The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-26 00:00:00

The LORD MAYOR—Then I suppose the monopolists
refuse to supply you with the article ?
Captain Youria—Certainly they do, my Lord. I would
not obey the regulations which they established for the
purpose of keeping up the high price of Coal, and dis-
charged my cargo as soon as I arrived. The information
that I had violated the rule soon reached the coal-owners,
and they refused to supply me except at an enormous
price. .

The LORD MAYOR—I trust you are succeeding in your
opposition to the combination ?
Captain YOUNG—I have not the least doubt that it
must soon fall to the ground. I procure all my coals from
other colleries, which are not connected with the combina-
tion, a great many of which are now at work.
The Loan MAYOR—And does the article give satis-
f4ctiott&

Captain Yout.to—No doubt of it, my Lord. The
odium cast upon the system which has so long existed, by
your Lordship, and the resolute manner in which the op-
position has been taken up has had a great effect, and the
Combination Committee are perfectly aware that the mo-
nopoly is nearly at an end. Indeed I heard one of the
Committee themselves declare that such was the case.
But the by-laws, which have been recently brought into
operation, having, by retarding my passage up the River
to those whom I supply, considerably interfered with my
'business,. I am now prevented, from carrying up and deli-
ve'ring my cargo directly, end have been obliged recently
to put my ship into the ship canal-dock, and to pay a six-
pence a ton dock dues for the accommodation. I come to
request your Lordship's interposition with the Navigation
Committee to release me from this dilemma.
The LORD MAYOR—Won't they allow you to unload
in the section into which you are appointed to go upon ar-
riving in the'River.

Captain YouNG—I dare say they would, but that would
be extremely inconvenient, on account of the distance from
the place for whiCh the cargo was intended, and the barge-
owners would require two shillings a ton for the carriage. I
am, therefore, obliged to wait for my turn to get up to the
highest section instead of going straightforward to Goding's
brewhouse, as I used to do. I want to have the accommo-
dation which the gas ships have, which come up directly and
deliver at once in the Pool.

The LORD MAYOR-4 do not see why, as you bring up
coals already purchased by parties, you should not be al-
loWed to go direct to the concern and deliver your cargo.
It is not like having coals for the market ; and I think you
ought to be permitted to deliver Mr. Goding's coals at his
establishment.

Captain YOUNG—That is just what I want, my Lord.
My next cargo will be for Messrs. Reid and Co., and it
would greatly interfere with my business if I were to be
subject to the delay.
The Loan MAYOR—I have been just now with.the Na-
vigation Committee with a letter, which I received a few
days ago from the North, on the subject of these regula-
tions, to which you have adverted, and I can assure you
that they are
.mcist anxious to give every encouragement
to those who labour to break up the combination.
Captain YOUNG—I have given very long evidence before
the Parliamentary Committee on the subject of the'exist-
log- combination, and am well acquainted with the way of
working it. I brought an action in a case of the kind, but
it was compromised, and I have every expectation that the
enemies to the monopoly will be successful in their efforts.

The-Loan MAYOR—I should be glad to find every ship
that comes to the port unloaded without the intervention
of a factor. If that were the case, the combination would.
be broken up for ever. In my opinion an exception ought
to be made in the arrangements in favour of all vessels not
in the combination.

Captain YOUNG—I have made eleven voyages this year,
and if I had had factors to do with I should not have made
eight ; and I am able to supply coals at a cheap rate, and
to secure to myself a fair remunerating profit.
The LORI) MAYOR—Be so good as to send me a sample
of the coal you are in the habit of supplying. I shall try
them in this house, and shall be able to institute a compa-
rison. I regret that I have had in the necessary quantity
from the customary sources, as I should wish in my own
person to render all -the service I could to those ,collieries
which are not connected with this monstrous combination.
I shall give you a letter to the Navigation Committee now
sitting, recommending that if it he not an injurious viola-
tion of the by-laws your vessel be allowed to go direct to
the premises for which the coals are intended. '
Captain YOUIVG returned thanks to his Lordship, and
said that he should immediately send a Sample of the coals;
which he brought to London to the Mansion Howe, and
would most willingly assist in destroying a combinatioh cal-
culated to do so much public mischief.

Some idea of the preponderance of the quantities of coat
imported by the monopolists, over the quantities imported
by, those not involved in the combination, may be formed
by the following Abstracts from
.111 r. Pearsall's list for 1837
of coal imported and sold in the port of London
Ships. Tons.
Newcastle ,3,808. 1,276,625
Sunderland' 2,779 ' 834,511
Stockton
1,383 370,530
Y
Blyth, Scotch, and Welsh 824 .138,813
Smallaire,
nd Sundry
17 4,313
Cuba and Cinders

2,626,967

There is now plenty of accommodation 'for discharging
the colliers' cargoes, and the delivery in the. order of their
arrival prevents all partiality. •Assuminglhat the new ar-
rangements will effect a sa ring of Ls. per ton upon 2,000,000
tons per annum, which is considered to be a moderate esti-
mate, with.the increasing trade, the money thus saved would
purchase nearly 3G0,000 tons of coals for the increased cam-
fort of all classes, especially the poor. of the metropolis.

Mr. Robinson, the Chairman of the Navigation Com-
o ittee, waited upon his Lordship on Monday at the Man-
sion House. He said we were at the moment Captain
Young sent in his name, discussing the propriety of allow-
ing Vessels containing purchased cargoes to proceed with-
out delay to their destination. We heard his evidence on
the point, and added it to the other testimony we received,
and we issued orders which, we conceive, are calculated to
do vast service to the public.

The CHAIRMAN—By the means we have • adopted, my
Lord, we give unprecedented facility, to the sale of coals,
the consequence of which must be cheaper price to the
public, from the extent of the competition. As for the
fifteen days' permission to remain in the Pool, thatis quite
preposterous ; but it was urged by the Board of Trade and
Mr. Labouchere, who were anxious that a good under-
standing should be kept up, on the question of the Regu-
lations. • ,

The LORD MAYOR--I perceive, with the highest degree
of pleasure, that we shall, in all probability, succeed in break-
ing up this monstrous combination. The greatest praise is
due to the Navigation Committee for their great exertions,
but there must be no abatement of energy in this contest
with a very powerful body. I am to consider that you do not
apprehend any bad consequences
from the permission of
vessels with purchased cargoes to go at once to their place
of destination for unloading ?
The CHAIRMAN—Not at all, my Lord ; on the contrary,
it will, I think,
we shall watch u
The LORD upon all sides.
give a death-blow to the combination, which
Mr. HOBLER-If they are caught at any tricks, they can
be indicted for conspiracy.
be made to ev-wle or frustrate our efforts to break up this
frightful combination ; but if we detect any fraudulent tricks,
the ropurt of
the perpetrators shall be indicted as sure as they were born.
-410 P.--i have no doubt that attempts will
Much more conversation on the subject took place, for
which we are unable to find room,

----
FIRE 0 11
440 A lill TII4 WARRIOR.--On Friday
morning her Majesty's, receiving ship the Warrior, moored
off Woolwich Dock-yard, was discovered to be on fire by
the navigators proceeding to their work. They gave
an immediate, alarm,, when the Captairk Superintendent,Captain P, Herlihy, p.p.,aad Lieutenant Pearse, attended
by his Aiyitico.qf police and the fire engines, proceeded on
board; and by prompt and energetic measures ultimately
succeeded in eittnguishihg the Are, but Qat before it had
made grog proms an the qtlarler deck and poop. It ap-
pears that some of-the officers of her Majesty's vessel Pros-
pero are nocommodkited with cabiog oil board the Warr;.s).,
and that thp.fire wbiph bad been raisedin—thir stove had
gYgl,4,eiitod the due and communicated to the tirn4qs,

(From the Devonport Telegraph of Sept. 1, 1838.)
The following is the Speech of Admiral Sir Edward
Codrington, delivered in the House of Commons on the
6th of August, on the subject of Naval Officers' Wrongs,
and in reply to the Secretary of the Admiralty and Sir
Thomas Troubridge, which we have not seen reported in
any of the journals :
Mr. Speaker--The motion with which I shall conclude
is for a return of the grounds on which the late Comman-
der Edwards, Mr. William Boyce, late Surgeon, and Mr.
Rowland Milner, late a Lieutenant, in her Majesty's Navy,
were deprived of their rank and half-pay. But, before I
proceed further, I mist advert to the tone and substance
of the reply which I received from the Hon. Secretary of
the Admiralty a few nights ago, in discussing the condition
of Naval Officers ; that Hon. Gentleman was pleased to
say, in terms most unbecoming his station, as well as un-
courteous to me, that I had misrepresented every subject
on which I bad spoken ; Sir, I throw the accusation back
in his teeth—he,' himself, not only misrepresented the facts,
but he misrepresented me into the bargain. He did not
venture, however, to risk the production of any docu-
ments, by which the House could judge between us, and,
therefore, Hon. Members will justly conclude that the mis-
representations are in himself, and not on my part. At all
events, Sir, when the Hen. Secretary comes down to this
House assuming all the importance of ,a Lord High Ad-
miral, he should not be quite so disregardful of the cour-
teousness which should distinguish that high character, I
must also, Sir, advert to a similar proceeding on the part
of the Hon. and Gallant Member for Sandwich. In a
conversation arising from what had been stated by me re-
spectir'r the treatment of Mr. Rowland Milner, I ex-
pressed my conviction that he could not be aware of the
fact ; this he shortly contradicted, and upon my rejoining
(and, as I fully believe, in very courteous terms, because
I only meant to him justice), that it was quite impossible
he could have read a full account of the case, he gave me
such a reply, that I think he ought, on his own account,
to regret it. For it will be in the recollection of many
Members of the House, that a petition was presented some
Sessions ago, for depriving that gallant officer and some
others of their present commissions, on account of their
not being of the legal age when they received their first
promotion, on which occasion I myself seconded the re-
jection of that petition, on the express ground, that of the
lapse of time during which those officers had been per-
mitted to continue their progress in the Navy undisturbed.
Now, Sir, one of the strongest objections to the treatment
of Mr. Rowland Milner is, the charge being made after
the lapse of eleven years, and if the Gallant Member for
Sandwich justifies the arbitrary punishment of Mr. Milner,
after such a lapse of time, he is in honour bound to resign
the commission he now holds. And now, Sir, buying made
these preliminary observations, 1 will beg the attention of.
the House to the motion which I have to submit to their
consideration. It is, in my view, one of considerable im-
portance, not only to the Navy, but to the country in ge-
neral. We are no longer to be treated as a mere rope of
sand, and I hope Naval Officers will see the necessity of
uniting in their own cause, and standing up for that jus-
tice which they are entitled to, in common with every
other class of her Majesty's subjects. Sir, when I first
took up the subject I am now discussing, it was objected
to me that I took too wide a range as to time, then, that
I included too great a number of persons, and, at length,
I limited the question to some five persons, who petitioned
this House, through me, for a full and fair investigation.
Even this did not disarm opposition, and the statement of
men in office prevailed. over justice. On this occasion,
however, the Hen. Secretary, notwithstanding his former
hardy denials, admitted that one of those five cases re-
quired revision,-it was the case of Lieutenant Bryant, who,
.was found by that revision to be innocent of the charge
alleged, and after having suffered an arbitrary punish-
ment for many years, his- half-pay was restored to him.
Surely, Sir, this instance should induce the House to
agree with me, in the persuasion that a similar investigation
would lead to a similar result. Now, Sir, in consequence
of the various objections I have adverted to, I had pro-
posed confining myself to the single
,case of Mr. R. Milner,
and I should have done so, had I not been defeated in the
several attempts 1 have made in the course of this Session,
by no fault of mine,. to bring it before the House, but
in consequence of some information lately given to the
House by the Gallant Member for Launceston, show-
ing the very different •. treatment of the Army, whose
private pecuniary transactions are not interfered with,
I have added the 'cakes of two persons which seem to me
exselly in point, and whose petitions for investigation I
presented'twO or three Sessions ago. The first, Sir, is that
•of Boyce. who .being upon: half-pay as a; sur-
geon. in the Navy, F.ct pp in business, failed, as many an
honest man does, became a bankrupt, andafter 'delivering
Up the 'whole of iiis.properly,went before the Commis-
sioner Under the Insolvent Act. On this _Occasion he was
opposed to the utmost by his agent ;, and what was the de-
cision of the Commissioner ? That the transaction in ques-
tion was just like that of the other creditors, and that having
faithfully delivered up the whisk of his effects, he was at
once released. Well, Sir, upon this the agent goes to the
Admiralty, and upon his statement of the case, this gentle-
man is summarily inflicted with a punishment deemed un-
just and illegal by the regular Judge, after a public trial,
ruined in professional prospects, and deprived of that half-
pay out of which he might have paid this very debt claimed
by his agent.

The next case is that of the late Commander Edwards.
This officer received a letter from the Admiralty, stating
that he was accused by his agent. of owing him 721., to re-
pay which he had promised to give his' half-pay affidavit,
and that he had not given it according to promise. To this
Commander Edwards answered, that it was a disputed ac-
count for a jury to decide. The Admiralty, not satisfied
with this, told him that unless he informed them whether
he had received the' 721. or not, they would visit him with
their severest displeasure. He again replied that it was a
question for a jury to decide; and they struck him off the
list of the Navy. Commander Edwards then informed the
Admiralty that he bad made the promise to give his affida-
vit for the loan, under a representation of the agent ; that
he had paid another person 601. for him, which he (Com-
mander Edwards) afterwards discovered he had not paid ;
that therefore he had been lent only 121., for which he was
ready to give his affidavit. In consequence of 'being thus
deprived of the means of paying his just debts, he was im-
prisoned in the King's Bench, where he died, owing to ill
health, arising from wounds, and the cruel tmatment in-
flicted on him.

And now, Sir, I come to the case of Mr. Rowland Mil-
ner.. In the year 1821, Mr. Milner received.a letter from
the Admiralty, stating that a report had been made to their
Lordships, that in August, 'lBlO, he (Mr, Milner) had"
,given to one Solomon Alexander, a slopseller of Portsete a
power of attorney and an affidavit, to reeeive'. his half-pay .
for the period between the.l3th March, 1810, And.the.7th
July, 1810, but which half-pay he (Alexander) alleged that
Mr. Milner personally received upon • another affidavit.-
Now, Sir, it is wall known, and known to many Honourable
Gentlemen here .present, that no. half-pay can bo received
without an oath or affirmation being given, which document,
similar to drafts which people draw nn their bankers, be-
comes a veueher for the money being paid, and without •
which the sum cannot be charged against the creditor. But.
when an.officer goes tee pay. office to receive his half-pay
in person, he is riot only required to present his affidavit, or
declarAtioe which has lately been substituted, but he is also
obliged to sign a book kept for the purpose in the pay office.
Thus, then, Honourable Gentlemen will see that the Admi-
ralty have in their own hands the power of ascertaining the
truth 0311 this occasion ; and I now demand, in the name of
Mr. Milner, that proof of the delinquency of which he is
charged. The Admiralty letter makes two special state- .
mente—once that Mr. Milner gave Alexander a power to
receive his half-pay then due, and the other, that ho re-
ceived it personally. If either were true, the Admiralty
have the proof la their own hands ; but I think I can show
the liense that it is impossible. The dates of the alleged
Affidavits are the lath March, 1810, and the 7th July,
1810 ; whereas the real period for which half-pay was then
due to Mr, Milner, was from the preceding 7th December,
1800, to the 13th Juno, 1810, embracing 96 days prior to,
and 26 days short of, the alleged affidavit. Now, Sir, Mr.
Milner was upon full pay in July ; and therefore, if any
affidavit for half-pay had been presented including that
period, detection of either error or misconduct must have
i immediately followed ;/ and to contradict the assertion of
Mr. Milner having received the balf-pay alleged, or any
other then due, I can produce the note of the Paymaster
himself, which certifies that no half-pay was sworn to -or re-
ceived by Mr. Milner until the 15th of May, 1811. But
this charge is brought forward against Mr. Milner after a
lapse of eleven years. Now, I appeal to any Hon. Mem-
ber who hears me, whether he might not be put to extreme
difficulty if so serious a charge were suddenly brought against
him, after a lapse of eleven years.
W.a.1., air, what was Mr. Mi
ratty letter that ~er's answer to the Admi-
i
ga'e h;•111 the first intimation of this alleged
L.
offence ? That whiv.ll an innocent man could alone reply on
814 to occasion :—he answered immediately, that he had