The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-04 00:00:00

CIRCULAR.

I4Ondon
MY Loans Awn GENTLE 3,,_____ , 7th February 1824.
-', Permit me to acquaint you
that after devoting several years at considerable expenee, I have
-discovered remedies to prevent
use of native substitutes for oak bark, but have in vain applied
L,
the Naval Dry Rot," by the
to his Majesty's Ministers, the Admiralty, Navy Board,
full sizesa s
Chancellor of Exchequer, the Right Honourable William 11us-
kisson, &
.Y c. to grant such inquir„
as the magnitude and solem-
nity of this national misfortune may appear to require, on a
review of the actual dry rotten and dry rotting state of our
Navy, since it is naturally evident that native oaks which are
centuries
and perfection, and which for-
n"Old England's Wooden Walls,"
are, under the present naval system of building with timber
hewn in Summer instead of jp-inr.o.,
found to consume in
ier ly
. about eight or ten years only, an
edugrreodw proverbiallying to
and frequently with almost in-
, credible rapidity ; according to Sir Robert Seppings evidence,
the ship Benson, the Queen Charlotte, Howe, Genoa, Rip-
' pon Lord Nelson, Boyne, Dreadnought, 4.e. (5-c., are reported
to ble dry rotten. The former was nearly five years in progress
of building, was launched in 1810, but in 11311, or only 14
months afterwards proved dry rotten, and underwent repairs
that cost nearly 30,0001., but beini.fc now found unfit for har-
hour service, as guard ship, I fear se must be condemned, as
so many others have been (at a loss of many millions) and
must be whenever a general and impartial survey of the whole
i navy takes place.
Under these most unfortunate circumstances and many others
(which it is impossible to describe in a circtlar) I feel it my
imperative
• duty to publish a Treatise on " tle origin, danger,
effects and remedies of naval dry rot," withsut injury to tan-
' ners or Land-owners, and hereby embrace tht only alternative
that appears left in my power, viz.: " Tte Liberty of the
Press," by a solemn appeal to the united visdom of Parlia-
ment and popular sense, particularly ship-owners and mari-
ners, under the fullest assurance, that if I tr any man point
out eifectual and practicable remedies against the dry rot, to
insure the prosperity of British ships, crews, cdonies and com-
merce, or contribute his mite towards thesevital objects, he
will not at all events, lose his reward.
I am perfectly convinced there are no, ingrelients or compo-
sitions to be found or made applicable to kill a cure Dry Rot
at less expence than sacrificing the bark, withmt any danger
or doubt whatever.

Coal 'far from Gas-works has been gcnerallyused with very
prejudicial effects to many ships crews, &c.
I suspect, that if an actual survey of the while Navy be or-
dered, it will prove that we have very few first ar second rates,
seaworthy, except such as have been filled by neans of forcing
pumps with coal tar, which are thereby rendered wholly unfit
for service in tropical climates, if the current reports be true
that Admiral Rowley ascribed the mortality prevalent in the
West Indies, to the deleterious effects of that mineral extract.

In short, if the welfare of British ships and crevs be really
the root of British revenue, Britannia's political fretdoni, power
and commercial prosperity, (as I understand Mr. Coming lately
convivially expressed himself) certainly no subject can be more
worthy of Parliamentary and public deliberation b 3 every Bri-
ton, and every Christian of all classes rich and poor
I have the honour to be, _

My Lords and Gentlemen,
•
Your most obedient humble Servalt,
JOHN BURtIDGE.
The Dry Rot creates the vast expence and necesity for im-
porting and building with foreign timber, which, vithout this
novel decay, would not now have required, in peace such con-
tinually heavy "naval estimate:" (as Great Britain possessed
during one period of war above one thousand sail n commis-
sion) in order to endeavour to maintain Britannia's pw•er. •
The country is nearly, or quite, exhausted of :aval oaks
which depresses commercial_ ship-builders to an incredible
degree.

Public inquiry will doubtless prove the necessity fr reforma-
tion in our naval policy, and the best measure appeas to be to
prevent the sacrifice of any more oaks for the next bak harvest,
which prompts me to state my humble opinion, in ime to en-
able strict investigation to be made, before the reptition of a
fatal practice, which threatens equal destruction to th Majestic
oak and the empire, which I believe must both fal. together,
except the axe be laid to the root of the tree in WITTER ac-
cording to ancient practice and law, when populatiorwas less,
and bark of very little value, respecting which my memorial
was presented to the House of Commons last session.

MR. EDITOR—When the Spanish Army (all
Infantry), under General O'llEmLy, landed on
the east side of the Bay of Algiers, on a sandy
plain, extending at least 12 miles, the Infantry
were first broken by ten thousand camels, and
then exposed to the charge of the Moorish
cavalry, as the Bashaw of Constantine had
brought eighty thousand horse to the assistance
of the Dey of Algiers. The consequence was
disgrace and defeat to the Span7ards. But
had the Spaniards landed to the westward in
Marabout Bay, on a sandy beach, skirted by
a wood, and distant six or seven miles from
Algiers, by keeping near the shore to the distance
of a mile, the Moorish Cavalry could not have
attacked them, as the country is enclosed, and
there is a Kiosk, or country-house, situated in
the north-west part of a square garden, con-
taining ten acres walled round with a red brick
wall 14 feet high, like an English kitchen garden,
about a mile to the westward of the burial ground
appropriated to the I)eys of Algiers, through
which the Spaniards would have passed until they
got near the town, which is not fortified on the
land side, and therefore easily got possession of
after some street fighting. It is not a small
land force that ought to be sent against Algiers,
and it is not worth while to send a large army
of cavalry and infantry to take it, unless
that army is allowed to keep possession of
the country. This can only be done by
the different powers of Europe, who may give the
settlers what government they chuse. If a free
one with a military militia, numbers of Europeans
will settle there, and the horses must be all taken
from the Arabs (or Moors as they are called) to
prevent their incursions.—As the Algerines are
now at war with Spain as well as Great Britain,
the Spaniards are as much interested in the de.
struction of Algiers as we are. The King of
Spain, to save * time, will not refuse, therefore,
to man and send twenty-four of his mortar-boats
to our assistance, and the mortar boats will not
only throw shells, but carcasses filled with com-
bustible matter, into the town, which will set fire
to it. An attack on the Mole alone can be made
at the same time to take or destroy all the ship-
ping there ; though some, perhaps, may take
shelter at Oran, which afterwards may be visited
for the same purpose.
A CORRESPONDENT.

• Our bomb ketches are four months fitting, and will not
stand six hours firing without being shook to pieces, and the
Spanish mortar-boats will bear firing day after day without
injury.