The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-19 00:00:00

the house at greater length—he would be happy to point
. ilinaytthing. out or give any explanation to the committee
'night be required. He now begged to put into the
hands of the chairman the following vote :-
45500 men to be employed in the sea service, 1854.
12,500 Royal marines, and 2,000 boys.
Ur. HUME assented to the vote, and hoped to see the
next naval estimates in a more improved condition.
Sir T. D. ACLAND said he too was an advocate for a
Wise economy, but he hoped his right hon. friend the mem-
ber for Carlisle would remember there could be no such
economy if the efficiency of the service were neglected.
Mr. A. STAFFORD said that in reference to the pro-
posed reduction in the hydrographical department, he had
to state that he entirely agreed with the right hon. baronet
upon that point.
lar• W. WILLIAMS said he could not blame the
Government for the increase which had been made in the
naval estimates for the present year, because public opinion
had been distinctly pronounced in favour of such a mea-
sure.
Captain. SCOBELL should insist that the improvements
in steam added as much to the defence of England as they
could facilitate the operations of an invading force. He
warned the authorities how they increased the jealousy of
the French nation by collecting a Channel fleet at a time
wwhen that nation had not a single line-of-battle ship in the
‘katinel. (Hear, hear.) The annual cost of a 90-gun ship
51,000/. ; so that the fleet of 14 or 15 line-of-battle
"ins, referred to by the late Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Ivould cost close on 800,0001. a year. (Hear, hear.) He
further begged to suggest that all vessels in future shoulc
be built by contract, and he had no doubt they would ex-
cel those built in the dockyards.
Admiral WALCOTT thought it better that no step
Ih°lild be taken until the report of the committee sitting
°ll the question of " manning the navy" should be made.
Sir J. WALMSLEY wished to know whether it was the
Intention of the Admiralty to place the port of Liverpool
ILI a better state of defence than that in which it was at
`lle present day ? Ho thought the better defence of that
pert was a subject to which the attention of her Majesty's
Government ought to be seriously directed.
Sir J• GRAHAM said he had to observe, in answer to
th ° question which had been just put to him, that the
question of the defence of Liverpool was one which had
not been altogether overlooked by her Majesty's Govern-
-
Th—ert,- A steamer of war had been ordered to go to that
port already, and measures would betaken in the course of
wouldsummer, if necessary, to provide for its defence. He
,°lild now venture to say a few words in answer to some
observations that had been made in the course of that dis-
V°ssi°°. The great pressure upon him that evening had
en with respect to-the-saving he had endeavoured to ef-
jet—Near, hear)—and he theiefore had to defend again. ~tp reductions he had proposed to make. They had cer-
tain 1Y Placed the expense at the lowest possible amount
.enaistent with efficiency ; but at the same time he be-
'le'ved that the important point of efficiency had not been
lueoglected by them. It had been said that these had been
ill reduction of doCkyards, but the fact was, as appeared
trai a report of the committee which had inquired into
subject, that the numbers of men in the dockyards had
°eh reduced from 13,000 to 9,600. With regard to the
Vercise of political influence in promotion at the dockyards,
had to state that the rule in those establishments at
present was, that when a man had once been admitted into
„;:,5131, nothing but his own misconduct should prevent his
Csequent promotion. His noble friend the member for
nlnd°ll, •in the year 1848, when the employment of his
„4—,:'tical influence in effecting promotions had been cen-
Zred, had given a most solemn assurance on the part of
° Government that such an abuse should no longer be
continued. He (Sir J. Graham) agreed in the opinion
R',l.°ll he had heard expressed by some persons, that if they
el.° have another Reform Bill the good of the service
5'14 theto
happiness of the men employed in the dockyards,
was well as in the Post-office and revenue departments,
°llld render it desirable that, while they continued in the
rtillee of the Crown, their franchise should be suspended.
? could undertake to say that, in the distribution of the
tinnage at his disposal, political influences should not be
°wed te prevail. He knew well the difficulty of carry-
-4,g Out that pledge, for the pressure on the Admiralty au-
thorities was extreme ; but his duty was a sacred one, and
d• the best of his ability he would endeavour honestly to
lischarge it, irrespective of all outward considerations.
should tell the house that, having considered matters
el'unection with the navy since his return to the office he
(lad left hisears ago, he had found that so much had been
that hYright hon. friend the member for Portsmouth,
%a' he should be deceiving the house if he were to state
, at he hoped to be able to effect any very considerable re-
i'lluction in the naval expenditure. There was at present an
n„crease in the number of men, and that of course rendered
the an increase in the whole of the estimates. He
euld tell the house that, notthstanding the hardships
Vhich poor sailors underwent win the service, out of the
number of seamen which the house had ordered, not less
'...115n one-half had been volunteers. He thought that cir-
4ilan°westad that to
toldhen in c favurably in favour
ships they did not in
11eral abuse their authority. Everything had been done
14""echeck that abuse of authority, and he hoped that the
sneas'ires taken for the purpose had been attended with
ni.,,,ce,ss• In the present year an increase had been recom-
foZued, as he had already stated, in the American naval
and the American authorities had justified that in-:
c-,lBe by a reference to the increased activity and enter-
ti—°° 'which the h of the times exacted from the navy.
~..'!°11 ew
were the views of the American Government—such
ere the views of the British Government. It was not in
a'pairiPirit Of rivalry to any other power—it was not in any
t of hostility to any other power—that these votes
glevreetailsk.ed for ; and he was as confident the committee would
'p ell' assent to them. (Hear, hear.)
vote was then agreed to, as were also a vote for
615 736'236/. for the wages of seamen and marines, and
426/. for yictuallino.
10,,,veetc.°118itAIRMAN that'll' reported progress, and asked
AL M) ors gain.
a second time Examiner (Court of Chancery) Bill was read
...Onsthe motion that the house at its rising adjourn till
mon gay,
AIL -WA
, ',POLE wished to ask the noble lord opposite
, F.er he would bring on his resolution on Thursday re-
eeting the oaths taken by members, and if the discussion on
forprevious motion of the right hon. baronet the member
40r Droitwich should last till a late hour?
4, Lord J. RUSSELL said if ho could bring on his resolu-
tion respecting the oaths, and with reference to Jewish
`,,laa.bilities, before eleven o'clock on Thursday night, he
k‘ssaould do so. If not, he should postpone his motion to
other day. • The noble lord_ then moved to discharge
Ml_7.•
e
:Wilson from further attendance on Ithe ndian terri-
s committee ; and that the following members be added
*ethereto ° :—Lord J. Russell, Sir C. Wood, Sir G. Grey, Sir
liladdock, Mr. C. Fortescue, Mr. Cardwell, Mr. J. Elliot,
1u Mr. Lowe.--Ag,reed to.
noble lord then obtained leave to bring in a bill for
~
-'trYin',,e, into effect the treaty with the republic of New
Granada for the suppression of the slave trade.
On the motion of Sir J. SHELLEY, Alderman Cubitt
the aaPpointed to be a member of the select committee on
coal dues.
The house then adjourned at half-past one till Monday.