The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-06 00:00:00

then referred to the pensions of midshipmen, and com-
plained that the system adopted was one of crying in-
justice, which the House and the country would readily
afford any Board of Admiralty the means of redressing.
Why should the Navy be called upon to perform ardu-
ous duties, and to have their services puffed off for gal
lantry and good conduct, if they were to be dismissed
without any reward in their old age ? He denied
that such • were the intentions of the country.
It was on these grounds that he called the attention
of the House to the subject. It. was the duty of the
superior officers in the service to come forward and s
state the obstacles thrown in their way. He certainly
should persevere,te ha nridrieesnsotitlluoi nothing should
tshtothouel dbteidoeutaseer p
theah ammafobruos
niont
troedwithictoi
duty.
thatHe
lute necessity of sending shins to sea in a
tYsthuoete oereissdsko. duties c
tlettlly.
Ii condition
eieenki
:dt%,siuvi
tso,ponh,
enseti
riles
tedeehtvsooei
ssedmaeweruntsinitetlli
themselves,
withesd urgeduobattt
luyhi
tset
otaomthifitfocoarettpuyennesr‘o‘hsr,itatii.
oapinncrnosdomhynts only
s
o
rtohi.sueklydubnnycess.
thee
success.—(Hear,)
a r .11
were e re a l'lcalled,rtu
without endangering the loss of life—(Loud cries
of " Hear, hear, hear")--for it was clear if they sent
ships half manned, they would only be half able to do their
duties, therefore ships of inferior quality ought to be put in
such a position as would prevent any improper hazard of
life. Before the battle of Navarino, he wrote to the Lord
High Admiral, showing him that the number of men on au ,
average was nine and a half to a 32-pounder, when he ought
to have had thirteen. Had the battle taken place at sea,
where he would have had to manage the sails, must he
have been exposed to utter destruction ? If he were to
choose, he would rather have five ships in the condition in
which he wished to see them officered as they ought to be to
meet 10, than Bof an inferior description half -manned. He
would appeal to the officers of the army, who well knew
by minute combinations of force they could make a simul-
taneous attack effectually. So it was with the Navy. If
they could get ships well together, which they could not
if
they were half manned, they would do the duty to vi,h
ich
they were called with half the injury and twice .the
cele-
rity. It was on that ground that he urged, shouldand
take the liberty of offering, this resolution to the
House,
'° That, with due consideration to the exigencies of the
of
State, it is important to the interest and honour the
country that all her Majesty's ships in commission
have such a complement of men as will renHdeerwt
oulmd now
cient in any emerrency."—( Hear, hear.)
refer to a pamphlet which had bFen put f
forwardorward by a
Gallant Officer. Who provoked him to put it
Why, the Under Secretory to the Admiralty, and he
could not help noticing some expressions used by
Ow latter
gentleman, that the observations of the Gallant Officer
disgraceful, impertinent, frivolous, mischievous, sze.
Iterwe'as also said that his bit of buntinewould never fly at
the head of her Majesty's ships.—( Hear, hear.) Was he
to have this influence at the Admiralty ?—( Hear, hear.)
He also said—let no such man be trusted. He (Sir E. C.)
would apply that observation to him, and say that he ought r
not to be trusted. The Under Secretary near him had
alluded to Captain Craufurd by name. He was a man
for whom he ( Sir Edward Codrington) had a great
regard, whom he had made a Lieutenant, which he
would not have done had he had not been entitled to it--
He talked of the Russian fleet being pasteboard ships, but
he (Sir E. C.) could tell the House that they were rather
sturdy. Why was this man allowed to write as he had
done, when Captain Berkeley was dismissed for
having stated his opinions ? A civilian was always
treated ten times better than an officer. It might be
that he was treated better because be had 1,3001. a year,
hile this young man only had MO/. That might give
him his presumption, but it did not give him any supe..
ri:rresd hear.) Two years before Captain C
rats_ ,
book was the Emperor of Russia had shown
fhoi(tsY---Sir E. C.) his fleet ; and he mentioned,it to the House,
but his statements had been looked upon as nothing
Captain Craufurd ought to have been treatedin a very
different way than he had been by this jack in • office. -
same individual bad attempted to write the Life of Lord
Howe, and he ( Sir E. Codrington) had read that book
with disgust. Lord Howe was one of the greatest Ad.
mirals England ever had, and had performed more service
than any other person in the same number of years, and 1,
that lie should have had such a biographer was really rather /