The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

MARCH 26, 1847.

PRICE SD.

there cannot, however, be the slightest question. After
the transaction of some business of minor importance,
the Court adjourned.

THE PROVISION SQUADRON.
The Government, it would appear from the following
list, have not decreaaed the number of vessels of her
Majesty's navy engaged in conveying provisions to the
destitute parts of Ireland, and the west coast of Scot-
land, but we believe that the steam-frigates will now be
principally employed in conveying seed to the distressed
population of the above districts.
The officers and crews of our navy have performed
this service in a manner which reflects the greatest
credit on them as sailors—and the highest honour
on them as men. By day and by night—in smooth
weather and rough gales, they have carried out the
judicious and well-timed orders of the Admiralty and-
the intentions of the Government, with as much
interest as celerity in their humane task. Their
praiseworthy conduct deserves especial notice ; for
they have made great sacrifices in this service, which we
are sure requires only to be known to the public to be
duly appreciated. Vessels of very large tonnage have
been worked by one-half their usual complements, and
with double the work they have been receiving only the
same pay. The royal naval officers and seamen have
been doing the drudgery of merchant colliers without
the advantages of merchant seamen's wages, and without
complaint or murmur ; but on the contrary, with cheer-
fulness and alacrity they have submitted to hard toil, and
in many cases severe privations, in the good service on
which they have been employed. We should not omit to
notice another gratifyingcircumstance in connexion with
this service. Although the crews have suffered so much
inconvenience by being drafted from the particular ves-
sels for which they entered, the number of desertions has
been very few, and those which have taken place has
been of worthless wretches, whose continuance in the
service was an annoyance to the officers and only an ex-
pense to the.tiown.
• Again, in speaking of those actually engaged in the
ships conveying provisons, we are led to notice the assis-
tance of the officers and crews of the guardsbips at the
outports. Large numbers of the provision squadron
have been officered and manned from the Poictiers and
Ocean, ordinary guardships at Chatham and Sheerness;
from the St. Vincent 120, and Victory, 104, port and
ordinary guard Aiips at Portsmouth; and from the Queen.

110, and Caledonia, 120, port and ordinary guataships
at Devonport; and from other ships in commission at the
above ports. Thus we have Captain Williams and a
portion of the officers and crew of the Amphion. at
Woolwich, away in'the Odin; Captain Ramsay, Lieut.
Need, and a portion of the officers and crew of the Ter-
rible, during her repair at Woolwich, in the Dragon;
Lieut. Colet, with a party from the St. Vincent, is away
in the Tartarus; Mr. Macdonald, master of the Royal
Yacht, with another party. is in the Dauntless; Com-
mander Schomberg, and a party from the Queen,
is in the Portland; Mr. Davey, supernumerary assis-
tant master attendant, and party from the Caledonia, are
in the Centaur; and Mr. Brown, Master of the Cnle
donia, and party from the Queen, are in the Tyne.
Whilst these officers and men are absent from their re-
spective ships, of course, the duty falls heavier on those
remaining ; ut Captain Milne, of the St. Vincent, and
Captain Sir Henry Leeke, of the Queen, with other gal-
lant officers, not only carry on their duties efficiently
with the diminished crews, but on every occasion where
help is required in fitting or navigating they are always
ready to afford it, proofs of which havd been given in
getting ready in a very short space of time several ves-
sels whose services have been most urgently required.
Nor should the services of the officers and men of the
dockyard and victualling be forgotten. With respect
to the former, at Portsmouth and Woolwich, they have
exerted themselves in a manner not rivalled even by
the extraordinary efforts made during the war. At
Devonport, too, in the store department, they seconded
the exertions of the men of the flagship with the
best possible effect ; but little could be expected from
the shipwrights when the building of the 80-gun ships
absorbed so much the strength of that department.
The exertions made at Woolwich Dockyard we are
bound especially to commend ; for, in fitting the Odin
steam frigate from a mere shell to a sea-going ship in
comparatively a few hours, they earned the highest praise
from the Admiralty, and the warmest thanks of the
Government. The officers and men of the victualling
department have richly merited the great credit which
has been given to them. Day and night they have
kept the machinery going, baking biscuit and grinding
wheat, barley, and meal ; and while they have been fil-
ling the provisionship in the most expeditious manner,
the quality of the biscuit made at the Clarence and the
Royal William establishments is of the first description.
Upon carefully reviewing, then, the whole service in
connexion with the succours provided for and conveyed
to the destitute population of Ireland and Scotland,
whether we regard the chief direction of that service by
the Admiralty, or the appropriation of the vessels and
the arrangement of their stations—the commanding and
navigating the various vessels engaged—the repairing,
fitting, and storing them, or the preparation of the pro-
visions for their shipment—to the Admiralty first, and
secondly to their efficient departments, a deep debt of
gratitude from the public is owing