The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-16 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

THE COMMAND OF THE BALTIC FLEET.
( From the Morning Herald.)

Whilst the navy has been on the tiptoe of expectation
that, as a matter of birthright, or, rather, of invariable
routine, the senior naval Lord of the Admiralty, Rear-
Admiral Berkeley, C. 8., would be appointed to the
chief command of the Baltic fleet for 1855, vice Sir
Charles Napier of 1854, the appointment of the second
senior naval member of the Board of Admiralty will be
received with much surprise, and the selection of the
Cabinet will be looked upon as the least expected.
Nevertheless, if we pick the flag list we cannot place
our finger upon an officer combining more excellent
qualities than the one selected possesses, judging from
his services in time of peace.
In the present state of public feeling in the appoint-
ment of superior officers t ) conduct the war the Cabinet
naturally looked to the selection of the youngest of the
qualified irp;ri for the service. There could be no doubt
as to Admiral Berkeley's nerve, activity, gallantry, and
ambition ; fur all or most of his services have been ren-
dered during war, from the time of the Duke of Welling-
. ton's recommendation of him to the command of the
Thunderer, 84, et Acre. It was impossible that his
claims could be rejected on the score of age, for he is
younger than Sir Edmund Lyons, who has diplomatised
himself into the command of the Black Sea fleet, after 1
25 years rusting ashore ; and, as to routine, for his long
service in subordinate positions, at successive Boards
of Adirdralty,.and his later experience as chief naval
member of the board, there could be no question as to
his capability and fitness for the post to which be natu-
rally aspired. But to take Admiral Berkeley from his
present sphere—from his direction of the affairs of man-
ning the navy—from his connection with the Surveyor
of the Navy in adapting the materiel as well as thoper-
sonnet of the navy to the desired objects of the war,
would be to impair the efficiency of the service at a
time when a moment's cessation from the continuous
labours providing for the forthcoming campaign in
the Baltic and Black Sea it would be most inju-
rious—in fact, Admiral Berkeley, like Sir Baldwin
Walker, has been compelled by press of circumstances to
sacrifice his ambition, and the highest hopes and the
greatest prize for which the most distinguished admiral,
as captain of the fleet, should laudably contend, to the
patriotic requirements of the country.
Thus it is that the second naval member of the Ad-
miralty has been selected, and there is little doubt that
in this selection we have the best person in the flag list
that could be hit upon. Rear-Admiral the Hon. Richard
Saunders Dundas, C. 8., is the son of the late and bro-
ther to the present General Lord Melville, and the fol-
lowing is the published epitome of his services :
"The Hon. Richard Saunders Dundas, born April
11, 1802, is second son of Viscount Melville, K.T., for
many years Filet Lord of the Admiralty, by Anne,
daughter and co-heir of Richard Huck Saunders, Esq ,
M.D., and grand-niece and co-heir of Admiral Sir
Charles Saunders, K.B , who died Dec. 3, 1775. He is
brother of the Hon. Henry Dun-"as, C. B , lieut.-col. 60th
Rifles, and of the Hon. Robert Dundas, storekeeper gene-
ral of the navy. He entered the Royal Naval College in
1815, and embarked June 15, 1817, as a volunteer, on
board the Ga.iymede, 2d, and afterwards as midshipman
of the Owen Glendower, 42, on the Mediterranean and
South American stations. He then successively joined
the Creole, 42, and Superb, 78, and Icarus, sloops,
the Glasgow, 50, in the capacity ( f lieutenant, to which
rank he was promoted June 18, 1821. His appoint-
ments appear to have been—Dec. 24, 1821, to the
Active, 46, and, Feb. 25 and Sept. 6, 1822, to the Owen
Glendower, 42, and Searrowhawk, 18. He was ad-
vanced to the command, June 23, 1823, of the latter,
vessel, on the Halifax station, where, and in the Medi-
terranean, be served until posted, July 17, 1824. We
subsequently find Capt. Dundas appointed, Sept. 13,
1825, to the Volage, 28, fitting for South America ;
March 12, 1827, to the Warspite, 76, in which ship (the
first of her class that ever circumnavigated the globe) he

... ,
returned to England, from New South Wales, in Oeto
her following ; Nov. 20, 1830, to the Belvidere, 42,
successively employed in the Mediterranean and off
Oporto, whence he came home and was paid off in Dec.
1833 ; and Sept. 1, 1837, to the Melville, 72. In that
ship he afterwards bore a part in the opening scenes of
the campaign in China. While there he obtained the
best thanks of Sir Gordon Bremer for his conduct at the
capture of Ty-cock-tow, Jan. 7, 1841, was present with
her Majesty's plenipotentiary at a formal meeting which
was held with the Chinese commissioner on the 26th of
the same month, and on the 26th of the ensuing Febru-
ary took up his position in the most gallant style in the
action which preceded the capture of the forts at the
Bocce Tigris. He paid the Melville off at the end of
1841."
Subsequently be became private secretary to the Earl
of Haddington, as First Lord of the Admiralty ; then
he commanded the Powerful, 84, in the Mediterranean ;
and under Sir Wm. Parker had charge of a squadron. Af-
terwards he was appointed superintendent of Deptford
Dock andVictualling-yard, and for the last few years he has
been a member of the Board of Admiralty. The new com-
mander-in-chief is no popular "fire eater," nor is lie a.
"conceited brag ;" he is a quiet, unaffected, business-
like man, but he is at the same time a steady, safe, dis-
creet, and devoted servant of the Crown. Although he
Islay not have's, reputation for glory and enthusiasm, he
is a strict- duty officer, and would be the last man to dis-
otcy such orders as wore sent to Si,- C. Napier, despite
of any circumstances. He is regarded as of a cold dis-
position, but his uprightness and justice are unimpeach-
able ; and if he has not insured in his career a host of
impulsive retainers and hot-headed followers, yet any
one who has sailed with him or has been associated with
him, knows full well that good character and ability have
always found in him a sincere advocate for promotion
and preferment. He is independent in feeling, position,
and action, and it may be said that if those who know
him well do not expect from him daring and startling en-
terprise, they feel confidence in his cool determination to
maintain the honour of the British flag at any cost, in
his sound judgment to take the earliest and best naeans
of carrying out the wishes of the Government, and in
devoting his best and ablest energies to accomplish the
task imposed upon him, with the least possible loss and
the surest success.
Rear-Admiral Dundas is the youngest of his stand-
ing on the flag list. He is in the 54th year of his age ;
and whilst there is not a man in the navy an enemy
to his good fortune, or one who will be jealous of his
position, we may say safely say he has the highest re-
, spect and esteem of all classes connected with that
service, of which he is one of its most dignified and re-
spected, if not one of its most distinguished, members.
Rear-Admiral Michael Seymour, superintendent of
Devonport Dockyard, and captain of the fleet last year,
has been appointed (as we anticipated) second in com-
mand of tho Baltic fleet. Last year this thoroughly
gentleman-like and highly-gallant officer was miserably
cramped in his sphere of office. In the forthcoming
expedition he will have an opportunity of displaying
those qualities as a great naval commander which he has
hitherto had no opportunity of exhibiting. It is said of
this officer that when in the Baltic last year, Sir Charles
Napier, informing him of his orders to attack Sweaborg,
asked him what he would do were he placed in the
position a commander7in-chief, and had received such
directions. Admiral Seymour replied, that if he had
only half a dozen frigates left in his squadron, he would
certainly obey the orders.
The third in command is Rear-Admiral Baynes,C.B.,
just promoted, on the death of Admiral B. Hodgson
Phis oacer is about 54 years of age. He had served
afloat about 24 years. He was commander of the Asia,
84, flag-ship at Navarino, and has since commanded the
Andromache, 24, at the Cape, and the Bellerophon, 78,
in the Mediterranean. He is the brother-in-law of Lord
Denman.

The captain of the Baltic fleet will be Captain the
Hon. F. T. Pelham, of the Exmouth, 90. This officer
will he remembered as the captain of the Odin, 16,
paddle ; then private secretary to the Duke of North-
umberland, when First Lord of the Admiralty ; and last
year as captain of the Blenheim, 60, screw, in the

The flag-ship of the Commander-in-Chief will, of
course, be the Duke of Wellington, 131, screw. Capt.
Caldwell (1853), who was promoted from this ship, will
be the flag captain.
Capt. W. K. Hall, of the Bulldog, 6, paddle, in the
thltic fact year, it is said will be Rear-Admiral Sey-
mour's flag captain.