The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-17 00:00:00

APRIL 17, 1860.

I IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOME OF C0M3101113.—.--Mnl/DAT, Ann 18.
The Seamus took the choir it the ueuhl Lour.

NEW MEMBER.
Yr. Ilrodd.tet teak the oaths and his seat for London.
deny.
MUTATE ETTSIRESS.
The South DIM 94w,y and Watt Dorset Railway 111111
were reed a thitaingt:wsibpareed.
The and Wieldow Railway, and Dublin
and Wicklow Railway were read a mond Hine.
NSW WRIT.
A new writ was mowed be the borough of Harwich, in
the room of Lord Strathedee.
TR& 1111,011 Y BILL.
Yr. MAMMY sededeldee that, after the meowd reading
el the Reform RM. aseidedd move that the Bald bill be »-
fared to a Wed moddibee.

SHM DAN! 07 ENGLAND.
Nr. Aldermen IItALONONS pre 00000 that he cheek]
est the Chamenor of the Exchequer whether his attenca
led beencalled to tbereeent .I.mmution in the bank rem
and also whether be supposed such diminution Ina
by the ordinary requiremeeta of trade, or by any combined
-.ion for the withdrawal of those resins as Ur pin tie

•
itfr
C. NAPIERclrew attention to the condition of the
navy. There seemed to be but one feature in the
misting administration that met with the pliant ad-
mires approval, and that was the fact that we are in
of • Channel fleet of ten sail of the line.
irieltsilitedgment, however, that number ought to be in-
creased, and he pointed out the means by which he thought an
addition of ten sail might be made with consperatively
little expense. He complained that the Admiralty had over-
stated the amount of the cone volunteer reserve, and cited
the authority of Admiral Berkeley Mike* that hi the Mat
of swat betaken out with a merihme power tbasal7 d lie
country would have to depend upon a reserve, less d aso,
but of 3,200 men. He also passed under review Ile veriest
recommendations contained. in the report of the cosande.
@losers on manning the fleet, noticed incidentally the
subordinate quantities of paying-off crews, the Marching
Seamen's Fund, Greenwich Hospital, the establishment
of school shi and other matters ; charged the
government with •ppaathy and something like a
neglect of duty, trod dsmsmded to know what wee the
use of appointing a commission of inquiry if the ream.
mandating they made were not carried into effect.
In windleg-up, the gallant admiral asserted that,
in the present state of the British navy, although
I,4'j...tight be able to fight a drawn battle, we
vete so Inger justified in maintaining oar former confides°,
sehieving • victory and towing the foe into port.
Nit J. ELPHI NnONE called attention to the case of the
poet captains on the reserved list, entering into full end
minute details upon the subject, arguing that they had been
disappointed of what they °tendered their just claims by a
quibble.
Mr. LINDSAY complained of the increasing ex-
pediters for the navy, and asked the meaning el
them enormous. armaments. Whom were we arming
spied? Why, against France, who was increasing
her wAr expenditure became she was afraid of us as
we of kr; and this in the face of professions •of
hinelistiehoth Mew He thought something could be
te erne this mind expenditure if right 1110111211 were
hented upon the extravagance of the duck.
expenditure, and the unnecessary coat of ships in the
royal yards.
Bir M. SEYMOUR supported the claims of the post
captains mid those of the widows of warrant officers. He
adverted shortly to some of the matters dwelt upon by Sir
C. Napiereed Yr. Lindsay, urging the very serious im-
portance ef the quanta as to the manning of the navy.
Sir J. PALDIGTON, with reference to the case of
the pest captains, expressed his opinion that their re-
quest wee well foun&4 end that, looking at the whole
transaction, the view they took of the order in counzil
rested upon a better ground than that of the Admiralty.
Sir F. BARING, who had drawn up the order in
council, explained in intention, and contended that it
would not bear the construction which the officers put upon
it.

Mr. HENLEY referred to various statements in evi.
dance as to the quality of the timber used in the
.dziiiards, and the iniallioient stop of kreffilll4ll.--ta
queistion, which, In his opinion, founded upon details
which he stated to the house, had not been met by the
Admiralty in a proper manner. The Admiralty had come
to the conclusion that 60,000104de of timber would suffice
to keep up the supply ; but he contended that it was de-
monstrable by figures that this amount would not furnish
a sufficient quantity of seasoned timber of proper dimen-
sions, hut leave a deficiency which no outlay of money
could repair in an emergency.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS inveighed against the enormous
amount of our naval expenditure.
Sir H. Leans was of opinion that the reserved captains
had been very hardly treated ; their case was likewise ad-
vocated by Admiral Watacet.
Mr. BECTINCK made • few observations upon some of
the subjects touched upon by Sir C. Napier. He attri-
buted the extravagant expenditure for the navy to the
system which rendered the Braid of Admiralty a political
body. The slurs in the public docheards, he rid, were
beyond the control of the board as at present constituted.
The house then went into committee of supply upon the
navy estimates, when
Lord C. PAGET, after moving the first vote, for the
Admiralty-oflioe, was proceeding to reply to the preceding
speeches ; but
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY interposed an objection on
the point of order, contending that Lola Clarence Paget
was precluded from continuing a debate then concluded.
This objection gave rise to a damask's, and, the point of
order being pressed, Lord C. PAGET was obliged to give
way ; the particular vote was debated in the usual manner,
and ultimately agreed to, the amount being 160,2901.
The next vote was 287,72 V. for the salaries and expenses
of the coast guard, the royal naval reserve, and the mast
volunteers.
Sir C. NAPIER asked whether the 3,500 men mentioned
were actually in the coast guard service, sailors fit to be
called out as a reserve, and able to act as seamen on board
ship! Admiral Martin, who was at the Admiralty two
years, stated in a pamphlet that the number of seamen
amongst them was 3,300 oily. He also wished to know
whether they were going to change the useless block ships,
which could neither sail nor steam, for ships that could do
some service!
Sir .1. ELPHINSTONE remarked that the definition of
able seaman was not sufficiently complete, and that they
were liable to have men palmed upon them who were not
able seamen. It was perfectly well known that the ortifi-
cates could be bought at reasonable prices, and that many
were bought. Thee" men ware under the management of
chipping masters, and se a seaman never looked a shipping
'nester in the face without having to pay him • shilling, he
sought to have thaw interviews ss seldom as possible.
(A laugh.) The shipping neater was not likely to know the
qualifications of these men ; be only knew them as far as their
register, went. The best way to deal with these reserves
would be to appoint an officer of rank with • staff to
manap the department, and then instead of 700 of these
men oie/ Wall ib6ttty kiglvl.. 749°' it 9°4N
upon the pamphlet by Mar -...as a tolinsete
compendium on this subject. With reprd to the officers of
the coma guard, it appeared to him a peat hardship that
their time was not allowed to count while they were com-
manding in the coast guard.
In answer to questions from Lord Lovaine, Admiral Wal-
cott, and Sir J. Pakington,
Lord C. PAGET mid that on the let of this month the
number of curt guards on board ships and tenders was
3,206, in addition to 3,438 serving on shore, making a toes'
of 6,644 seamen available for the fleet. There were also
1,386 civilians who would be replaced by seamen r fat as
they were pensioned off. With reference to the pamphlet
of Admiral Martin, be must say that there was mixed up in
it, with much valuable information, a good deal that was
unjust and unfair. Such was the gallant admiral's sugges-
tion with regard to the forgery of certificates. It was not
possible to adopt any greater precautions than were taken.
• person who wished to enter the force was obliged to be
taken before • naval officer, who put to him various nautical
queetions, with a view to test his knowledge and uphill-
Mos ; and the objection to which the scheme really lay open
was rather that it was too complicated, and required too
much. (Hear, hoar) The ease of the commanders of the
coast guard would form part of a scheme which tau was
serous to lay before the house with regard to the retire-
resat of officers. (Hear, hear.)
Sir C. NAPIER had received • letter from an officer, de-
tailing to him the objections which tile men felt to entering
the coast volunteers. They said that they did
sot understand the regulations ; and that while
the shipping masters told them one thing the naval officers
told them another. They Also complained of the foolish
questions which were put to them. The officer likewise
wrote that the shipping masters were more devoted to the
interest, of the merchant service than to those of the navy.
Lastly, he stated that while the men admitted the terms
cared by the government to be good, they were deterred
flare entering by the liability to be flogged which such •
ate would eaten upon them. (Hear, hear.)
)tea. LINDSAY regretted to hear that only 800 men had
• the naval reserve out of the 30,000 which it was desired
raise. If the shipping masters could sot get the force to-
gether it was obvious no one else could. What redly deterred
she vim from ooming forward was that terrible black list,
the articles of war with their kanaltv of death drainer
&phut the moot tkfiing infraction of its rules. It might
be very true that that penalty was not often enforced ; but
the argument cut Loth ways—the severity of the mile pre. 1
v.eztedwoffibecersovefrorioniapeudnishmingennatbenereforwo.ffethiTiwb.whiditHoutti.t)

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