The Sun.
London, England, 1830-11-27 00:00:00

•
every justice to the great Military talents of the Duke of
Wellington ; would speak with praise of the prowess of
one, to whom; however we may condemn some of his mea-
sures as a Minister, we, as Englishmen, must he prepared
to do justice. I would at all times pay a tribute of justice
to the prowess of one who never planted the standard ~f
battle but it proved a trophy of victory—who never
asc,entled the chariot of wet like conflict but it proved a car
of triumph —(Heer, and cieers.) I tvould do him jus-
tice in another and more important respect even than his
splendid military exploits—l mean his great services in the
cause of civil liberty. I would do justice to the services
of the Duke of, Wellington and his colleagues, in the
repeal of• the Teat and tarpOratien Acta, and
ffi l. in car-
rying into ect Catholic mancipation.—(Cheers.) And
when the column is raised to the Duke of Welling-
ton's glory. and it shall hereafter stand exhibited to the gaae.l
of posterity, I am persuaded it will be surveyed with ad-
miration, not so much for the blazonry of splendid victo-
ries with which it will .be surrounded, as for that holy
flame which will be shining at its top of religious charity.
Flaring thus paid every just tribute of respect to his me-
rits, I will still say that the late Government, of which
the Duke of Wellington was the Premier, fell justly. Why
did it fall? Because it was not a Government adapted to
the spirit of the times. Because it was not a Government
in accordance with the wishes, from not evincing a suffi-
cient sympathy with the wants, of the people. Because—
and I do net I trust profane a sacred expression in making
use of it—h.-cause it was built on the sand of expediency,
and not on the living rock of the people'. feelings and af-
fections.—(Cheers.) That Government is now a matter
of history, and aa I did not flatter them in power neither
will I speak of them with asperity now, I will pay them
my tribute of justice as far as I conceive they deserve
it, but I will repeat decently but emphatically that
their fall was just. The Government that has suc-
ceeded stands deeply pledged to the objects neglected
by the Government which has just been dissolved.
I have joined them because I believe them to be
honest in their professions—that their object is not
to destroy but to preserve—and to place the people's rights
on the protection of ancient 'mos. I believe that they
tvili honestly attempt time revision and removal of abuses
that deform our system—that deform our system of ex-
penditure and our system of representation.—and they will
tell you this that they will look into things houestly—l
for one have so far joined them, and in presuming to join
them I will add that I am inclined to derive from the pre-
sent times two important lessons—the one to Government
the other to 'the people. I would lay to the Government
we require not immediately to be laid before us details he-
cauie we know that your labours must be great, difficult,
intricate, and extensive—whatever you attempt he honest
—attempt it honestly and the people will support and jus-
tify you. What I would say to the people is, give the
Government a fair trial—let them not have to say, or their
enemies have to say, that there is no possibility of making
any advance. I would decry any unfair and captious
judgment of Government, but would say on the one hand
I he true and honest to us, and we will be true and candid
to you. One word now on a subject which it is the
least pleasing to dwell upon as being of a' peisonal na-
ture. But on my being invited to take office, I trust
I have been guilty of no improper vanity in accept-
ing it—or am guilty of an improper attempt to obtain
your fay.,ur in now alluding to the circumstance; but
when the King's, Ministers sent me an invitation to join
them, I hesitated long,, and amongst the foremost of my
objects was to inquire, so tar as I had an opportunity of
doing so, from those who I supposed to be best acquainted
with your feelings—whether my doing so would be agree-
able to my constituents. I addressed myself therefore to
gentlemen in whom you are accustomed to confide--...the
gentlemen who first invited me to this city—and they in-
formed tne that they believed my constituents would not
disapprove of my taking office. I trust they did not pro-
mise for you prematurely. So far as lam concerned in
joining tite Administration, I have done se with an honest
intention. I was never eager to take office, and if I had
obeyed my own personal consideration alone, I should not
have accepted it, but rather remained in the ranks of the
people. I was however induced by the solicitations of those
with whom I am connected in the Ministry, and to whose
`cell and reasoninga I was not inclined to pay little weight.
And this I will add, as I took it not willingly, so I will not
hold office one moment longer than I can give an honest
support to the government with Which that office is con-.
nected. I know that in assuming an Asia! station lam
parting with a great dart( domestic comfort, but I am
not parting with that independent spirit that first intro-
duced me to your notice.—(Cheers.)—One word more as
to the single change which has taken place since I last ad-
dinned you, my beloved constituents---I have passed from
a private capacity to an official character ; that change
her not effected any change in my principles, and I trust
that it has not caused any change in your favour. If in
speaking •tri you thus unprepared I have not expressed
myself so carefully or accurately as I might have dane, I
throtar myself on your indulgence, and I preautne.to hope
that my conduct has not been contrary to your wishes by
the Confiding, candid, and attentive audience you have
afforded me, sad I sanguinely and ardently hope that you
will put the seal of your approbation by your liberal sup-
port to me on time occasion of the next election fur the
city of Norwich.—(Loud cheers.)
The writ having been received on Thursday by the
Sheriffs of the city (S. Ilignold, EN. and I. Wisernan, Esq.)
proclamation was made fur the election to take Owe on
Tuesday next.

THE NAVY.

TO THE EDITOR OF TUE SUN.

SlR,—Amongst the various appointments which have
been made in the different offices under Government, re •
suiting from the recent change of Alinistry, there are none
which should be looked on with greater interest than those
that have been made in the naval administration. Most
important as the naval service must ever be to this country
froM its peculiar local circumstances, yet there is no pro-
fession less considered, less frequently brought before the
public observation, or whose improvements or determina-
tions are less the subject of discussion. This arises from
the peculiar nature of the service, isolated as it is from all
other, professions, and from the difficulty that every one
not versed in nautical affairs experiences in understanding
its details. The instant the subject is broached in general
society all ears are deaf, and lips are closed, excepting with
the few whose years have been passed in its various scenes
of denser and of glory. Even with these the subject be-
comes tiresome, from inability to make their voices heard,
where good impressions :night be made serviceable ; and
dangerous from tl.e knowledge that a difference of opinion
is relation to those who are clothed with high executive
authority is visited with the penalty of a breach of military

Many other causes have combined to sink the naval ser-
vice of the country into the lowest stages. of neglect and
forgetfulness.. A few of the old warriors of the thirty
years' struggle have certainly • been noticed and brought
forward from retirement and obscurity; but .the major
part are forgotten and neglected. Excluded, , with very
few exceptions, !rout every other profession or public situ.
ation, they linger in obscurity, and they have the mortifi-
cation of seeiug the walks of their own profession laid open
to intruders from almost all others.

These remarks apply to the personal part of the service.
But the injury arising to the country from these specimens
of mal-administration, taken at hazard from a riumber
most seriously affecting the personal of the Navy, is tut
nothing when compared with the defects and deficiencies of
the system as connected with its material.
With the exception of the administration of my Lord
Spencer, which bas always been remembered with grati •
tulle and high acknowledgment by. the old ufficers'of the
Nary, for the improvements then made in naval architec-
ture, each Board of Admiralty, as far as we can trace
the history of our naval annals, haw been generally
opposed, in the moat unaccountable manner,' to all im-
provement in this particular. They very generally
objected to all amelioration that could lie drawn
front the superior skill of our foreign rivals in all
that relates te the theoretic :part of the profession,
although they could by such means have corrected
the. vices of our own faulty systems in the opinions of
many experienced practical men ; or when they have been
compulsorily obliged to yield to the pressing exigency of
the moment, and have departed for an instant from the
narrow paths of ignorance and false prejudice, the improve-
ments have been confined to the imitation only of those
ameliorations, which had been entirely outstripped by
others more recently made on the part of our enemies.
An adherence to this system in the last fifteen years,
when a cessation of hestilitles had left an opportunity of
revi►ing and correcting former habits, and of introducing
those changes which time and skill have rendered neces-
sary, las left our Navy in a condition very-unsatisfactory
as compared with the naval forces of Foreign Powers, and
has called forth the regrets end the apprehensions of many
able and tslelited officers.
, It has been asserted by the late Administration, on one
side, that. our Navy is in the highest state of efficiency,
that the ships were ;lever in a better state of repair, and
of readiness for service.—that the material of •all Linda his
been stitch improved...and that the personal is alsti all that
can be. desired. Oa the other bawl, we hear that the
Navy is inefficient as to the magnitude of the different
clews of ship% as to gumbo, and that decoy kal Fide