The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-25 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR.—In your article ot this evening you deprecate
the advice I deemed it my duty to offer with regard to
further economy in our Naval Estimates. Yet I cannot
believe we materially differ, since you desire to see our
naval force made thoroughly efficient.
There is a source ot national weakness even more
dangerous than " the ignorant impatience of taxation,"
and that is patience ot official waste on the part of those
who have the opportunities of resisting it. It is an in-
disputable fact that when merchants want to get a par-
ticular sort of ship built in order to perform a given
service, they can generally gel it for their money, whilst
the very opposite is more near the truth in the case of
the public acting through the Admiralty. Indeed, if
it were not for the alterations constantly going
on in the bows and sterns of veast-ls—in cut-

ting down some ships, and in lengthening others,
there would hardly be an excuse for keeping up large
establiehmeuts at our seaports, and, perhaps, this is
partly the secret of many of the changes ships undergo.
Whilst many men are on the books in time of peace, if

they did not find an excuse for something to do, reduc-
tions would commence, a thing which all sorts of officials
instinctively hold in horror.
The fact is, we ought to batild by contract. This has
been done in some instances with good effect, and ought
to be done in more, if not in all. White, Ratsey, Green,
and Camper, would soon shame our empirical builders
into a substitution of exact science for rule of thumb.
No doubt, we have our Clhatfields (Chatfield, I believe,
designed the Thetis—a beautiful vessel); but owing to
the fatal mistake committed in abolishing the school of
naval architecture which was founded many years
since, it is only of late that •advances have been made on
a better system.
The long and short of the matter is this—a sum of
nearly 1,500,0001. is required for ship-building during
this year. I maintain that eve ought to have for this sum
a greater number of efficient ships than, judging from
the experience of the past, we are likely to obtain.
One million a year judiciously expended during the past
thirty-seven years would ,have placed our navy on such
a footing that, with a better system of manning the
navy, we might at this moment fold our arms and defy
the world. Unfortunately,. our wisest measures have
been conceived in a pant.c and, consequently, mtibly
things have been forgone n which ought to have been
considered. For example, the reserve of steamers
founded by the Governme.nt of Sir Robert Peel were,
if lam rightly informed by a late official, built too
small for their engines; and the result was, that the
vessels turned out to be uo suited to the purposes for
which they were required, and it became necessary to
get more. Then, war steamers did not answer, except
as troopships.
Of Keyham you say nothing. That case is absolutely
unanswerable. It is neither more nor less than an abso-
lute waste of a million of money, because a quarter of a
million would have made Milibay perfect ,for the same
purpose, and far better situated. In the debate, I was
told that Keyham was a batter place for the steam docks,
because Keyham is less exposed, inasmuch as Keyham
is up Haosoaze. This is evidently erroneous. Keyham
is more exposed. Keyham is exposed to attack by a
force operating from the land side, and which would not
enter the port at all, but disembark in Whitsand bay,
the distance being but a few- miles, and the route unde-
fended. Millbay, on the 'Aber hand, would be further
from attack, except seav raid, and, as to that danger,
it would be an almost impossible enterprise for a fleet to
attempt to pass the batteries on Drake's Island, and
other places. Besides, M Wilsey lies contiguous to the
Victualling-yard and Mar in e-barracks, and would, there-
fore, have offered peculiar advantages. However, it is,
perhaps, now too late to rectify that mistake; and my
only wonder is why, if it be so urgently necessary to
have steam docks, which no doubt it is, so small a sum
as 40,0001. is taken this year-352,0001. being the fur-
ther cost. But if we are to avoid such mistakes in future,
it will be ascribable in th,e main to the readiness of the
Press in affording opportunities for the discussion of the
views entertained by different persons.
You do not approve of what I said with respect to the
pay of sailors. When I spoke of sailors—able seamen
—serving for 1/. a-week to find themselves, it was not
intended to be supposed feat blue jackets were to scram-
ble for a chance of cooking their provisions, and that
every man should have hin own store. My remark, as
to what could be done, was merely intended as the
basis of an estimate. No difficulty is found in yachts
—even where sailors actmally "find themselves." The
limit is the gist of my argument. I meant to convey
that, if able seamen can , be obtained at 1/. per week
to " find themselves," mixed crews of able seamen;
srcond-rates, and youngsters, to the extent of 40,000,
might be obtained for 2,000,0001. a year, and I believe
that proposition is a true one.
As to " invoking the Pr, Fs," as well as using Hansard,
I can only say that when I think I see my way to a
saving of public money, and a mode of improving the
effi,•iency of a great nations I arm, I shall certainty not
hesitate to avail myself of it, feeling essur, d that, t hough
an a-ettult upon the stiotighoi-is of pi otigaiity
waste
may easily be made the occasion of and wastekes, the
sutjec; is by no means I a
j ,ke to the public,.
aw, Sir, &c
London, March 24, 1852.

J. J. TRELAWNY

DEATH OF THE HON. FRED. WEST.--We regret
to announce the death of this venerable gentleman, at his
seat, Culham Court, 891 kshire. The Hon. Fred. West was
brother to the last Earl D.!lawarr, and was for many years
in Parliament for Denbighshire, and about. the Court of
George 111. and IV. By this demise the families of Dela-
warr, Chesterfield, Radnor, Fox Lane, Northwich, Middle-
ton, Biddulph, Bulkeley, &c., will be placed in mourning.
The largest sailing ves.se 1 which ever floated on the
Clyde is now lying at the Broc mielaw. The 11. C. Kl.4t"
measures 1,444 tons, Custom-house measurement, and 's .
tended as a regular trader between Glasgow and Aus_tloanitaz
under the command of Captain Patterson, late ofthe
gomery. Her principal dimensions are—length, . 168 feet:
Was
breadth, 32 feet ; depth, 294 feet. She
Glasgow, and launched in June, 1851. built at Aew

THE MERCHANTS' AND TRADES-
MEN'S MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE
SOCIE FY.
The fifth annual meeting of the enembsrs of this
society was held on Thursday, the 18th of March at the
office; in Cheatham-pace, Blackfriers. ,
John Macgregor, Esq , M.P., presided.
Mr. GEORGE Teromsosr (the Manager) read the re-
port, by which it aap, a:A that the Luni.b..,r of policies
for the year ending 3 lb; Jan. last are ............... 181
The amount assured £54,650 0 0
The premiums on which are
Since the 31st Jan. last, sixty-one pro-
posals have been passed, amounting to 21,100 0 0
The premiums on which are
And there are before the Board 13 proposals amount-
ling to 6,9001., the premiums on which are 245/. 19s. 9d.,
now in progress of completion.
Making the total number of policies 736
The amount assured £216,432 0 0
The annnal income of the S iciety 7,024 7 4
27 Proposals for 14,150/. have been submitted to the
board during the year which have been declined,
The claims by death, which .have been discharged,
amount to 1,660/. and there is one small claim of 4001.
which the directors cannot settle, in consequence of there
being different claimants interested in the sum.
The CHAIRMAN in a very able statement went over the
different heads of the report, and moved its adoption,
which was carried unanimously.
The resolution having been carried, votes of thanks
to the directors and auditors, and Mr. HALL (an auditor)
in returning shanks, observed that the directors should
adopt another mode of assurance, which he conceived
would bring them a great deal of business—namely, as-
suring say the payment of 1001. to a person reaching
sixty, no benefit to be derivable from his payments if he
died before reaching that age.
Mr. ARROWSMITH proposed a complimentary vote of
thanks to the medical officers, the manager, Mr. Thom-
son, the secretary, Mr. Musgrave, and the agent and
other officers of the society. They were all able and
eminent men. One of them (Mr. Thomson) he was
instrumental in bringing there himself, and he came
with the very highest testimonials from five or six of
the greatest nan.aa in the City. Mr. Musgrave was
an able coadjutor, and he was always glad to see him
at their meetings. It was to him a source of regret
that many persons were dissuaded from assuring their
lives beceu,e they were afraid a time might come when
they could not keep up their pa} ments, and that they
would lose all the money they had previously paid an
account of a policy of assurance on their lives. Their
condition might practically illustrate the dream of Yea-
roah, who dreamt that seven fat kine were eaten up
by epwe loan Irine. Snsons of prosi:erity and seasons
of adversity were the lot of many of them. Perhaps
they assured for too much, and if they could not continue
their premiums, they found themselves in worse hands
than those of a hard-dealing usurer. New it should
be known that the directors of that office gave credit for
premiums, charging only a moderate sum for interest
tor twelve months, in order to give a man time to re-
cover himself. It was to correct this evil, so far as it
affected the varying fortunes of literary men that be had
associated with Charles Dickens and others in the for-
mation of the Guild of Literature and Art." And the
" Athet mum Institute" in Sackvitle-street was estab-
tablished for a similar purpose. Offices that would not
lend a man 301. or 401 to enable him to mdintain his
policy for a little while, pursued a dry skin-flint
usurious practice, which could not be too much
reprobated.—(Hear, and laughter.)
Mr. THOMSON, in returning thanks for the very kind
and flattering manner in which Mr. Arrowsmith had
been pleased to refer to his humble services, and that of
his friend Mr. Musgrave, said that they had both used
their best exertions, as was their duty, to promote the
interest of the society. With regard to Mr. Arrow-
smith's very judicious observations as to advancing, by
way of credit, one year's premium if required by the
assured, he quite agreed that it was a judicious and
equitable provision, and in that spirit it had been ap-
proved and adopted by the directors. Dr. Bentham's
suggestion that in no case ought a forfeiture to occur,
such as that described by Mr. Arrowsmith, had also
been anticipated by this society. The Doctor would
find that they had a regulation whereby, after five pre-
miums had been paid, a policy might be surren-
dered, and a new policy granted corresponding to
the value of the one surrendered without payment
of any further premium. As an illustration
of the principle, suppose a person to assure for 1,0001.
for the whole term of life at a premium of 301., and to
pay five premiums. If that person bad insured for five
years as a short period policy, he would only have had to
pay about one-half, or 151.; consequently the other half
is paid against the future and daily increasing risk. Now
this sum would be applied as a simple payment, and a
policy granted accordingly on the surrender of the old
one, and the assured would be precisely in the same posi-
tion, on the same table, and with all the advantages
proportionably which he ever had. It was, no doubt, an
arbitrary rule to fix on five years as the shortest period
for the conversion, but it was thought that any shorter
time would be too great an inducement to parties to
discontinue their insurances; and it was not the
duty of offices to encourage parties to abandon BO
important a provision as that of a life policy.
Tho regulation had been approved by Professor Do
Morgan, as both equitable and judicious. With regard
to Mr. Halt's proposal to have a table constructed for
endowment assurances, contingent on lives surviving a
given age, he (Mr. Thomson) very much doubted the
propriety of encouraging that principle. Such a mode
of assurance would be a mere gambling speculation. It
would invert the very principle end most important use
of life assurance. It would be a speculation on a lung
lite, but no provision in case of premature death, and
the vital principle of life assurance was to provide
against the latter contingency. In the case suggested,
if the assured lived to the specified age he would get the
amount assured, but in the event of his dying before,
his family would lose the benefit of all his payments.
It was a most unsatisfactory speculative mode of as-
suarance, unless combined with a provision to pay to
the representatives in case of death before the given sp.
And for this description of endowment assurances the
society had already provided by their Table No. 6.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RALLWAT.—Return of
Traffic for the week ending March 21:—
Passengers, parcels, mails, &c. £22,441 7 8
Merchandise ... 17.682 14 11
Cattle .. 1,061 14 6

Total £41,185 17 1
Corresponding week last year 40,409 16 10
Note.—The returns as published are exclusive of the
traffic of the Huddersfield Canal and Shropshire Union, North
Union, Preston and Wyre, South Junction, Manchester and
Buxton, and Buckinghamshire Railways, and of the propor-
tion of traffic deducted under agreement with the North
Staffordshire Company.
THE GRZAT NORTHERN RARMAY.--(MileS in work, 241 0
—Return of Traffic for the Week ending March 14, 1852:
Passengers, parcels, carriages,
horses, dogs, and mails ... £4.626 2 6
Merchandise and minerals ... 6,099 0 10
Cattle ... ... 152 10 7

Total .. £10,877 13 11
Corresponding week, 1851 (236 miles): --
Passengers, parcels, &c. „. £4,046 14 3
Merchandise, Cattle, &c. 3,821 3 6

Total ... £7,807 17 9
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—Amount 01
Traffic for the week ending March 21 :
Passengers ... £6,539 18 104
Goods ... ... 2,818 9 1i

Total ... ... ... £9,358 8 0
Corresponding week lad year... 7,969 311

. _
Scorrum CENTRAL RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the Week
ending March 21, 1852:
Passengers (7,212), parcels, horses,
and carriages £784 12 11
Goods, cattle, &c. 920 16 9
Total .. 1,705 9 8
Corresponding week in last year... 1,604 4 1
Perth, March 24. 1852.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—Trask for the
week ending March 21:—