The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-04 00:00:00

MOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS.

Yesterday, on the re-assembling of the committee,
Lord Seymour, chairman, Lord Holborn, Sir B. Hall, Sir
F. Davie, and Mr. Beckett, the other members,
Mr. John Briggs, twenty-seven rears reader to the Board
of Admiralty, deposed with great preciseness and importance
to the duties that devolved on him in his department., Two
Lords of the Admiralty and the secretary wire sufficient to
form a board ; but it would be, probably, what was called a
" secret " board. His duty was to open all the despatches
sent to the Admiralty. They were opened either by the
secretary, or by him in the presence of the secretary. He
marked the papers and d'atrittuted them—asking the lords if
they approved of them. He made the selection of the most
important papers, and read all the letters to the secretary
and the lords. He took the sense of the First Lord on
various subjects as well as the opinions of the other lords,
and the secretary entered it in a short minute. He did not
know how often a secret board was held. All the most im-
portant proceedings would be known both to himself and
the head of the secret department, whether it was a mes-
sege from the Foreign-office, the Queen's commend, or an
order for the distribution of the fleet. Where there was
any secret document, it would be put under a sealed cover,
with " secret " endorsed upon it. Was present at the
board meeting of September, 1849. I remembered the cir-
cular being brought before the board. Witness was very
glad of the arrangement, which directed that all letters for
promotions should go to the Surveyor of the Navy in the
first instance, as it diminished witness's labours ; but sub-
sequently, owing to the cancelling of the circular, they
were sent to the secretary, and opened by witness. Wit-
ness's opinion was, that the old system of sending first
to the surveyor was the more desirable one ; and that it
would have been better, fur that and other reasons, not to
have cancelled the circular of 1849. He thought it oc-
cupied the secretary's time, which might be devoted to
more important matters.. When the matter of the resigns.
Lion of tile Surveyor of the Navy was mentioned, witness
did not pay much attention to it, it was so common a thing
for naval officers to talk of retiring. Had been desired to
leave the board room when some matters were discussed,
but it had not occurred for many years. After reading all
that was proper, I might have withdrawn, and tin n their
lordships might discuss matters among themselves. Re-
membered toe occasion of Sir Baldwin Walker, the sur-
veyor of the navy, being at the Admiralty on the subject
of his letter of resignation. "On my entering the room,"
said the witness, " the surveyor of the navy appeared to
be labouring under great agitation of mind, as if something
very unpleasant had occurred." I beard some words and
was about to retire, thinking something had taken place.
The surveyor was standing at the table, folding up his
papers, and I heard him say these words, "very
well, sir, I will go to Somerset House and re-
turn by and by." Seeing that he was muck
agitated, I said to Mr. Stafford, I hope the surveyor
has not resigned. Mr. Stafford said " the Surveyor of the
Navy has been to the Duke of Northumberland, and
the Duke of Northumberland informed him that he had
never seen the resignation, and that, if be had seen hie
letter of resignation, that he should immediately have
taken it to Lord Derby ; that the surveyor had been to
Admiral Parker, who had told him that he had not thought
fit to bring his letter before the board, but that he had
destroyed it." Mr. Stafford also made use of these words
—" In fine, cuffed by the duke, snubbed by Admiral
' Parker, with his letter of resignation in the fire, the
Surveyor of the Navy not only comes to me and recites
this in his own proper person, but asks me what he had
better do." (Loud laughter.) My remark (said Mr.
Brigs) was, " Mr. Stafford, I'm astonished at you, I
am." (Laughter.) " Indeed," I said, " let me beg and
entreat of you not to press too heavy on the Surveyor of
the Navy ; he's a most amiable man, he's a most talented
officer, and I beg and entreat you to put a stop to what is
going on as quickly as possible, as my firm belief is that no
possible good can come from it. Mr. Stafford then put hie
hand on my shoulder and said, " My dear Briggs, you've
known me long enough to know that I am not vindictive."
I had known him five month,. (Laughter.) I felt very
much distressed, because from what I knew of the pot
I believed that when he said he was going to Somerset
House, there would be a bona fide resignation. I said, I
did not think the surveyor was to blame.
Mr. Grant, private secretary to Mr. Stafford, was then
called and examined, with reference to the system pursued
in making appointments and promotions. When he went
to see Sir Baldwin Walker at Somerset House, it was not to
submit names for promotion, but to ascertain whether cer-
tain vacancies existed, but that they had not reached him, or
been reported to him. During 1852 there were several
rumours to the effect that Sir B. Walker was going to resign.
Witness used to sit in the same room with Mr. Stafford,
and the papers that passed through Mr. Stafford's hands,
also passed through witness's. I saw the circular of the
26th April, bat could not say it came to him after it had
passed the board. Papers relating to appointments and
promotions generally came through his hands. Witness
here entered into explanations with reference to the system
of appointments and promotions at Devonport. It was the
usual course after paper had gone through tie kph de-
partment, where the appointments were made eat, to be
sent back to the surveyor of the nary. The Oradea of
ceneelment was not looked upon as an important an. *the
time it was issued. Could not say whether it was ever sub-
mitted to the Lords of the Admiralty. He meant to say the
Secretary of the Admiralty did not look upon it es an im-
portant circular, and that he as private secretary did not.
Mr. Stafford was then called, and examined at great
length on the case of Wells. This examination, which was
one of great detail, chiefly went to attempt to establish the
statement that Wells never had any appointment, in conic-
queues of its not having been properly made out and
signed, although Wells was recommended by the anbmission
of the Surveyor of the Navy. The appointment not having
been properly made, would not, consequently, be totted
in the record department. He admitted having Seca the
submission of the Surveyor of the Navy, recommending
Wells, on his return from the Mediteranneon at the latter
end of September, and that it was signed in the usual
way by Admiral Parker, which would convey to him the
impression that Admiral Parker had approved of it.
The date of the appointment of Cotsell was the let of Oc-
tober, and, on seeing the government appointing Wells on
the 26th of September, he told Admiral Parker it was his
great wish to appoint Cotsell to Portsmouth. Ile did not
go to Admiral Parker's room on the subject, but after the
board met him. Witness said there would be a difference,
but Admiral Parker expressed a strong opinion in favour of
Wells. Admiral Parker, in his evidence, says, " I remon-
strated with Mr. Stafford before I left him en the appoint-
ment of Cotsell to Portsmouth," but it was a remonstrance
before the appointment was made. lie was aware that Ad-
mind Parker had been superintendent of dockyard. at Ports-
mouth, and could not, therefore, say the admiral was an in-
competent person to give an opinion. According to the cir-
cular 01.1817, the opinion of such persons would have great
weight, more particularly on subsequently becoming a lord.
Witness believed he named admiral Parker's remonstrance
to the First Lord, but to the best of his memory the First
Lord gave no opinion on the subject. It appeared that
Admiral Parker not only remonstrated with witness but
with the head of the board by letter, according to the evi-
dence. Thought Admiral Parker wrote to the First Lord
when he was absent on leave. Had no recollection of
bringing the matter to the notice of the First Lord before
1 the appointment took place, but thought he consulted