The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-07 00:00:00

storm ! It is no wonder with the threatening ,
aspect of affairs, when a war with the second naval
power in the world has been spoken of as more than
possible, that the House which has voted nearly
fifty-eight millions sterling within five years with no
better result, should be inclined to look with some
suspicion on the estimates for the ensuing year,
No one can read Sir JOHN PAKINGTON'S speech of
last night without feeling that the Admiralty are
imperatively called upon to disprove his statements
if they possibly can. Lord C. PAGET, after a
lengthened address, in which, of course, everything
was represented in its most favourable aspect,

assured the House that we had a large number of
armour-plated ships either complete or so nearly
completed that they would be fit for service by the
close of the year; and asked for ten and a-half mil-

lions for the service. He denied that the navy was

unpopular, and that there was any difficulty in ob-
taining men, and asserted that, from the returns of

crimes and punishments, a considerable moral im-
provement was perceptible. So far, all was couleur de
rose, but when Sir J. PAKINGTON arose, the first
vote being taken, the aspect of affairs was changed.
With the authority of one whom official experience
had enlightened as to the secrets of Admiralty
management, and who had proved himself, though
a landsman, an energetic and capable First Lord,
he cameboldly to the point, and put those questions
which every one is asking and which no one can
answer to those who should be able to reply to
them. Sir JoHN PAKINGTON, after referring to the
enormous slims which have beenfreely voted during
the last few years, sums amounting, as we have said,
to more than £57,000,000 since 1860, went
on to ask the truth of the statement that was
everywhere current, that at this moment,
supposing us to become involved in a maritime war,
we could not send an effective fleet to sea ? Such
a statement cannot be suffered to pass unnoticed.
If there is a shadow of truth in it, a vestige of foun-
dation for the report, the Government have incurred
a heavy responsibility ; if it is false or exag-
gerated the public mind should be at once
relieved. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON has only given ex-
pression to the general uneasiness ; and if it is con-
tended that such declarations of our weakness are
rash and imprudent, he may easily answer that
without doubt the Governments of France, of
Russia, and especially of the United States, are
better informed on all such points than
the English public. But Sir JOHN PAKINGTON did
not confine himself to general assertions. He entered
into details which proved that his charges were not
lightly brought. The new vessels Defence and the
Resistance, he had heard, had been built in direct
opposition to the advice of some of the most com-
petent officials. It had been said that if wounded
in their most unprotected parts they would imme-
diately sink. The first performances of Mr. REED
had reference to the Enterprise and the Research,
and by the Research especially he wished to be
judged. What, asked Sir J. PAKINGTON, was the
opinion of Admiral DACRES, and, still more, of the
captain of the Research ? Was it true that after
making the passage from Plymouth to Ports-
mouth the captain declared that he never was
so glad to get into port. This is not a statement
to be lightly passed over, and must be answered in
some way before the votes are taken. Sir J. PAK-
INGTON disclaimed any wish to be harsh towards
Mr. REED, but he plainly expressed the opinion of '
all acquainted with the subject, when he declared
that the Admiralty had been guilty of great impru-
dence and indiscretion when they put an inexperi-
enced man at the head of his profession, dismissing
all those whose power, experience, and recognised
ability qualified them to advise. " Had Mr. REED
been left to work his way he would, doubtless," said
the right hon. baronet, " have by his talents worked
his way to the place where he has now been put,
per saltunz, over the heads of those who had
a right to expect advancement." " I hope," said
Sir J. PAKINGTON, " that Mr. REED may yet build
many good ships, but when you have no ships fit to
cross the Atlantic or any other sea, why not call in
the aid of those who have proved their skill and
knowledge." " I say, do not trifle with the inte-
rests of England by entrusting them wholly to a man
who, whatever his talents, has not been successful
in the vessels he has sent to sea ?" The common
sense of such an appeal cannot for a moment be
disputed. It only remains for the Admiralty autho-
rities to disprove these assertions if they can, or if
not, to explain to the country how we are to send,
if necessary, a fleet across the Atlantic to protect
our commerce when the Admiral who commands
the Channel is advised not to put to sea in a storm
test his vessels should go to the bottom ?

There can be no greater mistake made than to
neglect the comfort of the defenders of our country.
This is faulty in times of health, but becomes abso-
lutely criminal in periods of sickness. Military
hospitals are subjects that eminently deserve con-
sideration, and Lord DALHOUSIE, in calling the
, attention of the House of Lords to the question last
night, rendered a public service, and is entitled to
commendation. There is no more invidious task
than that of finding fault, and more especially does
the effort become irksome when the complaint is
made about anything appertaining to Government
management and control. The unfortunate com-
plainant is sure to be met with a host of official
statements, and very dogmatically informed that all
his conclusions are imperfect, and that he cannot
possibly possess sufficient information to give a
correct depiction of the state of the case. However
it is important that official blunders should be ex-
posed, and that some should have the courage to
do so. Lord DALHOUSIE showed how very faulty
the condition of the new hospital at Woolwich
was, and how necessary it was to make
some change in that respect. The noble lord spoke
from his own experience, having paid a visit himself
to that place, and certainly his report was not a
very favourable one. In the first instance the con-
struction is bad, the wards are so "
composed
glass that it would be an absolute cruelty to put an of
invalid into such wards." Can anything be more
inconsistent and inconsiderate than such an arrange-
ment as this ? It would really almost appear as if
the intention of our architects of public places was
to make things as little conducive as possible to the
welfare and comfort of those who inhabit them. It
is a monstrous thing that the public money should
be squandered to make such egregious blunders and
enormous failures. This new hospital at Woolwich
has cost, or will cost, the public the sum
i of two
hundred thousand pounds. Here is another instance
of the perversity with which our Government transact
business, and the obstinate 'ignorance that they dis-
play when they are toli of their errors. Of
course Lord DALHQUSIE' was told that he was
quite mistaken in his views, but that is only to be
expected from the manner in which the Cabinet and
their adherents always meet any adverse remarks.
intendederey
u, As Lord DALHOUSIE truly observed, if the building
w
wfeor a flower show or a museum it
might do
very
er
besibduest
beingf or sick a
cruelty patients e int
the
es
part
of unsuited,
of the designers to plan such an affair. To make
matters worse there are no quarters attached to this
hospital for medical officers. Its position is like-
wise an inappropriate one, as was ably shown in the
speech of the noble lord, If invalid coming from