The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-01 00:00:00

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NAVY.

Sir J. ELPHINSTONE rose to move the following rem.
lotions :

"1 That the mismanagement of naval affairs is due to
the inefficiency of the present means of naval administration.
" 2. Th►t no efficient administration can be hoped for
without direct personal responsibility.
" 3. That to obtain direct personal responsibility, it is
essential to abolish the Board of Admiralty, and to sub-
stitute for it a minister of marine, with a secretary in this
house.

"4. That the minister of marine shall be directly teepen.
sible to this house for the conduct and managameat et
naval administration. _ _ _

be misled by a council of not
than four naval officers, whose opinion he may ommult, but
to whom be is not bound to defer. _ _ _

—"
t . That the member of council
be appointed for Ave
years
"7. That each department of the navy shall have a
known and acknowledged head, appointed also for Ave
aura.
8. That the heeds of departments shall be directly re-
sponsible to the minister of marine, and that be shall be
retpooMble to the country that efficient men All than.
' 9. That all promotions and appointments be the act of
the minister of maim in council, submitted to him through
the ptopm heeds of departments, but for which he is m-
y remissible.
" 10. Theta naval commanders-in-ehief be empowered to
mime, wed be reepormible for, all questions of detail re-
lating to their command.
" 11. That the following departments are, in the opinion
of this house, of sufficient importance to require the special
superintendence of separate heads :—The discipline and
training of the navy, and general superintendence of the
fleet in commission, and the submission of the appointment
and ppromotion of elloess ; the manning of the fleet; the
eesatruetlw dila navy ; the victualling of the navy ; the
ming of the navy ; the controller of the coast gaud ; the
Royal Marines ; the medical department ; pensions and re-
wards ; the store deportment ; the department of wain ;
the hydregraphwr ; the transport service."
The hon. herniae alemmed the saldeet at some beg* in-
timating, however, that be did net area to pees the raw
lotions toadivbies. It the nee thee herqrseeedhbeee-
victim that they eswiebeed the pewee spier which Offend
the only mode ot getting out of oar preesst wad
• solution of the question.
Mr. BAILLIE, in seconding thisamendment, drew atten-
tion to the late appointment of Surveyor to the Na”', sad
to the manner in which the dugs, of the office had been
performed. He went very minutely into the doings of the
dockyard department, and into the enormous expenditure
for ship-building, insisting that this department must be
remodelled.

--Mr. iniiiDSAY, is calling attention to the expenditure
upon the navy, argued that we had not received value for
the large sums voted, and this excess of expenditure be
conascied with the present constitution of our Dave' admi-
nististkm. Having lately visited France, be had made
inquiries touching the extent of the French navy, and gave
some copious results of these inquiries, which had convinced
him that the British naval force in every class and branch of
vends was incontestably superior.
Sir J. PAU-NOTCH mid be thought he might say
that the great object they wished to see attained was
comprised in the terms of the essend resolution--namely,
the necessity that wee felt for inimmeni responsibility Money
part of the tandaffininintentlen of the royal navy.
It wailes (the hi hoe. liseemsre) Wend= whoa the prm
was made, to give it IS ampere Ia fact,
••
t left his me allurnative. The right mods
of with once • peados uadosbeedly be for
the government to endertake it thesomives. Ix his opinion
it would be for the petite service that the duties of the Ad-
miralty should be Investigated and improved, but such an
inquiry before a committee of the house would be very
laborious, and would probably occupy more than one ses-
sion. A commission would be more preferable ; but as the
government would neither reform the department them-
selves, or advise her Majesty to appoint a commission,
there was nothing left to him but to support the motion for
• committee. Be assumed, from what he had heard, that ie
was the Wien Hon of the government tommede to that
and he wished therefore to know whether it wasl=Bll -.
termination that Sir Baldwin Walker should leave England
before be had given his evidence? Sir Baldwin, if not the
most important, was certainly one of the meat important
witnesses that could be examined; and if Sir Baldwin
sailed for the Cape on Saturday next, as he had beard with
some surprise eras intended, the neevoidabie impression it
seta produce on the public mind would be, that the Ad-
miralty did not desire the pliant edesisars evidence to be
given. (Hear.)
Lord C. PA ET bad eonferred with the pliant admiral
who was about to move for the committee, and had been
informed by him that as Sir Baldwin Wilkes's evidence bad
already been given before the royal commissioners, it would
sot be to detain him in Dreamt Sr Baldwin had
also told him t at be could add math* to what be bad
already stated. With regard to the question before the house,
he was not prepared to do justice to all the important toPat
which had been darted in the ooune of the discussion. The
house had, in fact, a little anticipated the navy estimates.
The hon. baronet the member for Portsmouth had couched
his moieties in rather strong terms, and in terms not ex-
actlyoonsistent withfairplay ; but he most dohim the justice
to my that that remark did not apply to his speech. The
views he had put forward were very valuable, though he
(the noble lord) could not say that he was prepared to agree
with them all. There were, for instaaos, some rather im-
portant omissions in them ; for example, they did not in-
clude any notice of the accountant's department.
(Hear, hear.) It was • mistake to suppose
that the Admiralty ware unwilling to forward that great
national movement, the marine volatiteer artillery. They
were considering how they could give the artillerymen some
practical though not very expensive support, for it must be
remembered that it would involve • great outlay if they
were to supply ships all round the coast ; because those
ships would have to be fitted with hammocks, mess traps,
and all other appliances for a voyage, inasmuch as gales
would sometimes blow, and the vessels might not be able to
return to port for many days. The government, however,
were fitting up as rapidly as they could butteries armed
with ship guns, at which the volunteers might practise.
The hon. member for Sunderland wished to know why they
had not appointed volunteer office's. Well, the Admiralty
had intmiled to do so, but they found that an act of parlia-
ment would be osemeary. He (the noble lord) would accord-
ingly bring in a bill which would enable them to accept
the larder of tuft en in the mercantile marine. (Hear,
bear.) The boo. member for Inverness had given the house
• wary interesting history tit the Admiralty since the time
of his (the noble lord's) worthy predecessor, Mr. Pepys.
Clever and houust as Mr. Pepys undoubtedly was, it was
clear that he had a great prejudice against naval men. It
was perfectly true that the surveyor of the navy was once a
civilian, but then he had a naval man over him. The fact
was that the building of ships formerly required two dis-
tinct branches of knowledge—that of the shipbuilder, and
that of strike! seaman. Nov a third Was equally re.
quirite— t of the engineer. The question was which of
these three should be the chief ; and as the whole he sub-
mitted that it was beet that it should be a naval officer,
because what did a shipbuilder know, for instance,
about repairs aloft? He submitted that the noble duke
had appointed • moat valuable and silkiest officer. To be
sore it was said that it was not respectful, when a oom-
mitts* was going to report upon the *abject, to appoint •
navel rasa for vs pan ; but that was quite • mistake.
It was • great advantage in impieties; naval men that
they were always at single anchor, and mild never be said
to be permanently fixed ; besides which the gallant officer
had Meted his perfect readiness to give up the situation at
any time if it were thought desirable to snake • change.
He "add now refer to the statement* of the hon member
for fieudeiland (Mr. lAndsay), who seemed to have been in
the conlidoece of the officals of other Rations. He felt
much obliged to him for the infermelion which he had
given to the house. The boa ussether aid the French
government had very few skips—ealySlL (Mc lAadeey—
These were screw ships &Scat.) Weil, he (LordO. Fagot)
could maks • rstura el me many more. (Hear, hear.) He

had looked to the return of the Preach government with
a considerable amount of interest, for it included all the
ships on the reserved list, all paddle ships, and all tram-
irate ; and he wished the house remark that they were magi
lament vessels, and would do good service in tane of war.
The return made might be • perfectly honest return, but it
was not his (Lord C. Paget's) view of the French navy.
The horn. member talked about being alarmed. They were
not alarmed—they bad nothing to be alarmed at--fer their
fleet was ie • very satisfactory state. (Hear, hear.) But
there was cause for making some in these novel
arms which had been introduced upon t e waters, and that
was what this country bad to do. (Hear, hear.) The
bon. member said the Magenta and Solferino would not be
ready in leas than two years, that La Gloms only had been
launched, and that the others were in their infancy.
Well, that was • matter of opinion ; but he had reason
to think that they were nearly ready for sea,
and that them ships could, if the French government de-
sired it, be afloat this summer. He had bad the curiosity
to go and see these things for himself, and he found that
the Irascible bad been launched, and that the plates of the
others were in a forward state of preparation, and he could
say that the French had 15 iron-cased ships—two of them
boon 52 guns of a large clam, fear of them sister ships to
La Gloire, and four of them were of a most formidable cha-
racter. That made ten, and then they had five iron-cased
gun boats, making 15 in all. (Hear, hear.) Now in con.
treat to that we had seven only under construction. It was
true they were finer ships, and of • very
superior character. lie would state that if they
should find any more progress being made is
the construction of these ships it would be the bounden
duty of the government to come to the house and tell them
frankly and fully what their views were, and to state that
it would be necessary to have • corresponding increase.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the other questions, be
would when they were an committee give • general state-
ment r them.
Mr. BENTINCK celled the attention of Lord C. Paget
to various points in relation to naval matters.
Sir C. WOOD gave an explanation respecting the
nibility for the reboot. which had been the subject
quAerlset year, in answer to • remark by Mr. Bent lock.
some observations by Mr. W. TALBOT and Sir M.
Sergotre,
Sir M. PETO said that it could not be dialed the time
had come when the government ought to meow at once
from constructing any more timber ships? What had been
' the case with regard to France! She had ceased for some
time in building a single timber ship, and there was no
doubt whatever in the minds of all scientific men in that
country that this determination had been • wisemetieel,
and properone. France was alsobuildingirom sheathed
I It was well known that all the persons employed in all
dockyards in the kingdom, from the highest to the lowest
officials, had been trained up to building wooden shippsa,, sad
that if • man's mind were always directed to one partieahr
lime, he could not see beyond that line. If he went over to
Park tomorrow and had anything to prances tope Preach
Admiralty which might be for the good of the country, it
would be received with the most calm sad attentive coed-
deration, which was what he should never think of receivisig
from the Admiralty at Whitehall. (Hear.) The govern.
ment ought pa be aware that every shilling they were
spcodim upon wooden ships was so much mousy thrown
&Sway. He believed that Lord Cowley did not know aay-
Odom of the real sentiments of the French people. Its
habitually mixed with &particular class of that people, but
sever went down to the lower strata of society. He (Sir
M. Pete) had been in the habit of employing sometimes
2,000, sometimes 10,000 of the French people, and he could
assure the house that their feelings towards this country
ware of the most friendly and cordial character. (Hear,
bear.) Be had often talked the matter over with then:
sad also about Waterloo, but they firmly believed
they won that battle—(a laujib)—but they were
no rapidly becoming • commercial people that they
laughed at all these matters. (Hear, hear.) With
reprd to the Emperor of the French, he had received
great kindoess from him, and had possessed his confidence
far many years in respect to public works in France, and
o he believed that there was not • sovereign in Europe who
so well understood the interests of his people.
Mr. WHITBREAD, on the part of the Admiralty, gave
an unqualified denial to the statement that the discipline in
the navy was not in • good state, and he believed that when
the remaining men who had entered the service merely for
the bounty left there would be no reason for any complaint
on that subject.
The resolutions were then withdrawn, and the house, at
10 minutes after 12 o'clock, went pro format into committee
of supply.
The Issuance Bill sad the • Validity Ball were
read • emend time, the Bank of land Payments Bill
read • third time, and the Law of Foreign Countries Bill
moskiered, mai ordered to be read a third time next day.
The LORD ADVOCATE obtained leave to bring in a
bill to amend and eensoLklate the laws regulating the salmon
fisheries in Scotland.

Thu LORD ADVOCATE also olitabsed lean to bring in a
bill to amend the laws relative to the public roads in Scot-
land, so as to enable counties to abolish tolls and statute
labour, and to maintain their roads sad bridges by awes-
ment.

LABOURERS' OtYPTAGFJA
Sir L. PALK obtained perinkdos to bring in a bill to fad.
litate the bonding ci improved cottages for L►bourers.
The house nee et 25 =butes put 12.

wheat sold slowly at barely previous raise, and seeoadary
kinds were Id. to 2d. per 20lbs. ch . English, being
generally wanting in condition, was and its value
irregular. French and Spanish dour was taken to a male.
rate extent, without change in prices ; American was lid.
per barrel lower, except for extra eerie ; and English was
hardly saleable, although offering at less money. Oats and
oatmeal were in limited request, at about late rates. Beans
and Indian corn ruled firm.

Nmatur., Fen. 27. —The best descriptions of what
were Arm at our market to-day, at last week's prices.
More foreign barley was offering at la. to 21. per qr. (io-
dine. Oate for seed were taken at rather more money.
Beans without cbana. Wheat, white, 60e. to 765. ; red,
52.. tc 70s. per 36 atone. Barley, malting, 375. to 445.
per qr. • grinding, 31s. to 35.. per 30 stone. Oats, old,
33. to 36e. ; new, 245. to 325. per 24 stone. Beans, old,
Hs. to 58a. ; new, 40s. to 435. per 38 stone. Feu, 43. to
50a. per 36 stone.
NEWBURY, Fen. 28.—We had a fair supply of wheat ;
good, useable qualities maintained late rates ; inferior sold
slowly at very irregular prices. The demand for all second.
ary qualities of barley was without hfe at late quotations ;
colt malting fully as dear. Oats, beans, and pee. very
UnarnisF, Fen. 28. —With moderate supplies of gain,
the trade is very dull, most samples being in bad con-
dition. Wheat is 2s. per qr. lower in value. Barley
la per qr. lea. Other grain without alteration in value.
WATERFORD, Fan. 27.—We have had fair arrivals of
foreign gain since Saturday, but the supplies of our own
growth continue on a very limited sale. Prices of all
asticles may be quoted about the same as last week, except
oats', which have deelieed 3s. per barrel. The amount of
business panel is not large, but there is rather an improved
feeling gener yin the market.
. . . .

Eniiiinsaa, Fix 27.—We had in the market to-day
1,366 qrs. wheat, 1,622 barley, 3,081 oats, and 339 beans.
There were sold—Wbeat, 1,000 qrs.; barley, &JO ; oats,
1,333 ; and beans, 222 qrs. Am compared with last week—
Wheat was 2s. up on top, and 10d. down on average.
Barley mulls. 3d. up on top, and 4d. up on average. Oats
were 9s. up on top, and 6d. up on average. Besse were
same on top, and 4s. 24. up on avenge. Prices• per
imperial qr. :—Wheat, 29e. Od. to 80s. Ott ; barley, Bla 6d.
to 525. ft; oats, 20s. Od. to 445. Od. ; beans, 365. fkl.
to 645. Od. Weight of top Wheat, 6411 a.; barley,
6711 w. ; oat', 4201.. ; beans, 66ilbs.
CATTLE.—Exemaracw, FA. 27.—Tbe 'applies of
cattle and sheep much the same as last week. Tim& ex-
ceedingly dull, and prices lower for all deseriptices ; lot a
few ofbokb thactipdartnimained unsold. Top price al best
beet, Ba. • currant, 7e. 9d. per stone. Top price at beet
muttoned, , 'Bed;.; amok Bd. per lb. Number al add* is
mark 87'9 sheep, 4,436.