The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-07 00:00:00

they would do it much better and much cheaper, and
will only do whet is necessary. Put them under an
engineer if you please, but let him be an engineer who
has been at see, and has no interest in unnecessarily
pulling the engine to pieces.
We have already begun: t. "make steam-boilers at
Portsmouth, and if they are not stopped we shall soon
have the yard as full of useless boilers as Woolwich is
now.
My opinions relative to the steam-navy have been so
often made public that it is unnecessary to repeat them.
I shall merely observe that we are still working in the
dark and blundering on. Four steam-frigates of 400-
horse power have been laid down by the present board;
they will prove, I fear, much too shallow for frigates,
will not have a clear deck, and I doubt whether they
will have stowage. I have only seen two of them,
neither of which have their stern battery properly ar-
ranged, and singular as it may appear one steam-frigate
is fitting at Portsmouth, in a part of a yard, to bring
her guns on the stern and quarter, while another is
building in another part of the same yard with only 4i
feet between the stern ports, much too close to fight
them with effect.
With respect:to the screw-steamers, as yet we have
not been very successful. The line-of-battle ships, as far
as speed goes, have done very well; but the stowage is
almost entirely taken up with machinery. The Amphion
has been a long while in hand, and I hope will do well.
The Termagant with a full power of 620-horse, has no
deck fot her crew (they are on the gundeek), only stows
370 tons of coals, and steams about eight knots and a
half; mounts 24 guns, and has very bad stowage. The
Arrogant, with an auxiliary screw, is much better, has
more room, and goes nearly as fast. The Dauntless is
lengthening, and I hope will improve; and I think we
have arrived at a certainty that the screw can only be
used with effect as an auxiliary, and must be compared
to a man sculling a boat. This will give more room,
and the ships will be more efficient for all purposes.
The Reynard and Plumper sloops are much too
small: The former was not sere with heavy guns, but
that is now improved with a light armament. I shall
say nothing of Encounter, as she has not been re-
ported upon, but she, like all the rest, carries much
too little fuel. With respect to the iron vessels,
by a return laid before Parliament, dated January 25,
1847, we had launched, and are building, no leas than
33. They have already cost 376,7981. With respect to
their efficiency liar vessels of war, I shall leave the late
Board of Admiralty to settle that question with the pre-
sent Board, who seem to disapprove of them altogether,
and are fitting them out for troop ships, for two reasons,
first, because they do not consider iron as a proper
material for ships of war, as it has been proved that shot
knock them to pieces; and, secondly, because they could
not on trial carry their weights. The Birkenhead,
Vulcan, and Megara come under that category.
They have been fitted with smaller engines,
and so has the Simoom ; and so totally igno-
rant are we of what we are about, that we have put
into her smaller engines, though she is more
eapable of carrying what was first intended ; and they
have put into the Greenock the engines that were
first intended, though she was incapable of carrying
them. She has engines of 564-horse power, can only
stow 349 tons of coals, and her midship port is little
more than four feet out of the water, and is to be made
a troop ship of. What these iron vessels will cost Ido
not know, but I hope some Member of Parliament will
move for a return. I think I have shown that what
Captain Rous stated in Parliament is not far wrong—
that a great part of the national debt has been incurred
in building ships and pulling them to pieces.
I now take leave of your Lordship with a recommen-
dation that you should alter the composition of the Board
of Admiralty. How, my Lord, is it possible that the
affairs of the navy can be well conducted by four naval
officers, with a civilian at their head, who knows nothing,
and a civilian at their tail who knows less than nothing,
all working in different rooms and not knowing what each
other are about? Depend upon it, if you do not the coun-
try sill take it out of your hands. The navy is a favourite
profession, and no one wishes to roe its efficiency impaired,
hut no ono will countenance the extravagant manner
in which it is conducted. I have been blamed for writing
and publishing my letters. My answer has invariably
been that I have tried all other ways in va'n. Little
or no attention is paid to the suggestions of officers, and
as a proof of it I shall observe that I have attended the
fitting of the Sidon, in which ship it is natural that I
should take an interest, and on seeing things done to
her which I disapproved of, and which I represented to
the Admiralty, they did not even condescend to give a
reply till I came to town and mentioned it, and then it
was too late. I have no view, my Lord, in writing to
you but to correct the evils that weigh down upon the
navy of the country. Your Lordship must be quite
aware that my observations cannot be agreeable to men
in office, and will most probably bring down on me their
wrath; but I have too high an opinion of your Lord-
ship's good sense and love for your country to suppose
for a moment that an officer telling your Lordshfp the
wholesome truth will displease you.—l have the honour
to remain your Lordship's obedient servant,
CHARLES NAPIER.

NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF " MR. WARRENNE,'
" MARGARET CAPEL," &c.
On Tuesday will be published, in 3 N ols., post Bvo..
K I N G'S C 0 P
A NOVEL.
By the Author of
" Mr. Warrenne," " Margaret Capel," &e.
Blehard Bentley, New Burlington-street.

QU 'TABLE ASSURANCE OFFICE,
BRIDGE-STREET, BLACKFRIARS.
A Special General Court of this Society will be holden here on
TUasDAY, the 18th of December instant, at Eleven o'clock precisely a
and a Special Court will be holden at the same time, in parsuaneo of
a Requisition made to the Actuary by Nino Members of the General
Court.
A Special General Court will also be holden here On THITII3DAY, th• ,
90th December instant, at Eleven o'clock precisely.
By order of the Court of Directors,
ARTHUR 31ORGAN, Actuary,

TIIEATRI ROYAL, lIAYMARKET.
Mr. R. Webster, Sole Lessee and Manager. Old Brornoton.
LAST NIGHT BUT ONE OF MR. MACREADY'S
APPEARANCE.
THIS EVENING

11111 be perforated OTHELLO. Othello, Mr. Maeready ; Digo, V:r.
J. Wallack ; Desdemona, Miss Bey nolds ; Emilia, Mrs. Warner.
To be followed by the successful and laughable Farce, called en
4LARMING SACRIFICE. Bob Ticket, Mr. Buckstono ; Stu; in
Sweetapple, Mrs. Fitzwilliam.
To conclude with THE PAS DE FASCINATION.
On Monday, Dec. 10, Mr. and Mrs. Kl' AN will make their appmar-
Ince in the Play of the WIFE'S SECRET.
The Box-oftise is under the direction of Mr. I. T. Archer.

THEATRE ROYAL.
Under the direction of Madame Celesta.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed a new domestic Drama, called THE WILLOVI
COPSE. Principal characters by Messrs. Hughes, Wright, P. Bed -
fsrd, 0. Smith ; Madame Celeste, and Miss Woolgar.
To be followed by an entirely new Extravaganza, entitled DC •
MESTIC ECONOMY. John Grnmly, Mr. Wright ; Mrs. °runic:J.
Airs. F. Matthews.
To conclude with a new slippery sketch called MRS. BUN-BLUM 3
SPOONS. Mr. Highbury Barnes, Mr. P. Bedford ; Bob Twin Its,
Mr. Wright ; Job Smith, Mr. 0. Smith ; Mrs. Sunbury, Mrs..l;•.
Matthews; Mrs. Highbury Barnes, Miss Brooks.

LOYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Managemeat of Madam:. Vestris.
Sole Lessee, Mr. Charles Mathews.
THIS EVENING.
Will IA performed a comic drama, called A. PRACTICAL MA.711.
To be followed by DELICATE GROUND.
After which HE WOULD LE AN ACTOR.
To conclude with BUSING THE WIND.
Dress Boxes 53. Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Plt, 20. ; Gallery, ls.) 7,-So
half-price to any part of the house.
All applications for Private Boxes must be made to Mr. Allcroft,
New Bond-street.

FitlisiCESS' TILE AZLE.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lease,) and Manager.
THIS EVEIiTtiG,
Will be performed DON PASQUALE.
After which, the Extravaganza Of THE FIRST NIGHT.
To conclude with A MODEL OF A WIFE.

ASTLEY'3 ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty.
THIS EVENING.
The performance will commence at a Quarter to Seven, with the
Grand national and magnificent Spectacle of THE BATTLE OF
WATERLOO, in which Mr. Edward Gomersal will appear in his
original character of Napoleon.
Ater which Batty's SCENES OF TIIE ARENA.
The intervals bet: een the various acts of Horsemanship Will be
enlivened by Messrs. T. Barry, E. Jackson, and Wheale.
Box-office open from Eleven till Fotr.
Stage Manager, Mr. W. We.a.