to south, at Dunkirk, Calais, Havre, Cherbourg, Brest, St. Halo, Douarnener, Audierne, Bayonne, and Rochefort, the finest works were going on, of which the house and the country had very little conception, as it regarded their magoitude and future importance with reference to the defences of the country. The most magnificent breakwaters were found there ; it was true they were but poor substitutes for the finer harboate with which nature had enriched this country • but still they were sub stitute., At Cherbourg, 44 millions of francs had been ap propriated to the works there ; 18 millions to the break waters ; and 25 millions for the dockyard. That dockyard contained 231 acres; it had three basins for the largest steam vessels that could be built, 16 building slip', and 6,000 workmen employed. The breakwater exceeded that at Devonport, in length, by one mile. At Brest, there was a steam-vessel establishment on a much larger scale than any thing which this country powered ; there WAS one stnithey, with no lees than 127 fires Our largest , at Por tsmouth, onl y contained 48. The case was the same at St. Melo, Andierne, Rochefort, and the other ports. These works bad been carried on systematically for 1 8 or 20 years ; while our corresponding works had only been begun in 1843. These facts were a lesson to us ; and they imposed a very heavy responsibility on those at the head of affairs in this country. All power was relative; aid we must take core, by a proper development of our own resources in the time of peace, t• c=the balance of power being changed, should any m end unfortunate event lead to war. There was no need to vie with France in the magnificence of these esta blishments, on account of the immense private resources which England could at any time command; but a certain parity must be kept up; and we must not gr udge the wee" necessary for putting our ports and harbours in a proper state of defence. He (Mr. Ward) should belie his con victions most completely if be said that, in this re spect, our work was nearly done; it had only been began within the last five months. We had the finest naval stations in the world in our possession, and they ought not to be neglected. Bermuda was a disgrace to us •, Malta was still very incompetent ; Portsmoudr, Plymouth, and Devonport were very inadequately defended. Malta was the only point available to our Mediterranean squadron, be tween Chnstantinople and Woolwich, where a numbest of any magnitude could be repaired. The steam-building es tablishment there even was still most inadequate; he helped to see it pressed on, till the manufactory was comple=l till everything required for a steamer could be f there as well as in this country. (Hear, hear.) All thhhed asiese from unwise economy, niggardliness, and minloalie ny, which refused to look forward. Ten yeah sip we ought of nothing but cutting down estimates; now, des consequence was, we were forced to crowd into three yearn the work that ought to have been done, and might have been done, in ten years without inconvenience. This had come, too, at a time of great expense, when every shilling was ill afforded by the Chaneeflorof the Exchequer. Yet these works could not be neglected without placing the country in a po sition in which no member, on whatever aide he sat, or whatever principles he profes sed, would wish to see the ma ritime power of England placed. It might be asked, what had the present Board of Admiralty done to redeem its pledge to systematise and improve the resources they had, and what was proposed for the present year? They had done less, and proposed less, than he could wish. (Hear.) Every one must be aware, from the statement of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer the other night, how small was the margin with which the public departments had at pre- sent to deal. The choice bad been less what to do than what to leave undone ; and many things bad been left undone, in spite of the present largeness of these estimates, which he sincerely regretted. Last year, a question was much agi tated about a naval reserve; but we had not the money. Another question was the establishment of coal depots, for which all the preparations in our ports were most inade quate. The works of Bermuda must be suspended another year, in order to finish those in progress nearer home. Besides, it had been thought more desirable and more neces sary to add 1,500 men to the marines, for which the vote would be taken under No. 1., and to re-organise entirely the corps of naval engineers. Nothing cou!d be more pressing, looking at the important duties they had to perform, and the great detriment which the public service suffered from the inadequacy and incompetency of many now em ployed. A committee, appointed to take this subject into consideration, compos ed of officers beet acquainted with the matter, and presided over by Lord John Hay, had reported that the inferiority of pay drew away from her Majesty's service men of the most eminent character and abilities amongst the class of engineer', and left the service too often in the hands of ignorant and unskilful penons. The first class of engineers in the government service were paid 131.85. per month, with no addition for length of service, and no outfit. In the Bast India Company's service they had an outfit of 501.; 161. per month fur the first three years ; 191. 4a. 7d. for the subsequent four years • and 231. 16e. a ft erwards. In the merchant service, in flat of the West India packets, and the great . packet companies, it w as 2.51. per month for find-class engineers—nearly double what the government gave ; it was 161. per month in the Mediterranean, 161., to '2Ol. to the West Indio, and 251. to India and China. There was the same difference:in all the four degrees into which the chief engineers were divided. There was also an extra ordinary difference in the manner in which they were treated. In the one service they were recognised as men of high intelligence and capacity, who could not become en gineers without qualifying themselves by a liberal educa tion; in the ether they ranked below the lowest warrant officer—the carpenter in her Majesty's ships ; they had no advantage in meaning ; they were not treated as gentle men ; they did not consider themselves u such, and they con sequently disliked to enter the service. It was proposed to take 4,0001. for this class; to separate them into three divisions,— inspectors of machinery afloat, chief engineers, and assistant engineer, —the two latter divisions being each subdivided to in three classes. The inspectors of machinery afloat were to rank with and after lieutenants ; the chief engineers with and after master.; the eminent engineers with and after second masters. It was proposed to give the inspectors of machinery afloat 261. per month; the three closes of chief 201. ' 161., and 141.; and the three clams of 121.,91. 10s. ' and Si. It was pivoted to have a rigid examination of candidates for entry or promotion; that they should be soleouraged to go into the heavies to acquire practical skill; and - that, in every ease where engines were ordered at a private manufactory for the government service, a thief engineer should attend, to supervise the work, end obtain each as insight as should enable him to take charge of the engine when built. The cost of these alterations would be about 4,0001., in the present year. As the value of the machinery under the care of these engineers was at least 1,400,0001., the addi tional expense now proposed was only one-half per cent. on that sum ; and the house must concur in the absolute neces sity of this vote. (Hear, hear.) The vote for the marines would be taken for 50 0 men for twelve months, and 1,000 men for six months. A sum of 20,0001. would be taken for the organisation of the dockyard artificers into a corps, to be regularly uniformed sad trained ; it teeuld be a voluntary corps, not employed on Pardee at * diou'onao from the dock- great hopes of a speedy reduction. lie thought NW ex. planation should be given of this vote, which was for a , excess of expenditure over the estimates voted last yew . There was also an excess in the previous year, the whale amounting to 230,0001 Mr. GOULBURN explained that the excess was too, sioned by the works consequent upon the report of the caw mission appointed by government to inquire into tto effeztiveness of our harbours and naval defences—that report was of such a nature, that after tbo close of the senses it was thought necessary to expedite the works, and hems arose the additional charge. Other expenses had also beea incurred, and which the state of the country warranted, ia iron steamers, steam-engines, and material. - - • • - Lord J. RUSSELL thought the right hon. gentleman bid given a satisfactory explanation as to the increase of expo,. diture beyond the estimate for the years 1845-46; but he thought the precedent of 1840 should bine been followed when a similar excess of expenditars in the naval department, having occurred, the house thought it right to pass the vote in a form which stated the neeerity which had occasioned the additional expense. In regard to what had been said by the right hon. baronet oppunte sad his right hon. friend (Mr. Baring), his opinion was that the greatest vigilance should be at all times displayed by tl is t house in ensuring that the expenditure should be teals in the way mast conducive to the efficacy of the service. He did not state that opinion from himself alone, but be had requested the board to make a minute of it, said he was satisfied it would be most beneficial to the public smite. With regard to the amount of the estimates for the past sad present year, he did not think the House of Comm,ns eeaY very well expect that there should be any great saving in do s navy. He thought the executive government should reqvire such a sum as should enable them to confide is the safety of the country; and although we had had a great navy, and obtained great victories in former times, we mot not think ourselves safe at all times in these dale of steam navigation—(hear, hear) ; —and he should not shrink from any demand that might be necessary. As to jobbing in the dockyards, he thought it an evil which should be remedied, and he did not say that the remedy proposed wou:d be efficacious, but he was sure the Admiralty weld use every means to prevent the abuses. It was important to do so, not only on the ground of preventing ponds:all:Oh ruption, but also as a matter of economy, for it win reported that where the right of voting existed in dockyards the wale was much more inefficiently done. After a few words from Mr. S. REB.I3IIIT, the TON ill agreed to. The sum of 63.5,4521. was then voted for victualling the na ße house then resumed. TENANT RIGHT BILL. On the motion of Mr. Fuser, the following gentlemen were nominated on the select committee en this bill:_ Mr. Posey, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, Me Evelyn Denison, Mr. Tattoo Egerton, Mr. Nate, Earl d Arundel and Surrey, Viscount Sandon. Mr. Newdegate, Mr, Bouverie, Mr. Hayter, Mr. Aeland, Mr. Finch, Mr. DOA Barclay, and Sir Charles Lemon. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. The order of the day for going into committee on this lriZ having been discharged, Lord J. RUSSELL obtained leave to bring in a bill fa the supervision of the poor in Ireland. which was read • tint time, and ordered to be read a second as Friday next. The house adjourned at ball-past twelve. he ei►nngis. MAILS. The malls for New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, and gm Zealand will be made up on the evening of the tat March. The West India wills, including than. for Mezioo, Honduras, sal the llavannah, will be made up on the morning of the 2nd Marsh The maim for th itidi North America, Bermuda, and the Cold Stated, will be made up on the evening of the 3rd March. Di, overland trails for Gibraltar. Malts, Greece, the lonian tisk Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Bong-Kong, and China, via &manumit% will be made up on the morning of the lid of Parch. The mails for the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, PURIM hue°, Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be nude ap an me evening of the 4th March. The mails for Vign, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Cadiz, and Gibralbit, will be made up on the morning of the th 2 March. The overland closed mails, rho Manville*, to the Mediterramm, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, Ike., will be made up sale evening of the Bth March. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Adverttstrig Offices o( " DAILY NEWS" and " EXPRERS , have been REMOVED teem 90, FLEET-STREET. to No. 11, BOUSEEIE 7 STEEET, FLEET-STREET, «anisettes to the Mug and publishing °Moe:. We cannot notice, in any way, any counennication that is rent to anonymously ; but thane whochoce to Adman us in confidence End their confidence respected. NEITHER CAN WE UNDERTAKE 10 RETURN ANY MANUSCRIPTS WHATEVER. Adyetteemente intended for The Repress, Landon emblem% mod be at the Moo by Two o'clock on the day of publication. MOW WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE. Too DAT—Morning, 24 min. pot 0; Afternaco, 50 ram. tort I To-Mosocto—Mosier. IS mist pot 1; Aftaroota, 35 rata. plat It LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 27. A blue book, containing coi.espundence with de Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, illustrative d the state of the Kaffir tribes on the eastern frontier if the colony, has been presented to both }lotus d Parliament by her Majesty's command. In Wild very bulky folio will be found an expos; of the calla of the late irruption of these savages . into the °okay, much more complete than the principal interim:lMM in the plenitude of their self-sufficiency, appear to conscious. We invite attention to this tact under I strong conviction that the printing and delivering di blue book are not synonymous with publication. 3k, when regard is had to the effects of the nunierommi voluminous blue books so liberally promnlmisi now-a-days by parliament and all departments d government, one may be pardoned for entertainingt: suspicion that our rulers and legislators have Or covered the secret of killing the spirit of inquiry over-feeding. Blue books are so numerous voluminous that nobody almost dares to attack tbee• and consequently their contents are as much a seed as those of the manuscripts in a government offim As the present volume, however, does not meld two hundred pages, and relates to hostilities berms an important colony and the barbarous tribes ea hi frontier, there is hope that it may find some reseal And they will easily discover in its contents ineadePl vertible proofs of very reprehensible neglect of deffe to say the least, on the part of the colonial fir' tionanes. The hostilities to which we allude March, 1846, without a shadow been offered by the colonists. A an aggressive inroad into the , ay by the Kaffirs; and the colonial traders sionaries in Kaffirland were assailed, - plundered. Up to the time of the from the colony, it is well known to our though the Kaffirs had been brought to their hostilities and talk of peace, that - merely the result of temporary exhaustion panic, and that no arrangements had been teeing to the colonists comi C linn past, or security for the future should be the only results of a nine mo between British forces and a few tribes of itself, sufficiently humiliating ; but - be told. The Kaffir aggression found the frontier fenceless state towards the end of - so early as May, 1842, the Town had warning that a Kaffir ws.. In that month Col. HARE wrote to the Sir P. MAITLAND: " I am well aware aiderable portion [of then efire], composers the young men, are quiripe for war and plunder, to enable them to purchase wives." after month, reports corroborative of this forwarded to head-quarters. The restless familiarly spoken of as " the war party," Kaffirland." The frontier colonists time systematically plundered by the February, 1845, the British agent in wrote to the Governor: "Whether dations have originated in this di among the Kaflirs, or with some remote it is difficult to ascertain; but the spat chiefs generally is evident; the combined ing influence of the Amakapati [count them is remarkable, and will require the measees and vigilant observation to ere In these circumstances, what did __ L September, 1944, he visited the front interviews with the settlers and the Kaffir • • to the former, and received latter. But he did nothing. months after his visit, there was plundering on the frontier; but, at period, the Kaffirs, disco ring that more vigorous measures were IMAM them were unfounded, hr their old trade of thieving. - 1 I ad lllddidia taken to put the frontier slslcd 411111010 ; the few troops station aisteusa neethward to take part in a 'West the frontier of the colony 1 041111811 leers and the Griquas—the d a bad of mulatto refugees from who, bating exterminated some Critheir country. Sir PER/ pter of accidents to ward off Mk calculation of chances is thus spatch of 21st March, 1846 : TM alder aisle I think, would still seeissokskresorpirulir : they wov' permits& se Is so dwy can, awl awi a we allude commenced i: idow of provocation hadn ts. Almost absiul the colony was at lonial traders and the assailed, maltreated, ime of the last d .11 known to our been brought to in t of peace, that this emporary exhaustion igements had been Aonists compensation r the future. That of a nine months' s 1 a few tribes dame sting ; but worse:lmmo found the frontier ins end of March, 1846. the government in 1 . Kaffir war was im wrote to the predeeenst im well aware that s :affirs], composed chill ripe for war and eser! to purchase wives." M 3borative of this view wie a. The restless piny vs the war party," or ier colonists were ill dered by the Kaffir" ritish agent in Kaffir" „ Whether the recent • 0; in this division of with some remote int in; but the apathy c i t; the combined sad nakapati [comae:Mon] . will require the moet servstion to control." 1, what did the Go visited the frontier . rs and the Kaffir chiefs: and received promisee nothing. For some here was an intertnim io , er ; but, at the end of iovering that their fears' I were about to be take led, betook themselves thieving. Not only put the frontier in r troops stationed thee Ake part in a leer of the colony been. Griquas the - • refugees from the ted some BOEjeelnilli Sir PEREGRINE Ira.' to ward off a Kaffir in aces is this stated in 46 : 0 61 would still refer Ee l "' they would ends • • sa, sad scaniss at*