The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-21 00:00:00

IaINNER TO LORD MINTO AND
THE LORDS OF THE ADMIRALTY.
lOn Thursday lest, a splendid entertainment was given to
Lord Alinto, as First Lord of the Admiralty, and to his Lord-
ship's colleagues, at the Thatched-house Tavern, by the
Navy Club, consisting of upwards of forty of the oldest and
most distinguished officers in the cavil service. The dinner
was sumptuous and worthy of the occasion, That eminent
officer Admiral Sir Philip burharn presided on
the occasion,and gave additional zest to the entertainment, lw e polished
urbanity and happy spirit of anecdote for which gallant
6 ,
officer is so distinguished.
In proposing the " Health of Lord Minto,"
.fir Plume DURHAM addressed the company somewhat in
the f illowing terms :—Gentlemen, I know you will receive the
toast I am going to propose with that enthusiasm which it de-
serve!, and which is called for much less by the dignified sta-
tion which the distinguished subject fills, than by his official
and personal character. No Minister ever took charge of the
Naval Department cutler greater disadvantages than did our
Noble guest ; and I say, without any fear of dissent from any
one who hears me, nu one ever administered the affairs of
the navy with more credit to himself, or advantage
to the service, than the Noble Lord has done. At the time of
his assuming office, the navy was redueed to the lowest
ebb it had ever reached, at least in recent history. The
storehouses were almost destitute of all the materials of war ;
the th.ps were dismantled ; the seamen were scattered far and
wide ' • and the officers were grumbling in retirement, ne-
glected, and deeming themselves forgotten. In the House of
Commons many gentlemen, either from conscientious motives
to relieve the people's burthens, or to court popularity, were
actually calling for retrenchment; and the expenses cf the
navy was with them a constant theme. " What is the use (was
their constant cry) of so large a force in time of peace ? Wby
so many ships in commission ? Why? but to give employment
to the sous of the aristocracy ?" The result of these attacks,
year after year, was the destitute state of the navy which
greeted Lord Minto on assuming office. I had myself ample
opportunities of witnessing this deplorable state of things • is
I had also of witnessing its improvement under the admi-
nistration of the Noble Lord. On my assuming the command
at Portsmouth in 1337, I found the officers and seamen dis-
heartened, believing or fearing that the country had for-
gotten their former gallant services, and thinking that the
star of naval glory had set fur ever. Bat the scene was soon
shifted under the enlightened management of our Noble
guest. All deficiencies of stores were repaired ; the rounds
of industrious preparation were soon heard once more in our
arsenals ; and when shortly afterwards the trumpet of war
sounded, the Officers hurried to resume their cherished duties,
with unexampled vigour, and seamen flocked in from every
quarter of the empire, uncompelled by pressing, and even
unallured by bounties. In the course of two years from
this time, to the astonishment of Europe, seventeen sail of
the line, of the largest. and finest ships that Britain could
ever boast of, were discovered in die Mediterranean, manned
by the most distinguished officers and the most gallant
seamen, superiorly fitted in every respect, and ready and
anxious to meet any enemy that might present himself. This
discovery—for such it was to those who were not aware of the
activity that presided in our naval administration, had a most
beneficial effect on other countries, and it was soon
found that to send a fleet to overawe, if not overpower, that
of Great Britain, would be a more hazardous matter than
had been imagined. Nor, Gentlemen, have the improve-
ments that have of late taken place in the navy been con-
fined to the fitting out of an efficient fleet ; they have ex-
tended to every branch and department of the service. These
improvements I had daily opportunities of witnessing
during my command at Portsmouth, and it was with de-
light that I saw them advance progressiVely from good to
better. You are al aware of the improvement that has taken
place of late years in the gunnery department, and that for this
we are mainly indebted; to the -exertions of that distinguished
officer, Sir Thomas Iltestings. The progressive advances in
this department took place under my own eye ; and I could
not sufficiently admire the constant attention paid to it, and
the perfect precision of firing to which this alteration led—a
precision since demonstrated, in characters not to be mistaken,
upon the coast of Syria, before, or rather through, the hitherto
unconquered walls of Acre. It is pleasing to know that the im-
provements in what may be termed the domestic or social state
of the navy, of late years, have been equally great. The ge-
neral behaviour and manners of the officers—their language
and demeanour to the men under their command—the quiet
and gentlemanly way in which duty is carried on, without abuse
or intemperate language—the regularity with which divine ser-
vice is performed—in a word, the amelioration and refinement,
of the whole social condition of the navy, was then, and is now,
the subject ofmy admiration. All this shows a marvellous change
for the better from the old times of the navy ; and, what is more,
the recent events nn the coast of Syria, and on the distant
shores of China, sufficiently demonstrate that this refinement of
mariners has been obtained without any sacrifice of the old
sterling and substantial qualities of the British naval officer and
British seaman. These improvements are, perhaps, io some
degree inseparable from the progress of events ; still they can-
no but reflect honour on the Noble Lord under whose en-
lightened administration they took place. In speaking of the
navy, Gentlemen, you will, of course, with me, comprehend
the'Marincs, .that distinguished corps of which the service is so
justly proud. • But I cannot allow this opportunity to pass
without bearing testimony to the just consideration which this
body has received from the Noble Lord and his colleagues, a
consideration highly important, yet still less than it deserves.
If the Noble Lord was not here present, I would say more of
the large share he may claim in these and other improvements
in the navy; and it is only doing justice to his colleagues to say
that they have exerted themselves in their respective depart-
ments to carry out the same liberal and 'enlightened policy
which has given so rich a lustre to- their administration, and
so well entitles them to the warmest thanks of every well-
wisher to that pride and glory of our country, the British Navy.
The Gallant Chairman's eloquent address was loudly cheered,
1 and was replied to in appropriate terms by the First Lord.

WEST JNDIES.
Her Majesty's packet Swift, Lieut. Welsh, arrived at Fal-
mouth on Thursday evening, from the West Indies. Her sail-
ing dates were as follow :—From Ihrhaeoes April 9, St. Lucia
and Martinique 30th, Dominique May Ist, Guadaloupe 2d,
Antigua and Montserrat 3d, Nevis and St. Kitt's 4th, Tor.
tola sth, St. 'Thomas's 15th, Porto Rico 15th, Cape Henri
19. h. On freight 6,0001. in gold dust. All hopes of the
safety of the Pr, sident steam-ship may now be said to hare
vanished, as this packet furnishes nothing respecting her.
The Express, Lieut. Herrick, lett Cape Henri, for England,
a week before the Swift ; t e latter had ten passengers, one
of whom, Mr. Gibson, and also his child, died at sea. The
pass: ngers and crew suffered much on the voyage from dysen-
tery. The close sailing of the Swift after the Express caused
the mails from the is:ands to be unusually small by the packet
arrived.

The news by this packet is not of importance for novelty or
general inter: st. 'l•he Colonial House of Assembly at Ja-
maica had been prorogued by proclamation by his Exec lency
the Governor, from siay 18 to June 22. The brig Rob Roy,
from Aberdeen, Lad arrived at Kingston, and safely landed
ninety-two immigrants; and the Etheldred, from London, with
150 Europeans.
At a general meeting of the Shareholders of the Mount Vernon
Mining Company at Jamaica, it was resolved that 300 shares
should be thrown open to the public beyond those already sub-
scribed, the price of which to be fixed at I'2l. 10s. We regret
to observe that the greater part of Spot Valley estates' cane-
pieces have been destroyed by fire, which even extended to the
adjoining property of Cornwall. A crop of 80 hogsheads ex-
pected on Spot Valley has accordingly been reduced to little
more than ten. A great many cases of fever had occurred,
and its victims were numerous, particularly amongst the mili-
tary, ; several officers had also been attacked fatally.
FALMOUTH, THURSDAY, MIDNIGHT.--Her Majesty's packet
Express has just come in from the West Indies. her dates
are on the average one week subsequent to those of the Swift:
NEW G RENA DA.—The affairs in this unfortunate country are
represented as being in a most deplorable and gloomy state.
The Government troops, 500 strong, under Colonel Mutes,
marched in'o Cucuta, without meeting with any opposition, the
inhabitants having deserted the town. Gen. lierran was on his
march to the north with 1,500 troops, destined, it is supposed,
fur Mompos, where revolutionary General Carmona has under
hint' 2,400 well-disciptined men. Mompes is a small town
on the river Magalens, about six days' march from Carthagena,
and'he has no doubt selected that post to prevent the Govern-
ment.troops from descending the river on the latter place.
General Moreno, the Commander of Carthagena, has stationed
a•number of gun. boats on the river to sustain him. In this re-
public everything is tranquil ; but should the revolutionists un-
fortunately succeed in New Granada, fears are entertained that
it w ill affect the peace of Venezuela.
The mails for Mexico were embarked this morning by the
Alert packet, Lieut.. Jennings, and those for the West Indies by
the Tyrian, Lieut. Crocker ; they left port at noon.

REPRESENTATION OF MARYLE-

BONE.

An important fact was ascertained on Saturday, on a com-
parison of the canvass-books for the district of Camden-town,
in which Mr. Cabbell and Sir J. Hamilton are personally
canvassing, and in which the relations of Sir James hare con-
siderable influence. The promises for Hall and Napier are
exactly Foul:. to ONE against those given to Cabball ar.d lla-
milton. This tact is the more encouraging, as the personal
canvass of Cabbell snd Hamilton has been aided by the active
and per.ievering canvass of the influential and popular ladies
who reside in the district, and are connected with the families
of the Tory Candidates.
_

In the other districts the returns up to one o'clock \yore
equally promising. 'f he zeal of the Tory ladies was exhibited
in the most open and earnest manner in Somers Town and
South Pancras. It was amu.ing to observe the eagerness and
activity with which they distributed their smiles, orders tor
goods, and blue tickets amongst the shops of the small trades-
men. The result has been that, in one broker's shop, and one
small grocer's, the blue billsof the Torieshave been substituted
for Young's. 'Tis fact. But neither of the exhibitors have
a vote

SUCCESSFUL CANVASS OF WORKMEN.
Sir Benjamin Hall and Sir C. Napier this morning visited
the pianoforte factory of Messrs Collard, in Tottenham-court-
road (as has been usual for all candidates in late elections),
for the purpose of soliciting the votes of the numerous
electors, who are to be found amongst the large body
of first class mechanics employed in this extensive
establishment. The candidates were greeted with cordial
cheering, and after haring held long conversations with the
workmen in the several departments, and with the high-
est mutual satisfaction, all the electors in the establish-
ment (amounting to upwards of fifty,) except four,
promised their votes, and early auendanoe at the
poll, to Hall and Napier. Of the four electors who did not
promise one was absent, but his principles are known to be
C:nservative; one Conservative frankly refused his vote, as
did two of the supporters of the new Chartist, or dis-union
candidate.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—On Sunday morn-
in,g, last, a fine
young woman, called Martha Brewer,
who was preparing to attend the funeral of the unfortu-
nate girl at Penzance, of whose suicide we gave au ac-
count last week, had her dress ignited by a spark while
blowing the fire, and was so dreadfully burnt about the
arms, neck, and face, that but little hope is entertained
of her recovery.— West Briton.
THE CLIMATE.—On Sunday morning last,
so intense was the frost that about two o'clock A.M., im-
mense quantities of white ice were to be seen in the wet
meadows to the south of this city. The French bean
and potatoe-tops were perfectly blackened, and large
quantities Of the young fruit perished and fell oil.—
Bath Herald.
The Hamburgh mail of the 15th instant brings
the exchange upon London 13 51, the same as per last
arrival; Gold, 429, a murk lower; 111titalliptes,106i; Bank
Actions, 1,647.