The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-03 00:00:00

THE LATE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY AND ITS

AMERICAN CRITICS.

(From the Press.)

Poor Mr. Cobden ! We almost pity him. His plan
of arbitration has been tried in the Eastern Question,
and has, according to Mr. Gladstone's notion of success
—illustrated by Spain, Belgium, and Syria—succeeded
completely • as it has already resulted in a bloody war.
To those odious soldiers, whom Mr. Cobden would dis-
band, life and property are, in Lancashire, indebted for
present security. And now it appears that the ungrate-
ful Americans, whom he so much admires, are about to
divest themselves of those claims to his regard which
have hitherto been so attractive in his eyes. " Look
at the navy of the United States," exclaims Mr.
Cobden, " and see what it consists of !" This the
Americans have been doing for themselves; and they
have discovered that it consists of eleven ships of the
line, one raz4e, twelve large frigates, two second-class,
and about forty smaller ships. But the feeling ex-
cited in the American mind by contemplating their
model navy is exactly the reverse of that created in Mr.
Cobden's by the same delightful object. Mr. Cobden is
fired by enthusiastic admiration ; Jonathan, our brother,
filled with intense disgust ! " The Mississippi," says the
New York Herald, " is so badly armed, and her guns so
light, that an English war-steamer, with only one large
gun, could destroy her before her fire could take the
slightest effect. What is this force, even as a nucleus,
to contend against the fleets of Great Britain or France ?
. Two or three English steamers, with guns of long
range, could sink every ship and steamer in possession
of the Government." Jonathan looks not only at his
fleet, but aelsaoaan
til: to such an
i,s, navy list, aanldarmoningit hexeteonbtsetrhvaets,
"old fogy pt
for five frigates which he names, fit captains could not be
found.
From this sad sight the writer mournfully turns, and
casts his eye over the eastern waves, till it rests on Eng-
land and the continent of Europe ; and there he sees
" France and Russia actively engaged in increasing the
numerical force of their navies. And there, too, he
sees, " at Spithead, a fleet such as the world never saw"
before ; and England with a preponderance of strength
on the ocean that guards her shores and protects her
commerce " wherever her meteor flag is borne, and has
tamelycom el
submite d Ca b net"
et t ahfet er
observance Cabinet, evene a itni e
eA—mt
he rinscea ,
rteo.
lating to the fisheries, for instance.
The inference the American draws from all this is that
" the true way to maintain peace is to be prepared for
for war in pace ostendite ferrum," and concludes with an
inquiry whether the spirit of Washington, Patrick
Henry, and Andrew Jackson is extinct, on which point,
perhaps, Robert Owen may give him some information.
Thus, then, we have an influential journal of New York,
the capital of Mr. Cobden's model republic, denouncing
the organisation of that branch of the United States
service, which has to him appeared to be the emanation
,of absolute wisdom, and the perfection of national naval
efficiency. Is this blow as much as Mr. Cobden can
bear ? -Alas ! the American journalist is yet more
cruel! He lauds and holds up as an example to the
people of the United States the administrative conduct
of the late "Tory" Government of Great Britain, and
not only of the "Tory" Government, but of that par.
titular portion of it against which Radical orators and
writers more especially delighted to discharge their en-
venomed arrows of malignant falsehood. Yes, it is to
that powerful fleet which the Duke of Northumberland
11;intetdrribthe Board of Admiralty of the Government of Lord
called into existence, that the New York Herald
Go.yelesenthtewprelolud position which England then main-
tained, ands which she might. hold now, could the present
weapon which theirand wisely
wield the magnificent
Predecessors created and bequeathed
to them,

"- 40 Turkish fires.
50 Turkish fires.
G 5 Bulgarian fires.
§ Simply a well, and generally a Turuk or gipsy encamp-
ment.
II 50 mixed fires.