The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-08 00:00:00

THE BANQUET TO SIR a NAFIER.

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Last evening a memorable dinner took place at the
Reform Club. This entertainment was given to Ad-
miral Sir Charles Napier, to commemorate his ap-
pointment to the command of the Baltic fleet. Lord
Palmerston took the chair, and was supported by
two of his colleagues, members of the Cabinet, Sir
William Molesworth and Sir James Graham. All
three of these ministers will gain credit by their readi-
ness to do honour to the occasion. Complimentary
dinners, under ordinary circumstances, are common
enough, and do not stand out with peculiar prominence
amongst the events of the day. The peculiar feature of
the present dinner, however, is that it celebrates the
union of the two greatest powers in the world for the pur-
pose of keeping the peace of Europe. France and Rug-
land have hitherto contributed by their animosities many
a dark page to the annals of history. Their flags are now
to float together peacefully as their fleets move onwards
in concert to the Baltic to redress injustice, and to
restrain the mad efforts of an ambitious tyranny. The
combined Baltic fleet then is a great fact. It affords
evidence of a progress in the history of the world. It
shows that rival nations may outgrow the petty passions
which have induced war and bloodshed between them.
It gives rise to a hope that the time may eome when a
guarantee of peace shall be afforded by the consolidation
of the great powers of Europe, which will ensure. all
those blessings which peace societies have vainly endea-
voured to obtain.

The Baltic fleet, of which Sir Charles Napier takes
command, will he one of the most powerful armaments
ever sent to sea. In 1807, indeed, the fleet that was
got ready for service in the same quarter might have
been numerically larger, numbering ninety pendants,
but there can be no comparison between the efßoiency
of the vessels of that day with those of our own. In
the number of ninety above mentioned the great portion
were transports and brigs of various sizes. There were,
it is true, 27 sail of the line, but many of these were not
so formidable as a moderate-sized war screw steamer of
the present day, and not one could be compared to such
a ship as the monster steamer the Duke of Wellington,
carrying 131 guns, and capable of being man ceuvred
more easily than a gun-boat of 1807.
The fleet is to consist of about 50 ships ; of which
20 are to be ships of the line, and it may fairly be
said that they will he more than a match for any
vessels they can meet with. The power of screw war•
steamers has yet to be tested, but is thought by many
that they will be able to effect far more than was anti-
cipated at their first construction. A consideration of
the circumstances under which we formerly sent a fleet
to the Baltic—as compared with the present expedition
—presents some curious contrasts.
In 1807 the great fleet that sailed to the Baltic went
there for a purpose which, however justifiable in the eyes
of those who sent it, has not been considered in any
such favourable light on the continent. But there
is no doubt in the European mind as to the justice of the
step we are now taking. In 1807 we were at war with
nearly the whole continent. Austria, Russia, the
Porte, Prussia, and Denmark were added to the
number of our enemies in that very year. Now, we
have almost the whole Continent with us. We have
not only triple armour which surrounds those " who
have theirquarrel just," but we have nearly a whole world
on our side, and a material force that has never been
matched. We are not sailing to carry fire and sword
amongst a people nominally at least, at peace with our-
selves ; we are proceeding to tie the hands of a marauder
who has begun by bullying, and ended with robbery.
There can be no doubt of the issue of a contest under
such conditions. The physique and the morale are all on
our side ; what more can we desire ? Nothing as a means
of success, although it must be confessed there is some-
thing to be desired when we think of 1807, the year which
has been quoted. In 1807 the Parliament in the midst of
the most terrible war that ever convulsed Europe, with the
greatest captain of the age and all the great powers of
Europe against us, abolished the Slave Trade. In 1854,
with an irresistible naval force, and the neutrality or
alliance of all the great powers, our statesmen seem
afraid to pass a Reform Bill. Loud as was the din of
arms, the English statesmen of 1807 were not to be
shaken in their attempts to do justice to the natives of
Africa. In 1854 English statesmen allow the far-off
braying of a trumpet to affright, them from their inten-
tion of being just to their countrymen.
One of the most cheering features of the difference be-
tween the aspect of affairs now and in 1807—or, in fact,
at any period during the last war—is the comparative
ease and quiet with which our ships of war have re-
cently been manned. Our ports are not now crowded
with detachments of sailors intent upon seizing almost
indiscriminately every able-bodied man who comes in
their way, and forcing him to served on shipboard.
Sailors are not biding themselves in lofts or cellars,
and dreading the approach of ruffians prepared to do
violence in the Queen's name. Parties are no longer
stationed on the roads leading to the seaports to
seize upon all men who cannot, iu the technical
phrase, " give a good account of themselves," and
send them to the hold of a man-of-war. There is
now no lack of volunteers. In spite of the great
competition for seamen, our ships-of-war are getting
their complements of men in a less space of time than
could have been effected under the old system. One
chief reason of this change for the better is, that sailors
are now better paid, better fed, better lodged, and more
kindly treated in the royal service than was the case
during the last war, and they enter the navy now,
not as a last resource, nor because they are en-
trapped or forced into it, but because it is "a good
service." These changes have improved the men
themselves. Formerly the period of fitting out a
man-of-war for sea, at one of our great ports, was a
time of uninterrupted debauch and violence in the
streets. The thorou,ghfitres were rendered almost impas-
sable by the fearful riots which blocked them up continu-
ously. The men had but one desire, that of passing the few
hours left to them on shore in reckless indulgences, utterly
careless of the consequences of the pennilessness that
might result from their extravagance. The improve-
meuts in the navy have told upon the seaman, and
while his gallantry has not diminished, his sobriety and
forethought have increased. The type of the sailor has
improved with the type of the vessel. 'We shall go to
sea now with better ships, better crews, better weapons,
better modes of manceuvring them, and above all, with
a better cause than we have sometimes had before.
Who can doubt the issue ? We may, therefore, surely
go calmly forward with our legislative duty of doing
justice to our countrymen at home—confident that our
fleets and armies will do justice to our friends abroad.—
Daily News.
MARKET NEWS—(THIS DAY.)