The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-31 00:00:00

("‘V
e•of-battle ship of 74 guns afloat, and 1 frigate of

guns on the stocks, and far advanced, one screw

me-of-battle ship of 90 guns and 1 of .60 guns; 4
ships of the line, of 80 to 120 guns, two double-
banked-frigates of 60 guns each, and one of 50 build-
ing, and two sloops of war.
There is one screw-sloop of 250 horse power in the

Clyde.
On the Cork station there are one screw line-of-

battle ship of 450 horse power, one of 100, and a gun 1
brig
_ _

The " Particular Service," under which is dis.

■ guised the Tagus fleet, consists of one line-of-battle
ship of 90 guns, one steam troop-ship of 556 horse
power, oue steam-frigate of 60 guns and 450 horse
; power, oue of 350, one screw of .580, one of 360, two
frigats of .50 guns, and four discovery ships (two of
which sailed with Sir John Franklin), and several
small vessels of war engaged as surveying ships.
The Mediterranean fl-et consists of seven line• of-
battle ships from 80 to 120 guns, 2 frigates of 50
guns, three steam frigates from 410 to 800 horse
power, 11 steam-ship of 160 to 420 horse-power, and
three stoops of war.
The African squadron consi4s of 11 sailing sloops
and brigs of war variously armed, and 10 steam-ships
of 90 to 400 horse power.
On the Brazil station there are two frigates of 50
and one of 42 guns, and one sleep of 18 guns; one
steam-frigate of 540 horse power, one of 400, and
three other steam-ships.
Oa the North American station and the West
Indies our force consists of two line-of-battle ships,
70 and 72 guns, one frigate of 26 guns, 'and four
sloops and brigs; two steam-ships of 100, one of 280,
one of 378,•and one of 400 horse power, beskles the
stea►n-ships on the lmkes.
At the Cape of Good Hope there are one frigate of
36 guns and three sloops and brigs ; two steam-ships,
one of 280 and one of 430 horse power, one line•of-
battle ship of 72 guns, and one frigate of 42 guns.
The East India squadron consists of seven sailing
ships from 6 to 26 guns, and three steamers of 200 to
.500 horse power.
In the Pacific there are a frigate, the flag ship of
50 guns, two of 42, used as store depots at Callao
and Valparaiso, one of 3S guns, six sloops and brigs,
from 6 to 24 guns, and three steam-vessels, from 280
to 320 horse power. •
On the Australian station there are four armed
vessels, from 4 to 26 guns.
It will ha observed that, with the exception of the
Tagus and Mediterranean fleets, the portion of our
naval force on foreign stations is comparatively insig-
nificant, and that the ships of war in our ports, if
efficiently manned and armed, are formidable in mag-
nitude and number, and in case of need there may be,
in addition to the present number of seamen and ma-
rines, a full force from the merchant service, fisher-
men, and coast guard to defeat any possible armament
from France ; and let me add that in case of need the
mercantile fleet of England could not only afford ships
and seamen, but on a scale of unprecedented magnitude.
Belonging to the port of London alone the number
of powerful steam-ships, from 300 to 2,000 tons,
would amount to a strong naval force ; while those of
London, Bristol, Glasgow, the Royal Mail contract
packets, the Peninsular and Oriental, and the Gene-
ral Steam Navigation Company, whose large steamers
ply between London and Scotland, could also be
made available, while the splendid East India mer-
chantmen belonging to London, Newcastle, and
other ports could readily be armed as double-banked
frigates.

With respect to the seamen, there is every reason
to believe, now that the accommodation and usage
on board of ships of war are so far superior to what
both were during the last and the early part of the
present century, that but a slight increase in the
wages would remove any reluctance on the part of
ordinary sailors from joining her Majesty's fleet. I
believe that with a few shillings per month extra
wages, all the seame❑ necessary would enter the ser-
vice, and that there would be no occasion for impress-
ment.

My chief misgivings are whether the ordnance is
sufficiently prepared to provide artillery, arms, and
ammunition, which would at once efficiently supply
the navy. If not, there must have been great mis
management in that
,epartment; of which, I admit
I know but little, e-xeepting its enormous expenditure
—ranging from more than 2,000,0001. to 3,000,0001.
annually.
With respect to the expenditure of the navy, espe-
cially of the dockyards, it had increased to an enor-
mous amount when the late Lord Auckland under-
took the administration of that department. But I
am bound to state, in justice to the memory of that
lamented nobleman, and especially to the present
First Lord of the Admiralty, that the expense of the
navy, including the dockyards, has been reduced from
8,013,872/. in 1847, to 5,898,5801. in 1850, and to
5,727,299/. in 1851 ; and, if I believe the dockyard
sy stem to be defective, and that the Admiralty
should be re-organised, I fully comprehend the diffi-
culties of a Minister who has to contend with all
the prejudices and obstinacy of the whole per-
meneut :•tatY of the Admiralty as well as of the naval
docky arcL.
That we c,tild have better ships fur much less
money is the opinion of men of the greatest expe-
rience ; but this is not at present the object of my
letter, it being merely to exhibit the comparative
naval forces of England and of France. Having the
fullest confidence in the geinerous spirit and bold
energy of a nation which so rapidly constructed,
among other great works, the magnificent Exhibition
of the last year, and trusting to a people who mani-
fested such sublime order in 1848 and 18.51, I cannot
arrive at any other conclusion than that if by any
act of madness or wickedness any attempt were to be
made by France to invade England, which I would
deplore, then the naval power of our country would
not only repel effectually such an attempt, but block-
ade every port in France, destroy her maritime trade
and navigation, deprive the manufacturers of that
country of the means of obtaining raw materials,
and, probably, in the sequel destroy her military as
well as mercantile navy. We did this btoefodroes,owaegcaainn,
but we hope we shall not be p
I am, gentlemen, yours f 11
aithfu y,
J. MACGREGOR.
1, Prince's-terrace, Hyde-park, Jan. 28.

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