The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-28 00:00:00

STATE OF THE BRITISH NAVY.

(From the Devon-port Telegraph.)
We fearlessly assert, and we do it advisedly, being fully
prepared to substantiate our statement, by reference to the
tables even of the opposition alarmists themselves, that
in real effective strength the British Navy is at this moment
fully equal to the navies of Russia, France, and America
put together. We repeat, that either in a week, or a
month, or six months from this time, England could have
at sea as many line-of-battle ships and frigates as the
whole of the three navies we have mentioned could turn
out in the same period. We showed last week that Eng-
land possesses 801ine-of-battle ships fit for service, 30 of
them new ships never yet at sea. We might have enumerated
90, but we struck off those for which a thorough repair
would be necessary. .A few of the 80 would, of course, re-
quire some repairs, but the great bulk are in the best con-
dition, and the whole might be got ready within a very
limited period, by calling into action the energy and re-
sources of the country. It should not be forgotten that
the statements of the foreign navies, published in the
journals engaged in raising the outcry, include all their
rotten and unserviceable ships, and even those ordered to
be built, not a timber of which has yet been laid down,
whi!e they carefully exclude such vessels from the British
list. It is a positive fact that France has only 22 sail of
the line in the water at this moment, including those in
commission ; 27 out of the forty-nine she possesses are
still on the stocks, not a quarter of them completed, nor
half of them even in a forward state ; and we are assured
by an old and experienced British naval officer, who has
seen the Russian Baltic fleet within the last two years, that
if we were to take one-halt' of their ships as unfit to en-
counter a voyage even into the British Channel, we should
be strictly within the truth. They are chiefly built at
Archangel, and the timber of which they are constructed is
not durable like British oak. This may also be said of the
American navy.
Having in our last submitted a list of the ships of the line
in a serviceable state possessed by England, to the correct-
ness of which we can safely pledge ourselves, we shall now
proceed with the frigates, an important arm of the service,
upon which many misrepresentations have been put forth.
It has, for instance, been stated that we have no vessels of
this class able to cope with those of America and France,
while, by the following list, it will be seen that England has
twenty superb frigates of the first class (already in the
water, independent of several building), carrying 32-poun-
ders on their main and quarter decks, and fully able to cope
with any frigates in the world. She has alto seventy-seven
other frigates in a serviceable state, thirty six of which are
new and have never been to sea, making, with nine build-
ing and in a forward state, 106 frigates, without including
hulks or those requiring any very extensive repairs—a
gmtatitt aumler, than_.:theited nations above-men-
tioned can muster.
fi Frigates now in Commission :
President
Brba
50 Volage 2B
Castor
36 Tribune
Vernona

Pique
Inconstant .
North Star
Samarang 2B
Calliope

Conway . .
28
Talbot
Vestal
Cleopatra 26
Crocodile 2B

Madagascar
Stag 46
Seringapatam
Actzeon 26
Alligator
Fitted as Demonstration Shi
crew
Isis
50
Java ............... .
Lancaster
Southampton
Winchester
Alfred
The following might begot r(
notic
Endymion .•.. • ••• 50
Portland ................. 52
Conquestador
Eagle
America .
Cornwall
Gloucester 5O
tiEolus
f African
t Andromeda 46
llelvidera

..,
Imogine
Carysfort
Herald

Total 96

ips, and ready to receive thcir
.s
Vindictive so
Druid
46
Sapphire
tMagicienne
Curagoa
eady for commission at a short

t Fox
Havannab 42
Horatio .
t Latona 46
Leonidas
t Mercury
t Minerva
t Nemesis
Owen Glendower
f Proserpine
t Leda 46
t M clamps 46
t Mermaid
Naiad
t Nereus 46
fPenelope
Resistance
1. Sirius
1- Thames 46
t Trincomalee 46
t Unicorn
t Clyde
Crescent
I- Diana
fSeaborse
Tenedos
t Thisbe
Undaunted
I- Venus

Blonde

t Brilliant ...
(Amazon
1- Fishguard
f Forth
f Hamadryad 46
t Hcbe
f Hotspur
t Laurel 46
f Amphitrite
Bacchante
Blanche
Bcadice
Briton 46
t Cerberus
-1- Circe
t Dmdalus
-I- Eurotas 46
Forte

Those marked fi are new ships which have never been
at sea.

The whole of the above could be prepared to receive
men in a few weeks, but we do not mean to say th it the
necessary stores and equipments are ready, or that it
would be possible to man them at so short a notice, as that
would depend on circumstances.
The following frigates are building:—
Chichester 52 In frame. Cambi ian 36 In frame.
Worcester 50 Ready tolaunch Active ... 36 Ditto.
Meander 46 Ditto. Amphion 36 In a state of
Flora 36 In frame. forwardness.
Sybil 36 Ditto. Chesapeake 36 hi frame.
Independent of others ordered to be built, but not yet
laid down. All these are to carry thirty-two pounders on
both decks.

Notwithstanding so much has been said about the want
of a Riga spar for the Marquis of Anglcsea, we can assure
our readers that there are now in the different arsenals,
ready to be placed on board, masts and spars for upwards of
twenty sail of the line, and a proportionate number of fri-
gates. We are aware that the stock of stores and materials
would be found deficient should a sudden war break out,
which, however, does not appear to be probable. Neverthe-
less, it would be good policy always to have a sufficient
supply on hand for any emergency. We also strongly re-
commend more encouragement being given to the artizans
in the naval yards, especially a return to the old system of
superannuation after a certain number of years' service,
which was a bonus highly valued by the workmen, and
was the main cause of keeping them in the service when
so much higher wages could be obtained in the merchants'
yards, where no grant is made to them should they be hurt
or incapable of further service. One of the most important
subjects connected with the navy is the means that should
be taken for expeditiously manning the fleet. This is a de.
licate and difficult question. Impressment must not be cal-
culated on but as a last and desperate remedy, which, how-
ever, we think likely to fail from the clamour that would be
raised from end of the kingdom to the other. The most
dire necessity only, a necessity involving the very existence
of the nation, could justify a return to such a detested prac-
tice, so contrary to the spirit of British laws, and so utterly
opposed-to the principles of social liberty which have
been the pride and glory of the people of England.

For the following statement
tish navy, we are indebted to the
it is stated to have been comp
old and valued naval correspom
BRITISH SHIPS OF TIIg LI
t Britannia ....... 120
Royal Adelaide ... 110
RAney
+Ganges
Vanguard
Hastings 74
1‘1:11 aim
Melville
Pembroke
Ru6sell • • 74 I
Wellesley
t In port, and could bn ready
DEMONSTRATION SHIPS IN COI

FOR COS
St. Vincent
f Camp'•rdown
t Powerful B4
Thund (Ter B4
Belleisle 74
Benbow
t Hawke
f New ships
THE FOLLOWING COULD DR G
f Royal Wiliam
t Nelson
Prince Regent
Water100
t Formidable B4
f Clarence B4

NIL NOW IN COMMISSION.
Princess Charlotte
Asia
Bellerophon BO
Edinburgh
Hercules .
Cornwallis
Minden:..
Donegal
Talavera

78

Total 21
in a week—the rest at sea.
MPLETE REPAIR, AND READY

MMION.
Caledonia l2O
Impregnable lO4
Calcutta
f Agincourt
Revenge
Illustrious
Total 13.

76
74

never at sea.
OT READY IN A FEW WEEKS.
Hibernia
f Neptune
Royal George
fi Queen Charlotte
fi Vengeance
1-Monarch
Cambriige
Total 15.
never at sea.

+l3ombay B4
Foudroyant BO
t New ships
THIRD RATES.
Achilles
Bellona
' Blenheim
t Defence 74 Devonshire
i Egmont 74 Hogue
Implacable 7B I Inxincible 74
-Kent .. 7B , Medway
Marlborough
Stirling Castle
Warspite 76 f Wellington
Imaum 74 ' Total 21.
t Now ships never at sea.
N.B. A few of the vessels on the last list may require
some repairs, but on an emergency the whole might be sent
to sea for a service of two or three years. In fact worse
ships than any of these were sent to the East Indies during
the lat,- war.

ON THE STOCKS.—The Nile, 92 ; and London, 92 ;
might be launched at a few days' notice. The Royal
Frederick, 120 ; Indus, 80 : are ordered to be launched in
April next. The St. George, 120 ; Trafalgar, 120;
Gnliah, 84 ; Coningwood, 84 ; Boscawen, 70 ; and Cum-
berland, 70 ; are building, and in a state of forwardness.