The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-16 00:00:00

THE BALTIC FLEET'

THE time is now fast approaching whenval
n
expect to hear of the Baltic being closed with s
1&,1
the return of the British fleet, with no other reico
from their summer cruise than the doubtful he'
e_„,
gained by the bombardment of Sveaborg,
The'xPewo
ture of some Russian merchant vessels.
tion under Sir CHARLES NAPIER ended D e
f
unseemly quarrel between him and the Lords
Admiralty, and his place was supplied by Atllll4,
DuNrus, who was to have all the advantage of g:io
boats, the deficiency of which had crippled the etter
and baulked the intentions of his predecessor. ti
b'
seems, however, that the change of admirals an
supply of gunboats have not effected any great
provement, and we have the mortification of kaelv
that the most powerful fleet which ever left our' °,,e41,
has for two seasons cruised in the Baltic and rael_f;:e
the power of Russia to comparatively little Par... ,
Sir CHARLES NAPIER complains that his remonstr'r
were unheeded by the Admiralty ; that he was de
generously taunted with not doing what he "'3s pis,
and the ~
vented from attempting; and he claims credit te+,
self for having brought home the fleet in safe';lo
though that were the especial object for which bested`:
entrusted with the command. At the cele br--s
be
(l
Reform Club banquet, he boasted of the great -"v the
was going to perform, and he was openly told ~e ;oil
first Lord of the Admiralty that he had full Pern'' 0.4
even to declare war against Russia. Yet he
of being hampered by instructions, and of be'lito
strained by the home authorities from cal ryiar, 19,1 -.
intentions. When Lord NELSON had Englaatriijiel;
reputation in his keeping, he was not very fa 5011;
about obeying instructions, he construed thea.,l, gt ty
general orders to do the best he could agr".
enemy, and refused to see any of a contrary te"earetr
Had Sir CHARLES NAPIER made a liberal in Dante
tion of his general orders, and, disregarding Ile,.
instructions, applied himself vigorously and el'io the
tally to strike a blow against Russian poster cbargje
Baltic, he might safely have bid defiance to all will
from the Admiralty of breach of orders, and host, fer
vv l •11
for himself a reputation which he has no ,hie
ever. He calls in vain for popular
would have been freely accorded had he shovia,ie with
worthy of it; andhe has retired from active ser Kett',00
the character of being a mere vain boaster•but
credit for having brought home the fleet in sa',_ich
the safety of the fleet was not the object for sio
was sent to the Baltic. When the late Sir, 4 the
SMITH assisted in the defence of Acre agre ship
forces of Napoleon, he resolved to place .I_o shore,under his command against some batteries 000
and wzs remonstrated with by the
d the' - .01
he was acting in concert, on the growl
_he Ado
placing His Majesty's ships in danger. in awe'
replied that they were built to be Place ~sci out sae;
and persisted in his design, which he cartrowhave ote",
eessfully. Sir CHARLES NAPIER aPPearS. his sbir
t to
directly the reverse, and, instead of ou
sett- ..0
against the stone walls which they were tnc
rolgii3o
batter down, contented himself with h too
bs
fal
like 3
home safely, and then to scold t.dtnlr
Such seems also to have been the course aoist
poscao
DUNDAS. The season for action has almost gassie„
and we have a repetition of the same thin,"
fleet unharmed, Cronstadt stronger than es ei
floored,
ls being e' &Alt
only injured by a few merchant vesse bre-r
tto be ell
and the fleet, if theweather should palm as st"
auurai.,
General witf
he 0,5
home safely. It is time that the old