The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-03 00:00:00

characters, cast suspicion on their services, and make
them choleric and discontented with the service ? Be-
sides which, why should they be left unable to obtain
eligible employments and promotion in common with
their brethren who have interest ? With regard to
employment, the naval lieutenant of ten or fifteen
years' standing has entirely lost all protection or consi-
deration from the Admiralty ; if he desire to serve his
country, he is obliged to solicit employment at the hands
of some admiral or captain, who in most cases has
friends and connections of his own.

" That patronage which goes to deprive a numerous
body of lieutenants of the encouragement and support
due to them for a long course of faithful and honourable
servitude can never be defended. The plea, indeed,
might be set forth, that by admirals and captains
having the choice of their first lieutenants a batter
understanding is likely to exist between them, and that
the service is thereby benefited ; but experience, that
only sure guide, will prove this plea to be fallacious ; for
there are quite as many disagreements between cap-
tains and their next in command now as there ever
were during the brightest period of our naval his-
tory, when this patronage was unknown ; in proof,
a line-of-battle ship, now in commission, had no
less than three commanders during as many
months, before she proceeded to sea, all of whom were
the choice of the captain ; the records of the Admiralty
will show the truth of the statement. During the war
this patronage was not of much consequence, for then
every lieutenant who desired it had an opportunity of
serving his country and advancing himself ; whereas now,
if the lieutenant should prove successful in obtaining
employment, he is paid off every three years, and conse-
quently has then to renew his application.-
" As to the subject of the annoyance experienced by
naval lieutenants upon Coronation and general pro-
motions—upon these exhilarating occasions the poor
friendless officer is satisfied that he has an equitable
claim upon the grateful consideration of his country,
as a reward for past services ; and this opinion
is strengthened by that of a numerous body of his bro-
ther officers, of all ranks, who suggest to him the pro-
priety of memorialising the Admiralty for promotion ;
this being done, he very soon receives a cool answer
from their Lordships' Secretary, Sir John Barrow, to
the effect that lie has laid his memorial before their
Lordships, and returns the original documents.' But
when the list of the fortunate officers who are promoted
appears, he has no difficulty in discovering the names of
those who possess no claim, beyond that of interest ; in
fact, they were unborn when he was serving as a first lieu-
tenant. 1 recollect upon one occasion that I congratu-
lated a gallant and worthy young officer, now more than
five years a captain, upon his promotion ; he said upon
the whole he thought he had been fortunate; I told
him, yes, I had every reason to think so, for the day on
which he was barn found me first lieutenant of a frigate,
where I had then served as such two years.
" The war officers have been constantly informed by
the Admiralty that they could not be promoted, because
they had not served during the peace, notwithstanding,
they had frequently solicited their Lordships for employ-
ment of any description ; but others again, who had
been employed during the war and a large portion of
the peace, are considered too old to encumber the list of
commanders, as more young blood,' with less expe-
rienco, is required to invigorate the service. I leave,
then, to your Lordships to,dotermine if such treatment
and cruel taunts are not uncalled for and ungenerous.
" Admiral the Earl of Northesk, when Commander-
in-Chief at Plymouth, presented a memorial to my Lord
Melville, at that time First Lord of the Admiralty, for
my promotion : it was signed by his Lordship, admiral
Sir Manley Dixon, and most of the captains and other
officers in the neighbourhood, to the number of 055, 3et
it was rejected, notwithstanding I had served nearly
seven years as a first lieutenant of a frigate, during the
war, and successfully, too, against the enemies of my
country, and had frequently applied for employment.
" My father also had been actively employed from
1776 to 1817, during which period he had commanded
ships of war for '2O years. From 1797 to the end of
1815, without one day's intermission, he commanded an
active sloop, and was 13 years in command of two fri-
gates. In 1815 he was also the senior officer in com-
mand upon the last successful expedition against the
Americans, upon their own shores, as Sir George Cock-
bur❑ and Sir Richard Williams, members of this Com-
mission can testify ; as also of the value which
this success would have proved to our fleet on
the coast of America, had the war continued ;
yet, upon his return to England, being con-
sidered too old a captain to command a frigate, and too
young for a ship of the line, he was sent into exile with.
out one honorary distinction for himself, or promotion
for a son ; but my family, unfortunately, never pos-
sessed any Parliamentary influence.
" I beg to assure your Lordships that I only bring
my own case before you with the view of illustrating my
previous arguments ; but, in proof that they are not
singular, I have the honour to present a list of the pre-
sent surviving officers who were on board of Lord Nel-
son's ship in the battle of Trafalgar, with the rank they
then held, and now hold ; and an analysis of the two
last general promotions."—Times.

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