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

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE APPOINTMENT OF CAPT. LOCH, C. 8.-
In answer to some strictures on the appointment of
Captain Loch to .the command ot the Winchester, our
contemporary, the Times, who has affected very great,
but very indiscreet., this appointinont
of
ailltbre3 or little service, less standing, but ot great family
influence; has the following:—
" A very unjust attack has been made by some of the
professional papers upon the appointment of Capt. Loch
to the Winchester. We have reason to believe that his
appointment was entirely unsolicited, and as Captain
Loch is one of a well-known Whig family, we are dis-
posed to consider it a favourable example of the spirit
which is to prevail over the distribution of patronage by
the now Admiralty. Captain Loch commanded the
Alarm in the river St. Juan, for two years, under most
difficult circumstances, and displayed in the conduct of a
negotiation with the state of Nicaragua an ability and
discretion which were appropriately rewarded by Lord
Palmerston with the distinction of C.B. We believe
that Captain Loch is a good seamen as well as an able
negotiator, and see no reason to regret that the Ad-
miralty has disregarded the claims of party in his

favour."

Unfortunately for our Contemporary's compliment to
the present Board of Admiralty, we believe that Cap-
tain Loch's appointment was made by the Duke of
Northumberland as a point of delicacy towards his pre-
decessor, who, it is said, would have given the Winches-
ter to Captain Loch had he remained in office another
week. Captain Loch, it is true, is allowed to be a good
seaman, and may be an able negotiator, but the navy
have yet to discover the superior qualifications he pos-
sesses, and the distinguished services he has rendered,
to justify his rapid promotion in time of peace when
thousands of war officers could not obtain even employ-
ment, and which entitled him to the C. 13., when scores
of officers on the list had not only ten times as many
claims for the decoration for brilliant, dashing, and dis-
creet services against the enemy. Moreover, Captain
Loch has already served one term of commission to-
wards making himself eligible for his active flag rank,
whereas no leas than 50 captains, made in the same year
in which Captain Loch was promoted—to say nothing
of scores of deserving senior officers—have not had the
chance of a single day's employment as captain. The
compliments, therefore, of our contemporary on the
First Lord's impartiality, aro inconsistent with his pre-
tended advocacy of the claims of old meritorious and
distinguished but efficient officers, as they are at the ex-
pense of the Noble Duke's well-known appreciation of
the services of the gallant profession of which he is now
happily the head.
The unfairness—we may say injustice—of such rail-
road promotions as those by which Captain Loch reached
his post-rank and his standing in the list, is made evident
in the following remarks in the Standard of last.night.
Our contemporary says:—
" The present Board of Admiralty will, no doubt, en-
deavour to redress as many grievances as their power
may enable them, and there are some cases of hardship
which are well worthy of consideration. Many post
captains of 15 years' standing and upwards entered the
service after some who, of only of 11 years' standing as
captains, had their lieutenant's commission; thus many
with only 25 or 28 years' service are senior officers to
those who have been 40 years in the navy, and distin-
guished themselves in the-late war as lieutenants, but,
for want of interest, were late in obtaining their commis-
sion as captain. Thes© older officers, but younger cap-
tains, are told, on applying for consideration, that they
do nut stand high enough on the captains' list, and thus
an appointment is bestowed on one 15 years the junior,
and who has no good service to plead. This is sorely
felt by the old and meritorious officers."
Captain Loch's case is a very appropriate illustration
of the Standard's statement. Capteie. Loch was pro-
moted to the rank of captain in 1841. Of the thirteen
officers promoted to the rank of captain in 1851—
that is, ten years later—no less than six were senior
to him as lieutenants; and of the officers promoted
in the same year as Captain Loch, no less
than 50 were lieutenants before Captain Loch even en-
tered the Royal Navy. If the above is all the defence
or excuse our contemporary can offer for the 'ex-First
Lord of the Admiralty's nomination of Captain Loch,
that gallant and distinguished officer may truly exclaim,
" Save me from my friendsl"—Morning Herald.
Commander Albert Ilesseltine (1845) has been se-
lected by the Duke of Northumberland to command the
Britomart, 8, to be commissioned at Devonport. The
selection of this Officer for employment reflects credit
upon the Noble First Lord. Dczens of officers, junior
to Commander Hesseltine, have been employed, and not
a few of them promoted, whilst this officer has not
hitherto had a chanco of a command. The Duke has
evidently' selected him on account of his standing and
good services. He must have entered the navy about
the year 1825 (bs•fore Captain Luca, by the way)—
passed his examination in 1832—seried five years as a
mate, and, as a lieutenant, serve d in the Electra, 18,
South American station; as first of the Grecian, 16;
then ns first of Commodore Sullivan's frigate Stag, 46;
then the Sappho, 16, Cape; and Conway, 26, on the
same station, when ho was made a commander at the
general promotion of 1846. In the early part of his
career, we are told, ho served in the Andromeda frigate
in the East Indies, and was frequently engaged in her
boats against the Malacca pirates.
Commander Barnard and the officers of the Vesuvius,
steam-sloop, on their arrival at Portsmouth found their
commissions appointing them to the Vixen, 6,
_steam-
sloop, for service on the Brazils station.
Clerk—H. W. M. Arnold has been appointed to the
Winchester, 50, at Portsmouth.
Clerk's Assistant—H. W. D. Shanks to the Impregna-
ble flag ship, Devonport.
Gunner—Richard Page, of the Spiteful steam-sloop,
has been confirmed.
Commodore Martin's flag-ship, Prince Regent, 90,
Captain Harris, is on her way from Queenstown to Spit-
head, to be " paid down," and for her crew to have a
fortnight's holiday.
Leander, 50, Captain S. C. Dacres, is hourly expected
at Davenport, having left Queenstown for Devonport on
Saturday last.
Vivid, Dover steam-packet, Master Commander Smi-
thett, will not have her defects repaired before the mid-
dle of next month, at Wcolwich.
DEFENCES OF SPITHEAD.—The engineer officers went
out again on Tuesday to examine the site for the intended
fort on what is termed No Man's Land; near Spithead,
to ascertain the nature of the ground, and whether the
soil is of that character that would be fit for the heavy
battery intended, and at what depth they might decide
for a foundation. They commenced boring' on Monday.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The Resistance
troop-
ship, Master-Commander Bradshaw, sailed, to, daywithnaval stores for Devonport and Cork. She was towed
into a good offing by the steam-tug.
The Rodney, 92, Captain C. Graham, C.B , has been
ordered to prepare for tea, and will go to Shead in a
few days. Her crew were exercised
this Spithead in a
few days. Her crew were exercised this mornin
sending up and down topgallant masts
and crossing
i
ng ntop-
gallant and royal yards. She will be ready to go oat to
Spithead on bending sails.
The Sprightly
steam-tender, Acting Master-CCW
mander George Allen, sailed this evening with super-
numeraries for the east a ard.
The compasses of der
the Vixen, steatn-sloop, Commander
Barnard, have been adjusted to-day
The Arethusa, 50, Captain Symonds, has completed her
refit, and is again ready for sft.
The Superb, probably come
take up the
into harbour on the Rodney going out, and
80, Captain Purnell, will
moorings vacated by her.
tni Erskine, Second-Lieute-
ROYAL MARINES —CV-- n
nant Gill, two sergeants, two her Majesty's ship
corporals, and 63 privates,
embarked this afternoon on board
Winchester, for service in t:1
Her Majetty's brig Racer,
PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDA.
12, Commander Beddow,e from the Mediterranean, an-
chored in the Sound She
afterncon, and saluted
the Port Admiral. •
he sailed from Malta on the 7th of
her Majesty'sß •
the 9th spoke ship rt-
March, and on the
a Goldsmith, with the flag of Rear-
tannia,
Captdi s all well. The Racer passed through
Admiral Dula
a Gibraltar on the 17d', and made the pa,sege
the Gut of
days. She • be paidoff at this
is to
the Sound in bix ays,
to
po.ltie Albion, 90, the Indefatigable, 50, and Encounter,
steam-vessel,
el were at Malta on the 7th, preparing to sail;
destination unknown.
The Queen was to leave for England on the 15th.
The Racer will be inspected to-day, when she will go up
harbour to be paid off.
The frigate Vesuvius, Captain Barnard, returned on
Monday into the Sound, from a cruise iU the ehauntl,
W relieve the UctillentrtiebOttncl•