The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-30 00:00:00

ADMIRALTY 110ARD.

Sir C. NAPIER moved for a select committee to
inquire into the constitution of the Board of Ad-
miralty, with the view of rendering it more efficient,
and better adapted to the various duties it has to
perform. He said there was scarcely a naval officer
to whom he had spoken who considered that the

527

Board was constituted as it ought to be, and this
had been admitted even by Loris of the Admiralty
themselves. He appealed to the recorded testimony
of witnesses, especially the late Sir George C ickburn,
to the same effect, and urged the divided and uncer-
tain responsibility of the Board, and the contradic-
tory orders issued, he said, by the different members,
who worked in separate rooms and intermeddled
with one another. Sir Charles dwelt upon the evils
consequent upon the constant changes at the Admi-
ralty, which in his opinion led to much unnecessary
expenditure in the dockyards, and explained in
detail the reform which he considered would render
the department more efficient, by simplifying the
system, economising the management, and fixing
responsibility—viz., he would place the Vice-
Admiral of Great Britain over all the dockyards, and
would give to the Rear-Admiral authority over the
victualling and medical departments. He was con-
vinced that the adoption of such a caurse would
effect a great saving throughout the service. He
would make the First Lord Minister of Marine, if a
civilian, and Commander-in-Chief if a seaman, and
would give him authority over the Vice and Rear
Admirals. If a civilian, it would be necessary that
he should have the assistance of the Captain of the
Fleet, and he would give him the further aid of two
other assistants.

The motion was seconded by Mr. BENTINCK, who
insisted that the practice or placing a civilian in the
highest post at the Admiralty was anomalous and
unjust.

Mr. OSBORNE said Sir C. Napier's chief objection
to the Board of Admiralty seemed to be the want of
permanence in the First Lord, although no other
head of a department was permanent, and these
changes were incidental to a pariiamentary Govern-
ment. It was somewhat inconsistent, Mr. Osborne
observed, that Sir Charles should in 1846 have
applied for a seat at the Board of Admiralty which
he wished to blow up in 1857. The Board in 1846
was presided over by a civilian First Lord, and some
of the greatest improvements in the navy had been
introduced by civilians at the head of the Admiralty.

Sir G. PEcuEt.r, supported the motion? which was
opposed by ➢lr. KEn.

Admiral WALcorr advocated the appointment of a
board of scientific men to consider improvements
suggested in shipbuilding.
Sir C. WOOD defended the present constitution of
the Board of Admiralty, which he thought better
than the scheme of Sir U. Cockburn, or that proposed
by Sir C. Napier. It was not advisable, in his opinion,
thst the F►rst Lord should be necessarily a naval
officer.

Sir C. NAPIER having replied, the house divided,
when the motion was negatived by 152 to 35.

LAND TAX.

Mr. MACKINNON moved for a select committee to
consider the eipediency of a more equitable adjust-
ment of the land tax, and of allowing a further
redemption of the tax, and to determine whether any
means can be found to render the impost more bene-
ficial to the revenue of the country or the reduction
of the National Debt.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER trusted Mr.
Mackinnon would not press his motion, and reminded
the house that a motion identical in chat acter had
been already presented and discussed in the current
year, shortly before the dissolution. The question,
he submitted, had been frequently and amply inves-
tigated ; and he believed there was no ground for
undertaking further inquiries.

Mr. MACKINNON then withdrew the motion.

Mr. Mooae obtained leave to bring in a bill on the
subject of tenant-right in Ireland.
Mr. FAGAN moved for and obtained leave to in-
troduce a bill to promote the study of the medical
and surgical science in the Queen's University in
Ireland.

Viscount RAYNHAM moved for a select committee to
inquire into the operation of the act passed in 1853
for the punishment of persons convicted of aggravated
assaults on women and children.

Sir G. GREY admitted the desirability of finding
some method to repress the offences in question, but
doubted the utility of the proposed committee.
On a division the motion was lost by 84 against 125.
Mr. HUTT moved for and obtained leave to bring
in a bill exempting all buildings and lands occupied
by scientific and learned societies from county,
borough, parochial, and other local rates.
Mr. DODsos moved for and obtained the appoint-
ment of a select committee to inquire into the opera-
tion of the excise and customs duties on hops.
The Joint stock Companies Bill was read a second
time.

The report from the Committee of Supply on the
Army Estimates was brought up awl agreed to.
The Princess Royal's Annuity Bill was read a
second time. .

The house adjourned at half-past twelve o'clock.

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NOTICES OF MOTION.
MONDAY.

Sir F. THESIGER—that on Tuesday, the oth of
June, he should ask for leave to bring in a bill to
dispense with attendance of grand juries at the
Central Criminal Court and courts of quarter session
within the police district, except in certain cases.
Sir J. PAKINOTON—that it was his intention on an
early day after the recess to call the attention of the
house to the subject of national education.

THURSDAY.

Sir J. PARINGTON—that on Thursday, the 11th of
June, he would call attention to the present state
of popular education in England, and would move
the following resolution :

That the present system of popular education in Eng-
land is precarious, unequal, and insutficit.nt ; and it is
therefore desirable to empower local bodies to raise and
administer rates in aid of funds for education which may
in such localities be derived from parliamentary grants,
private subscriptions, or payments from children, due pro-
vision being made for securing the rights of conscience of
all religious denominations.
Mr. BOWYER—that, when the house went into com-
mittee on the Princess Royal's Annuity Bill, he
should move an amendment providing that, in the
.•vent of her Royal Highness becoming Queen of
Prussia, the annuity should cease.