The Press. — London, England, 1858-08-07 00:00:00

Volititai. DEPUTATION TO THE EARL OF DERBY. O N Wednesday afternoon a deputation of members Pi parliament, merchants, shipowners, and others interested in the Transatlantic trade, and also in the prosperity of the town and harbour of Galway, iveated upon the First Lord of the Treasury, at his official residence in Downing-street, for the purpose of bringing under the notice of the Government the national importance of forming a secure and con venient harbour at Galway fur large American steamship, and, with that view, to construct a break water and pier, at a cost of 15:2,000/. The deputation consisted of Lord Dunkellin, ALP. ; Mr. W. Gregory, M.P.; Mr. Vance, M.P. Mr. 'white, M.P., Piymouth ; Mr. Bowyer, M.P. ; Mr. Calmat, M.P.; Mr. Milner Gibs( n, M.P.; Colonel Mr. Grogan, M.P.; the Hon. M r. B e rnard, M.P. ; Ellice, M.P.; Sir Thomas Redington, K.C.8.; Sir H. Fleetwood; the Rev. Peter Daly, Chairman of the Town Commissioners, Galway; Mr. Thomas noward, Manchester ; Mr. John Orrell Lever, of _Manchester and Liverpool (owner of the Indian I:wrire); Mr. G. P. Lascudi, London ; Mr. Pierce ,ii.yee, High Sheriff of the county of Galway; Mr. bbri Wilson Lynch, High Sheriff of the town of Galway; The O'Donoghue, M.P.; Mr. R. N. Somerville, Galway ; Mr. Henry Bake ; Mr. T. M. persse, Galway; Mr. E. C. Banke, Galway ; Lieut.- Colonel French, Mr. R. M. Lynch, Mr. J. S. Adams, Mr. P. O'Brien, M.P., ,i7c. The Premier having received the deputation in the Coancil-room, The Rev. PETER D. (who acted as spokesman) presented his lordship with a memorial from the Harbour and Town Ceminissioners, in which they set forth that steam communication between Galway and America had already been commenced by the energy and enterprize of an English mercantile gentlrman of large pecuniary resources, and im portant connections with commercial men in the manufacturing districts, who had already despatched a large and powerful steamship to New York; that two other vessels were preparing to sail, and that a line of ocean steamers would ply fortnightly from 'Galway to New York and Halifax, and that pas sengers, mails, and goods could be forwarded by this new route with greater certainty, safety, and -despatch, than had hitherto been afforded. That the port of Galv.ay had been selected from its posi tion and its great facilities and advantages as the best in the three kingdoms for the American traffic, but that its efficiency was to s wet extent marred by the want of a breakwater anfl pier connecting Button Island with the land, and projecting 500 yards outwards. These works, if constructed, would -enable the largest vessels afloat to ride in perfect safety and be moored to the pier, protected from every wind and secured in the firmest anchorage. The works would also afford to shipping in distress on the western coast the surest and safest harbour of - refuge. These advantages could be secured by an -outlay of 152,000/., which Mr. Dargsn, the eminent contractor, and Mr. Hemans, the engineer, had sug gested as sufficient. The memorialists submitted that the Government should make a grant of the - required sum to secure what they considered national objects—namely. a packet station for the trade between Great Britain and America, and a secure harbour of refuge on the western coast. The Earl of DERBY having examined the chart of the harbour, said that he believed only one large steamer had sailed for America, and inquired the cause of the delay in despatching the Prince Albert. The Rev. Mr. DALY replied that the delay was to be attributed to the want of those very works which the deputation were prepared to advocate. A - tremendous storm in the Channel had detained the vessel on her way from the port of London. The rev, gentleman having explained to his lordship the nature and extent of the proposed works, and all the many natural advantages which the harbour of Galway presented as a western packet station, and place of refuge for ships, proceeded to say that what ever diversity of opinion might have previously existed in Ireland on the subject of the best site for an American packet station, all classes were now agreed as to the superior claims of Galway to be the point of embarkation for the American continent. The Earl of DERBY: I thought the commissioners bad reported in favour of Foynes. The Rev. Mr. DALY : No, my lord, rather in favour of Galway. THE PRESS, AUGUST 7, 1858. The Earl of DERBY : Galway has now got the start, at all events. What sort of passage did the Indian Empire make out ? The Rev. Mr. DALY said that the ship would have made a splendid passage, but that she met with an accident which reduced her steam.power a fourth, if not a third. The Earl of DERBY : Did she not run on the only rock in the whole neighbourhood ? (Laughter.) The Rev. Mr. DALY said that such was the tact, and that, the two pilots who had the vessel in charge at the time were committed to stand their trial for the offence, but that one of them had since died. The Earl of DERBY : Did he commit suicide ? The Rev. Mr. DALY : That has not yet been ascertained, as the stomach has not been analyzed. There are to be seven steamships on the station. The Tropeller is there now, and the Tubal Cain is getting ready for sea. The whole fleet consists of the Indian Empire, the Prince Albert, the American Empire, the British Empire, the Antelope, and the Vesper. The absolute cost of these ships amounts to '210,5001., and Mr. Lever and his friends (for the intended company about to be formed is not yet completed) have themselves expended that large amount upon this national enterprize. After some further conversation his lordship observed that the sum of money required was very considerable. The Rev. Mr. DALY : It is only 152,0001. against the many millions which have been granted for similar works in England. The Earl of DERBY : Well, I cannot, of course, give you a reply without consulting with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer and my other colleagues. It is, however, a principle of the Government to help I those who help themselves, and I am bound to say that you have done something in that way. I will only now say that it is not improbable that the Government may be disposed to cooperate with the town of Galway to some extent, but to what extent I cannot say until I speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and until we see how the project of a western packet station is likely to succeed. The Rev. Mr. DALY : That is as much as we can jexpect, though I should have been glad to hear y o u r lordship say that you would give us the money. (Laughter.) The Earl of DERBY : I dare say you would. (Laughter.) But you know this steam company is to pay ten per cent. You will not, of course, be con tent with !ess. (Laughter.) The Rev. Mr. Deur said that personally it was immaterial to him whether the speculation paid five per cent., or ten per cent., as he had not a shilling invested in it ; but that he and the other members of the deputation had interested themselves in the matter with the view of promoting the prosperity of Galway and of the empire generally. As for Mr. Lever, he believed that gentleman would be well satisfied if his expenses were paid by the first trip, and that the second yielded him a profit of five per cent. on his capital. There were, however, great obstacles in the way at present, in consequence of the absence of a pier and breakwater. The goods had to be taken out in lighters, in consequence of being brought by railway to the ship's side, and this his lordship must know was a tedious and costly process. The Earl of DERBY said he was quite aware of this drawback, but that all he could then sad was that the subject was an important one and should receive the best attention of the Government. The Rev. Mr. Dam': We are much indebted to your lordship for going so fully into the matter. The Earl of DERBY : Well, if you do not get the money it will not be the fault of the Earl of Eglin toun ; for I assure you he has written very strong letters to me on the subject. The Rev. Mr. DALY : We should be glad if your lordship would at:t upon the recommendation of the Earl of Eglintoun. I The Earl of DERBY—(laughingl—Especially since you have heard how he has written to me on the subject. (Laughter.) Lord Eglintoun, indeed, takes very great interest in the welfare of Galway and the succ , ss of this enterprize. The Rev. Mr. DALY : We believe he does, my lord, and in the general welfare of Ireland. I think we are much indebted to him for what he has already done, and here, in the presence of so many English and Irish gentlemen, I will say that it is felt in Ire land that his lordship has already done much for us. (Hear, hear.) We know all a Prime Minister has to think of, and will not detain your lordship further. The Earl of DERBY: Indeed, you don't know all I have to think of, or the half of it. (Hear, hear.) But be assured that this matter shall receive our best consideration, and that when we are in a position to communicate with you, you shell hear from us. Perhaps our communication had better be made through the Earl of Eglintoun. The deputation said it would afford them great pleasure to receive a communication from his Excel lency, and having thanked the noble earl for his kind reception retired. 763 PROMOTION AND RETIREMENT IN THE HIGHER RANKS OF THE ARMY. Commissioners appointed by her Majesty on the 12th of April last, to inquire into the effect of the system recommended in the report of the Royal Commission dated the 17th of June, 1854, and into the question of promotion and retirement in the higher ranks of the army, commencing with the rank of major, have just reported (in a blue-book) the result of their serious deliberations. The Commissioners feel hound to state that, so far as a recourse to the colonel's list for the purpose of finding efficient men for responsible command is concerned, the necessity for so doing has by no means passed away in the interval which has elapsed since 1854. They think the Commander-in-Chief has acted for the good of the service in selecting colonels tor command under the authority of the warrant of 1854. As regards the change made in 1854, by which deserving colonels might be promoted to the rank of major general, irrespective of their seniority, under certain safeguards and conditions, the Commissioners admit the complaint that it presses hardly on colonels who on attaining that rank expect to rise in succession to that of major-general, as a reward for past services, and they therefore recommend that all colonels promoted to be major-generals after five years' employment in responsible command with the temporary rank of major-general, and all colonels promoted to be major-generals for eminent services in the field, shall be placed on a supernumerary list of major-generals, and not be reckoned as part of the fixed establishment until the time when they shall have attained the rank of major general by seniority —i.e., until the colonel who originally stood flirt senior on the colonels' list to the officer promoted out of his turn has become a major-general, after which the next vacancy will be filled by the transfer of the supernu merary major.general to the fixed establishment ; and that the major-generals who have already been promoted out of their turn, and would not yet have succeeded to the rank by seniority, shall be considered as coming under this rule, but that they shall be specially allowed to retain the pay of 25e. per day which they acquired on being originally placed on the fixed establishment. But this arrangement is in no wise intended to diminish the advantages enjoyed by major-generals specially promoted, but merely to prevent their promotion from delaying that of officeis standing above them in the list of colonels. The supernumerary major-generals should therefore (it is suggested) when absorbed into the fixed establish ment still preserve the seniority which they acquired when, after a period of qualifying service with tempo rary rank, they were first confirmed es permanent major-generals on the supernumerary list, and wilt rise by that seniority to be lieutenant-generals in succession. General officers promoted for distin guished services in the field will take their seniority from the date of their promotion. To the supernu merary list the Commissioners decline to assign a fixed limit, but they opine that, as a general rule, the power of appointing colonels as temporary major generals should be exercised as sparingly as possible in time of peace, and never without the greatest care and consideration. The report next reviews the change so much complained of—viz., that by which a lieutenant colonel commanding a battalion or holding certain equivalent staff appointments for three years becomes a full colonel, unless shown to be unfit. The Commissioners think it a pity that the special brevet given in June, 1854, was not extended to all the lieutenant-colonels dating prior to the 20th of June, 1854. As regards the relief to be afforded to these aggrieved officers (115 in number), it is thought by the Commissioners that of two alterna tives—viz., allowing the operation of the warrant on the lieutenant-colonels of 1854 to remain intact, or replacing the lieutenant-colonels passed over on the list of colonels according to their original seniority—the adoption of the latter will entail less hardship and inconvenience. The original error should be rectified by granting and antedating an ex tension of the brevet given in 1854, so as to embrace all the lieutenant-colonels who held that rank prior to the 20th of-June, 1854. Having thus endeavoured to remove the hardship entailed on then exisming interests by the operation of the warrant of 1854, and believing that the principle of that warrant is sound and indispensable to the efficiency of the higher ranks of the army, the Commissioners propose to leave it undisturbed as regards the future, although some modifications to facilitate and simplify its working are recommended. And they lay down certain principles by which they think its application should be restricted. It is thought that the number of general officers for the Guards and the Line, fixed by the warrant at 1(X) officers on unattached pay, in addition to the colonels of regiments, 234 in all, is not now sufficient, and it is suggested that the establishment should be increased by appointing colonels to the three new regiments which have been lately raised, and by adding 23 to the number of A