The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 183!,.

THE FRENCH NAVY

Abridgment of the Report addressed to the King
of the French by the Mi►►ister of Marine, relative
to the condition acid expense of the French navy
for the year 1840.

PARIS, Nov. 26, 1839.

Stns,—The navy, according to times and exigencies,
is a matter of lively interest to the glory of the King's
arms and to national prosperity. In war it is called
upon now to fight alone ; now to be an auxiliary to the
land forces—an auxiliary always useful, and sometimes
even indispensable, to the conditions of success. At
other epochs, when, after a long peace, it is necessary,
that the blessing may be continued, to keep an active
watch afar off, and to have recourse at times to concili-
atory or repressive powers—then does the navy again
offer its aid to political combinations, while at the same
time it protects the interests of commerce, on and beyond
the seas, and, on the other hand, by its various relations
to science, continues to maintain us in that elevated
rank in the intellectual sphere, in not descending from
which France places her glory.
Thus, under different circumstances, whether of war
or of peace, or of that state of vigilant observation
which has become one of the necessities of the age,
the navy is a branch, the employment of which is emi-
nently useful. Let us add, that with the means which are
obtained, or to be obtained, from the application of the
new motive power, for securing the promptness and re-
gularity of the movements of a part of the fleet, the
mission which is confided to it promises to become more
than ever fruitful in advantageous results.
On this head, and I feel happy in repeating it, the
Chambers have expressed their accordance with the
convictions of the Government. The reports of their 1
commissions during the last Sessions, the debates, the
votes, all bear witness of their encouraging adhesion.
They have added a double wish, and have demanded-
1.
That the Administration do everything in its
power to increase the resources of the inscription mari-
time, which is the nursery of true seamen, that the equi-
librium between the material and personal strength of
the fleet may be preserved.
2. That for active force the principle of the stabi-
lity of armaments be maintained, not only because it is
favourable to the practical instruction and discipline of
the crews, but also because great economy in the use of
money and material is the result.
Your Majesty well knows that the accomplishment
of these dominating views has constantly guided me in
the acts of my Administration, and the plans therewith
connected.
According to the terms of the Royal order of Fe-
bruary, 1837, the naval strength of the kingdom ought
in times of peace to consist of 40 ships of the line, .50
frigates, and 220 vessels of inferior rank, 40 steam.
vessels being included. These 220 vessels arc afloat ;
half only of the ships of the line and the frigates is to
be launched ; the other half is to remain on the stocks.
In a complete state of armament, this union of force
would present, with an effective of 78,000 men, a bat-
tery of 9,200 guns.
As in the two preceding budgets, the number of
armed vessels has been carried to 130, among which
there will still be 8 ships of the line and 12 frigates.
Tbese 130 armaments will carry an actual crew of
20,498 men.
Their composition will be regulated as follows :
SAILING-VESSELS OF WAR.
8 Ships of the line.
12 Frigates.
10 Corvettes of war.
6 Corvettes avisos of 18 guns.
14 Brigs of from 16 to 20 guns.
5 Cannoneer brigs of 8 guns.
10 Brigs avisos of 10 guns.
13 Goelettes, cutters, &c., of from 6 to 8 guns.
12 Flotilla vessels.
SAILING-VESSELS OF BURDEN.
8 Corvettes of burden.
12 Gabarrcs.

STEAM-VESSELS.
3 of 220 horse power.
14 of 150 horse power.
3 of 120 horse power.

130
These 130 armed vessels will secure every useful
communication, protect the trading ships, provide for
special expeditions, and occupy the 11 ordinary stations
indicated in the preceding budget, the enumeration of
which is here repeated—namely, the coasts of the Pe-
ninsula, Brazil, South America, the Antilles, Cayenne,
Mexico, the coasts of Africa, the Levant, Bourbon,
Terra Nueva, Algiers.
Besides the 130 vessels, with their crews of 20,498
men, which are destined to keep the seas, there will be
as before, in order that the contingencies may be met,
twenty-four vessels of two different ranks, eight of
which will be kept in a station, and sixteen commis-
sioned in port. The following is the detail :
In Station
Ships of the Line 2
Frigates
Corvette of War 1
Brigs
Commissioned ingort
Ships of the Line and Frigates 5
Various vessels of inferior rank ll-16
Total

The total credit required for 1840 amounts to
70,648,300 f., which, compared with the supplies voted
for 1839, presents an increase of 4,432,343 f. This in-
crease especially', bears relation to the following ex-
penses—the pay and clothing of the crews and troops,
provisions, works of naval materiel, and colonies.
The demands .given in detail in the 21 chapters of
the Budget are combined under the four great divisions
as follows :

Francs.
General Department 992,500
General Department (excluding tem- }
60,480,400
porary expenses)
Scientific Departments 725,400
8,540,000
Colonial Department

Total 70,648,300
I am, with profound respect, Sire, your Majest)'s
very humble, faithful, and obedient servant,
ROSAMEL, Vice-Admiral,

Secretary of State of the Marine and the Co,onies,

THE CHAR TISTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Snt,—l am a country clergyman. On many mo-
mentous points nearer to yourself than are (I am sorry
to say as I fear) most of my clerical brethren. When
the Times newspaper renegaded, I ordered yours in-
stead, and have continued ever since your gratified and
sometimes grateful reader. I like you, because you can
" discern things that differ," and seem always upon the
watch, and honestly desirous so to discern. You can
distinguish between Catholics and Popery—between
true religion on the ono hand, and Church of Englandism
or Dissenterism on the other—between what is good in
Chartists and their Charter, and what might be amended
in both. _

_
But why do I write to you to-day who never wrote
to you before ? Because, for once, I may afford four-
pence, though I might not have afforded a shilling, to
gratify myself in writing to tell my newspaper Editor
how much he has generally pleased me ; and to express
my hope that he will exert himself in forcing off all
needless taxation from the shoulders of the people, as
energetically as he has this of the postage.
Let me implore your attention at this moment to the
poor bewildered Welsh Chartists. Though a clergy-
man, I am in heart, and somewhat more, a Chartist.
Surely every Englishman born and living in his native
land has a constitutional right to the suffrage. Well,
as to the silly, infatuated Welsh Chartists ! Suppose
their conviction to be, that by showing themselves in
force, armed mainly with their working implements, they
should excite all England to join them, and thus at
once get their Charter made a part of the law of the
land, to the unspeakable benefit of all ! What of that ?
Surely they have suffered for their babyism. What else
could it be ? Designed treason ? Absurd. Had it
been that, could twenty-five raw recruits have so routed
10,000 miners and colliers ? I firmly believe there was
no more thought of treason in them than in the lads of
the 45th, who so heedlessly slaughtered them I Would
that the Government would withdraw its Special Com-
mission, and prove itself wiser in its second thoughts
than in its first. Should punishment stop here, the
poor Chartists might then feel it to be their just desert,
and the Government to be indeed merciful to them and
worthy of their love ; but should the Special Commis-
sion, with Baron Williams, go farther, as in the sad case
of the Dorchester labourers, both the present Govern-
ment and the whole country may very soon see cause to
repent the rash procedure.
Would that you saw this matter, Sir, as I see it ; you
would then greatly contribute to the joy of your con
sten t reader,
North Staffordshire, Dec. 5.

H. P,

THE RARE 'WIDOW.—In the churchyard of
Edington, in this county, may be seen a humble tomb-
stone, erected a few years ago, to the memory of Mr.
Morgan, of Tiohead, by his aged and affectionate
widow, and upon which she caused some lines to be
inscribed, to perpetuate the remembrance of his worth.
Having lived together for nearly half a century in the
enjoyment of uninterrupted happiness, their separation
was, of course, so much the more painful. To alleviate
the sorrows of her disconsolate heart, she not only
inscribed the name of her departed husband upon the
tomb-stone, but added—" Also, Grace, his wife, who
died"—(leaving blank the date of her own death.) The
wags and boys of the place frequently annoy her by
filling up the blank, by adding " still alive !" As soon
as she hears that the blank has been filled, she marches
off (rain or shine) to Edington, a distance of two miles,
and with a wet flannel, which she carries with her, care-
fnlly effaces the offending letters ; and then returns,
with fresh and endearing recollections of him whose
bodylieslow in the cold and silent tomb,—Wills
Independent..