The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-22 00:00:00

THE SHERIFF.

Sir M. WOOD wished to ask a questio'n of the Noble
Secretary for the Colonies. An occurrence took place
yesterday which was made known in all the public prints,
viz., that the Writ of Inquiry in the case of Stockdale
was postponed for two months, and all proceedings in that
ease stayed i❑ the meanwhile. Now. he asked the Noble
Lord, was It intended to keep the Sheriff in confinement
all that time ?—( Hear, hear.) He wished to know whe-
ther Members of that House were to br put in danger of
their lives—( Hear, and laughter)—as was the case this
day with his Hon. Friend the Member for Kilkenny ?
(Great laughter.) The Hon. Member was thrown out of
a chair, and the Hon. Member for Finsbury was tossed
over a rail.— (Laughter.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought, that if the Sheriffs
had anything to say, their better course would be to apply
to the House in a regular manner—by petition.

Mr. HUME said, that as his natne had been men-
tioned, he hoped the House would allow him to state the
case.—(Cries of ‘. Oh, oh," and laughter.) The fact
was, the freeholders of Middlesex were proceeding quietly
for more than an hour, when the Deputy Sheriff came
into their meeting, attended with a most riotous as-
sembly.—(Great laughter.)
Captain POLHILL was present, and could say that the
statement of the Hon. Member for Kilkenny was not ex-
actly correct.—("Order.")
The SPEAKER was sure the House would see the
irregularity of the proceeding, and put the question for
the Committee on the Navy Estimates, when
Mr. HERRIES asked the Right Hon. Secretary of the
Treasury (Mr. Gordon) whether any communication had
taken place between the Treasury and the applicants for
compensation for the opium destroyed in China since the
Right Hon. Gentleman bad told those applicants that it
was not the intention of the Government to apply to Par-
liament. _ _

Mr. GORDON said there had been no communication
beyond the notices.
NAVY ESTIMATES.

The House then went into a Committee of Supply on
the Navy Estimates.
Mr. MORE O'FERRAL, in rising to move the
Navy Estimates for the first time, begged for the
indulgence of the House, as the -duty which was at all
times difficult, was on this occasion especially so. In the
course of the last year, there had been a considerable in-
crease in the number of ships in commission of all classes.
On the Ist of January, 1839, the number was 224. On
the Ist of January, 1840, the number was 239, being an
increase of 15. It was not necessary for him to refer to
the circumstances which would render that increase neces-
sary. The Committee was aware that arrangements for
an increase of the naval force rested with the Government
at large, and the Board of Admiralty had no control over
it.—( The Right Hon. Gentleman was very indistinctly
heard throughout his statement.) The amount of excess
in the gross estimate of last year was 395,0001. The
credits he made were considerably less this year than last,
and the-gross excess was this year 461,000/. He thought
h n should best consult the convenience of the Committee
if he stated the increase 9f the several departments under
their respective heads. 'ln No. I—the item for wages—
there was an increase list year for 1,211 men borne on the
books, and this year it would probably be necessary for
the House to assent to an increase to the amount of 1,000
men, and to give a supply sufficient for their maintenance.
In No. 1 there would be an increase of 60,0001., of which
36,000/. would be applied to the payment of 1,000 men,
and the remainder to the additional payment of petty offi-
cers, surg'ons in small ships, engineers, and naval instruc-
tors in ships of the line. On that point his Right Hon.
Friend the Member for Halifax had stated last year the
grounds on which that alteration was made, and his state-
ment gave satisfaction to the Committee of the Navy.—
( Hear, hear.) In the item No. 2, for provision for the
men, there was an increase of 58,000/. Of that 23,0001.
was occasioned by the increase in the price of provisions,
over which the Admiralty had no control. In No. 3, an
increase would appear upon the votes of 600/. for postage,
which was not, however, an increase upon the country ;
and there was also an increase of 2,0001. in that item for
the salary of certain officers. In Nos. 4,5, 6, and 7,
there was an increase altogether of 2,8211. In some
of -the details there had been a decrease, but, on the whole,
an increase. In No. B—Artificers and Dockyards—there
was an increase of 60,000/., of which 50,0001. went to ship-
wrights and others in the Dockyard, and 10,000/. to the
persons who were employed in the new sterm-boat manu-
factory at Woolwich. The increase of the number of
men on the whole would be about 800. An increase was
made in 1836, and an additional increase every year from
that time. The fitting out of small ships and steamers
had previously drawn away the attention of the Admiralty
from the building of large ships—(Tory cheers)—to which
no attention had been paid from 1819 At the close of
the war we had a large number of ships in ordi-
nary, and up to 1830 scarcely any increase had been
made by • foreign powers in their navies. But
since that time great exertions to increase their naval force
had been made by every nation in Europe, especially by
our neighbour France.--(Hear, bear, hear.) Therefore
it became this country to look in time to an
increase of the first class of ships, and to provide thereby
the most efficient, certain, and cheapest means of preserv-
ing peace.—( Cheers.) Therefore at this period, which
was said to be ohe of financial difficulty, the Government
could not hesitate to come down to the House and ask for
what many Membcra would consider a large increase of
the navy..—( Hear, hear.) In No. 9 there was an increase
of 900/. for foreign dockyards, occasioned by the increase
of the repairs of steamers in Jamaica. Malta, and in India.
In No. 10 there was also a large increase for naval stores,
to the amount of 136,0001. A large portion was it-Fended
to be applied to stores of ship building materials, in which
there had been an increase for the last five years; and it was
proposed to increase the workmen employed in building ships,
and although in the yard there was a large supply of
timber, yet it was necessary to provide a still larger stock
beforehand, because a deficiency in any particular kind
might render the remainder comparatively useless. An
occasion at present offered for obtaining a large supply of
timber of the kind tardiest in growth, most difficult to ob•
tarn, and most desirable to possess. A large portion of
the grant would be applied to that purpose, and it was
intended to bring up the stores to a full establishment._
( Hear, hear.) He believed that the vote of this year
would place the whole establishment of stores in a state
of full provision, so that in the event of an emer-
gency we would have the means of arming the ships now
in ordinary, and of carrying on our naval works for a con-
siderable period without gel, g into the market to purchase
stores at a disadvantage. The next item of expenditure—.
No. 11—was one of considerable importance. It was for new
works and improvements. The increase upon the item of
last year was 33,000/., making the whole item 76,000/.
If only the works sanctioned in former years were carried
on, the Estimate would have been less than last year;
but the increase was .occasioned by the necessity for new-
works : part was for the machinery about to be erected at
_Deptford for the sp:nning of hemp, with a saving of 70
per cent. to the public. At Woolwich considerable works
were going on for a long period : --new docks were in
course of construction, as was also a bason in connection
with the steam-vessel factory. Machinery was also ne-
tcheessparlayntoofhemcro.nsutrauncktar,d awthWoolwichch
would cost
m onlyak n making
halffuel
ne
price of coal, with one-fifth more efficiency.—(Hear.)
It would also have the advantage that it would keep longer
out at sea. Another charge under this heed was I,boo/.
for erectirg a shed at Sheerness, and also 4,000/. for clear-
ing the mud out of the harbour. The charge for this item
had hitherto been only 1,0001. ; but it was considered that
the 3.000/ would be v%'ell expended, as the hat Lour would
be much improved thereby. At Portsmouth it was pro-
posed to add to the sawing machinery, and at Pembroke

It was intended to increase the number of buildings, the
expenses of all which would have to come under the
head of expenditure. Then upon Noe 12, Medicines, there
was an increase of 500/ 60n No. 13, Miscellaneous Ser-
vices, there was a considerable increase in consequence of
the sums that were to be devoted to the building and keep-
ing up of steam packet vessels at Liverpool, Aberdeen,
and Alexandria. The excess on that head was 53,754/.
On 14, 15, and 16 the Half-pay Navy, and Marine Pensions
and Allowance's, there was a decrease of 34,712/ ; and on
17 and 18 there was an increase of 22,000/. He had now
gone through the different heads upon which there had
been an increase. He had not referred to the acts of
former Governments, to justify the increase, as he was
content to rest it upon its own merits, and because he was
unwilling to offer any observations which had any reference
to party. The Navy Estimates had never been considered
a party question ; and he would therefore content himself
by stating that the whole amount required for the service
of the year in the naval department would be 5459,051/.
of which 3,372.3901 was applicable to the naval service,
while the sum of 2,237,0001. would be applicable for the
service which would be regarded as non-effective. The
Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that a vote
for 35,165 men, including 9,000 Royal Marines, should
be charged on the Navy Estimates from the 31st of
March, 1840, to the 31st of March, 1841.
Sir G. CLERK had not the slightest objection to
make to the statements of the Right Hon. Gentleman,
but he must express his regret that, at the present moment,
when the subject of the efficiency of the naval service of the
country attracted so much attention, he had not gone further
into the reasons for the increase proposed of 1,000 men as
compared with the vote of last year. He was not disposed
in the slightest degree to object to the increase, but .it
must he remembered that the votes proposed were large,
but if properly applied there could be no deficiency of ships
or stores in the arsenals of the country. He considered
that Ministers, with these large sums at their disposal,
would incur great responsibility, if they were not prepared
at any time to repel all attempts from foreign Powers on
the coasts of the country, and to preserve the
British flag from insults in any part of the world.
The present vote was considerably larger than was pro.
pose in 1830, the last occasion in which it
,had fallen to
his lot to propose the Estimates to the House, though at
that time the Admiralty had to protect the whole of the
coast of Kent and Sussex, and for that purpose it wit ne-
cessary to have several cruisers in the Channel. In that
:•ear it had been made a charge against the Admiralty that
they had kept a greater number of ships and men afloat
than were voted for, but the circumstances that then existed
justified that course; yet, still at that time, when it
was necessary to keep a large force employed
in the Mediteranean of thirty-three thousand men—
very near the nember required at the present moment—yet
in that y:'ar the navy estimates were 5,594.000/.", and the
whole sure expended 5,300,0001-350.0001. less than the
sum which the present Government required. With re-
spect to the wages of the seamen the sum paid at that time
exceeded that at the present by upwards of a million But
at that time the whole burthen of the Post-office, which cost
upwards of 105,000/. was thrown upon the Admiralty, and
they had also the coasts of Kent and Sussex to protect.
He considered it a most grave charge which had been
made egainst the Admiralty during the last year,
that they had not had a sufficient number of
men to man the vessels. As a proof of that, if any Gen-
tleman would take the trouble of comparing the number
of men voted as the full peace complement, they would
find upwards of 2,000 men short of the complement. He
thought that it was not expedient that any ships should be
sent to the Mediterranean without having the full crimple-
meet of men allowed in war time. From the official do-
cuments that had been produced, the whole complement of
men required to man the vessels was 26,524, while the
eni
ipaedat peace
yt
ecficocmahi
peapntdlatei complement. eoeNnmf
left
r.
pi
ieett
nrheeiHsti
hieteopfbelieved that
real number employed was only 24,376—therefore, upon
the aggregate of the ships there was wanted 2,148 xnen to
amvNlellaes ksdeei the
urra
commandedn shipstela'
Powerful,f oarn
andttlhi ee
s
the Benbow left the Channel considerably short of their
complement of men. He thought nothing would justify
such a course cf proceeding. He believed that there was
no naval officer in that House that would not bear him out
in the statements that he had made, In 1830, this coun-
try had nine sail-of-the-line ice the Mediterranean, while
the French had eight. Bat what was the state of cir-
cumstances now ? Why, this country had increased the
number of ships to 12. while the French had increased
theirs to 15 They had now two ships of the line, with
120 guns, one of 100, two of ninety, and four of 86. He
would not say whether the French Government were act-
ing upon a right system or not, but he thought it was
incumbent at least upon the Government of this country
to' keep up a force there equal to France.—( Hear, hear. )
He had been greatly disappointed in the statement of the
Secretary for the Admiralty, as he had made no allusion
whatever to two important alterations that were stated to
be in contemplation or in progress when the Nsvy Esti-
mates were before the House• on the past occasion--one
related to a new armament for the fleet, and the other the
scheme urged upon them by Captain Berkeley for an in-
crease of complement. .

..•
Mr. M. O'FERRALL—Some alterations have taken
place .
Sir G. CLERK said that within the last three years
it had been seen that extreme difficulty had occurred when
it was necessary to make the slightest increase in the num-
ber of ships. if a ship came home and there was a dis-
charge, there might not be so much difficulty ; but,
if there was not a discharge of men, and it was
required to make an addition of one or two thousand men
to the navy. those men had to he drawn from the merchant
service. There was great difficulty in doing that, and
therefore it was of the utmost importance that care should
be taken. There were better means of increasing the
navy in cases of emergency than existed at present. One
of the means on which they were able to rely in 1830 was
the coast blockade on the shores of Kent and Sussex.
That was done away with, and the coast guard substituted
in its stead. It was stated by the Secretary of the
Admiralty last year, that he was sorry to find the coast
guard so inefficient, but that it was in contemplation to
appoint a commission to place the coast guard in a more
efficient state. He wished the Secretary of the Admi.
alty had told the House whether anything had been done on
that subject. He agreed that the state of the navy ought
not to be considered as a party question, but that all means
ought to be resorted to for the put pose of recovering the
difficulties which had hitherto existed as to putting the
navy in an efficient state. Little advantage was derived
from the men in ordinary. Then Ls to the distribution of
naval force, and with reference to the facilities which they
ought to keep viithin reach, of increasing their navy in
cases of emergency, he understood there were 21 ships
of the line in commission. Twelve of those were em-
ployed in the Mediterranean ; three first raters were the
guard ships in the harbours at home, with not one-third
of their complement; three he believed were destined for
service on the coast of China, and the remaining three
were stationed in the Tagus. Therefore, if any circum-
stance should arise in the East Indies, or West In-
dies, or the coasts of South America or North
America, which might render it necessary to
protect their commerce or the English flag from
insult, there was not within reach a single line-of-battle
ship that could be sent for that purpose.—(Cheers.)
Why had they kept for the last five years three line-of.
battle ships in the Tagus? They had heard from the
Noble Lord (the Secretary for Foreign Affairs) a confes-
sion of hi.; total want of influence in the Portuguese Court.
He had been pressing on the Portuguese Government for
five years to do an act of justice to British subjects, to
whom the Portuguese Government was under the greatest
obligations, but whom they had treated in the most dis-
graceful and cruel manner. What answer would the Por-
tuguese Government have made the Noble Lord if he had
told them that be would withdraw the three line-of-battle
ships from the Tagus? That would have brought the
Portuguese Government to their senses sooner than any
step the Noble Lord had taken.—( Hear, hear.) Keeping
those three ships there had cost this country half a million
of money. If the Noble Lord was able to show that the
Portuguese Government were exposed to difficulty and
embarrassment from their attachment to the British Go-
verment and British interests be would have some excuse
for keeping those vessels there, but after the statement he
had made, showing that he had no influence in Lisbon—
and the same might he predicated of every other capital,
that the Noble Lord had no influence whatever—(Hear,
hear, and laughter)—he was at a loss to understand why
so heavy en expense was kept up —( Hear, hear.) One
of those ships, the Blenheim, had been withdrawn, in order
to go to China. And see what a situation this country
had been in within the last few months from having no
force within reach. In July Last intelligence reached
this country of the rupture between the Resident
at Canton and the Chinese. If soon after that .time
they had been able to despatch such a force as was
necessary. and as they were now about to send from the
shores of this country, they might have been able, at an
earlier period, and, with less difficulty, to have brought
about an amicable adjustment. The Blenheim and the
two frigates who were to accompany her only sailed from
Portsmouth within the last month.—( Hear, hear.) But
the coast of this country was left entirely without protec-
tion. He believed the Admiralty had bad some important
information within the last year on the subject of the
movements in the Baltic, and he believed that no Gallant
Admiral, either at a public dinner, or elsewhere, would
now rise and say that the Russian fleet were mere paste-
board ? The Him. Gentlemen had stated that owing to
the calls on the Admiralty for steam-vessels, and attending
to the repairs of the Post-office packets, the dockyards
had been unable to build large ships, but he was happy to
hear that it was now intended to commence building some
line-of-battle• ships, and that it was intended to lay down
two new slips at Pembroke for constructing line-of-battle
ships. The Admiralty, with the ample means that were now
placed within its reach by Parliament would be guilty of
the grossest neglect of duty if they did not in a short tine
remove from the minds of the people of this country that
alarm and suspicion which he believed very generally pre-
vailed, that the ships of the navy in ordinary were at the
present m-ment in a weak and ineffective state.—( Hear.)
If Great Britain was to enjoy that pre eminence which
had hitherto maintained as a naval and maritime power, it
was necessary for her to build ships, however inconvenient
the expense might be, of that class, and of that size, which
she was likely to have to contend with in the case of war.
—{Hear. hear.)
was happy to hear it teas the inten-
tion of the Board of Admiralty to pursue that course. He
was unwilling to go into details, because he thought the

THE. SUN, LONDON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 14()

itr ms could, with more propriety, be discussed when the
particular votes came under discussion. The present vote
was for men. and it involved the most important considera-
tion of all. Ile regretted to be in that situation as to
render so great an increase in the naval force necessary
beyond whet was found requisite in former years.—( Ht-sr,
hear.) They had been told by the Noble Lord that they
were still in a state of profound peace. The necessity of
the increase proposed, therefore, must be attributed
to the policy that had been pursued, which, instead
of placing the country in a state of profound
peace, bad placed it in that stete of feverish
anxiety, which was the most effectual means that could be
employed by those who wished the downfall of England to
secure their object, which weakened her resources. The
Government had the means of information which were
not within the reach of individual Members, and knew
whether it was neets ary to maintain a force of any
particular description. He was not, therefore, disposed
to offer any opposition to the vote for 35 000 men.
Mr. M. O'FE RRALL wished to make a few observa-
tions in explanation. The Commission appointed with
reference to the Coast Gu.rd had not made its report.
On the subject of the flag ships net being fully manned,
though the complement of the three ships was below that
which they ought to go to sea with, yet there was sufficient
men in ordinary to make up the complement of those
ships in war time. A close survey had been made of
every ship in ordinary, and the state of the ordinary
was satisfactory, per England could send a considerable
fleet to sea—much larger titan any other country could
send, in fact almost as great as any other two countries.
The Hon. Baronet was also wrong in saying that nothing
had been done in the yards, for last sear work had been
done on ships equivalent the cornpletien of three ships.
Mr. HUME was sorry to see such concord in the
House upon the vote before the Committee.—( A laugh.)
Ile had expected that some Noble Lord or Honour-.
able Member opposite would have required some
special explanations respecting the great increase that
was proposed in the number of ships and men.
Ile kneve no reason for it—none was given but that France
and Russia had increased their navies. Now, because they
did so, was it absolutely necessary that we should increase
ours? -If so, then, under the guise of peace we were keep-
ing up a war establishment. Tee country was to have no
rest.—( Hear, hear.) It appeared that we were ar to illy
at war, while her Majesty informed the House that she
continued to receive from all the Powers of Europe
assurances of the utmost regard. He had never
heard from the other side any other complaint
than of the lowness of the establishment. He
submitted to the House whether in the present
situation of the country, it was not necessary to look at
what rendered the increased force necessary. It was the
iutermedling policy of the Foreign Department of the
Government.—( Hear, hear.) They were told that con-
cord existed amongst the Five Powers on the Eastern
question. He did not believe it. He believed that great
discord 'preveiled, and that rendered an increased force
necessary. The war in the East would have been settled long
ago, had e not-been for the interference of the Ambassador
of England at Constantinople, which interference led to
the disastrous battle of Nizam. We were acting com-
pletely according tt, the views and wishes of Russia, the
old and implacable enemy of Turkey, who was still
waiting her time to pounce upon Constantinople, or
what other other part of Turkey might fall to her share.
—( Hear, bear.) Ir was Russia, in conjunction with the
Noble Lord; who had kept up the civil war in Turkey for
so long a time—that interference had entailed upon this
country an increased expenditure of half a million
annualiy, and obliged us to keep a fleet of thirty sail in
the Mediterranean, and which was now to be increased to
40 sail of all classes of vessels, and that force was rendered
necessary merely for the purpose of enforcing the bad and
ruinous policy of the Noble Lord, at the instigation of
Russia, upon Turkey. Of course, if they were to go on
building new ships they must, perforce, vote money for
their stores, 'eee., which, in- the present state of the
finances of the country, was ruinous, and therefore it was
that he objected to the increased number of men and ships.
From all the public documents which were so freely given
to the French Chambers, he believed there was nothing but
discord between this country and France ; and that, had it
not been for our unwise interference, which led to the battle
of June last, the matter would have been wholly and en-
tirely settled between the Sultan and Mehemet Ali. Seven
months bad now pa,sed over, during all which time the
Noble Lord had been negociating, yet the two parties were
in the same situation as before ; ,nay, he believed that they
were in a much worse situation, for they had placed Mehe-
met Ali in such a position—in such a state of exasperation
—that they would see results extremely detrimental to the
Ottoman empire. There were rumours abroad—and he
trusted the Noble Lord would be enabled to deny the al-
legations—but it was broadly asserted in France, that our
Ambassador, or the Noble Lord himself, proposed to send
the British fleet to Alexandria in order to destroy the Turkish
fleet along with that of Mehemet Ali. He trusted these alle-
gations would be denied, but it was broadly stated, and that
that course had not been taken. merely in consequence of
the protest of the French Minister. It was stated in that
country that Russian counsels were paramount in this
country. He did not wonder at it, for the whole policy of
that country was to cripple and destroy, as far as possible,
the energies of Turkey ; and what could possibly please
them better than another untoward event, such as that of
Navarino. The Russian influencte being so strong, was
set down as the cause of the coolness between the Prench
Government and our own. Nott.ing was to be so much
deplored as that Inch a coolness should exist, for it could
not exist without being highly detrimental to the cause of
general liberty. It was said ti sat France had some views
upon Egypt, but such a thing eras preposterous. Was it
likely that she would take pose ession of a country
_which
she could not maintain in a striaggle with England, and
which must prove a most rui nous expense. Let the
Noble Lord change his policy, promote peace between the
parties,
and enable the Sul tan to put down that
large army which he was oblige& to keep up through jea-
lousy of Mehemet Ali, and then Russian policy would be
overthrown. It appeared that our Consul, in consequence
of the policy of the Noble Lord, had been debarred from
that usual access to Mehemet Ali which had been en-
joyed by him during the last ten years; and he was re-
quired to put into writing easy communication that
he had to make to the Court.— ..( Hear, hear.) Let the
Noble Lord promote peace, nd Mehemet Ali would
establish peace throughout the E ast. By driving him to
be an open enemy, we put in jeoi 'tardy, the means of come
munication to India, which he t emsidered to be of very
great consequence. They nese t.r could expect to save
money while the present policy weas kept up. We were
in peace, yet all was preparing for war, and it was in vain
to expect any reduction of the cape. nditure of the country.
He objected to that policy, because it was throwing an
expense upon the people of Engle nd, and he protested
against it, because they were adding • half a million to the
taxation of the country.
Lord INGE STRIE begged to remind the Hon. Mem-
ber
who had just sat down that the subject under discus-
sion was the Navy Estimatesof England—not the policy pur-
sued towards Turkey. The Secretary to the Admiralty had
introduced those estimates in a speech of great good taste,
for he had kept perfectly clear from all party
,allusions,
which ought never to find their way into the dia.
cession upon such a question.--(Cries of " Hear.")
In was unnecessary for him at that time. to enter upon the
subject of the grievances of the officers of the naval ser-
vice. That question bad been, he hoped, fully discussed in
the naval and military commission which had been some
time appointed by the House. Wit the permission of the
House he would just refer to the c Imperative state of ef-
fectiveness of the French Navy as compared with that of
Great Britain. He found that the French had in com-
mission two ships of 120 guns, one, of 100 guns, three
of 90 guns, four of 86 guns. four of 80 guns,
and frigates of 80 guns equal to ships of the line
.—five of 58 guns, five of 52 gun s, and five of 46
guns, armed en flute, for the purpose of carrying
troops to Algiers. The British Government had 22 line-
of-battle ships in commission. Of then e there were 3 three-
deckers lying in the ports, tweet' 120 guns, and one of 104
guns. These: ships, it should be remembered, were
manned by one-third of their complement of men,
and he was credibly informed that such was the
state of the manning as rewarded one of these
ships, the Britannia, that when the: Admiral went about
the harbour, he was obliged to p-ut the petty officers to
the oars. It appeared that the proportion of men to the
rating of the vessels was higher in France than in that
country, for the French had for their- 120 gun ships a com-
plement of 1,087 men; for their 100. ,gun ships 915 men;
for their 90 and 86 gun ships 810 men ; and for their
80 gun ships 700 men. The: Committee would
bear in mind that the French had a very large' proportion
of frigates as compared with them. They had only nine
frigates altogether in commission, of which only two were
50-gun ships, while the French had a much larger number,
carrying heavier metal. Then as compared with Russia,
it appeared that that nation had a. fleet of 28 sail of
the line in the Baltic, and 14 sail of the line, many
of them large and efficient ships, ',as the Black Sea.
They 'bad also a great proportion of I. age and heavy fri-
gates. He agreed with the Right I lon. Gentleman that
this country should be always prepar'ed to meet any ewe:- ,
gency that might arise ; and wlaen they saw other
countries increasing their naval armaments, it was most
important that they should do so likewise. The French
bad, he believed, building four ships al 120 guns, twelve
of 100 guns, nine of 90 guns, and two of 80 guns, whilst
the English had building two ships of' 120 guns, three of
110 gong, one of 90, and six of 80 guts. In that calcu-
lation he had omitted taking into account anything below
frigates. With reseect to steamboate, the French had
actually twenty-five steam-1-s afloat in commission, while
they had only, including the steanaers plying between Dub-
lin end Liverpool, Dublin and Holyhead, Dover and
Calais, eleven or twelve, and of these there were but
six which could be called heavy-armed steamers. With
reTect to mere the French had as nearly as pos-
sible the same number of men employed in the
marine service as she English. The total number
for the French in. clue service was 34,017, while
in England they I,l'l. 34,215. It seems most essential,
that a maritime estien like Britain, which had extensive
colonies to look after, and a trade in every part of the world,
should have a large naval force to protect it. The French
bad never vet assumed the character of a great maritime
nvion, and they had a right to make observations
wh,,, they saw her nays amounting to neatly this
,ice as th,,t r,f Great Britain- The French
navy else received encouragement from . the King
himself, for he had put °lig of his suns, the Prince de Join..