The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-10 00:00:00

TOE SUN, LONDON; FRIDAY EVEN ING, AUGUST 10, 1855

the clause under notice, he should be in favour of its
adoption, did it provide for the appearance of parties in
the Court of Chancery ; but as it stood he objected to it,
and should like to see it modified so as to meet his view
of the matter. At all events he conceived there could
be no better tribunal for adjudication upon leasing
powers than the Court of Chancery.
After a few words from Mr. BUTT,
Sir D. NORREYS thought the most honest course
for the house to adopt would be not to make the bill un-
just to an individual, but leave it to the Court of Chan-
cery to decide all matters that were in question.
Mr. HENLEY objected to the clause, thinking it a
means of inflicting a private hardship upon public prin-
ciples.

After some observations from Mr. BALL,
Sir B. HALL thought that it would be far better that
the case of Sir Thomas Wilson should be altogether
avoided and left out of the bill, and he should therefore
vote for the clause.

Mr. MALINS denied that it had ever been the inten-
tion of Sir Thos. Wilson to enclose Hampstead-heath.
He would rather see the bill stopped altogether than
that the clause which was proposed should be inserted.
He would give his most strenuous opposition to the
clause.

Lord R. GROSVENOR hoped the bill would pass
with this clause, but if the clause was rejected he trusted
the bill would be withdrawn.
Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE thought there were grave
objections to this bill, but if it was passed with this
clause he bad no hesitation in saying it would be a most
unjust and preposterous measure.
Mr. L. WIGRAM thought the bill ought to pass
with the clause in it, but he put it to the Solicitor-Gene-
ral whether it would not be better for bon, members to
enjoy themselves with the fresh air of Hampstead-heath
in preference to discussing a measure that could not by
any possibility pass during the present session.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL admitted the good
sense of the suggestion of the hon. and learned member
for the University of Cambridge. (Hear.) If gentlemen
were determined to divide on the omission of the clause,
he would feel bound, knowing that the bill would be use-
less without the clause, to withdraw the measure alto-
gether.

After some observations from Mr. HENLEY,
Sir G. GREY said that after the statements of the
Solicitor-General he should withdraw the measure, and
for that purpose he should move that the Chairman re-
port progress.

A short discussion then took place. The chairman
reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again that
day three months.

The result is the bill is withdrawn.
DESPATCH OF BUSINESS COURT OF CHAN-
CERY BILL.
On the house going into committee on this bill,
Sir J. GRAHAM adverted to the charges that had
taken place in the administration of justice in the Court
of Chancery, and congratulated the house in passing a
measure which had been productive of so much good.
He felt proud that the change should have taken place
in some measure from a suggestion of his own, and
under his ministration. (Hear.) It was true that by the
measure introduced by him in 1852 the labours of the
judges had been greatly increased, but those labours had
been cheerfully borne, and the arrears in the Court of
Chancery had been kept down, although there had been
a far greater increase of business than had ever been
known in the Court of Chancery in so short a period as
the time that bad elapsed since the passing of the act in
1852. He believed the present measure would be pro-
ductive of great good, although it began at the bottom
instead of the top. The measure had received the sanc-
tion of the Master of the Rolls, the Vice-Chancellors,
and the Lord Justice Turner. He thought, however,
that the two first clauses were objectionable, because
he was afraid that the measure, as at present put for-
ward, would hold out a temptation to the
judges to refer matters of the greatest importance to
their subordinates. He deprecated the course that had
been pursued of judges, after sitting six hours in court,
being called upon to attend to matters in chambers.
He thought that other judges should be appointed to
attend to chamber business, and thereby relieve the
present judges from the onerous duties they had to per-
form. If the present measure was carried, expense
would be saved, and the public would be benefitted.
He was in hope that in another session a measure would
be brought forward for the appointment of additional
judges in the Court of Chancery, in consequence of the
great increase in the labours of the present judges.
Mr. MALINS doubted the propriety of appointing
new judges in the Court of Chancery, and as an instance
of there being no, necessity for such a course, he might
state that the Vice-Chancellor Stuart rose on the 27th
of last month, having disposed of every ca;e before
him, and nothing to do in his chambers. In fact there
was at the present moment no arrears in the Court of
Chancery, a circumstance that he believed was without
precedent previous to the last few years.
The hon. and learned gentleman was interrupted by
The SPEAKER, who stated that the hour of adjourn-
ment had arrived (10 minutes to four).
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL intimated that it was
his intention to proceed with the measure through all
its stages to-morrow.
The house then adjourned to six o'clock.

---
The house resumed at six o'clock.
PETITIONS.
Petitions were presented by Mr. Kennedy, from the board
of guardians of the Bailieborough Union, in the county of
Cavan, Ireland, complaining that legal provision fur the
ministrations and religious instruction of the Catholic in-
mates of the Bailieborough workhouse had during the past
9 months been withhold, in ertnaaq11........
sioners for administering the laws for relief of the poor in
Ireland refusing to sanction the grant of adequ4to salary
to secure the services of a Catholic chaplain, during which
time the Catholic inmates had been left dependent for
divine service and clerical instruction on the voluntary at-
tendance afforded by the late chaplain ; by Mr. Hamilton,
from the parish of Kilroan, county of Cork, in support of
any measure for closing public-houses on the Sabbath-
day; by Mr. Brady, from Dr. Crisp, in favour of a gra-
duated income tax ; by Mr. C. Villiers, signed by 10,000
mechanics, coal porters, cabmen, and other working
men, complaining of the adulteration of malt liquor
(especially porter), and praying the interference
of the Legislature to prevent the same ; by Mr.
Robert Phillimore, from Mr, Forbes, complaining of the
limitation as to numbers of sheets of publications sent by
post ; by Mr. Gregs,',,n, front the inhabitants of Bacup,
praying for the prohibition of the saleof intoxicating liquors
the whole of S,anday, and from the Rev. Richard Greaves,
praying for a revision of the Canons of the Church.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
In answer to Colonel FREESTIIN,
Sir C. WOOD said ho had only just received the report
of the Arctic Expedition Committee, but had not yet had
time to read it. Ho was not prepared to say whether it
was intended to grant a decoration to the officers and men
engaged therein.

CONVOCATION.
Mr. KINNAIRD wished to ask the Secretary of State
for the Home Department whether any address had been
presented to her Majesty praying for the revival of Con-
vocation, and whether any answer had been given to such
address ; and if he had any objection to lay copies of the
same on the table of the house ?
Sir G. GREY—An address was transmitted to me not
long ago from the Upper House of Convocation, praying
that her Majesty would be pleased to grant her license to
convocation to consider and agree on a canon or constitu-
tion to be submitted for her approval for the -purpose of
modifying the representation of the clergy in the Lower
House of Convocation. That address had been laid before
her Majesty, and an answer had been returned to the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury. There would be no objection to
produce the address of the Upper House of Convocation
and the reply thereto. But he might state that her Ma.
jeaty had not been advised to comply with the address.
THE HA.NSI TRANSPORT.
In reply to Mr. STAFFORD,
Sir C. WOOD said that his attention had not been called
to the alleged detention of invalids from the Crimea at Ports-
mouth. If any cases werefurnished to him he would inquire
into them. As he was on his legs he might advert to the case
of the Hansa transport, and of the late Col. Louth. He had
received a letter from the port admiral, stating that the men
on hoard that ship had been particularly well treated ; nor
was he aware until yesterday that complaints had been
made with respect to the accommodation and messing of
the officers. On hearing of this the Transport Board had
sent down to Portsmouth to direct an inquiry into the
accommodation provided for the officers. Tbey hail re-
ceived i❑ reply a letter from the master shipwright, in
which he stated that he had examined the cabins of the
ship, that ho found them clean, well lighted, and well
ventilated ; that the late Colonel Louth had allotted to
him the cabin space usually occupied by three officers, and
that the accommodation given to the officers on board the
Hansa was equal to that provided for passengers on board
passenger ships of the same class. With respect to the
messing of the officers an inquiry into that subject was
still in progress.

NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
Mr. THORNELY wished to ask the Secretary of the
Treasury whether any steps had been taken to remedy the
inconvenience recently sustained with regard to news-
papers posted for the colonies and for foreign countries ?
Mr. WILSON stated that the attention of the Postmas-
ter-General had been called to this subject, and he had,
with the assent of the Treasury, determined to issue an
order providing that in future it should only be necessary
to affix a postage label to newspapers, stamped or un-
stamped, which were sent abroad to the colonies, and that
it should not be necessary, as at present, that each copy so
sent should have both an impressed stamp and a po,tage
stamp.

THE LATE MR. HUME.
the Mar ~i.
elVa
B.uNrlyr ILLwh le .ithel wished
rS
he intended
n dto e
da ask- the
recommend First L
thatord ofa
B:fa tluveeosWestminster
mthie ns later Josepharngs
n lit
utmh
oeseof
shall be
distinguishedplac placed in B
tli palaceeri
tiFik
patriots, or tho adoption of some other means for comme-
morating his eminent public services ?
Lord PALMERSTON expressed the great respect he en-
tertained for the late Mr. Hume, but said that as no pro-
position on this subject had been brought under the con-
sideration of the Government he was unable to give any
further reply to the question.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL.
The Lords' amendments to this bill were considered, and
agreed to with two or three exceptions. The only one of
any importance was that with respect to the appointment
of the chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works. As
the bill went up to the Rouse of Lords, the appointment
was vested absolutely in the board itself.' The upper house
throe
m
u a
whoe s
should
t io Soseelcercett a
oner y o ff
rSotmat eamongst
introduced a provision rendering it incumbent on the hoard
tt
ho
cHomo. submit Department,
Lord R. GROSVENOR. thought it inexpedient to agree
to this amendment.
Sir C. GREY agreed with his noble friend. He thought
that the effect of the amendment would be to diminish the
responsibility of the Board of Works, without giving the
,
Secretary of otato any effective control over the appoint-
ment of chairman.

The amendment was accordingly disagreed from.
NAVAL GOVERNMENT.

Captain SCOBELL moved for a select committee- to in-
quire into the government of the navy relating to the list
of officers, patronage, promotion, and the efficiency of the
service in all its grades. He did not expect that the com-
mittee, if appointei, could enter upon the investigation
this session, and his chief object in rising was to obtain an
assurance from the Government that some inquiry would

take place, or an expression of opinion from the house that
an inquiry ought to be made. The system of promotion in
the navy was en the most unsatisfactory state. It was
founded on patronage and political influence, and he did
not hesitate to say that the naval service required admi-
nistrative reform for more than the civil service. The
mismanagement of the navy was accounted for b, the
fact that shore had been no fewer than four -first
Lords within the last few yearn, •etid that there were
above a dozen secretariee of the Admiralty now living,
beginning with Mr. Croker. Merit should bo the
only passpost to office and promotion in the naval ser-
vice, as everywhere else. He was no enemy of the aris-
tocracy, but family and political influence should never
obtain for any man service under the Crown, and the
sooner such a system was given up the better. Sir George
Cockburn, in the well-known paper found under his will,
stated as the result of his experience that he considered
the constitution of the Admiralty Board to be most un-
satisfactory, and the least efficient for its purpose that
could be devised, and that he thought the management of
the navy should be transferred to a flag officer and two
councillors, with one comptroller, who should have a seat
in Parliament, and attend to the financial business of the
department. He quoted extracts from speeches by Lord
Palmerston and M. r, Disraeli against placing the army in
the hands of a civilian, and allowing its patronage to be
dispensed from the Treasury-bench, and contended that
those remarks applied to the naval as well as the military
service. In 1800, we had 167 sail of the line in commission ;
now we had only 43. Then we had 120,000 seamen and ma-
rines ; now we bad only 40,000. Then we had 99 admirals ;
now we had no fewer than 272, and that, too, after a forty
years' peace. It was a rule of the Admiralty that no officer
could be made an admiral until he had served six years as
a post captain. But many officers found it impossible,
however willing, to serve six:' years as post-captains, and,
they were consequently not in a position to be made admi-
rals. From January, 1850, there had been 37 captains
made active admirals, but 113 had been condemned to re-
tirement, and that from ro wish or fault of their own. He
did not intend to refer to individual cases of hardship, but
ho might mention that the late Capt. Christie was 31 years
in rising to the same point which Admiral Dundas attained
in 9. In 1847, 1848, and 1,49 there were 50 captains pro-
moted. Of these, 13 served only from 2 to 5 years as
commanders, and as lieutenants from 5 to 12 years ; but in
the same years he found in the /Vary List the names of
officers who had served from 10 to 26 years as com-
manders, and from 17 to 32 as lieutenants. We had
twice as many commanders now as in 1800. There
were at present 549 active commanders, of whom
about 220 bad been from thirty to fifty years in the navy,
and the number of retired commanders was 570. Of the
active commanders 196 were employed on half-pay—a sys-
tem to which there was no parallel in the army. He now
came to the lieutenants. In 1800 there were 2,157 lieuten-
ants in the navy ; we had now 1,175 active lieutenants,
and 1,713 retired. Some of the latter had no more than
4s. a day ; but the general pay was 55., 65., and 7s. less
than that of retired officers of similar rank in the army.
About two thirds of the lieutenants never got promoted
at all. With respect to the first lieutenants, there were 90
men in the navy now who were lieutenants in the last war,
and a large proportion of them had medals, some two or
three. .He could name 70 captains who entered the service
after these lieutenants. On the retired list of lieutenants
there were 700 or 800, and of those 300 had been in ac-
tion. He thought he had made pretty sure that the house
would take some interest in this body of men. He had
no wish to fix the forms of inquiry ; if a commission
was preferred to a committee of the house he should
have no objection to it, as all he wanted was to see
the facts inquired into. (Hear, hear.) There was another
point he must draw attention to, and that was this—too
many cadets were allowed to enter into the navy, because,
under the existing systems out of the large number that
entered every year not more than a tithe could get on. His
objection on this head applied as much to what was the
practice before the war began as to the present time. The
entries were vastly disproportioned to the promotions, and
that was one of the great causes of the evil. (Hear.) He
had troubled the house with figures, but ho believed they
were the best arguments for his case ; and he hoped, as
they were so irresistible, the Government would say that a
committee shall be appointed next year. At all events, ho
had no alternative but to leave the matter in the hands of
the house, in the full hope that ultimately some remedy
would be applied to these evils, either in the way of limit-
ing the mode of promotion to merit and service, or by ex-
tending the system of absolute retirement on pensions.
depended upon the command of
The safety of :England
the sea, and, therefore, it was of vital importance that
her navy should have fair play, which it could not be
said to have had for a long series of years. Ho was an ad-
vocate for an efficient but a small army, and with such
assistance the navy would always bo able to defend the
country against her enemies. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. TITE seconded the motion. The opinion was gain-
ing ground that the patronage and management of the navy
should no longer bo allowed to depend upon political
changes, while the instances of maladministration at the
Board of Admiralty had become so glaring that some in-
quiry must be had with a view to devising a remedy for
the evils. (Hear.)
Sir C. WOOD had no intention of disputing the figures
which had been brought forward, and was far less disposed
to question the motive which had induced tho hon. and
gallant member to make this motion. No doubt his only
desire was to promote the interest of the navy, but at the
same time he must take leave to remind the house that
only seven years ago this very subject, amongst others,
was inquired into by a select committee. He therefore
did not think that the appointment of another com-
mittee was called for. Every recommendation but one
which Lord Seymour's committee made with regard to the
navy had since been carried out. A better committee for
the purpose could not have been appointed before, and ho
really could not see what advantage would be gained by
reviving a similar tribunal. (Hear.) The hon. and gallant
gentleman had insisted upon the importance of promoting
old and meritorious officers, while 120 had urged the neces-
sity of constantly keeping young men in command ; but
the house would perceive that it was utterly impossible to
attain the two objects at the same time. On the whole,
the existing system, though faulty in some respects, was
good in the whole, and the Board of Admiralty, generally
speaking, had administered it in an impartial manner. The
h nji d crallant mArnh,o, 1“.1 ~,,,virgrisons with
18oe 00, but that was hardly fair, because a long interval of
peace had since elapsed. At the end of the war there were
855 captains, 816 commanders, and 3,580 lieutenants.
Fifteen years afterwards the numbers were 851 captains,
905 commanders, and 3,580 lieutenants, and complaints
were made that the navy was as strong, after 15 years' peace,
as it was in a period of war ; but to keep up the efficiency
of the service it was absolutely necessary that the same
system should be observed in time of peace as in a time of
war. All the men who had entered the navy, and who
wore promoted at the end of the last war to the sank of
lieutenant, could hardly expect to advance further in the
service, because, in fact, there were many more created
than could be employed. In this way they had grown old,
and as the period of hostilities returned it could hardly be
avoided that younger and more active mon should be ad-
vanced over their beads. The efficiency of the service
had been kept up during the long peace, which of
course had made a reduction of unemployed off tiers
the more difficult, but all the recommendations for the
purpose which committees and commissions had made
from time to time were now and had been steadily
carried out. It was not necessary for him to go over the
entire Navy List to make out his answer to this motion;
it was enough to state that the circumstances of war
served to create so many officers of the lower rank, that
it was quite impossible over to find employment for them
in the higherranks ; and having stated that it might almost
be said that he had disposed of the motion. The list being
then so extensive and the field of employment so contracted,
how could it be otherwise than that men should remain, as it
were, neglected? But, if neglected they were, it was no fault
of the system; it was the result of a period of war producing
more men than could possibly be required in a time of peace.
And yet the hon. and gallant member wished the house to
believe that all this seeming neglect was attributable to
political or family influence. For his own part, ho would
not defend the conduct of all past Boards of Admiralty, but
this ho would say, he very much doubted whether a Go-
vernment gained any advantage by making their selections
from political motives. He had not been long at the Ad-
miralty, and, therefore, he could not speak over-confidently
from experience, but in the appointments ho had made he
had not been influenced by family or political motives,
but by the fitness of the parties to fill the offices vacant.
Nevertheless many charges bad been made against him of
his being actuated by unworthy motives. For instance, the
first appointment he made was to give a sloop to a com-
mander; ho did so upon the representation of his collea-
gues in the Board, who represented tho man whom ho ap-
pointed to be an old and meritorious officer, and the one
best fitted for the command ; but although he did so, a few
days afterwards a letter appeared in the public prints, com-
plaining that his very first act upon taking office at the
Admiralty was to give employment to a relation. Not hav-
ing any relation in the navy beyond a youth of some 13
years of age, ho was quite at a loss to discover how such
an impression could have got abroad ; but upon further re-
flection he traced it to the fact that the name of the officer
be had appointed, whom he did not know personally, was
Francis Wood. (Hear, and a laugh.) Every officer whom ho
had appointed was a man of the highest character, and yet
he had been accused of the most atrocious mismanagement.
As an instance of the injustice of the charges which had
been made against him, he might mention the fact that
he had been charged by a noble lord with having
neglected the application of a certain gentleman, when
ho fact was that no such person had ever applied. Of
the eight appointments which he had made he was quite
guiltless of having been influence.' by the unworthy mo-
tives attributed to him. The hon. and gallant gentleman
said that many young men obtained their rank in a very
short time. No doubt that was the case. But how could
there be young admirals unless young men were promoted ?
The question was, how could the country bo best served ?
If no persons were promoted but old lieutenants and
old commanders, the list of admirals must, necessarily con-
sist of old men. In 1851 his right hon. friend the member
for Portsmouth (Sir F. Baring) created a reserved list. No
doubt the rule operated unequally in some cases. There
were many admirals on the active list who were perfectly,
capable of service, but it was not quite clear that the re-
commendation that all persons should go off the admirals'
list at a certain ago would be just. In 1848 there were
only 6 admirals on the active list under 60 years of age.
There were now 17, 9 of whom were under 55. It
hail been said that all the officers who obtained
rank were persons of high pcsition or Parliamentary
influence. Now, on looking through the list to which he
had just referred, ho found that of the 9 officers under 55
years of age, 3 had aristocratic or political influence,
whilst the other 6 had no such influence. The mass of
admirals on the active service list had no Parliamentary or
aristocratic influence whatever. The system which had
been pursued had proved efficient in bringing down the
list of admirals to the prescribed number, and in promot-
ing captains, whereby younger men were obtained as ad-
mirals ; and as the system went on it would work still
better. In the lower ranks, however, something remained
to be done, but the matter required groat consideration
and care. The service was at this time in the most effi-
cient state. -Merit had not been overlooked. On the con-
trary, it had been fostered by successive Boards of Admi-
ralty, and from the admiral down to the cabin boy every
one was fully competent to discharge all the duties re-
quired of him. No better proof could be offered that the
proper men had been put into the proper places, and he
was quite certain that whenever called upon they would
do credit to themselves, and contriToute to the safety,
honour, and glory of the country. ((sheers.)

_ .. ~
Sir G. PECHELL was glad thr.t his hon. and gallant
friend had brought forward the+ subject now under dis-
cussion, inasmuch as it afforded the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty an opportunity of defen ding his conduct in con-
nection with the department ON 'er which he presided. Sir
G. Cockburn had complained t' oat he was overruled during
his services at the board, any that his recommendations
had not been attended to ; by A the fact was that that gal-
lant officer Lad nevor submit ,ted any project to the house,
and had opposed the
nuotio- a of Sir C. Napier and other
gallant officers when they •
ftere submitted to the house.
He could not imagine whq i .ad overruled Sir G. Cockburn
at the board, and tb
couldenlighton tl'Ae souse on, +, that aubjeot, wai the hon,niera.
- -
:. only h on. member now present who

ber. for Lewes (Mr. Fitzroy). The present Board of Admiralty
was a vast improvement over former boards, when the ma-
jority were of the lay and civil class, and when naval offi-
cers were almost excluded. There was nothing to complain
of now with respect to the board except the system.
"With respect to patronage ho believed that political influ-
ence was too powerful, and that some change ought to take
place.' He recommended that the sum paid for the con-
veyance of treasure should bo brought to the public ac-
count, and applied under the direction of the Admiralty.
In regard to the employment of admirals on the retired
list, the gallant admiral stated that when he applied for a
ship he was informed that the timber was not cut to build
the ship, nor was the sheep killed whose skin was to supply
the parchment on which to write his commission. Many
officers were unable to obtain shins, and thus to comply with
the regulations required to be fulfilled beforo they became
admirals, because they had no influence to enforce attention
to their wishes. Hetlid not think that the eminent services
of the coast guard were sufficiently rewarded by promo-
tions.

Admiral IVALCOTT concuriod in many of the objec-
tions proposed by the hon. and gallant member for Bath
(Captain Scobell), and if he divided the house he should go
into the lobby with him. He had risen principally, how-
ever, to suggest that to relieve the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty of the weight of patronage of which he had so much
complained, the naval lords should be made in fact, as
they were in theory, in all respects the advisers of their
political chief.
The gallant admiral was proceeding to other topics, when
an hon. member called attention to the state of the house.
The SPEAKER counted, when there were only thirty-
four members present, and the house adjourned at a quar-
ter before eleven o'clock.