The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-09 00:00:00

TO THE EARL OF IWINTO, G.4;.13 ,
&c.

London, Oct. 1, 1837.
Lord—l did myself the honour, oil the 27th of
M yell last, of addressing a letter to you on the subject of a
Retirement for the Navy. The petite! appeared to he a
fevoarable one, es the !notion of Lord Georee Lenene, re-
spectine; the servicee of the senier Marine °niers had been
well received by both sides of the Hetiee of Commons, and
the result has already Leen attended with great good to the
ollieere of that distinguished corps.
Olt the 6th of July last, the lillowing Address to her
Mejesty, moved by Captain Deans Dundee, and seconded
4 Admiral Sir E. Codrington, was carried in the House of
Co:lin:ens, by a majority of two --
That, previous to the estimates of 183 S-9, means
sheuld be taken to ascertain the number of effective and
non-effective Officers of her Majesty's Navy, with a view of
f;:rming a Retired List, to benefit the old and meritorious
Oil-leers who served during the late war."
Certainly in a very thin House, Ilut it was ca vied ; and
th,., consequences of such a decision, the Navy of course
look to your Lordship to follow up.
Two -days before this division, one for enquiring into the
condition of the hand-loom weavers was carried by a majo-
rity of eight ; and with great satisfaction I observe three
gentlemen of experience and liberality have been, a few
days ago, appointed to enquire into the condition of these
bard-working individuals. I mention this in the hope, that,
the ;address for the Weavers having been attended to, that
cf the old and meritorious Officers of the Navy will very
soon meet with the attention your Lordship lies always paid
to the interests of the right arm of England, over which
you preside.
It is quite time, my Lord, we should not only look to the
state of the Officers' List, but more closely than ever pre-
pare for that day (and I think not a distant one) when our
navel power will be tried ; and I trust (if immediate
energetic measures are followed up) that it will not be
found wanting.
Since 1815, and more particularly since 1830, when the
change of Administration brought the Liberal Ministers to
the helm, the greatest exertions have been used to cut down
expense, and the word "economy" is written in large letters
in the office of every department in the State ; in no one
branch has it been so closely followed up as in the Navy—l
fear too much so for its efficiency ; and I recommend that
we should examine a little closer the rapid increase of for-
reign navies, and the reduced state of our own.
At no perod of the history of this country was it so ne-
cessary for us to have a powerful and well disciplined fleet as
now. Let us for a moment look back to 1793, when
with only France single-handed, we could but just
hold our own, and in the three first frigate actions, on two
occasions, our ships were beat off. This was very much
owing to the carrying of the reduction in our Naval Esta-
blishment too far ; but by enormous expenditure, repeated
promotions, and manning our fleet by the most rigorous
impressment, we held the supremacy of the seas, destroyed
the fleets of France, Spain, and Denmark ; and excepting
a check from the unequal combats between the large Ame-
rican frigates, I believe on every occasion our Navy was tri-
umphant.
A period of 22 years has altered the state of the navies
of the world France has a splendid fleet, many ships at
sea, well disciplined, officered with young and intelliwent
men, anxious to expunge the stain that attaches to
their profession. In Russia there has sprung up a
navy, which, according to a recent publication from
a clever and active naval officer (Commander Craw-
furd) surpasses anything of the kind ever known inEurope for
exertion and energy; and from the information of the officers
01 the United States' frigate Independenee, who fell in with
the Russian fleet, consisting of eighty sail of men-of-war,
we learn that in two hours after that frigate came to an an-
chor, the Emperor (!) himself was on board, and over every
part of the ship. What a spur to an infant Navy! and
what an example to her present Majesty, who will, I trust,
remember the words of Queen Elizabeth—" She was sen-
sible of the foundation of her greatness ! and looked upon
maniffitctures as the richest mine of the State, and the domi-
nion qf the seas as the chief jewel of the Crown ;" and by
acting up to that principle, she was justly termed" The Re-
storer qf aVaval Glory, and the illistress of the Ocean."
Let us hope that another year will not pass without her
reviewing her fleet, far more essential to the destiny of Eng-
land than all the parade of troops in Windsor or Hyde Park.
The Danes have not been idle since we took their fleet in
1807: a lapse of thirty years has not softened their thirst
for revenge! and I need not remind your Lordship of a
Naval Power in the Western Hemisphere, whose regard
for the Mother Country was shown by her declaration of
war, when, in 1812, she was singly engaged with almost
every state in Europe. Such an event may again occur ;
and I can with the most perfect confidence affirm, that we
are by no means well prepared against a confederacy, which
would soon follow the first gun fired by any power. Let
me
.urge your Lordship not to delay longer—not to wait
until the hour of danger arrives—not until a Russian
Fleet appears off North Yarmouth! Wait not until the
first blow is struck (and on that much depends). Wait
ti.l then ! and millions will not give you back that which, I
honestly and fairly say, would be lost —" The Sovereignty
of the Seas."

South America
Channel and Coast cf Ireland
Coast of Spain and Portugal
Mediterranean

Compare the Lists of 1816, when the fleets of Europe
were annihilated, and at the present moment, 1837, when,
as I have just described, they are most powerful.
Admirals. Captains. Commanders. Lieuts. Total.
1816 2lO 850 812 4,010 ...5 882
1837 156 , 691 809 2,928...4,584

Viscount Melbourne will leave town to-day for the
Pavilion at Brighton. His Lordship will subsequently pro-
ceed to the seat of the Marquis of Lansdowne, in Wiltshire.
Lord Glenelg visited Lord Melbourne on Saturday
at his house in South-street.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland will leave
Dunrobin Castle this morning for the Caledonian Hotel,
Inverness ; on Wednesday they go to the Bridge of Tilt,
at Blair ; on Monday and Tuesday next they will reside at
the Douglas Hotel, Edinburgh ; and on the following Wed-
nesday they intend visiting the Earl and Countess of Car-
lisle, at Castle Howard, Yorkshire.
The Marquis of Waterford has altered his plan of
establishing a hunt at his seat in Ireland, owing to the
pressing intreaties of his friends. His Lordship and Lord
John Beresford left town this morning to join the sporting
world assembled in Leicestershire.

Reduced in 21 years 1,298
,And not more than one-third of the 4,584 fit for sea! Dis-
j'htfirtictiop).,
•disgust have crept into the Naval service,
nod w 6: c onder at it, when the promotions in the
Army ft*i_lr so liberal (and daily cuntinue so), while
t1ie,1,1a.4.4t. very reverse has been followed up. As
an
...il!stAi*t:,),,-;. at the senior Captain on the Navy List,
ifiarn Pill7r,fumby, promoted to that rank for com-
manding tigr" ellerophon at Trafalgar, thirty-two years

~~'

House of Lords could not long stand against the decided since ! Where on the Army List stand his cotemporaries?
and fully expressed opinion of the people.—(Cheers.) The Sir J. Barnes, Lord Harris, Sir Howard Douglas, &c. &c.
House of Lords was constitutionally, to a certain degree, All Lieutenant-Generals ! with regiments, ribbands, and
separated from the rest of the aristocracy of the country, commands.
but to speak as in private conversation, the fact was that Not one mark of distinction had this hero of Trafalgar
they were only a portion of the landed aristocracy of the until last year, when the Third Class of the Bath was sent
country, who happened to have coronets on their heads, as to him.* There are hundreds in the same way forgotten.
others did not happen to have them. Now he thought The Lieutenant-Colonels of 1816 are now Major-Ge-
there was no neighbourhood in England to which they had nerals. The Post Captains of that year on their 10s. 6d.
before them wreater proofs than in the neighbourhood of per day, still 300 from the head of the list, and no prospect
Doncaster, thatzD the landed aristocracy of England were not during their lives of being Admirals, unless a retirement
perfectly satisfied with the course which things had been taking takes place. Is this even-handed justice to the navy ?
for some years back. He did not at all feel with his fellow Your Lordship, in one instance, I believe, followed the
aristocrats upon that subject—he thought they were Brie- example of your predecessors, of appointing officers of ex-
sously but very naturally mistaken, and he could not say perience to sit in Committee on the best system of' gunnery,
that he had any grounds for casting upon them any moral signals, general instructions, &c., and why not adopt such a
censure. But the House of Lords had been, for some mode with regard to the "effective and non-effective Lists
Years past, only acting in consonance and in conformity with of the Navy." Mr. Charles Wood complained of having
the general feelings of the landed aristocracy of this coun- no plan presented to the House ! I annex one ; which, if
try, as the true representatives of the landed gentry of it is not considered explicit, can easily be made so ; the ex-
England. He thought the landed gentry had been making pense %could not exceed 40,0001. and would yearly decrease.
a great mistake, and in that mistake they were correctly At all events, your Lordship (after the division of July
represented by the House of Lords.—(Hear, hear.) Certain last) has the power to make an enquiry, and let it be your
theories and schemes had been suggested in and out of Par- own act and deed ; your colleagues know the necessity of
liatnent, greater changes than had been contemplated by the it, and there are officers in both Houses of Parliament de-
Reform Bill, and he looked forward to the firmness of the termined to support you.
Government to dispel these chimeras ; and if this Parlia- I fear, my Lord, my language may appear presumptuous ;
ment should be, as be firmly believed it would, one of long but, from every day's experience, I see the necessity of call-
duration, his belief was, that before another election took ing the attention of the country to the pernicious system
place, they would hare many of those whom he would call of keeping up a gorgeous and expensive army, and so small
the lost sheep of Israel, returning to the fold, and being a naval force as we at present have, compared with that of
present at such a table as they were now assembled at.— any other maritime nation.
(Loud cheers.) He would mention no names ; private I have no personal promotion to expect, no patron to flat-
friendship and respect forbade it, but he believed many ter, no favour to ask, but if by bringing this before your
relines would suggest themselves to those who were now Lordship and the country, I in the smallest degree benefit
present, as likely to grace such a festival upon a future oc- the naval service in promoting a retirement for the veteran,
casino. These alarms, he believed, under Whig govern- and opening the door of advancement to the younger branches
merit, would be dispelled ; and when that was the case, of the service, I shall esteem it the proudest moment of my
they might depend upon it that the course which the House existence ; and I cannot too often impress it on your Lord-
of Lords would pursue, would be very different to that ship, that at no time was it of such essential service to en-
which they had hitherto pursued. He looked forward with courage the officers of the navy, and endeavour to restore
considerable confidence to the future Session, in which the the zeal and energy of those who, in the day of clanger, are
present. Parliament would manage the affairs of the country. to protect the commerce of this great and flourishing nation.
He should now sit down, having first called upon them to With sentiments of the greatest respect,
drink " The Cause of Civil and Religious Liberty all over I am your Lordship's faithful servant,
the World."—(Loud cheers.) " A CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL NAVY."
E. BAINEs, Esq., M.P., being called on, was received PLAN.
with loud cheers. He saw no reason why they should not The Admirals to remain as they are.
feel confidence that the progress of reform would be safe ; A circular letter to be addressed to the Captains, senior
and though, perhaps, slow, it would not on that account, I to 1816, stating that the Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
iv' less secure.—(Cheers.) It lied been said that the Irish miralty are about to form a " Retired List," and request-
elections had been influenced by Mr. O'Connell and the Irish ing that such Captains as are desirous of being placed
priests. If they chose to be so imposed upon, all he could thereon, will state to the Secretary of the Admiralty, whe-
say was that the persons who make those misrepresenta- ther from age, infirmity, or other causes, they consider
tors for the most part made them with the consciousness themselves incapable of
active sea service, in order that
that they were not correct. Instead of O'Connell and the their Lordships may judge of the propriety of placing them
priests, whose influence he did not wish to disparage, they on such " Retired List," with the rank of Rear-Aamiral,
nmit look for that cause to the benevolent Government and 20s. per diem, half pay.
under which Ireland was at present ruled by Lord A similar circular, to the Commanders, senior to 1816,
grave and Lord Morpeth.—( Cheers.) He should propose offering them the retired rank of Captain, and 10s. 6d. per
as a toast, what he considered the key to the success of Ii- diem half-pay.
h. gal principles, Loth in and out of Parliament, 'The indis- A circi.&!r letter to be addressed to the Lieutenants,
soluble union of all the Reformers of England, Seo!land, senior to 1816, to the following effect, viz.
end Irelond."—(Loud cheers.)
" My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having it
W. B. WRIGHTSON, Esq., M.P., was anxious to pro- in contemplation to form a Retired List of Officers of your
pose a toast to which he anticipated a good recei.tion. He null:, you are requested to fill up the accompanying paper,
proposed the health of Lord Mulgrave, the Lord Lieutenant and trans:nit the UM!' without loss of time to the Secretary
of Ireland, in eonneetion with a sentiment which lie was el thin Admiralty, that their Lordships may judge, if inca-
convinced was one of the charac:eristics of Lis Government, and desirous of being placed on the Retircd List,
and conduced greatly to his honour, that lie had considered whether your services will entitle you to the rank of retired
throuzhout his administration, t.le happiness of the many Commander, with an additional shilling per diem, half-pay
end net the benefit of the fern.
Inelosai e to Plan.
Many other toss's wee.-, given, after which the company se-
parated at about twelve o'clock, the band playing ‘. Go:'
save the Queen."

Age
Length of time afloat in the Service, or other
pendant tinic
What portion as a Lieutenant
If wounded, state the naturo of the wound
Hare you erer solicited employment
Have you ever declined serving, when called upon
!fin any trade, profession, or employment,state it
If incapable of serving from infirmity, a certifi-
cate from two respectable medical practition-
ers to be transmitted
Slate the number tj. nears served on the f,lloiving stations
East Ind e
West L►dlog
Coot of Africa
North Sea, Baltic, &c
North America

Remarks.
Upon this information the Lieutenants might retire in
three Classes .-
1 st—As Ccmmanders, with'ls. per (hem to their present
half-pay.
2d—As Lieutenants, with Is. ditto ditto.
3d—As Lieutenants, with their present half-pay.
Length of service, wounds, or much employed in the
East or West Indies, or Coast of Africa, to determine the
rank of Commander, and 1 s. per diem.
Infirmity, the result of climate, service, &c., to deter-
mine the retirement as Lieutenant, with the additional
shilling.

For short service, or ever declining to serve, &c., to re-
tire with present half-pay.
In all cases the widows of officers to have the pensio❑
of the retired rank.

Forty thousand pounds would amply suffice for this re-
tirement, and every year it would be considerably reduced,
as per example :-
100 Captains to Rear-Admirals, say
about £14,000 0
150 Commanders at the head of the
300 List, 1,365/. 15s. ;
150 out of the remaining 650 from the
Bs. 6d. List at los. 6d., 5,475/
500 Lieutenants to Commanders
500 Lieutenants, with the additional

6,843 15
9,125 0

9,125 0

X 39,093 15
Having made a retirement, the most essential point
then would be the remodelling of the full and half-pay of
the Lieutenants' List, as pointed out in my former letter.
The full pay to be as now, 6s. 6d. per day ; but rising
by a scale for actual service to 9s. per diem.
First Lieutenants of all rated ships to have an additional
Is. per day.
The half-pay to be 45., 55., and 6s. per day, and to be
given according to the services of the officer at sea, and
not from his seniority on the list.
By this means an inducement would be held out for offi-
cers to serve afloat.

* Since writing this, I regret to learn the death of that
most excellent man, Captain Cumby.

Their Royal Highnesses the Princess Ida, the
Princess Augusta of Saxony, the Duchess of Saxe Weimar
and suite visited the Royal Zoological Gardens, Surrey, on
Friday last.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta of
Saxony, accompanied by her numerous suite, left Mivart's
Hotel early on Saturday morning for Woolwich to inspect
the arsenal. Her Royal Highness was saluted both on her
arrival and departure. On her Royal Highness's return to
town she lunched with Sir Thomas and Lady Hardy, at
Greenwich Hospital. In the evening her Royal Highness
and suite went to Astley's Amphitheatre. The Countess of
Denbigh, M. Dedel, and M. Tricoupi were amongst her
Royal Highness's visitors on Saturday.
The King of Sweden is continuing his progress
through his dominicns. He was expected at Gothenburg
on the 2d instant, and was to remain there until the 6th.
The Hereditary Prince of Orange, it seems, is likely
to make sore stay at Stuttgard.
Both Lords Melbourne and Palmerston, were, it is
said, strongly importuned to accompany the Court to
Brighton, but excused themselves on the score of their offi-
cial duties requiring their attendance in London, and especi-
ally to confer with their colleagues on the approaching
meeting of Parliament.
The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield left New-
market on Friday last, on a visit to Colonel and Lady Alice
Peel, at their seat near Brandon, in Suffolk.
The mansion built by the late Earl of Bridgewater
in Grosvenor-square, and lately purchased by the Earl of
Wilton, is now undergoing great repairs and improvements.
Sir Robert Peel arrived in London on Friday, and
has left town for Antwerp. The Right Hon. Baronet is
in perfect health.
Colonel and Mrs. Anson have left Newmarket, on
a visit to Colonel and Lady Peel.
The Marquis of Hertford still remained at the
baths at Aix when the last letters left.

His Majesty the King of Hanover retains his rank
as a Field-Marshal in the British service, to which he was
raised in 101;3.