The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-06 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1865.

The general dissatisfac;ion with the administra-
tion of our naval affairs found active expression in
the House of Commons the other evening in the
debate upon Sir MORTON PETO'S motion. The prin-
cipal complaint made by the hon. member, in
directing attention to the inefficient and clumsy
constitution of that complex and unwieldy machine,
the Admiralty Board, was the absence of direct
responsibility. He quoted the opinions of several
officials, who had, he said, rendered eminent service
in connection with our naval affairs, and which
were one and all condemnatory of the present sys-
tem. Sir G. COCKBURN probably expressed the
public feeling on the matter, when he said that the
establishment was the most unsatisfactory and least
effective for its purpose that could have been de-
vised, and that he was an advocate for all bodies
being responsible for what they did. Sir CHARLES
WooD, judging perhaps from personal experience,
said that in his opinion the distribution of the busi-
ness at the Admiralty was altered at different times
to suit the capacity of different First Lords. And
here we come to a very plain and positive grievance
which has been very often remarked upon, but
which no Government is very willing to remove,
for the simple reason that in removing the grievance
they would lose one of those prominent positions
which there are always plenty of civilians waiting
to fill. To all party purposes in the arrangement
of a Cabinet, the post of First Lord would be
useless, since it would not serve to gratify any of
that inevitable clique who look for a prominent

ing the position of naval medical officers, but his
successor reversed that policy. In 1858 a similar
measure was introduced by Sir J. PAKINGTON, to
be reversed by the Duke of SOMERSET. Sir J.
PAKINGTON'S brief but forcible speech told several
home truths. He commented upon the general
feeling of dissatisfaction with regard to the admi-

nistration of naval affairs, and he added that his
own experience, though short, gave him the same
impression. He agreed, with Sir M. PETO, as to

the evil effect of divided or partial responsibfilty,
both as to what was done and was left undone.
The sins of omission and commission on the part of
the Admiralty would certainly fill a very long list,

and it is beginning to be felt that there are similar
offences elsewhere in the aversion to any measure of

naval reform which is shown by our authorities.

Captain BURTON'S name stands deservedly high
with his countrymen, and it is gratifying to notice
that a mark of respect was paid to him on Monday
by a farewell dinner being given to him. Lord
STANLEY presided on the occasion, and the noble
lord made an interesting speech on the subject. He
said that he had to propose the health of one of the
most "distinguished explorers and geographers of the
present day." The present generation is fortunate
in possessing a great many celebrated meuwho have
rendered important services to their country, and
among these Captain BURTON holds no mean place.
Lord STANLEY commented on the fact that during
forty-five years he had encountered more of steady
hardship and successful enterprise and adventure
than might have filled up the lives of half a dozen
men of the ordinary type. No one who is at all
conversant with the details of this eminent man's
career will dispute the truth of the chairman's re-
mark, that were Captain BURTON'S career already
terminated he would have gained a memorable name
in the annals of geographical discovery. The work
on the " History of the Races of Scinde" was de-
servedly commended by the noble lord, who was able
to testify to its correctness from personal observa-
tion, and he amusingly observed that those who had
travelled there would concur with him in the opinion
that young Egypt " was about as like old Egypt as
a British barrack was like an Egyptian pyramid,"
and that Captain BURTON had described it with a
graphic pen in a manner never surpassed. Captain
BURTON'S pilgrimage to Mecca was a great under-
taking, and one which called for considerable
ingenuity and remarkable powers of perseverance.
Lord STANLEY dwelt upon the great importance of
the African expedition of 1856, which, as he truly
observed, " opened a wide district of country pre-
viously unknown to the attention of civilised man."
The noble lord is not one of those who consider
that there is so much gained by the discovery of
what was called the source of a river. The dis-
covery of the largest affluents to a river was not of
the same consequence, he said, as the fact of a man
going through a large tract of country through
which others had not passed before him. Judged
by this test, then, the noble lord considered that
the expedition of 1856 was the most important one
of our time, rivalled only by that of Dr. LIVING

;TONE. Lord STANLEY gave it as his opinion, and,
ndeed, it is one in which many will coincide, that
here is ample reason to hope that the present

generation will be able to know as much of Africa
north of the equator and five degrees south of it as

we now know of South America. Lord STANLEY

expressed an opinion which it is very desirable to

dwell upon at the present time. He dwelt upon the
advantages of enterprise and adventure, " a spirit

which it was the tendency of great wealth and material

prosperity to diminish, but without which that wealth

and prosperity would not be worth a year's pur-
chase." When we consider how much the utilitarian
school have done to deaden the influence of their

sentiments and lower the tone of public feeling, we

cannot too eagerly desire that many superior minds
will take up the cause of adventurous enterprise, and
follow in the track of bold adventurers, or else

strike out a line for themselves. Captain BURTON

has done a great deal in the course of his career to
improve the knowledge of his countrymen concern-

ing various countries of interest and importance,
and, as Lord STANLEY observed, he is certainly en-

titled to a hearing when he gives his opinion relative

,o what he has seen and judged for himself during

a long course of years spent in arduous toil and
extended travels. Ile has risked his life and ex-

pended great energy in his endeavours, and earned
for himself a name that will survive in the records

_ • _
that
tell of those who have made explorations of
might and magnitude, and been benefactors of the
human race in opening new fields for industry, and
new objects of enterprise to intellect and intelli-
gence.

• The rumour of the possible arrival in this country
of a strange and terrible visitor has been lately busy
amongst us. The epidemic which has lately pre-
vailed in Russia, and has been desolating the poorer
quarters of St. Petersburg, has now made its
appearance in the Baltic ports. ri here is some
ground for uneasiness, since, as we all know, the
cholera made its progress eastward/ and in many

post. What an outcry we should have from the
sister service if a civilian were put at the head of
the War-Office, and only non-professional men
should be supposed to be intuitively competent to
deal with the difficult questions connected with our
navy ? At this period, especially when the changes
and improvements made by science have so power-
fully affected our armaments, it is very much to be
regretted that our principal officials should be
obliged to learn from others what would have been
more properly acquired by personal observation
and experience. But at least if a civilian is found
who is competent for the post, and who may per-
haps be said to be less biassed than a professional
man on certain questions, at least the Board, when
properly composed, should be a permanent one.
Efficient men should be appointed, and should be
allowed to retain their seats in spite of all political
changes. It is quite preposterous that a body of
such important functionaries, and whose sphere is
entirely beyond the range of political strife, should
be affected by every change of Government. The
Admiralty, like the War-office, should be totally
independent of the Administration or the House.
It is of far more importance to the country, since, if
we lost the command of the seas, our army would
be of little use to us ; yet it is suffered to be affected

by every change of place or party. One Adminis-
tration puts, perhaps, a capable man at the head of
naval affairs. Great expenses are entered upon and

important works commenced. Ships of war are,
perhaps, half built, docks laid out and harbours de-
signed, when, lo ! the Parliamentary combatants
change sides. A fresh First Lord appears
on the scene, with fresh subordinates. All
the plans of his predecessor are changed it is
enough that they have been set on foot by a rival
to insure their condemnation, and the new corner
has crotchets and favourites of his own. The half-
completed works are pulled to pieces or abandoned
altogether, the country is saddled with fresh ex-
penses, and possibly the new projects will, in their
turn, be set aside by a third authority. Sir M.
PETO, in remarking on the uncertain action of the
Admiralty, cited two instances that proved that
the system has not changed for the better during
half a century. In 1801 Lord MELVILLE, follow-
ing the advice of NELSON, took steps for improv-

such instances the disease has travelled in the same
direction. Our authorities have been on the alert,
and information has been forwarded from our
Ambassador in Russia, besides inquiries having

been made by our Consuls in the Baltic ports.
On Tuesday evening the Bisbop of OXFORD called
attention to the matter in the Upper House,
and was told in reply by Lord GRANVILLE that
her MAJEsn's Ministers had thought it sufficiently
important to telegraph for further details. It
appears from the particulars already in our posses-
sion that the disease, though new to Europe, has
been known in America, where it broke out some
six or seven years ago, and was from its virulence
mistaken for yellow fever. Very -little is as yet
known of the origin or proper mode of treatment ;
but, at least, there are some important points in
which every one may be on their guard. Cleanli-
ness, ventilation, and good wholesome living are
the great protectors against any such danger. They
are not, of course, infallible, but they serve to miti-
gate the danger and to diminish the risk of infection
should the disease travel to this country. Sanitary
officers should redouble their precautions, and all
who have any control or influence over large esta-
blishments and great bodies of men, women, or
children should enforce due observance of sanitary
laws. In this, as in every similar case, the poor
run the greatest risk, and therefore all who mix
among them should impress upon them the neces-
sity of cleanliness and fresh air so far as they can

get it. The houses in our rookeries should also be
looked after, and landlords compelled to do their
duty. With these and similar precautions we may
hope, under PROVIDENCE, to diminish, if we cannot
wholly avert, the evil.

The Metropolitan Houseless Poor Bill pssed
through committee last night, and Mr. VILLIERS
displayed great judgment in giving his consent to
the proposals made by several hon. members. It is
always, a pity to allow vexatious arguments and
disagreements on trivial points to stop the progress
and endanger the passing of really useful under-
takings. One clause that was moved by Mr. VIL-
LIERS was an admirable one. It was to the effect
that any constable of the metropolitan and city
police should be able to conduct any destitute wan-
derer or foundling, not having committed any
offence, to any wards approved of by the Poor-law
Boards, and that such wanderers be relieved therein.

The consequence of this will be that a step will be

put to the devices of many insidious and designing
persons, who derive great profits from the mistaken
kindness of the unwary, to the great injury of
the really deserving, who too often suffer in silence
till they fall victims to want. The Bill has been
made of a permanent character, which is a very
agreeable arrangement, and as Mr. AYRTON observed,

it will, at all events, enable the poor to understand
what they have to expect, and remove a large
number of " imaginary grievances." It is due to
, Mr. VILLIERS to say that he wished this to be done
last year, but met with opposition, and therefore
abandoned the attempt until a more favourable op-
portunity should present itself. That occasion has
now been found, and we may fairly hope that the
measure as it now stands, notwithstanding many
drawbacks, will prove of great present benefit to the
classes for which it legislates, and ultimately con-
duce, directly and indirectly, to the welfare of the
community. Another clause that is worthy of
notice is the one which declares that the guardians
of every union and parish referred to in the Act
shall admit to the workhouse, and other places of
reception, all poor persons who apply between the
hours of six in the evening and eight in the morning
in the winter months, and from eight to eight in the
slimmer ones; and that the guardians shall cause
relief to be furnished to such applicants. Mr.
HENLEY very properly called attention to the very
deficient accommodation provided in some places
for the poor, and said that it was scarcely better than
putting people into coffins, and that they would die
in the streets in preference to such shelter. Mr.
VILLIERS explained that the difficulties in the way
of providing refuges had been removed, and that
the evil complained of would be cured by not re-
imbursing the parishes where they occurred, which
was so satisfactory.