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

LON DON,

cilmhines, indeed, to render the bungling nature of
all these proceedings at Keyham, matter for very se-
rious regret—regret none the less earnest from our
recollections of what happened some months back to
the Terrible, which, after injuring herself by
grounding, was unable to be repaid except by going
all the way round again to the dockyard; at Ports-
mouth.

Alluding to the moneys squandered somewhat no-
toriously upon ship-building according to the present
system at the Admiralty, Mr. TRELAWNY suggests,
it will be perceived, that henceforth we should build
by contract. Now, building ships of war by con-
tract is a system which has of course its particular
advantages. Unfortunately, however, it must
be admitted that these particular advantages
are counterbalanced, if they are not actually
preponderated over, by no less particular disad-
vantages. Does the Hon. Gentleman, the Member
for Tavistock, bear is his recollection the results
(with regard to this method of building by contract)
of the national experience ? Has he altogether over-
looked the rather damning evidence afforded by
those forty seventy fours, which were ultimately
and not inappropriately designated the "forty
thieves ?" JOHN BULL was the Ali Baba, for the
occasion, but unluckily the old gentleman came
not off so comfortably as his prototype, having
his pockets somewhat disagreeably rifled. We
would instance also the lesson preached to the nation
subsequently upon the false economy of building
ships of war by contract, but that the mention of the
frigates furnishing the text might not be
so delightful to " ears polite," by reason of the un-
mistakeable honesty of their soubriquet.
Howbeit, the changes really desirable in our ma-
ritime administration would affect the navy very diffe-
rently indeed, we conceive, than by diminishing its
estimates by 2,000,0001. In order to secure to the
sea forces of England the efficiency which Mr. TRE-
LAWNY, no less we believe than ourselves,
is really desirable of witnessing established, we
.hould have to regulate otherwise the funds already
placed at the disposal of the authorities at the
Admiralty. Properly applied, those funds, we
believe, would prove in the end sufficient,
though we cane conceive that, even under the
most admirable re-organization, they would be
found for an insular power like England, with a
commerce so extensive, and with colonies so scat-
tered, in any way whatever—extravagant ! Aided
by these annual grants of 5,600,000/. and upwards,
the Admiralty under this new system of arrange-
ment would be enabled to enhance the efficiency
of the service by a more rational scheme
of manning our ships of war ; by not dispersing at
the end of every three years the experienced sailors
educated during that interval in the duties of
their profession; by applying the screw-pro-
peller more generally in the construction of
new vessels, introducing it into (comparatively
speaking) minnows like the Pocal-p, as well as into
mammoths, like the Royal Albert ; and, among a
variety of other equally rational and equally
requisite innovations, by:: organizing anew,
upon a larger scale and upon a better
footing, the whole framework of our marine artillery.
By this last-mentioned improvement, we should be
effecting more at a single " move" towards
the increase of the national defences than
by calling out a thousand " awkward squads"
of militia, or by inducing the London
'preetices to practise with pop-guns or minie
rifles in the shooting gallery of the Red
House at Battersea. By combining that development
of our marine artillery, moreover with the changes
already specified, and with the still more obvious re-
forms we have considered it here unnecessary to
enumerate, we should be most effectually fostering
the energies and securing the efficiency of that
glorious service to which, under PROVIDENCE, the
great maritime power of England is mainly indebted
for her wealth, her grandeur, her prosperity, and her
independence.

It is universally admitted that a General Election
must speedily take place, the only question being
whether the appeal to the country will be made
within a few months or a few weeks. All, then, is
activity in the electioneering market. Eligible can-
didates are eagerly sought after and coming forward
more freely than on any former occasion. The
a-pirants for senatorial honours are addressing the
several constituencies., and putting forward their
respective opinions on topics of general interest, more
especially on !natters relating to free trade and pro.
tection. It is, however, remarkable, that while the
advocates of unrestricted commerce speak out clearly
end unequivocally, there appears to be extraordinary
caution observed by those aho have heretofore been
termed "Protectionists." Although speaking of the
impolicy of the Act of 1846, and the distressed con-
dition of the agricultutists, few, if any, have ven-
tured to advocate a retrograde policy, or to insist on
the propriety of a re-imposition of the bread-tax. Oti
the contrary, men have, in the very hearts of agricul-
!ural constituencies, declared the impossibility of
bringing back the corn laws, and yet been received
as farmers' friends. And why ? Simply because
ihey avow their intention, not of affording them
exclusive advantages, but of remedying grievances
under which they are suffering, and for which
they are clearly entitled to relief. The opinion
which we have expressed, that the question of a tax
on food will not be even seriously brought forward
in the new Parliament receives powerful confirmation
from these significant facts.

As with commerce, so it is with shipping. The
very shipowners appear to have given up the idea of
bringing back the navigation• laws, and to direct
their attention solely to getting rid of the burdens
which press most heavily and unfairly on their in-
terests. Even Mr. HERRIES, on Monday evening,
declared that " the policy of 1848 was not reversible,"
using the quotation "vestigia nulla retrorsum." It
will be found from the admirable speech of Mr.
DIGBY SEYMOUR to the electors of Sunderland, in-
serted in another part of this day's impression, that
the Learned Gentleman clearly and distinctly pointed
out the impolicy of attempting to bring back the old
restrictive code, and that the shipowners of that im-
portant port acquiesced in the conclusions at which
he arrived, was sufficiently attested by the rapturous
and enthusiastic applause with which his brilliant and
eloquent address was received by the numerous body
assembled to hear his opinions.

Nothing could be more clear and lucid than the
masterly epitome of the rise and progress of the nevi-
gation-laws from their introduction by CROMWELL, in
1651,until.Their repeal, after a continuance of 197 years.
The result of these impolitic enactments was that
other nations imposed similar restrictions on our ves
sels, until, as stated by Mr. SEYMouR, we found that
American ships sailed to Liverpool in ballast, hav-
ing British ships in their wake laden with tobacco,
rice, or cotton ; while British ships traversed the
Atlantic to New York in ballast, with American
ships hard in their wake laden with calicoes, cutlery,
hardware, and iron." Well might the Learned Gen-
tlemen exclaim, " A pretty game for two great Da-
Lions to play for 28 years." Reciprocity treaties
became necessary to extricate us from this disgrace-
ful state of things, and special compacts were entered
into with no less than thirty different States.
The Learned Gentleman strongly illustrated the
vast importance of free trade to the mer-
cantile marine, by showing the increased
imports into this country, and the consequent
increase of employment for our shipping. He com
pisined, indeed, of a want of reciprocity by other
nations, but he did not therefore desire a retrograde
movement. On the contrary, he said, " The deed is
done—the die is cast—the British shipowner is cast
into competition with the whole world. There is a
danger in going back to a course which has been once
abandoned. In the interval which has elapsed new
relations of commercial property and enterprise take
place, and like a relapse in the natural body, the
shock of a reaction may be attended with the most
perilous consequences to the body politic." This is
just reasoning and i
of a reactionary policy. if
as shipowners. It t aßpupti i tto
he
y o cannot farmers
no t
goas back
shows the utter impossibility
they may go forward. They may endeavour to ob-
tain the repeal of the timber duty at least for ship-
building purposes, and also of the light dues so
justly complained of. There are also a variety of
local charges and jurisdictions that should be got rid
of. Every unfair restriction on British shipowners
should be strictly investigated, with a 'kW to its re-