The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-05 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING,

Exchange on Lond 531. Diccnuot on Lisbon Bark
40 per cent.

ENGLISH AND FRENCH NAYLES.
(From the Journal de Marine, Juno 23.)
The whole of the French journals yesterday published
another letter mitten by Admiral Napier, c Jritaining re-
floctions upon our navy.
Is it right that an enemy—an En„lishman—should be
the person to remind the French press that the naval
force renders essential service to the country ?, 30,000
men have just been debarked at Civita Vecchia in a
few days, without expense, without extraordinary war-
like preparations, merely by the assistance of disposable
forces so insufficient in the time of peace. This result
is highly important; the energy, activity, and order
necessary to accomplish the design, are inappreciable;
notwithstanding which efforts, however, neither by the
Government nor by the press has a single word of praise
been uttered in favour of Admiral Trehouart, his officers,
or his men.
The opinion of Admiral Napier will render us this
service—that the people will rightly estimate the im-
mense importance of the French navy in a continental
war, now anticipated by some writers. The wisest
strategical calculations, and even the best naval tactics,
may be completely altered by the diversions which will
be effected by large armies. These armies can now be
transported, without the necessity of forced marches,
but with a celerity six times greater than that of the
most active troops, towards points of the continent where
the enemy may be the weakest.
It is undeniable that the navy, especially the steam
marine, will play a noble part in the approaching Euro-
pean complications. A fleet is not only a force moving
upon the sea, but it is an indispensable auxiliary to an
army upon land. Our officers and seamen have mani-
fested, by their late proceedings, that they have reached
a state of perfection in which they are prepared to per-
form more glorious actions than any which have hitherto
devolved upon them. Accustomed to troops, active,
strong, intelligent, and brave, no power, England in-
cluded, can present to its enemies a race of men so for-
midable in the new destiny to which the steam nary will
be called.
Cau it be said that the other assertions of Admiral
Napier are proved by unerring arithmetical calculations?
In 1842 this same admiral made a nearly similar state-
ment in the House of Commons, every portion of which
was true excepting the figures showing the comparative
strength of the two powers. But what was his design?
To increase the warlike preparations in England, and
to augment the number of steamers, and perhaps, at
the same time, to cause a diminution in our ships, and
to put a stop to the development at that period given to
the French steam navy. That he succeeded is but too
true.

The French newspapers, especially those of the Oppo-
sition, have fallen into the same snare; their national
vanity was flattered, and they began to calculate our
strength and power by merely estimating the, number of
men and guns. By exaggerating the figures a little,
they are endeavouring to prove that Admiral Napier
was correct; that our ships, though less numerous, carry
more guns and a stronger artillery; and thus have
handed over our cause to those who are opposed to the
maintenance of a naval force—to those who think that a
fleet is useless to the country; they have, indeed, given
arguments to men in high places, who are advocates of
peace at any price, who are continually insisting upon a
complete disarmament. In fact, the finest fleet which
we have ever had since the peace, which was indeed the
admiration of our rivals, has been disarmed; and the
Engli,h obtained that supremacy which they have never
since relinquished.
Now for a few figures, in order to arrive at the truth.
Of sailing vessels we have now afloat 5 first-rate, 3 se-
cond-rate 9 third-rate, and 8 fourth-rate; total, 25. The
English have 19 ships of the first rate, 43 second-rate,
and 32 third-rate; total, 94. France has 39 frigates of
from 40 to 50 guns; England has 90 of from 30 to 50
guns.
France has 60 corvettes or large brigs, which corres-
pond to English vessels of the sixth rate, but of .which
description of ships England has only 35. We pass over
smaller vessels, which cannot be reckoned in an account
of ( ffective warlike forces.

We now come to steamers, respecting which Admiral
Napier writes so strongly. In our paper of the 2d inst.
we showed that England had 86 armed steam-vessels,
but we have only 60. Of the English steamers, ono is
of 800 horse power, 8 of from 450 to 500, 17 of from 300
to 350, and 12 of from 220 to 300. The French ships,
however, are only 1 of 650 horse power, 2 of 540, 8 of
450, and 12 of from 220 to 300.
We may add, that since the screw-propeller is a great
improvement, the English possess a vast advantage over
us in the number of vessels which are furnished with this
apparatus. We have only one frigate provided with this
machine, of 260 horse power; the English have four
similar vessels—namely, the Ajax, the Blenheim, the
Edinburgh. and La Hogue, which have engines of 450
horse power, and carry 56 pieces of artillery. They also
have four frigates of the same kind—viz., the Eurotse,
the Forth, the Horatio, and the Scahorse; their engines
are 320 horse power, and they carry 24 guns. The
other vessels of a similar description amount to 29. As
to ourselves, we can scarcely reckon eight similar vessels

in the whole of our navy. -
Let it not be said, then, that the forces of England are
not effective; that their ships are rotten, and a thousand
other pleasantries so habitual to the Parisian newspa
pers. When English ships are decaying, the Board of
Admiralty has skid enough to order their repair or de-
molition. The " Navy List" is not a book of mere
luxury, but a useful and truthful publication.
Every one well knows the immense resources of Eng-
land. The last reports of the navigation of the ports in
Great Britain and Scotland, published by order of the
Board of Trade, estimate the number of sailing vessels
at 31,820, amounting to 3,637,231 tonnage, and manned
by 216,350 men; and the commercial steam-vessels
amount to 1,088.
No, England has no need to augment its navy. She
possesses real riches, in material, men, and engines. It
is ourselves who are so factitious. We must endeavour

to increase the strength of our steam power, which has
lately manifested itself to be so necessary both for war
and defence. Let us not dissimulate ; we are behind
England—much behind—too much behind. Let us
make every effort to equal her.
It is not with the view of becoming their rivals that
we would build and arm. It is not even for the purpoie
or defending ourselves against them. We do not wish,
like Admiral Napier, to foresee an evil which does not
yet threaten us ; but we repeat, that &European war
may burst out any day, and the Republic may be at-
tacked when least expected. The Government who shall
defend it, and the commanders of our armies, will re-
quire this new auxiliary, which has just been of such
important use in Italy. War will present many occa-
sions in which steam-vessels will be useful to the army
as are horses, carrriages, and guns.
May we find a patriotic representative, who, follow-
ing the example of Admiral Napier, shall discuss the
subject in our National Assembly.

THE THEATRE.—Lear, Hamlet, Richard 11., The
Revenge, and Macbeth, have been the principal plays
enacted during the week, and in each of these Mr.
George Owen has sustained the leading characters. 01 his
Leaf we have heard the most eulogistic criticisms, but we
were not ourselves present, save for a few minutes before
the close of the play. On Thursday evening, Dr. Young's
classic play of The Revenge was repeated—having been
performed on Saturday night—and in it Mr. Owen per-
sonated Zinga. The character was finely conceived and
admirably pourtrayed. His most impassioned scenes
were entirely free from rant, as his subdued ones were
void of even the semblance of tameness. The musical
tones of his fine voice and the clearness of his enuncia-

tion, rendered the delivery of his many sublime
speeches peculiarly pleasing and effective—riveting the
attention of his audience and eliciting vociferous plau-
dits. Unlike many of our tragedians, Mr. Owen im-
proves upon acquaintance, and we were gratified at ob-
serving the entire absence in Zinga of those slight man-
nerisms which we remarked in Richard lIL Mr. Owen
must ere long rank very high in his arduous profes-
sion ; for 'so young a man his performances are
chaste and masterly. Mr. T. Holmes enacted Don
Alonza, with spirit and force ; but he would add greatly
to the effectiveuesof his personations if he would eschew
exaggerated distortions of his features when pourtraying
the different passions. Over-indulgence in this habit had
the effect, on Thursday evening, of causing Don Alonza
to look as great a villain as Shakspere makes Richard 111.,
which Mr. Holmes knows as well as ourselves was never
the intention of Dr. Young. Donna Leonora found an
excellent representative in Mrs. Walton. The play was
followed by a laughable interlude called Quarter Day,
in which the principal characters were well sus-
tained by Mrs. Poynter (who, by the way, in-
variably performs her parts with great clearness),
Miss Laport, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Watkins. Last
evening Mr. Owen took his benefit—playing Macbeth—
with Mr. S. Holmes as Macduff, and Mrs. Walton as
Lady Macbeth. Each of these characters were excel-
lently pourtrayed ; but the lateness of the hour precludes
a more lengthened notice. We must say, however,
that we regard Mr. Owen's Macbeth as fully
equal to anything he has played in Leeds. The
ce was got up with unusual care, and was set off by
Lock's music spiritedly given by a full and efficient
orchestra. The entire corps appeared to vie with
each other in their acting, and this beautiful tragedy
passed off with the utmost eclat. Next week,
we perceive that several new pieces will be brought out,
and in the week following Mr. Macready will appear.
The bare announcement of this fact, after what has oc-
curred across the Atlantic, must secure overflowing au-
diences to witness the farewell to the stage of this peer-
less actor and honoured gentleman.—Leeds Times,
June 30.