The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-04 00:00:00

COMMODORE NAPIER.

The following letter, addressed to a Morning Contem-
porary, we understand gives a very fair account of what
Sir Charles Napier said at the Naval Club respecting Sir
R. Stopford and the operations on the coast of Syria :
Sir—Having just read in a Morning Paper of the 27 t h
ult. the report of a speech delivered by the Gallant OF-
ficer commanding in chief in the Mediterranean (Sir R.
Stopford), on the occasion of his health being drank at v.
ball and supper given to him by the officers of the fleet
under his orders, I cannot but regret that the speech of
Commodore Sir Charles Napier, at a dinner.given to him
by his brother officers of. the Naval Club, in Bond-street,
on the 10th ult., should not also have found its way int,
the papers. I take the liberty, therefore, of sending you
the substance of that speech, as far as my memory serves.
The health *of our distinguished guest having been pro-
poscil in energetic terms by the Gallant Chairman, Ad-
miral Sir Philip Durham, the Commodore rose, and
spoke nearly as follows :—" To the Gallant Officer who
now fills the chair, and to you, Gentlemen, I beg to re-
tarn my thanks for the very handsome and flattering way
in which my health has been propoSed and received, and
I do assure you that although I have had similar compli-
ments paid to me lately both at Liverpool and Manches-
ter, I place a much higher value on that paid me this day
by my brother officers; and I will take advantage of thi:
occasion to correct some misrepresentations and omission,.
in the reports of my speeches at those places,made by twe
or three of the public papers. lam said to have taken to
myself the merit of all the successes obtained on the co ::t

fif'Syria, and to have forgotten every one else. Gentlemen.
I am happy now to repeat here what I did say there, viz.,
that I never saw more zeal, energy, and ability, than were
displayed by the officers and men, collectively and indivi-
dually, when detached under my orders—and I can assure
you that there were many officers there who would have
dlne the business equally well with myself ; and in the
event of future emergencies requiring their services.
I am happy to state my opinion that there will be no
want of good and able officers to lead our fleets to vic-
tory. As to the efficiency of our ships, as far as atten-
tion to gunnery and internal arrangement, it cannot be
surpassed; and I do say, as it was displayed before Acre,
whether the garrison had been British, French, of
Turkish, instead of Egyptian, the result must have been
:he same, for no troops could stand before the fire of the
deet on that day. I must take this opportunity to col.-
rect an expression I inadvertently used on one of thor,
occasions, viz., that on the coast of Syria I had to do the
duty of general as well as admiral, making use of the
word admiral instead of commodore, merely meaning
that I was doing the duty of senior officer on shore
well as afloat, beinc, at the time in a separate command.
I am also accused of having taken no notice of the ser-
vices of the Royal Marines. Now I believe no officer

entertains a higher opinion than I do of that distinguished
corps, and since my return to this country I have been
busily engaged in advocating the claims of those officers
who served with me there. Now let me again thank you
for the honour you have done me, as well as for the op-
portunity it has given me of setting myself right with my
brother oaken on points on which I have been misre-
presented."
The above, though not verbatim, gives the substance
of Sir Charles's speech, and had the greatest admirer of
the gallant and respected Commander-in-Chief of the
Mediterranean fleet been present, he could not hay.,
felt otherwise than highly gratified by the en-
thusiasm with which his health and that o

the officers serving under him was drunk (previonsV
to the health of the Commodore), prefaced by
very handsome eulogy by the Gallant Officer who pro-
posed it, an enthusiasm only surpassed by that shown to
our guest, by all who were assembled to do honour tu
him to whom they thought honour was clue, for profes.-
sional merit and distinguished services, unmixed with
particle apolitical feeling, or the slightest wish to de-
tract from the merits of others. As an act of justice to
the Commodore I send you this report without his know-
ledge, and hope you will give it insertion.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL NAVAL CLUB.
Royal Naval Club, Bond-street, June 1.

•
WATERLOO-BRIDGE COMPANY.—Yesterday-
the Half-yearly Assembly of the Proprietors, was held at the.
Crown and Anchor, Strand, the !ley. John Rush in the chair.
The minutes of the last meeting having been confirmed. ;Mr.
Powell, clerk, read the report, which stated that the toll for
the past half-year, ending the 23d February, amounts to
6,859/. 3s. 4d., being an increase of 2851, 2s. I Id. beyond
what was received during the corresponding period of the pre-
ceding year. That increase was caused by the stoppage of
Blackfrtar's-bridge. A decrease of 2021. I Id. took place on
the foot toll, which was attributed to the severity of the winter.
Since the reduction of the latter toll to a halfpenny, the dimi-
nution in the receipts was very great. From the Ist of March,
to the Ist of June, the receipts were 2,4101. 19s. 7d., being a
decrease of 2811. 13s. 6d. as compared with those
received during the same period last year for foot
tolls. For the first two months after the reduction,
the foot tolls diminished at the rate of 41. Is. 11d. a day, and
for the last month their decrease did not exceed 17s. 60. a
day. During the 27 days that Westminster-bridge was closed
the receipts increased to 844/. 4s. 4d. Mr. Powell was elected
Clerk, vice Mr. Britten, deceased, at the sal:Ty of 3001. a.-
year; he was also to act as surveyor. Mr. Boundman was
elected Assistant Clerk, at a salary of 100!. a-year. The
former to give 5001. and the latter 250/. security. On the
23d of February a dividend of 2s. 6d. was paid to the an-
nuitants. The bridge aisd its approaches were in a sound state.
The receipts amounted to 7.2821. 4s. 9d., and the expenditure
to 1,063/. 9s. 6d. Upon the motion of Mr. John Cole, see
conded by Mr. James Bird, the Report was adopted.
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY OF LONDON.--
The Gardens of this Society were opened to the Fellnes and
their friends on Wednesday, for the purpose of exhliting the
progress of the works now being executed in accordance to
the design of Mr. D. Burton aneMr. Marnock, which was re-
cently adopted by the Society. Many of the walks are coin-
pleted. The principal one forms an extensive promenade,
which was thronged by the numerous assembly attracted to Me
spot upon the occasion. The lesser walks wind among the
trees, which afford an agreeable shade, and at variool inter-
vals open to beautiful views of the neighbouring bale of p ain„
stead and Highgate. The arrangements for the sey.g ~. scientiti;
gardens are made with judgment, and prom the curator to be
a man of experience and taste. The
Weather was deli fitful.
awl the inner circle of the Reger.:4sei Park was literally crowded
Royal Highness the Duchess of
with gay equipages.
Cambridge and 5ut.4.., a.. a
a great number of nobility and
gentry were pre
went,
and appeared to be highly pleased with
the chane:_onade during
the last two months in the state of th
gr"Y:as. Among the visitors were the Princess Augusta o;
...ambridge ; the Turkish Ambassador and `Salta ; Kurreem
Khan and suite ; Mannockjee Cursetice ; Vicomptess Obert ;
Barons Knesebeck and Dudow; Duke and Duchess of A rgtil ;
Duke and Dan Lucluvieo Lante ; Archbhkop of York; Mar-
quis of Bristol ; EaYls Stanhope, Coventry, and Dartmouth ;
Countesses Gieteligati and Stanhope ; Lords Burgh rsh, Ca Ve-
maim ; Bishops of Durham, Ely and Lady; Ladies Panmure,
Wenlock, Burghersh, De Capel Brooke, D,,shwood King,
Pearson, Fowke, Nippesley, Lushington, Campbell, Prideaux,
Norreys, Maclean, Hamilton, Sheffield, Burrow, Archer Shee,
the Hon. Mrs. E. Phipps, Kennedy, Tollemerthe, Wyndham,
Pennant, Codsal. Eyre, Hon. Allieees Hardwieke, Kathline
Ponsonby, Harriet Ponsonby, Erskine, the Hon. E. Phipps,
A. Trevor. Vernon Harcourt, Sir John Campbel, Archibald
Maclean, Borges Curiae, Steven Hannock, George T. Staun-
6n, John Bartow, F. Fowke, J. Hamilton, Wm. Pearson, I).
Norma, Edward Johnson, 13enjainin Hall, James Clark, John
Hare; Colonels Austen, Muttleburv, Campbell, Robinson,
Allies, Jervis, Vavasour ; Captains R. Melville Grindlay,
Hamilton, Evans ; Miss Tilney Long, Aire. Opie, John
Joseph Gurney, Esq., Mrs. Marryatt, &c. &c,
SOCIETY of ARTS.—On Monday a meeting for
the distribution of rewards, adjudged during the present ses-
sion, took place in the Society's rooms, Jehn-street, Adelphi,
and was numerously attended. Amongst the company was
Minakjee Chirokjee, who came from India to visit the institu-
tions of this country. At one o'clock his Royal' Highness the
Duke of Sussex entered the room, and was received with g,-ea.
aeplause ; after which the report was read by the Secretary,
and the rewards were then presented to the respective catch-
dates by his Boyal Highness, who accompanied each gift with
soiree appropriate remark. In mechanics and other practical
arts, prizes, varying from ten to two guineas, were distributed
to eight individuals, five of whom were Spitalfields weavers ;
ten others received either the gold or the silv# r Isis medals.
The thanks of the society were voted to several gentlemen for
valuable gifts and communications. In the tine arts, foul" sil-
ver medals were voted to lady amateurs, and seventeen silver
Isis and other medals to artists, amongst whom was 114ster
George Laldseer, aged nine years, for water-colour drawings
of birds and beasts from nature, the silver Isis medal. On a
of thanks being passed to his Royal Highness, he said it
gave him particuar pleasure to observe ss many useful inven-
tions on the part of the working classes, who thereby showed
that their time was spent in laudable efforts for advancing their
own particular trade, and promoting the advantage of their.
fellow-citizens.

OPERA CONCERT-ROOM.— Signora Ertiegj
Grisi on Wednesday gave a grand morning cmcert in the
great Concert-room of her Maje,tv's Theatre, and was sup-
ported by all the a?ai!able talent.of the corps operatique. The
room wai well filled, but very far from crowded, provinir that
eien the attraction of the very first order of merit-will pall upon,
the public appetite if brought to develope itself too cCon upon'
the same 'themes. .
SHORT- TIME .AT
•
13 ACKB U R N.— WI! u Tier-
stand ;that a meeting- of the spinners and-reanufe-!tiliera
•
alackburn- aid. the' neighbourheed, was held Wodoeiclay
last, whin it wat unanirrou:slyrelolred t 9 reduce tl.r, time of
.NverkiLlg-t0 four-days pa week. —411444.4ttekr Guardian.