The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-05 00:00:00

[PRICE SD.

FLOGGING IN THE NAVY.

( From the Times.)

Mr. Hume has been true to his ancient spirit of in-
quiry in obtaining a return "of the number of person
flogged in the navy since 1847 ; distinguishing each
year, specifying the name of the ship, the offence, the
sentence, and number of lashes inflicted, and stating the
highest and lowest number given in each class." This
paper is now before us ; but, notwithstanding the cir-
cumstantiality of its title, and the evident desire of the
hon. member to get the most complete information on
the subject, we do not think its contents would support
any conclusion on the particular facts disclosed. So
much obviously depends upon the size of the vessel in
commission, the number of her crew, and the length of
time over which her punishment returns extend, that
very inaccurate conclusions might be drawn from the
mere specifications given in the report. A vessel with
a crew of 150 men, and making a return of 40 lashes
inflicted, might in reality be a worse example than an-
other returning 200 lashes from a crew of 800 or 1,000.
Some consideration also should be extended to the temp-
tations contingent upon the particular station or ser-
vice on which the vessel was employed, and to other
points of the same character, so that a real con-
trast between the several ships afloat could only be ex-
hibited after very careful computation. Nevertheless,
we may draw some general inferences from Mr. Hume's
return without much danger of error or injustice.
In the year 1848 the total number of punishments in-
flicted in the Navy was 1,363 ; the total number of lashes
was 40,545 ; the highest number at any single punish.
ment 48, and the lowest number 1. The next year shows
a material decrease in these figures, the whole number of
punishments in 1849 being 1,087, and the lashes 32,446,
while the highest and lowest numbers stand at 48 and 2
respectively. In 1850 the improvement still continues.
The total number of punishments in that year was only
967 • the total number of lashes 27,291 - 50 being the
highest, and 2 the lowest number inflicted. In 1851 the
total number of punishments sinks still further, to 842 ;
and the total number of lashes to 26,587 ; the highest
and lowest numbers being 50 and 6. Finally, the last
return shows the greatest improvement of all, for the
punishments dropped in 1852 to 578, and the lashes to
17,571 ; being considerably less than half'of the total
number reported four years previously for the year 1848.
There can be no mistaking the general purport of
figures like these ; and we can add even another illustra-
tion of the progress effected. A certain number of ves-
sels every year make a blank return, indicating that no
corporal punishments whatever have been inflicted in
the ship. The number of ships thus distinguished was
—in 1848, 46 ' • in 1849, 45 ; in 1850, 60 ; in 1851, only
43 ; but, in 1852, 78 ; the Victoria and Albert being
always included in the honourable list. Of course it
would be necessary to compare the total number of ships
in commission during each of these periods before any
accurate deductions could be framed, and the same re-
mark will apply also to the figures in the preceding
paragraph, but it is not likely that the general result
could be seriously affected. Flogging in the navy is
clearly on the decline. We still observe instances of
particular ships where the punishments inflicted appear
to betoken a bad state of discipline or government, and
perhaps of both ; but it would be invidious to institute
comparisons without a complete detail of the circum-
stances affecting each particular case. We are contented
with discerning that this odious species of punishment
is falling more and more into disuse, and that anything
like a frequent resort to it is taken to reflect discredit,
not only upon the whole ship's company, but upon the
officers in command.

It is high time, indeed, that such reforms were ef-
fected. We have arrived at a period when the practice
of impressment can no longer be relied upon to provide
our men-of-war with crews in cases of emergency, and
the scheme recently promulgated for attracting seamen
to the service of the fleet is a proof of the solicitude with
which the question has been regarded. It is plain, how-
ever, that the most considerate provisions in respect of
treatment and pension might be inoperative against the
repulsive influence of a system admitting the exercise of
personal tyranny. Beyond doubt, the liabilities of sea-
men in this particular have been greatly exaggerated.
So many restraints, not only of opinion, but of positive
regulation, have now been placed on officers in com-
mand, that little room is left for cruelty or oppression ;
and indeed the severities of the merchant service in this
particular frequently exceed anything that could be ex-
perienced in the fleet. Nevertheless, the knowledge
that captains retain and employ the power of appealing
to the lash may exert a prejudicial influence over the
minds of seamen, now that the attractions of the royal
and merchant services appear so nearly balanced ; and
it is impossible that too great vigilance can be exercised
on a point of such signal importance.
It would, we fear, be discovered, on inquiry, that the
whole difficulties of manning our fleet have arisen from
~the injustice of the terinsivnp..ed :indeed. na,ot.bA
Rupposition will satisfactowy explain the result. The
British isles possess a hardy and intrepid seafaring popu-
lation, numerous enough to furnish full complements for
any fleet which we could wish to send to sea. If " Go-
vernment service" in this respect were considered as
desirable as it is in most others there could never be any
lack of seamen, for our men-of-war would get the first
choice of all the sailors in the country, and nothing but
the surplus would be turned over to the merchant ser-
vice. The contrary result can only have occurred be-
cause the merchant service offered better terms than
the service of the Queen. In former times we used
to counteract the preference thus created by an
ap-
peal to force, and impress those whom we could not
hire ; but this expedient can be relied upon no longer.
We must obtain our seamen by fair means in fair
market, nor need there be much difficulty anticipated
in such a practice. It is very possible that merchant-
men may always keep ahead of the Government in the
money wages they offer ; in fact, they could otherwise
scarcely get seamen at all. But this nominal difference
of pay ought to be more than compensated by the very
superior advantages of treatment, victualling, promo-
tion, and pension which are offered on board a Queen's
ship. At this moment, indeed, we really believe that
the terms of the two services, fairly stated and rightly
understood, would leave a decided balance in favour of
the Royal Navy. The misfortune is, that this fact is
not popularly known, and that other considerations—•
among which that of discipline may doubtless be
reckoned—exercise a species of countervailing repulsion.
All, therefore, that can be now done is to make the
truth as public as possible, and to exercise such a super-
vision over the power of commanders as shall relieve the
seamen from any apprehension of tyranny.

THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.

( From the Times.)

We have just received another of those astonishing
documents which have taught us to view plain, sober,
practical truth as more strange and more extravagant
than the wildest Oriental fiction. The gnome or the
genius who showered upon his favourite the hidden
treasures of deep caverns and secluded mountains gave
him nothing but the power of gratifying his passions,
his luxury, and his magnificence. It never entered into
the head of Eastern fabulist to conceive the simultaneous
enrichment of a whole community, and to trace the
effect of the change on the destinies of nations and the
commerce of the world. The tale usually represents
the Sultan as richer and his Court as more splendid,
but leaves his subjects pretty much as it found them,
and regards the-increase of wealth as a means of foreign
conquest and external aggression. Plutus has dealt
more favourably with the Australian colonies ; his
favours have been lavished on communities instead
of individuals, and are felt almost as strongly on
one side of the world as on the other. It is
impossible within the limits allotted to us to give
an adequate idea of the revelations contained in
the report of the Melbourne Chamber of Com-
merce, a document ably drawn up, and containing a
statement of facts such as never before have been sub-
mitted to the perusal of mankind. Progress and ad-
vancement are but faint and inadequate terms to express
what has been happening in Port Philip : the thing, as
witnessed there, has no name, for the world has seen
nothing in the least resembling it. All we can do is to
call in figures to our aid, and leave our readers to esti-
mate as well as they may the facts of which those figures
are the symbols.
Eighteen years ago the province of Victoria was a
savage and unknown wilderness, inhabited by a few bar-
barous tribes, and contributing no more to the wealth
and progress of the world than it would have done if its
shores had been submerged beneath the waves of the
Southern Pacific. From that time to 1851 its progress
was wonderfully rapid—its population had risen to
95,000 souls—lts shipping inwards to 669 vessels, with
a tonnage of 126,000 tons, and its revenue to 380,0001.,
—an increase, we believe, never exceeded by any
community. Now mark the difference of a single:
year. In 1852 the population had become 200,000,
the shipping inwards 1,657 vessels, with a tonnage
of 408,000 tons, and the revenue 1,577,0001., of
whif.th 342,0001. was raised from the Customs. During
thr3 year 1851 the value of imports amounted to
1,056,000/. ; in 1852 it increased to 4,044,0007;. :
the exports in 1851 were 1,144,0001., in 18 52
they had reached 7,452,0001. ; but, taking into cc ni-
sideration the large amount of gold which has I eft
the colony without being recorded, the total amount of
exports is not, probably, less than 15,000,0001. per r
num—that, every man, woman, and child in Victor is
produces an export to the amount of 751. per head. B at
even this statement does not do full justice to tl es
astounding influx of prosperity. The production of
gold is taken from its commencement, when most of t lie
labourers were inexperienced, and the machinery th cy
employed rude and imperfect. The colony was unve-
pared for so vast an accession to its population, and bad
roads, and imperfect supplies, and every other physica,
difficulty have impeded the industry of the miners. Then
is no symptom of falling off or exhaustion in the gold. -
field ; the supply is practically boundless, and seems tc
admit of an increase in proportion to the number o f
hands employed, and the greater facilities of transport ,
supply, and machinery. Seven hundred and twerkk
thousand pounds have been voted by the Lei ;is -
lature of Victoria for public works, and, besi lees
this, three railroads have been sanctioned, one to
connect Melbourne with the port, another to cony teat