The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-31 00:00:00

THE FRENCH NAPE

The Minister of Marine, in his report contained
in the French-book, thus speaks of the state and
prospects of naval affairs

" The work of transformation of the naval ma-
teriel continues to progress at the rate provided for
by credits regularly alloted every year for the pur-
pose, according to the plan adopted in 1857. As
was made known last year, a greater number of
our building slips, up to the end of 1860, were un-
occupied than had been the case for a long time
past. The Government was awaiting the results
of the trial of the first iron cased frigate which was
ever built, and the bold initiative' of which belongs
to France.

" After the success which has been obtained, to
doubt was no longer permitted; the art of ship-
building has made an immense stride; it was our
duty, therefore, to resume the course of those
labours which can alone keep up the naval power
of the empire to the level it must preserve if we
would not see it decline.

"We have done so alike without precipitation
and without hesitation; the gaol fixed beforehand
in 1857, and which it was then proposed to attain
in 14 years, we are approaching with firm and
steady strides, as befits a great country whose
loyalty stands too high, and whose independence
and might are too unquestionable to permit of any
indecorous hurry or slackness in the fulfilment of
its most legitimate designs. At the present day the
number of our men-of-war is 101, es appears from
the following tabular statement :

Old sailing ships
New
ships, transformed into Totals.
auxiliary screws.
Line-of-battle ships .... 12
Iron-plated frigates .... 2
Ordinary frigates
Corvettes 7 7
Avisos (i.e., gun-boats) .. 3G

72 29 101
Which would show for the year an increase of 13
new ships; but, on the ether hand, five ships have
been lost at sea, and 11 have been ordered to be
broken up as too old and unfit for service. Lastly,
we have afloat and in course of completion one line-
d-battle ship, four iron-cased frigates, three ordi-
nary frigates, six gunboats, and two floating bat-
teries.

" The inscription maritime on the Ist July last
numbered 170,496 seamen, viz. :

On board men-of-war 39,743
Shipped for long voyages on board merchantmen.. 31,047
Engaged in the coasting trade
Engaged in the coast fisheries
In private dockyards .... . 8,585
In their quarters

170,496

" The experiments for the improvements of naval
artillery are being carefully carried on. Satisfac-
tory results have been o4ained, and we have reason
to believe that in the construction of our materiel
we shall have realised improvements at least equal
to those of other nations.

" The supply of timber by means of contracts
taken without any intermediate agents by the Ad-
ministration of Woods and Forests is proceeding
satisfactorily, as well as the supply of our harbours
with French coal, which, henceforth secure, will be
very soon further facilitated by the completion of
the railways in Brittany, and enable us to dispense
with foreign supplies.
" The hydraulic works indispensable to meet the
growing requirements of the fleet are being carried
on with all the activity that the sums allowed for
the purpose will admit. Six dry docks were com-
pleted in 1861 at Cherbourg, l'Orient, and Roch-
fort, others have been commenced at Brest and
Toulon. The submarine foundation of Fort Cha-
vagnae is progressing at the entrance of Cherbourg
roadstead ; the foundation of sea forts at Castigneau
close to Toulon, is being laid ; the quays of that
harbour are now completed; the Vauban dock has
been deepened, and a new one, that of Missiessyt
has been commenced.

" Lastly, 135 electric signal posts, connecting
every point of the seaboard of the empire with each
other, will be at an early period provided with their
apparatus, and will thus soon be able to render all
those services which the defence of our coast and
humanity may require."

2118 OUT-11001? RELIEF SI STEM lisi

I.REI-d1V1).

The Newry Board of Guardians have been in'
fluenced strangely enough on the motion of the
Conservative M.P. for the borough, Mr. Peter
Quinn—to sanction an extended out-door relief
system by a formal resolution. Thus have theY
done all that is in their power to further the design°
of Dr. Cullen and the Roman Catholic prelatth
and to deprive the report of the late patient and
capable Parliamentary Committee of its value. TheY
are taken to task for this profound mistake by the
local journal, the Newry Thlegraph, in an argumcir
tative and effective article. Every well-instructed
journalist in Ireland is opposed to an extended out,
door relief scheme as demoralising and unnecessarl.
The Ultramontane party clamour for it from reason,
having no connection whatever with the tempers'
well-being of the poor. They imagine that the
power of the spiritual functionary would be in,
creased by it ; and that, along with the other moan
fications which they claim, the principle when
adopted would enable them to control the landed
proprietary and larger occupiers, and divide wall
them more than at present all local influence. Tile
Newry paper says, very justly :
"In contempt of the teachings of experience'
holding out a solemn warning against a measure
fraught with serious social danger, the Neva!,
Board of Guardians has seen fit to' open the doo
which, it will soon be found, there exists anythl
but backwardness to make available, per fas ao
nefas, on the side of a peasantry characteristicallif
too prone practically to appreciate the sentiment
the refrain—
"'Tis the greatest divarsion under the sun
To sit by the fire till the pratis is done 1"
" It has become desirable that testimony to
necessity for extended ' out door relief' should bv
borne by the country, in some fashion, be:
fore the assembly of Parliament, in order thsat
the representations of the Roman Catholl°
hierarchy on that subject may have a publi°
endorsement, tending to back them up when c°
troverted by Chief Secretary Sir Robert Peel;
Hence the feelers which have been insiduously 110
work since the opening of the new year. With
profit to the Cullenite cause had the pulse of Newt,:
been tested. The attempt to get up a public met
ing here, ostensibly ' to consider about affordlol
relief to the poor at the present season,' prove':
utterly abortive. The trap having been detected
was quietly avoided, and a spirit of genuine bell°l
volence had its development in a movement soliiid
e
what more practically philanthropic than would
have been a demonstration countenancing the pOllO,
of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Town meeting
there was none, but the end has been accomplished
nevertheless. Saturday's meeting of the NeWrJr
Board of Guardians has amply compensated f°,
shortcoming on the side of the town ; and
bishops Cullen and M'Hale have to thank the raeuif
her fora timely voucher, by the deliberate vote
the Newry Board of Guardians, certifying tb,o
authenticity of the views presented to her Majestie,
Government ex cathedra on the subject of tl-e 11d!
cessity of extending outdoor reliet' in ROI,/
Boards of Guardians voting as the Newry Boar' t,
Guardians has voted for the extension of the o"ci,
door relief system among the population of Rein),
are unadvisedly breaking ground which. Nolo
humane, they should rather preserve intact. "lets
',manful spirit of independenceonce overborne, ‘vb
shall dependence find its limit ?"

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