The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON FRIDA YEN! NG, MARCH 9 1855

the command the niest distinguished officer that could be
found in the Navy List. The Admiralty was, at that pe-
riod, presided over by the right hon. gentleman tho mem-
ber for Carlisle (Sir J. Graham), the present Prime Minis-
ter being the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment. Upon the right hon. gentleman more particularly
'devolved the duty of selecting the commander of the fleet
The nation looked with intense 'anxiety to see who would
be selected to command the Baltic fleet, and it , received
with great approbation the announcement that Sir P. Na-
pier was selected to that command. The Government of
that day, were so proud of the selection, and were so as-
sured that the man who had been appointed would be
hailed with universal joy, that the event was celebrated by
that well-known dinner to the gallant admiral at the Re-
form Club. The propriety of that dinner had been a good
deal discussed, and it was not his intention to renew
that discussion. He should not discharge his duty, how-
ever, without saying that the dinner was presided over by
the present Prime Minister, that it was attended by the
then First Lord of the Admiralty, the Chief Commissioner
of •Woods and Forests, and by many members of the House
of Commons sitting upon the Ministerial benches. At
that dinner the members of the Government present ex-
pressed their satisfaction at the choice that had been male.
He would read to the house one passage from the speech
of the present Prime Minister on that occasion. Lord
Palmerston said :
"As bearing on that point (the fitness of appointing Sir C.
Napier), I cannot refrain from repeating an observation which
was made to me by a very discriminating, calm-minded friend
of mine, who passed some time in the East at the period to
which I have adverted, who saw a great deal of my gallant
friend, and who,when he came to town, visited me to give me
an account of what he had observed in the East, which,
considering the position I thin held, he thought might
be interesting. When I mentioned to him my gallant
friend (Sir Charles Napier), and praised his enterprise and
boldness, his daring and his intrepidity, this gentleman said,
all that is very true, but there is another quality which
Sir Charles Napier possesses, which is as valuable as any of
these, and as important an ingredient in his success. I never
saw a man in my life who calculated so many moves before-
hand.' Now, gentlemen, when a man can calculate his moves
beforehand and has, to execute those moves, the spirit and
genius which are possessed by my gallant friend, I think any
country that places its fate and fortune in his hands may feel
confident of success."
(Laughter.) Sir James Graham, on the samo occasion,
speaking in a still loftier strain, said:—
" I will not weigh the precise ingredients of valour. My
gallant friend was distinguished for remarkable daring and
bravery ; but even then, in the early part of his career, he
verified that praise which my noble friend has said was
awarded to him at a later period—he 'constantly looked seve-
ral moves beforehand—and, iu any humble judgment, ho is
not only a gallant, but I must add that I look upon. him as
a discreet commander. He possesses my entire confidence,
and I have rejoiced in the opportunity on a great occasion
of commending him to the approbation and choice of any
Sovereign. That selection I believe has been approved by
the country. I believe also that it is approved by the pro-
fession ; and, although the propelling power of the flee's
may be changed, although naval tactics may be altered, yet
he goes forth the commander, not of a pressed body of men,
but of volunteers for this splendid service. All these things
may be changed, but one thing is unchanged—that is, the
gallantry and power of command of my gallant friend.
He does not go forth under any hypocritical pretence of con-
ducting a religiouswar, but to assert the independence of
Europe, to maintain the balance of power, and to resist—
and, I hope, successfully to resist—as lawless a spirit of
aggression and of reckless aggrandisement as ever disgraced
any country. My gallant friend says when ho goes into the
Baltic he will declare war. I, as First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, give him my free consent so to do. I hope that that
war may be s'iort, and that it may be sharp. lam sure
that, guided by my gallant friend, it will be decisive; and
although politics are excluded generally from the naval pro-
fession, yet we, as Reformers, may be proud that the honour.
of the British flag in the Euxino and the Baltic is intrusted
to two such champions as Admiral Dundas and Sir Charles
Napier. (Laughter and cheers from the Opposition.) They
will prove true to their country in the last extremity, and I
sincerely hope the time may not be far distant when you,
perhaps, will kindly invite me again to celebrate the return .
of my gallant friend. This evening is an evening of happy
augury. When we next meet I hope it will be to celebrate a
brilliant success."
Now the gallant admiral so selected, having been proclaimed
to Europe and to the world as the fittest man to sustain the
honour of England, having hoisted his flag, and having re-
ceivecl the approbation of the Government almost every day •
while in command of that fleet in the Baltic, instead of
being invited to a dinner upon his return to celebrate his
success, was met by that right hon. gentleman (Sir J.
Graham) with contempt and contumely, and was dismissed
from his command. He did not bring this forward as a
personal question, but one involving the honour of public
servants, and the house would agree with him that Eng-
land could not insult her most gallant servants without
proclaiming that 'the Government had either been short-
sighted in the selection of the officers to command the
fleet, or else, if they had been farsighted in the selection,
it was a most unworthy acknowledgement that a man
should receive such a reward at the end of his period of
service. The admiral's appointment having thus been in-
augurated. he proceeded to the Baltic. And here he might
state the difficulty he felt in bringing this subject before
the house, lest ho should have to refer to anything calcu-
lated to impair or injure the public service. It was not
-veep; in so complicated a correspondence, at all times to
steer clear of such difficulties; but, in submitting those
documents to which he should refer, he would, as much
as possible, avoid reading anything which was calculated
to give any information to the enemy or which, con-
tained anything detrimental to the public service. He
found the correspondence, both public and private—that
was to say, the correspondence written by the Board of
Admiralty and by the First Lord of the Admiralty in his,
individual capacity—expressing to the admiral the most
marked and unequivocal- approbation of his conduct from
the (lay he sailed, down, at all events, to the month of Sep-
tember. When the house considered the difficulties with
which that gallant admiral had to contend—that, although
he quitted these shores with the most powerful fleet which
England ever sent forth, he quitted them with undisci-
plined men, with men who had no experience in war, with
ships which had never been engaged, and had before him a
navigation the most intricate which any part of the world
presented—he thought the house would see that the gallant
officer, having kept his entire fleet without disaster, and
done all that the Government expected of him, and more,
was entitled to a reception very different to that which
awaited him. (Hear.) It would be necessary to refer to
some letters written by the First Lord of the Admiralty
in his individual capacity to the gallant admiral. It
might be said they were private letters. (Hear, hear,
from the Ministerial side.) He. had maturely considered
that subject, and he thought he should satisfy the house
that these were not private letters. He could not regard a
letter written by one public officer to another public officer
upon the public service, and calculated to influence the
actions of the officer to whom it was addressed, as a private
communication. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) Sup-
posing, for example, the First Lord of the Admiralty, in
his individual capacity, had written to the commander of
the fleet a request not to delay attacking Cronstadt beyond
the Ist of June—he was only putting a case, as no such
thing occurred—and, contrary to his own judgment, the
admiral resolved to make that attack and failed, would
not the gallant officer be at liberty to read the letter
which was calculated, and did, in point of fact, influenced
his conduct, if that conduct were called in quest4.on?
(Hear.) He could not think that any one would, deny
that proposition. But he had a precedent fo: reading
these letters. It suited the right hon. gentler:len and the
noble lord sitting opposite to appoint a committee, com-
monly known as the Stafford Committee, to inquire into
the conduct of a gentleman, who was a most distinguished
ornament of that house, in the me.nagement of the dock-
yards and other matters. The question arose whether letters
written by the First Lord of thO Admiralty, by the Lords
of the Admiralty, and by the 'Secretary to the Admiralty,
in their individul capacity, were to be read before that
committee. The committee, which was presided over by a
distinguished authority, the noble lord the member for
Totness (Lord Seymour), resolved that all those private
communications were to be produced. No person who was
examined was allowed to protect himself by saying any
letter he had received was a private• letter, or that any
conversation between himself and another public servant
was a private conversation. Ile thought the decision of a
competent tribunal, that such communications were not
private communications, was sufficient to justify him in
the course he was about to pursue. (Hear.) The house

need not fear l
that because hoed a great many documents
he was about to read them in extenso. He would make
selection of a few passages which bore out the general pro-
position ho had to submit to the house. He had shown
the circumstances under which Sir C. Napier was ap-
pointed to the fleet, the auspices under which he left the
s! ores of England, and the manner in which operations in
the Baltic were conducted. He was desirous of showing
that those operations were carried on to the entire satisfac-
tion of the Government, and for that purpose he would
read a few passages from the letters of the right hon. ba-
ronet. It should be remembered that Sir C. Napier left
England in tho middle of Maich. Oa the 10th of April
the rir_4lt hon. baronet the member for Carlisle wrote
stating :
" That ho was entirely satisfied with his (Sir C. Napier's)
proceedings. Neither Lord Clarendon nor himself had anti-
cipated the passage of the Belt by the fleet, expecting that
the admiral would have waited at the mouth of the Cattegat
until he received orders to enter the Baltic."
The letter proceeded to state—
" He had judged wisely ; the time gained was precious,
and the passage of the Belt in safety was a most successful
exploit. He was instructed to establish a close blockade of
the Gulf of Finland, and to intercept the trade of Revel and
Riga,. The right. hon. baronet said he would rely on the gal-
lant officer's prudence not to be knocking his head against
stone walls prematurely or without the certainty of a great
success, or the fair prospect of some object being attained
worthy of the risk and loss which, in attacking fortresses with
ships, were serious and inevitable."
He would show that at a subsequent period all this pru-
dent advice was departed from, and that the Government,
which refrained during spring and summer—when it was
the fitting season to attack stone walls, if they were to be
attacked at all—expressed their desire that the stone walls
should be attacked when winter hurricanes and boisterous
weather had also to be encountered. On the Ist of May he
again writes :

"I have recei red your letter of the 19th off the en-
trance of the Gulf of Finland. lam glad that you decided
not to proceed to Sweaborg. The weather is still broken
the channel is not clear of ice, and your force is not yet con,
centrated. A safe anchorage within the Gulf of Finland
would seem to me your greatest and most pressing necessity.
I had hoped that Port Baltic might be available for this pur-
pose, but if it be commanded from the shore, or if for any
other reason you reject it, still I trust that you will be en-
abled to establish and to hold a close blockade of the Gulf of
Finland, and to cut off the communication by sea between
Sweaborg and Cronstadt. Your force, I hope and think, will
be large enough to render the escape of any Russian squadron
from the Baltic impossible, and to leave us quite at ease in
England, although we may have no largo reserve ready on our
own shores. It will be best in the first instance to feel your
way, ani to make good your hold in the Gulf of Finland.
When I say this I by no means contemplate an attack either
on this or that place (mentioning two places). I have a great
respect for stone walls, and have no fancy for running even
screw line-of-battle ships against th m. Because the public
here may be impatient, you must not be rash ; because they
at a distance from danger are foolhardy, you must not risk
' the loss of a fleet in an impossible enterprise. I believe both
to be all but impregnable from the, sea ; Sweaborg, more
especially ; and none but a very largo'army could co-operate
by land efficiently. If, then, you have no means except naval.
at your command you must pause long and consider well
before you attempt any attack on the Russian squadrons in
their strongholds, and I am afraid they are much too cau-
tious to come out and meet you. Had you been weaker,
they might have done so ; now they will wait and watch an
oppnthipity in t! llopQ thqt —on will R2riouslr
fOl'et; ur k,lUe-,114; lOrto,
may take you at a serious disadvantage, and inflict a
fatal blow. These considerations must not be over-

looked by- you. I recall thtm to eso ur mind, lest in ( have believed it, but here there was no room to doubt
the eager desire td achieve, a groat wooed sit, and/to /Satidir '.1.-theitistractions were.to undertake in the winter that which
the wild wishes of an impatient multatt :de at home, ' ydiT Could alone be accomplished bathe finest season. Thetlot-
should yield to some rash impulse, :and fail in the dis- terof instruction did not specify the day on which the
charge of one of the noblest of duties, -wl rich is the moral attack was to be made, but said might be made to'ards
courage to do what you know to be right,: it the risk of being the oral of October. It appeared to him to be almost hi-
accused of having done wrong. It is emcee gh to present this credible, but the correspondence was signed by the •Secre-
view to your deliberate attention; yea 1e .11 reflect on it and tar yto the Admiralty ; and could the. house wonder that
I am certain that your judgment will no t err." Sir Charles Napier, iinding,hirn ,elf thus goaded on to an
He (Ur. Melina) did not read those le ,t' .rers for-the purpose impracticable operation, should on the 10th of Octob ,r
of blaming the advice that had been :Oven. On the con- write to the Admiralty, stating that, if he had lost the
trary, he conceived it to be a sound so ivice to give, and a confidence of the Government, he was perfectly ready to
good advice for the admiral to follovt i ; hut he complained resign his command and return herne. (Hear, hear.) At
_
that all that advice which was given set a certain period was the same time, he declared that no opinion which prevailed
t
having departed from, and the Government tthought fit to quarrel at home should induce him to undertake an operation the
with the admiral because, a Clewed to this advice was impracticable or unsafe, as he had had the honour of
during the summer and a part of ant loon, he did not think Englandand the safety of the fleet committed to his charge.
fit at their suggestion to depart from it when winter set in. (Hear.) Allthiswould be clearly established if he succeeded
On the 15th May he writes as follower e— in his motion and the correspondence was granted. It was
"If anything can be done you will d teoover,the best means conducted with consummate ability on both sides. That it
of doing it; but no rash experiments 3 oust be:tried which do should be conducted with ability on the side of the righthen.
not hold out a reasonable prospect of F success. lam anxious baronet the member for Carlisle was quite natural enough,
to hear your opinion and Intentions • then you have looked but it was somewhat wonderful to find the gallant admiral
at Sweaborg and entered the Gulf of Finland. lam afraid evincing ability of the highest order in the correspondence,
that the Russians will not pluck up co in and showing that he wasj ust as capable of protoctinghivaself
meet you." with the pen as the nation believed ho had protected her
therwwshittihhcohr
co uflle,
angry,et
ti.bs(otHit
feyoastrvh.
nevertheless
atTheiioovi correspondence, ehmoseptnioiLlneonrtecpfie
reproving
anythingilva arrssirru Chas.o,
iii iwast
On the 20th June he writes : rage and come out to
" I am well pleased with all your o porations; and the con-
ot
oh
reserowhoeuhlds, have advoenceo
Sirrne toc. theNs
iaor conclusion
had t
centration of your force at the entry ace of the Fulf of Fin- Napier for having forgotten his duty; but, on the contrary,
land, in a safe harbour where you ca• a command fresh water, if they had allowed themselves calmly to consider the cic•
appearswil leave to
smseti au judiciousadrs
bef 0
roop operation.. esti
si oinn . .
eu
gforsl csoonfficlouideentltyhasttryosoug
to prevent the escape of the Rus. can squadron skulking performed his duty to the best of his ability, but he had
billed fleet to the neighbourhood of Cronstadt, which I am . takingns t a
n thee es
c'
within the harbour, and proceed wi ith the rest of the cote- confirmed the character given•of him at the Reform Club
dinner, as being a man who well 'calculated his movemente
olh.oinYeghoulw.uwasnth noth only that
in
before he commenced operations. (Hear.) The correspond-
afraid you will find unassailable. If t he Russian fleet will not
once continued from the 4th of October down to the 6th or
come out to. meet you, and if you fine ! that you cannot reach
tained what it is possible and impossital eto 'your
them, after having well reconnoitred this works and aster- 10th of November, and then he found the admiral express-
do, return ing a desire that it should be brought to. a terminal/on—
to the more open sea below Helsingfors -would appear to be a
judicious measure,, every neceesary pr ecaution 'being taken but he could not leave this part of the subject without reed.
ing a single passage which occurred in a letter of the 31st
to prevent too reunion of the Russian force now divided at of October. Not that he brought this question forward as
Cronstadt and Helsingfore. lam wet .1 aware of all the diffi- an individual question—no, he brought it before the house
culties of your position, and of the ins- eossibility of triumph- rather as a matter of great national importance, because it
ing over an enemy who will not fight , you on fair terms, but was of importance to the country that her worthy servants
you will discipline our fleet, and ma ke our officers and men should be worthily treated. (Hear, hear.) Well, then,
ready for any service, It is a disgrace to Bessie that she dare he had read to the house the letter of the right honeuro
not show a ship in her own waters, a: ad that she is driven to
seek for safety under the shelter of la n• fortreSses. It would able baronet the member of Carlisle, dated on the 25th
of August, in which he expressed himself to the effect
be madness to play her game, and to rush headlong on her that the Admiralty were more than satisfied with Sir
granite walls, risking our naval super' verity with all the fatal Charles Napier's proceedings. The house should bear in
consequences of defeat, in an uneq ;Laimind that Bomarsund had fallen on the 16th of August,
againstr e nanee
cstone,iwnaysop urro whichve prudence,
dlong in thea gwyour
htbl
eir
brilliant
lw oiarnl wooddt
succeed, I had and yet, notwithstanding that letter of the 25th of Au-
reliance the letter of the 31st of October declared the Govern-
courage„la cannotouwbetoe
ds in, te,.owsy-t
onw
went to be dissatisfied with the admiral for not having
that you possess a combination of th. ise great virtues which followed np the success-of Bomarsund with an attack upon
are necessary to make a consummate c ennuaader-in-chief." Cronstadt. (Hear, hear.) The true principle of carry-
On the 27th df June he again writes, iflis follows: ing on war was this. You selected your general or admi-
ral, and saying to him, " There is the enemy whom we
"I am glad you have gone upto Crone tadt to see with your wish to see destroyed," you left the operation to his dis-
own eyes what it may be possible to do there. Whatever man crotion. In the present instance the Government de-
can do I am certain will be done by yeti ; and if you are re- parted from that principle in not only dictating the ope-
streined by a sense of duty from embarlareg iu any desperate rations, but almost naming the day on which they wore To
enterprise; on you: return to Baro Sounl you shall receive bo carried out. Why, what would ba said to the Secrc-
full instructions from merespecting an aetack upon the Aland t t W if itwere found that ho had —lt to Lord tart'-at-War - ar
Islands." Raglan to desire that be would take Sebastopol on the Ist
Now he thought that correspondence' distinctly sheaved of April next—(a laugh)—or any other day ? What wool!
that from the time Sir Charles Napier I eft England down be said of a Government writing, to a general to carry out
to the end of August, ho received thro' igh the right hon. a particular operation on a particular day, thereby setting
baronet the unqualified approbation 01 the Government. aside-the discretion of the general himself? Would not
He would now proceed to see whether a nything took place his answer be, "This is a matter which necessarily yen
after that period to disentetle the gal lent officer to the cannot possibly know so much about as myself, but if yon
same unqualified approbation of the Government. On have not sufficient confidence in me or my discretion as to
the 20th of June, the admiral had been i directed to make the mode and time of carryinc out these operations, I beg'
a report upon the practicability of taking Sweaborg, that you will relieve me of this command. lam per-
and the admiral himself, on the 20th of June, feetly ready to return home ?" Now, that was precisely
made a report to the Government, enclosing another the case of Sir Charles Napier. The Admiralty wrote him
report of Admiral Chads agreeing v. rith his own, on a letter stating that they were satisfied with his reasons
the subject of such au attack. Both admirals agreed as to for not taking the fortress ' • but, considering the con-
the particular mode of taking the fortress, aud they both flicting nature of the different reports recently brought be-
agreed that if proper appliances. were a (forded them, and fore them, General Jones having declared that it could bo
the attack were won't the proper seaso nof the year they taken in six days, while General Niel, the French engineer,
should have no doubt whatever as to the success of the was of opinion that it could be'subdued in two hours, their
operation, but theiteboth agreed that the series of the year lordships directed the admiral to make the attempt. The
must not be beyond autumn. (Hoar, boar.)• New after admiral, however, declines to risk the fleet at such a see-
the fall of Bomarsund„ vie. on the 4th (':September, the son, and then the Admiralty convey their regret to the
French fleet sailed from the Baltic and ref:mad to France, admiral that an attack was not made upon Sweaborg im-
but the French fleet remained there until! the 19th of Sep- mediately after the fall of Bomarsund. Now, he appealed
tember. About the middle of that month Government were to the house whether any admiral receiving such a letter
desirous of obtaining the opinions of theEntii Shand French wOuldnot naturally feel he had lost the confidence of his
admirals as to the practicability of takiugeeeveaho',
se and Government, and that his command was no longer antis-
accordingly Sir C. Napier was requested. to hold a con- factory, especially as, up to the end of August, his entire
ferenco with the French Admiral and con eider what could proceedings had met with the approval of the Admiralty.
be done. A plan for the purpose had been submitted to the That naturally produced great dissatisfaction in the mind
Government by a distinguished engineerir ig officer, namely of Sir Charles Napier, and the correspondence closed. Sir
General Jones, and another plan by adistetoreguished French C. Napier returned to England, and arrived at Portsmouth
engineer, namely General Niel, and the Ereghili and French on the 17th of December. As soon as the gallant admiral
admirals were desired to hoed a conference ard take those could make preparations, he came up to London, and bed
plans into consideration. Accordingly a consultation was au interview with the First Lord of tho Admiralty, from
held on Board the Duke of Wellington, the admiral's ship, whom, considering the terms on which they had parted
on the 12th of Sept., which was attended 'by three English he thought the gallant admiral might rely upon it that he
admirals, the French admiral and the Fre acheicosadeniral, would meet with a cordial reception on his return. He
and having considered the plans, they agreed to a report, thought the gallant admiral might consider himself entitled
which the house would not expect him to Teed', but they all to such a reception from what the right hon. gentleman
unanimously agreed in this, that the season ot the year was said only a month back in moving the navy estimates. So
too late to admit of such an operation being justifiably un- far from intimating any ground of dissatisfaction with the
dertaken. That report was forwarded to the Admiralty by proceedings of the gallant admiral, the right hoe. gentle-
Sir Charles Napier on the 12th of Sept. ; but soon after, the man said, on the 16th of February :
Admiralty, feeling some anxiety on the subject, again wrote " Bomarsuud, a strongly fortified place, and one bearing
to Sir Charles Napier requesting that a second oensultation marks of an intention to push that system of fortification
might be held; and accordingly Sir Charles Napier to a much greater extent, has been completely destroyed.
again wrote to the French Admiral, requestlig his at- (Hear, hear.) The great naval arsenal of Cronstadt, close to
tendance on board the Duke 'of Wellington to reconsider the capital of Russia, was blockaded, and battle was repeat-
the details of the plans. The French admiral, hovever, do- edly offered to tire Russian fleet, and always declined. Up
dined to attend. ' lie stated that he had elrdodygiven his to the last moment, Sweaborg, which contained nine ships-
opinion, and his mind was made up upon the subject. of-the-line, was also blockaded by a very inferior force, and,
This was on the ,Bth of September; on the 19th the on the whole, never were naval operations more successful
French fleet returned to France, and now of ourse the than were those there performed, and not a ship was lost.
position of Sir Charles Napier became very inuh altered (Hear, hear.) That blockade of the Baltic, whatever may be
to what it had been in the middle of Juno, who he had said with respect to its imperfect character, was condudted
the assistance of a powerful French army and s powerful with a skill and gallantry never surpassed, and the pressure
French fleet. The French admiral having decliied to at- that was brought to bear on the navy was' by no means
tend the second conference, Sir C. Napier belch cousulta- small."
tion of his own admirals on the 19th or 20th seieeternber. So that the right hon. gentleman, in moving the navy es-
The council of war, if he might so term it, !as held on timates only an hour' after the question had been put to him
board the Duke of Wellington, and it consisted of Sir C. by a pliant officer on that side of the house as to what
Napier and three other 'admirals, two of edom had et_
the quarrel between Sir Charles Na •and the Napier Go-
tended the former conferences. These admires considered was •
vernment—the right hon. dentleinan repeated what the
the plans for taking Sweaborg, and again thesame eouclu- gallantve admired tho 2.. 1., A".... C41......i.... ( A Ain irni
sion was come to, namely, that the season 01 the year was Berkeley) had said a few nights before—that Sir Charles
too late for undertaking the operation. In In meantime Napier had neither been recalled, dismissed, rr-n- censured ;
Sir C. Napier had been directed to make a xectrnaissance but ho thought ho had now satisfied the house that that
of Sweaborg, and having done so ho sent home iti3tailed plan hon. and gallant admiral must really have forgotten for
for an attack on that fortress, which
if adopted the gallant a moment what had passed, for the house could enter-
admiral felt no doubt would be Successful, -govided it was tsin no doubt that Sir Charles Napier had been dismissed
put in force at the proper time. That Gary )lau was being and also censured. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the
adopted at this very moment, but it was toe° carried out gallant admiral's interview with, the, First Lord of the
under the direction of another o.iniral. Ca the 25th of Admiralty, of course, he had no written evidence,
September Sir C. Napier, liming been leftonly with the and could only rely upon the statement made to him ,
English fleet, commuuteateet his plan of attack to the Ad- by the gallant admiral, which he could have no doubt
miralty ' •
and now came the point of difference between was strictly accurate. He said that the gallant admired
him and the Admiralty.. Sir C. Napier deilared that he having come home after carrying on those operations only
should have no doubt of the success of his )tan, provided a month before, as the right hon; gentleman stated to the
it was under'eaken in the proper season; hewould not go entire satisfation of the country, considering that he had
into its details, but there could be no quetion about it not lost a ship, and bad gone out with the fleet in but an
that it Vas not the intention of the admiralthat it should indifferent state of discipline, and, remembering what had
be adopted
+.:riat year, but in this or the cmceeding year. taken place at his departure, had a right to expect, if ever
The Adote.
eralty, however, forgetting their termer advice any man-had, a courteous and-cordial reception on his re-
not to -risk the fleet against stone walls, an( finding that turn. let the gallant admiral assured him that on going
the admiral had been far more cautious lied far more to the Admiralty be was received in a manner all but in -
'erudent in such matters than the Goveriment them- ' suiting by the right hon. gentleman, who did certainly
solves, determined that he should have nothing but ob- hold out -his hand coldly to him, but said at once that he
loquy cast upon him, instead of being received, on his re- declined having any conversation with him on the subject,
turn home, in the flattering manner that hat been antici- of the operations. (Hear.) That was on the 22d of Da -
pated by the right hon. baronet the first lord at the Reform °ember ; , but he now proceeded to that which could admit
Club banquet. , (Hear.) The admiral bed distinctly of no doubt. The gallant admiral returned to the Duke
pointed out that neither of the plans Was practicable at a of Wellington, at Portsmouth, where he next morning re-
season of the year when you could not depend upon the calved a letter, signed "R. S. Duddas" and "W. F. Cow-
weather ; but the Government appeared; about the be- per," amounting to a dismissal from his command. It was
ginning of October, to have received information about dated the 22d December, and was couched in the following
the fall of Sebastopol, which they seem to have credited, term(:-: ' - . .
lit the time determined that something should be attempted o Sir,—The Baltielleet,'On its return to port„ being now
in the Balite, and accordingly thb admiral was directed to separated in different harbours Of Great Britain, and several
commeneo an Operation which had been rep n.ted imprac- ofthe ships which composed this fleet being under orders for
tieable even while the French army and the French fleet •
1;
in the Black Sea, and the Mee.terranean, you era
were there. - (Hear, hear.) The operation was to 11'servicerequired directed to, strike flag come on
have hereby ando, your and _
been carried on by the English flee;, and he Wanted shore." (ea.H. i. )- - - ' • ,
to know what could be said of the prudence of a Govern-
Mont who Would venture to give such Instructions' We •He bad read to the house the whole of the letter:, These.
ncour: • terms in which the
bad then in office a Government who had found England were the kindly and
navale officer of Great Britain was
honoured and proud of her position in the world ; but most distinguished
their misnagemeut had since reduced her to a state that greeted on his return from a great public service, which he
had conducted to the entire satisfaction of the Government.
be doubted whether any man could feel aty great pride in re, t thegallant officer should have been surprised, that ho
calling himself an Englishman. (Oh, oar) g© heard de- -"la been than
should have moresurprised, ,
that he should even
risive cheers from the other side of the louse, but, he re-
peated it, that the want of judgment, the want of fore- he
•s h
hove been
meat. (Hear.) He wrote, not disgusted,
immediately, ho thought could occasion the house
sight, which had been displayed in the conduct of the war no estop'
had lowered the character of England
eiti the eyes of the for he d
hbeen so much taken by surprise that he required
a -
world. (Hear, hear.) We did not knew at present who time for consideration, but he wrote on the 25th Da-
"lnterthe •
was really to blame for all this, but he hoped the com- cern to Secretary of tho Admiralty, as follows :
mittee whose proceedings had been rude public mainly " Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of
by the advice of the right hon. baronet the member for their lordships' order, directing me to strike my flag ; and
Carlisle, would enable us to discover to whom we were with reference to the same, I request their lordships will in-
indebted for the disastrous expedition to the Crimea, id form me whether lam to consider that my command is at an
the month of September. (Hear, hear.) The late Govern- end I"
meat slid not hesitate to risk the army by sending it to the •
This was speaking very distinctly to them. The house
Crimea, and in the same way they would have risked the would observe that the letter of the 22d was •
couched in
fleet, had it not been for the prudence and feresigbt of terms which might be customary withthe d 1 ty—he
the admiral. (Hear, hear.) Well, then, he thought he did not know— all he could saywas that
A mire
they were terries
had brought this clearly before the house ;he said the in which he thought few of them would even dismiss a
admiral was useless, unless he could be trusted—and if he domestic servant. (Hear, hear.) Ho was assured that it
could not be trusted, he ought not to have been appointed; was contrary to all usage ,• he was assured that Sir James
but, according to their own showing, Sir eo es.
Napier was, Saumarez, when he had the col-einem' of the Baltic fleet
the fittest man they could Sad for the command, and they in the last war, upon his return in consequence of the
ought to have had confidence in his judgment and discre- win ter having set in and rendering it unsafe and impossible
tion. Because it was confessed that between Russia and for him,to remain there, had permission to be absent until
England there was nothing but the fleet for a protection,shouldpermit the resumption ofoperations.
and if that fleet had been lost, either by bad navigation the season
or That was the manner in which any officer under similar
by operations that could Lot hope to be successful, there had a right to expect to be treated ; Sir
was nothing to defend us against the encroachments of circumstances.
• Sorel hen,the Government, after receiviu Russia. g a Charles Napier had that right, and thought the house
one thin that the letters of the
would agree with him in g, .
report from the admiral that the' season of the year was
passed forlundertaking fta ch operations should hav MI, , Admiralty, like every other step taken in this war, were
I ' ' Is
--'6"` too late. They thought fit in th •reply to
before they goaded on the admire to attempt them ; but •
had lost us the army, and they had but
misconduct kind of thanks to Sir C. Napier ; he should have thought
to I the navy if the admiral had been suffi •
solved loge us that the proper occasion would have been when the letter
(Hear.) It el" was written to the admiral recalling the fleet—but no ;
ently editable for their. purpose.was the pre" .. •-
dence and foresight of the admiral that averted the latter proper things were never to be done at the proper times,
that distinguished
catastrophe ; and the country owed
.late. The gallant admirals'demand to
and all 'was too
heth to consider thii lett • •t. th
Tea
insis ing on the
officer too deep a debt of gratitude to admit of its being w her . e was . . •
tolerated that the truth of these transactions should be termation of his services was answe is follows:
-,
kept in the clark. The right bon. baronet the member for " Sir—With reference to your letter of yesterdayN date, I
Carlisle told the house the other night that "the admiral am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
had not been dismissed—that he had not been censured— to acquaint you that the order which you have received,
and although the admiral had proclaimed himself a hero, agreeably to custom, to strike your flag and come on shore is
he could not allow him to proclaim himself a martyr. But always given at the termination of a flag officer's command."
it was not the admiral who proclaimed himself a hero •it And yet the gallant officer the member for Gloucester
was the noble lord the First Lord of the Treasury and the
could come into that house two months afterwards and say
'right hon. baronet the member for Carlisle who had pro- that the gallant admiral had not been dismissed—(bear,
claimed him a hero ; and aimless he was a hero, he was hear from the Ministerial bench)—and that was repeated
unfit for command. The best evidence that he was a hero a week afterwards by the right hon. gentleman the rnem-
was his being selected to command the fleet ; and he
bet for Carlisle. So that here was a great public officer,
could not understand how the right hon. baronet could the commander-in-chief of the greatest fleet that England
have come down to the house and said the admiral had had ever sent forth, who had commanded that fleet to the
proclaimed himself a hero, and be would take care that. entire satisfaction of the Government, and he believed of
he should not proclaim himself a martyr. But to proceed the nation, and who returned because operations could no
with his narrative. The admiral pointed out to the Go- longer be carried on, told in insulting terms to strikehis flag
vernment that the season of the year was too late for un- and to come on shore—and, again, that this order was always
deitaldng such an operation • but; the Government being issued on the termination of a tint officer's command. Now,
under the impression that Sebastopol had fallen, nothing be thought that, unless they were to give up the present mode
would do for them. but that something should be attempted of and erstandingthe English languege —unless this Govern-
in the Baltic, "We have taken Sebastopol," said they ; ment, which hail introduced so many new things, had intro-
" only let us take Cronstadt or Sweaborg, and the country
duced also some new languageto direct the operations of the
will then be satisfied of what we have all along been satie- war, the house would adhere to the construction ho put
fled with ourselves, viz., that so powerful a Ministry never upon the letter of the 22d December, as equivalent to a dis-
existed before." (A laugh.) But the admiral did not missal of Sir Charles Napier. Yet, having dismissed him
conform to their views—he could not consent to undertake withoututteringa word of compliment to his services, or the
an operation which the united admirals of France and services of those who had manned his ships, they thought
England had disapproved of at the time. Everybody knew fit too late—that was on the 26th December—to attempt
that September in the Baltic was equivalent to November to repair the omission, for the letter went on to say, " and
in England, and that October was like December. Be- lam directed by my lords to take this opportunity"—why
sides, the navigation was the most dangerous in the world; not have taken that opportunity ?—(hear, hear)—" to ex-
there were such rocks and shoals that the fleet could not 'press to you the sense their lordships entertain of your
go about anywhere without buoying its course, and yet the exertions during the period of your service in command of
Government actually wrote on the 4th of October directing the Baltic fleet." Now, the house would, perhaps, mown-
thealdrairal to attack Sweaborg, and on his writing home bar a debate that took place on a memorable occasion—a
to say he could not depend upon the weather, the Govern- debate in which he (Mr. Malins) had taken no part,though
went again 'wrote to him, saying, "You may choose your he would willingly have done so, but in which the Sure-
nwn dry and opportunity." This was not in a private let- , tery for the Admiralty had addressed the house. Whatever
ter : it "vale ;11 a utter -Jeering from the' -)c)
0 ard of •Atitni- - else might, be inferred from the speech tho hon. gentleman
malty to the admiral. If ho had read such a thing in a I then made, he saw one thing very plainly; that if the hon.
correspondence between two business MOD; he should not gentleman were not out of (ice, he expeoted very soon to