The Express.
London, England, 1859-04-07 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 7, 1859.

THE NAVIES OP ENGLAND AND

FRANCS.

REPORT OF • CONFIDENTIAL COMMITTEE.—
(THIS DAY.)
The attention of the British Cabinet has helm re-
medy draws to the very serials increme which bee taken
places of late years to the navy estimatea, while at the same
too it was represented that the naval force of the country
was far inferior to what it ought to be, with reference to that
.1 other powers, sad especially of Franca, and that hummed
efforts and Mermaid expenditure were imperatively called
for to place it on • proper fooling. By a cabinet minute,
dated the lat of December last, a confidential committee was
appointed to investigate the subject and to institute •
strict examination into the comparative navel expenditure
either years 1862.53-64, and of the present year, with the
view ofplaciag fully before the Winn all the calms of the
past Increase, as well as those causes which appeared to
theme • further increase for the future. The commutate
were also to undertake the delkate and difficult task
of tracing the proper of the navy of Frames
since the year 1862, as compared with that of Eng-
land, and to eacertalm If possible, the present condition
of the Preach navy se regards docks and works, including
the coaatructiou sad armament of ship of war. For this
purpose each information as was posseseed by her ldelesey's
government was afforded " Ina strict °outdates" by the Earl
of
Italmesbury. The committee consisted of Mr. liamilloa,
then Secretary to the „Treasury; Mr. Corry, than and now
Secretary to the Admiralty; Sir Richard Bromley, K.C.8.,
accountant-general of the navy ; and Mr. Anderson, chief
clerk of the treasury. Their report was based this morning,
The committee cotatesuce their report by deeming that
they have confined themselves to the investigation and
nateownt of facts ; offering only snob suggestions as
appeared te arise immediately out of the facts them.
salves. They then proceed to reoapildne the sums
voted for meal services in the financial veers referred
to, reviewing the Names in detail. The thermos is partly
accounted for by the additional number of seamen; the
votes for provisions, purchase of naval stores, construction
of new docks, Ac. The causes of increase seeing from the
introduction of steam must affect permanently the navy
estimates, and the growing increase in the size and cost
of week threatens farther adieioes. The great expense,
however, which has affected the navy estimates for many
yews pat, and which will continue to add to them far seve-
ral future years, must be attributed to tiro necessity which
has arisen for the substitution of a steam for a sailing fleet.
" In former times," observes the report, " when we possessed
the requisite number of sailing ships, it was necessary to pro-
vide only for the repair and gradual renewal of a navy already
inexistence; in addition to the cat of maintenance, it is now
necessary, and has been of late years, to provide for the
crratica of a new and far more expensive navy. The pro-
gress which Franca has made and may hereafter make, in
the formation of • steam navy, is • consideration which can-
not be overlooked in determining the amount of our future
naval expenditure."
In 1852 England possessed au aggregate of 177 steam-shlp
and vessels, 3,045 grine, and 45,064 horse-power ; in 18.611.
England possessed, tartans. of 62 troop shipe, store ship,
yachts, tenders, despatch vessels, do., an aggregate of 464
steam-Alps and vessels, 8,246 guns, 106,962 bone-power,
and 457,881 tonnage. The stores in stock are reported to be
in a satisfactory state; but the stook is not more thin
misquate according to the existing expenditure.
The branch of the inquiry which will excite most
attention is that is which a comparison is instituted
between the peeks of England and France. Fran
a variety of tabula compfletious, it appears
that France, since 1852, has increased hoe steam line-of-
battleships from 2 to 40, of which there aro 5 building and
4 converting, and that this has been effected by the conver-
sion of 26 sailing-ships, and the building 14 screw-ships.
Ragland, in the name time, has increased her line-of-bettle-
ecrew-neuners from 17 to 60; of which there am 10 build-
ing end 7 coeverties This hue beau effected by the con-
version of 27 eaillag-ships, and the building of 23 es mew-
ships. The addition, therefore, to the French navy, in steam
lice-of-battle.ships, complete, building, and converting, Is
33, and of England 33, since 1852. France hae, at present,
4 irou-aided ships (" frigates Undies") in coarse of con-
araction. The steam frigates of Frazee, meow sad paddler
lam been increased hoes 21 to 46; aad England
imeamail leer steam-frigate., strew and paddle, from
111 le 84, and her bloth-shipe of 60 guns each Mlle 4 to 9-
. It is memory," observe the committee, "that we 'head
settee Ms wepakeity in steam. frigates on the part of Franca
over Great Britain, which, in the event of hostilities, /sigh
fans a serious detriment to this country, especially to este.
ties to the Interruption of commerce." On the other brad,
the French steam-corvettes and sloop., which
is 1862 were 31, are now only 22 ; while
those of Great Britain, which, in 1862, were
59, are now, including 7 meals since reduced from frigates
to sloop*, 82; our screw Boating batteries are 8, as against
6 French; our screw gun-vassals and other small vessels me
63, whereas the French have 93; our screw gnu-boats ere
162, and those of France 28; and the whole steam navy of
Great Britain now amounts to 464 vessel., while that of
France numbers 264.
As regards sailing mains England, OM meows a great
superiority over Franca. Reglani has 35 line-of-battle-
ships, of which 6 are mowed to be converted into steam-
ship ; of the remaining 29, only 18 are considered by the
surveyor ef the navy effective as sailing.ehips ; and, In his
opinion, if it should be deemed expedient to convert
any of them, they are convertible only Into frigates;
France has 10, of which only two are eonvertib'e ;
England has 70 frigates (of which 27 only are reported by
the earveyor as effective sailing-ships). France has 32, of
which it is said that 9 or 10 will be convertel into stem-
transpor.a, the remainder being too old for oonversitm; there
arc in both countries several other vessels which, being too
small for c inversion, it is not smarmy to notice. The total
number in the two mailing navies is, England, 296; France,
114.
In the last Nation of their report the committee draw at-
tention to the weekneee of Oren Britain in steam frigates;
and suggest that the force in the dockyards should be nest
in the 0011VVIIi011 of ships of the line and frigates (the mole
by which the increase has been effected in the French navy),
an far as the available dock accommodation will admit.
They then comment upon the prospective oolb'y centees-
pl.ted by France to complete bar steam navy and naval
establishments.
, Ann-mama to • report of the Misister of Merino, par
fixed to the French navy estimates of 1869, it appears that it
is in'ended to raise the French steam navy to 160 vowels
war of various clamor, built of the best mode'', with ea-
gars of full power, in addition to 71 steam transports, sad
to complete the building, in the several military ports, of the
dry docks and factories indispensable to meet the require-
matte of the new steam fleet. The expense of these work
It to be spread over the period from 1869 to 1871.
The gamey t e be at propriated to these works is also stated in
the minister's report; be proposes that the annual grants
fir labour, mat-dais, armament, new works and repairs, up
to the year 1871, shall be raised to the sum of 2,600,0001.
he eetimates that 1,920,0001. of this sum will ha almothed. is
the " sonnet consumption of the steam navy, works of math-
temenors, and the renewal of misting material'," leadog the
annual average sum of 680,0001. for the increase
of the de et and the extmation of the naval
establighments. The sum which Freese, Intends to
devote to the latter purposes up to 1171. when the
fleet will ham reached the limit of its proposed extension,
amounts, therefore, to 9,840,0301 The proposed annual
grant of '2,600,0001. would antoont,th 13 years, to 33,800,0001.
Maistesence sad mewsl will absorb nearly three-fourths
of this sum, leaving the above ram of 8,840,0001., or rather
more than one-fourth, to be devoted to the increme
ef her strength in ship and naval enablishmeate.
The sum mantel in England by parliament, in
the year 1868.69, for the same services in the
navy Nemeses, including 767,0001. for naval ordnance
and ammunition provided for iu the army estimates, amounted
to 3,754,0001., being 1,154,0001. is excess of the inermeed
annual grants proposed by France for the next thirteen
years. Before we eau ascertain how mach of this sum, or
of any smaller may an be moldered applicable to the in-
Nesse of our steam navy and naval establish-mats, it will be
necessary to fie the strength of the test to be maintained in
commission ; fa it le Blear that the lager the member of
dna* to ettandmilm, the larger must be the sags for mala-
imam% suits sad maks ; and, onassaaaily, the smaller

will to the meta ovoliallo for the bows of oar abliag
form Franco fogad, borclioolstion upon antims uohor poor

atablishment of 1852, the number of her ships in commis•
o{oll for 1869 being 152, against 176 in the year 1862; owl
the number of seamen afloat being 25,784, against 25,0 W in
1862. Our poeltion is very different. Oa the let of Decem-
ber, 1858, our shire In oommhaion, and their oomplementer
as compared with 1852, were as follows :—Dec. 1, 1868,
'hips, 267; guns, 4,649; complements, 47,953. Dec. 1,
1852, ships, 203 ; guns, 3,584 ; oomph& ants, 36,372.
Inman—Reim 64; guns, 1,065; complainants, 11,581.
This numbs is (exclusive of a farther incense of 3,302
marines on shore, including 1,800 employed on shore in
Chins, also of 3,880 sesmon employed in the coast-guard on
shore, making a total increase in 1868, as compared with
1852, of 18,763 smarm and marines. "It is clear, there-
fore," observes the committee, " that although the sums
voted on our navy estimates for labour and materials are
gloater than those expended in Fraroe, a much smaller pro-
portionate surplus la available for building new ships."
♦ foot note to the report states that it hes been consi-
siffered right to omit various passages founded on oon6-

. _
dentist reports and communications meals to the govern-
ment. The statements respecting the French navy bays
been derlsei from authentic) sources, Among the instances
is "blob maniacs firs subs'ituted for the language of the
oesibittee is in the ease of a comparative statement of
shipping and seamen in the merchant services of the two
countries.