The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-25 00:00:00

THE BRITISH NAVY.

(From the Naval and Military Gazette.)
Endeavours are again making to " fright the Isle
from its propriety," by preposterous accounts of the
French Navy, as compared with our own ; and party
journals arc as active as ever in the amiable attempt to
disparage the Fleet of England whilst they exalt that of
our rivals. It is not Russia, but France that is now,
ere long, to accomplish the blockade of the Thames ;
and accordingly the most exaggerated statements of her
means, present and in prospect, are daily heralded. We
need no other argument to confute these assertions than
what we can extract from the statements of the detrac-
tors themselves, who, labouring as they do to misrepre-
sent matters, are obliged to admit certain data, which,
when duly examined, go at once to prove their fallacies,
" The question," observes the Leading Journal, " is
not at this moment as to the general resources of Eng-
land and France, but as to their actuAl application to the
point at issue." Now, we arc willing to join issue on
this very text ; for we contend that our actual force is
equal, and even superior to that possessed by France
on the point where hostilities may be expected ; while
our Contemporaries are first as-st ling the contrary, and
then reasoning upon such assertions.

The number of ships-of-the-line bearing the British
flag at present in commission amounts to twenty-two,
distributed as follows :—thirteen now in the Mediterra-
nean; two to proceed thither during the present month ;
one at Lisbon, available to reinforce the Mediterranean
Fleet ; three in the East Indies ; and three flag-ships
in England.—First, as to our Mediterraneen Fleet. It
is confessedly in the best possible condition for service ;
a fact not only proved by the appearance of the crews
paid off on their return from that service, but by letters
from the Commander-in-Chief and other officers of high
rank and character (Conservatives withal), read in Par-
liament during the last session by Admiral Adam. The
truth is, that every old officer is struck with the great
superiority of the present crews over those of the war,
which, however, may be easily accounted for, when we
consider the different mode in which they are collected -
all jail-birds, Lord Mayor's men, and culprits or offend_
ers against the law, as well as foreigners, being now
strictly prohibited. Our Mediterranean Let then' con-
sists at present of just thirteen sail-of-the-line to bo
speedily joined by two noble second-rates, Rodney, 9:1,
and Vanguard, SO, and ode ship from Lisban should
circumstances demand it. Taus we repeat that we
have at present, in the quarter where hostilities may be
expected to commence, a force fully equal to contend
with that of France ; for the French fleet, according to
the last accounts, conssted of nine ships of the line in
the Levant, one on the coast of Africa, and four pre-
paring for sea at Toulon, only half manned—total, 14 ;
and although some of our ships may be considered infe-
rior in size to the French, there need be no apprehen-
sion on that score, if our officers and seamen maintain
their wonted superiority, of which no man (Lord Hard-
wicke excepted) has ever yet expressed a doubt. In
fact, there is no comparison between the crews of the
two fleets, nearly all of ours being train2d men, while
more than half the French are raw levies produced by
the conscription.
We have three ships of the line in India, their crews
made up to the war complement (and we may remark
that the crews of the ships in the Mediterranean have
also been lately strengthened) ; these, we presume, are
sufficient to protect British interests in that quarter, and
to bring the Chinese affair to a successful issue, after
which two at least will be at liberty. Oa other stations
our force is adequate to its purpose, although undoubt-
edly, in the event of war, it would be necessary to in-
crease it in every quarter.

There is another. passage in our Contemporary's expo:s
which we take leave to deny. '• War or no war, the men
who have weakened the British fleet have weakened
British influence in Europe." Now, so far from the
British fleet having been weakened of late years (that
is, during the period that our party journals have been so
industriously impressing this belief upon foreigners, and
upon Frenchmen in particular), the efficient Naysl
force of the country has been constantly increased,
until it nos, amounts, in that particular, to nearly
double the extent it reckoned when this system of de-
traction I)..gan. In 1885, the number of ships-of-the-
line in commission (including guard-ships) was I> ; the
seamen and marines voted, '26,500. In the present
year, the number of line•of-battle ships is c)o, the sea-
men and marines employed 95,165, and an additional
vote of 5,000 men, making altogether upwards of
40,000. We leave the reador to judge, therefore,
whether the charge of weakening' British influence
abroad, by weakening the British fleet, should be ap-
plied to the men who have in reality nearly doubled its
effective force, or rather to those who, by Ids° and
malicious statements, for party purposes, without re-
gard to the consequences their comments are likely to
produce, have laboured so zealously and uncompro-
misingly to instil such belief.
It is surely full time that this unworthy detraction
should cease. if war is apprehended, the surest way
to prevent it, and to settle at once the long-pending ne-
gotiations respecting Egypt and Turkey, is to make a
demonstration, by putting a dozen ships of the line in
commission, and assembling them at Spithead by the
Ist of October. Nothing will tend more to raise the
reputation of the Government and the nation at home
and abroad, and show to the world the utter falsehood
of what has been advanced, than such a mznifestation.
It is,
e"n'eeraalreGaoTevren,maencitu--,esitillo
fact,
:a soe)ri oeut s one, for
the question.o
That the Board of Admiralty arc as willing as they are
able to effect this, or double as much, we verily believe,
and hoe:ever such a proceeding may be looked upon by
our neighbours, to our comprehension it appears the
most politic that can be adopted. It ,ill reassure those
who are in doubt as to our means, and show to France
and the world how comparatively contemptible are
their naval resources, when England thinks fit to put
forth her strength. It involves a question of expense,
but we believe, even in this respect, it will be found the
cheapest course in the end.

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, AUG. 21.--Su-
Ears bare been gradually getting firmer and rather better
in pries during the week, and more business has been trans-
acted than for come time past, at an improved rate of
ls. to ls. 01 Future prices will entirely depend upon
how far diminished consumption may counterbance the de-
ficiency of import. The general conviction upon this point
is, at all events, earti2d to the extent, that it will operate
so far as to ru,ke anything like speculation extremely
hazardous. —Bristol Mercury.

,PIIIITiON'-
~- f
r:::1, ::1 . tit! Ird, Aug:te., 31: price 41. ,
ti11../tf, . t":: FOR Fill, PEOPLE.
, :,,,..r:-'-' /
____-7: No. XI.
10••• ',%lPg'Qr'l,_.: AC roNDUCT of RELIGIOUS El 113*-
,39: • A?fio raLLIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, with a
''';.4'../ ; "r_ . 4disseci 01-jeer, the Advancement of RELI-
~...5...
V )ti ' • 1,--. By a LAYMAN.
..,?.„.q1 ' 'gill
,4-. N's AREOP.-kGITICA. Price 6d.
-IA, . . • : *La sff'ate-street ;J. Smallfield, Newgate-

Now raedy, in `..-1 vols. post Svo., price 21s. bound,
NARRATIVE OF THE
WAR IN AFFGHANISTAN.
By Captain HENRY HAVELOCK,
A'de-de-Camp to Major-Gen. Sir Willoughby Cotton, G.C.B.
and K.C. H., commanding the Bengal Forces.
Henry Colburn. Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.
*,„4 Orders received by all Booksellers.

ROYAL SURREY THEA f Rr..
Sixth Week of Haines' " Jane of the Hatchet." The extra-
ordinary success of this gorgeous Spectacle is beyond con-
ception. Upwards of 75 OW persons have already witnessed
the grand Tableaux d'action and military evolutions of the
hundred Female Warriors. Revival of "My Poll and My
Partner Joe.
THIS EVENING. AUG. 25.
Will be acted a Grand Historical Spectacle, of unequalled splen-
dour, entitled
JANE OF THE HATCHET.
Supported by the entire strength of the Company,
and One Hundred Female Warriors.
After which, the Comic Drama of
A DAY AFTER THE FAIR.
To conclude with the Nautical Drama of
MY POLL AND MY PARTNER JOE.