The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-10 00:00:00

REDUCTION OF THE NAVY.

An examination of the Navy List would seem to justify
the conclusion that the Admiralty intend to make a consi-
derable diminution in the estimate of expenses for sea-
going ships. It is a remarkable fact that no less than 16
vessels have been paid out of commission during the past
quarter, including five-line-of-battle ships. These com-
prise :
Agamemnon, 89 guns, 600 horse power, Captain T,
Hope, from North Awerica and West Indies.
Algiers, 89, 600 horse power, Captain E. B. Rice, from
the Mediterranean. _

---------.
Amphion, 36, 300 horse power, Captain A. C. Gordon,
from the Mediterranean.
Arrogant, 47, 360 horse power, Commodore Edmonstone,
from West Coast of Africa.
der B•116Y' fromßeagle, 4, 80 horse power, Comman B.
China.
Doris, 32, 800 horse power, Captain Sir F. L. M'Clin.
tock, from the Mediterranean.
r, Captain J. A. Paynter,
.Captain W. IL Ander-
Exmouth, 86, 400 horse powo
from the Mediterranean.
Flying Fish, 6, 350 how PoAlvireicr7a
P. Ryder, from
son, from the West Coast
Captain A. p
Hero, 89, 600 horse power,
North America and the West Indies,
600 horse power, Captain G. T. B. Ilornby,
Neptune, 86,
from the Mediterranean.
Oberon, 3, 260 horse power, Lieutenant G. Morris, from
the South-east Coast of America.

Fetorus, 21, 400 horse power, Commodore F. Seymour,
C.B , from Australia.

Racer, 11, 150 horse power, Commander A. M. Lyons,
from North America and the West Indies,
Rolla, 6, Commander C. U. Nelson, late training brig at
Portsmouth.

Termagant, 2.5, 310 horse power, Captain R. Hall, from
the Pacific.

- _
Vigilant, 4, 200 horse power, Commander Lord Elphin-
stone, late of the Channel squadron.
We may add to these the Scylla, 21, 400 horse power,
Captain It. Lambert, from the Mediterranean, under orders
to pay off at Sheerness.
This is an unusual number to be dismantled in one quar-
ter, but in addition to those already enumerated there are
no lime than 17 under ordere to return to England, all of

China.
Clio, 22, 400 horse power, Captain T. Miller, from the
Pacific.
Encounter, 14, 360 horse power, Captain R. Dew, frog
the East Inlies and China.
Fawn, 17, 100 horse power, Captain R. P. Cater, frov4,
Australia.
Hecate, 6, 240 horse power, Captain G. 11. Richards,
from the Pacific.
Imperieuse, bl, 360 horse power, Captain Robert Gibson.
(acting), from the East Indies and China.
London, 86, 500 horse power, Captain IL Chads, from
the Mediterranean.
Mars, Se, 400 horse power, Captain N. Strange, from
the Mediterranean. .
Melpomene, 51, 600 horse power, Capt. C. J. F. Ewart,
from North America and the West Indies.
Odin, 16, 500 horse power, Captain Lord J. Bay, from
the East Indies and China.
Pearl, 21, 400 horse power, Captain J. Borlase,
from the East Indies and China.
Renard, 4, 200 horse power, Commander C. J. Rowley,
from the East Indies and China. •
year,
s Sphinx,c ouf rtom2l6t:h4seooEoo ahhsootrrslsene
power, d
pi eoswaenrd,CCaph Commanderanian
R:ngdove, 4, 200 horse power, Commander R. A. 0.
Brown, from the East Indies and China.
Sanspai eil, 70,-400 horse power, Captain G. Le G. Bow
Vulcan, 6, 400 horse power, Corbett,Commjader
East Indies and China.
T.
. M.
jC. trmooantehse!:
from the East Indies and China.
from the East Indies and China.
To supply the vacancies of the 33 ships paid off or under
orders to return home, there have been only seven com-
missioned during the past quarter, viz.
Egmont, 4, Captain F. A. B. Craufurd, for service as at
receiving and store ship at Rio.
Leopard,
d, 18,e s
East r
Id
Lily, 4, 200 horse power, Commander II , Harvey, fOr
North America and the West Indies.
Meeanee, 60, 400 horse power, CaptainG.W. odehouse, for
the Mediterranean.
opanisa6noa horse
China, ',p
ower, Captain C. T. Leckie, for
the
Pylades, 21, 350 horse power, Captain A. W. A. Hood,
for North America and the West Indies.
Shearwater; 11, .150 horse power, Commander R. G.
Douglas, for the Pacific.
Vindictive, 2, Master Commander F. F. Lew, for service
as a store ship at Fernando Po.
Of-these,- two are merely store and receiving ships, and
cannot, therefore, be accounted effective men of war. It is
very clear, also, that during the ensuing quarter no material
addition will be made to the numerical strength of the navy.
At Portsmouth there are at present only three ships under
orders to be brought forward for speedy commission, viz.,
the Frederick William, 82, the Curagoa, 31, and the Esk,
21, although the harbour is crowded with ships in reserve,
the majority of them being in the second, third, and fourth
classes. It will be observed that most of the homeward
bound ships are from the East India and China station. It
is not improbable that the Admiralty contemplate a perma-
nent reduction of the force in these waters, owing to the
formation of the Anglo-Chinese squadron, under the com-
mand of Captain Sherard Osborn. The maintenance of a
large English force in China involves an enormous cost to
this country, which may, to a large extent, be avoided
under the new arrangement without causing any serious
injury to British interests in China. The presence of Cap-
tain Osborn with a small but effective force is a sufficient
guarantee that both pirates and rebels will be closely
watched in the neighbourhood of treaty ports, and will form
a valuable auxiliary to the squadron under the command
of Rear Admiral Kuper. No intimation, however, is given
as to the future policy of the Admiralty, and we can, there-
fore, only draw these inferences from the facts which are
apparent.—Hampshire Telegraph.