The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-21 00:00:00

prof( ssion lees considered, less frequently brought before
the public observation ; or whose improvements or de-
fects are less the subject of discussion. This arises
from the peculiar nature of the service, unconnected
with all other professions, and from the difficulty every
one not versed in nautical affairs experiences in under-
standing its details."
" Many other causes have combined to sink the naval
service 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. These re-
marks apply to the personnel' of the service. But these
injuries are as nothing when compared with the defects
and deficiencies of the system as connected with the
materiel.'

" With the exception of the administration of my
Lord Spencer, remembered with gratitude and high
acknowledgments by the old officers of the Navy, for
the improvements then made in Naval architecture,

each Board of Admiralty, as far as we can trace the
history of our Naval annals, has been generally opposed
in the most unaccountable manner, to all improvement

in this particular. They objected to all ameliorations
that could be drawn from the superior skill of our rivals ;
or when compelled to yield to pressing exigencies, and
have departed from the narrow paths of ignorance and
false prejudice, their improvements have been confined
to the imitation of those ameliorations which had been
entirely out-stripped on the part of our foreign rivals,
by other improvements still more important.
" An adherence to this system, for the last fifteen
years, when peace had left an opportunity for revising
and correcting former habits, and of introducing thbse
changes which time and skill have rendered necessary,
has left our Navy in a condition very unsatisfactory as
compared, with the naval forces of foreign Powers, and
has called forth the regrets and apprehensions of many
able and talented officers.

" It has been repeatedly asserted by the members of
the Admiralty and Navy Board, that our Navy is in
the highest state of efficiency ; that the ships were
never in better repair, or readiness for service; that
the materiel' of all kinds has been much improved, and
that the personnel' is all that can be des;red. In re-
ply, I will observe that the Navy is perhaps in as high
a condition with respect to the ships as it ever was in
any part of the struggle of the last eventful war. But
it is the misfortune of the British Navy, as it now exists,

that our rivals no longer navigate the same class of
ships and vessels to which we have been hitherto op-
posed. Tire march of improvement with them in Naval
architecture has made the most rapid development.
The models, on the other hand, from which si e copy,
are generally of fifty or sixty yeers standing. Oth ,rs
have been established by the French and the North
Aferericans, with all the improvements that experience
and skill could suggest ; and although on the congre-
gated struggle of opposing fleets, and under certain
aspects of wind and weather no doubt can be entertained,
under Providence, of the glorious results of British skill
and British intrepidity, yet it is impossible to imagine
that the result would be equally the same in the battles
of detail, when single ships may struggle for the mas-
tery ; when the most consummate, heroic devotion, the
most practised skill must find itself unequal to the over-
whelming superiority of force.
" That these who have been the directors of our
naval administration, became in some way sensible of the
idct, may be supposed by the attempt to increase the
farce of some of our finest ships, as the Caledonia, by
changing an armament which was perfectly adapted to
their size, qualities, and capacities, for one which by its
overwhelming weight will destroy the good effect of all
the few improvements made on former occasions, and
infallibly introduce all the vices so slowly and so reluc-
tantly remedied.
" To the talented person at the head of the new Ad-
miralty Board a brilliant career is opened. He is at the
head of the most important service of the country—one
that until later days has been always most congenial to
the national taste, and interwoven with its habits and
constitutional principles. He possesses high indepen-
dence, unshackled by political tics, and is not enveloped
in the entanglement and mystification of Parliamentary
influence, or prejudice to old habits and old customs.
Good sense will teach him there is no disgrace in copy-
ing whatever from an enemy may carry on its face the
stamp of improvement and perfection. The state,
quality and condition of the ships, as well as the whole
materiel' of the Navy, must be taken into considera-
tion ; and some deviation from old habits must be made,
so far as economy will permit. I dwell on this as the
most important consideration, because with good tools
any thing may be accomplished by a skilful workman—
with bad ones the most talented may be rendered invalid.
Another most important branch, however, of the
profession must be brought under consideration. It is
the whole' personnel' of the navy. Ido not allude to
the ability, the zeal, and devotion it contains, for that
is unquestionable, but to the abuses that have crept into
every department by the working of borough influence
and favouritism, and the making the navy, not a pro-
fessional establishment for the defence of the country,
and for guarding its commerce, but for the gratifying
the corrupt and mercenary views of unprincipled
borough voters. It is this misery which has brought
the inexperienced youth into play, while the gray hairs
of experience have lingered in forgetfulness. It is this
which has filled the classes of our officers with a super-
fluous quantity of youthful blood, to fight, as they say,
future battles,' when there were individuals in sufficient
numbers, in the flower of their age, who in the course of
nature would vigorously support the British flag for
many years yet to come, although they might have
done their deeds of battle and of peril ere the last re-
volutionary struggle was quelled."
We naturally ask, if anything was done by this new
Administration to counteract the bad effects of the
miserable legacy, of overwhelming expenditure sacrificed
in perpetuating error, left them by their predecessors ?
Did any great amelioration of the " materiel" of the Navy
take place, under an Administration commenced under
such happy auspices ? Were abuses remedied, and
improvements made ? Was borough influence destroyed,
and the necessities of the service, the good of the profes-
sion, and the due reward of merit attended to,with those
few exceptions of private patronage for friends, and a
provision for a certain number of eligible and deserving
family connexions, which I hold that every public sere
yant has an honest right in due proportion to indulge in?
I leave these questions to be hereafter treated of, except-
ing with respect to the " materiel" of the Navy. Never
was there an officer who understood the wants of the
naval profession better than Sir Thomas Hardy. Never
did any man know better what a man-of-war should be,
never was there one who could more duly appreciate
the true disparity of force which an Englishman could
count justly on in a struggle with the ships of' every
country amongst our naval rivals ; and had this valuable
legacy of our beloved and distinguished Nelson been
left to his own judgment, and teen furnished with the
means, I have no doubt that we should soon have seen
the ships of the Navy all that could have .been desired
by the best friend of the service, or dreaded by an
enemy. Well also would he have been supported by Sir
John Pechell, his colleague at the Board ;and by Duncan
at the Ordnance. Most favourable was the commence-
ment of this Administration. Better ships were planned,
and measures were taken to make others more effective.
But, whatever were the causes, I lament to say this re-
form was of short duration, Since 1831, the period
referred to, only one frigate, the Vernon, of 50 guns,
comprising 28 long 32-pounders, and 22 short, has
been built, to cope with nineteen French frigates of sixty
guns, built, or building, carrying thirty long guns, equal
to our 32-pounders, two long 18-pounders, and twenty-
eight 32-pounder carronades. True, we have nine
razees of the same size, and the French have three ;
and each power has many frigates of different force and
calibre ; but I maintain it is the policy of a great naval
Power, like England, to take care to have ships of all
classes possessed by our rivals, with all their good
qualities, as proper and fit opponents for them in
single struggles. Reseed vessels do not possess all the
qualities of originally classed vessels. Again, to cope
with the splendid French two-deckers of 100 guns and
90 guns, all heavy 32-pounders, in addition to three
90-gun ships, left by Lord Melville's Administration,
sire have built one 120-gun ship, and we have three
of 110, four of 80, and three of 70 guns building. A few 32
pounder frigates of 36 guns, two in Lord Melville's
time have also been added ; three built and seven builtd-
ing ; foolishly destined to cope with the French frigates
of 60 guns, when first proposed. Add to this, a num-
ber of donkey frigates so called, and a few corvettes, and
32 pounder brigs, sailing generally better than their
predecessors, though Inheriting all other objections,
With a few large steamers ; and we have the full
amount of the ameliorations made as to the ships of
the service, during the successive Administrations since
Lord Melville's resignation in 1831. I make this short
reference to the improvement and addition to
our Navy since 1831 to show in what propor-
tion these Administrations have added to its former
usefulness. I will 4fer entering more into this
important enNeet fea, another opportunity, should
vskt4 eunceive what I now communicate worthy
of publication. In such case I will, with other scatters,
enter upon further notice of the ('recta and assertions
brought forward by Sir lohn Barrow, and make an
exact and plainly-detailed comparison between the
Navies a the principal Powers, without which their re-
lative force cannot be ascertained, numerical figures of
different reported classes of vessels having no relation
time;; 4t to the power of offence or defence.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedierti E eervant,
V VICTIS.