The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-07 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION.

Ibe derived from experience and activity. He felt ita
duty to state this much on this occasion, and he hada a
doubt that when the report came before.the public that
not only everything had been done that could have been
suggested, but that the service had been rendered more
efficient than it had_ been before the commission was
appointed. There was one topic which had ,been ad-
verted to by his Noble Friend, which had been replied
to by the Noble Lord Opposite, oh which he would not
now give an opinion ; but in a discussion of that descrip-
tion, if the Noble Lord thought that the patronage of
the navy had not been fairly disposed of it was hardly
surprising that he should state that opinioh. He had
never heard a discussion of that kind in which the topic
had not been discussed, but he was not able to come
to any decision about it. It was a subject on which
the minds of men were naturally jealous, and he thought
it a justifiable' topic for his Noble Friend to have in-
troduced: .He felt himself justified for the partiae had
taken in this debate—lie knew well what his own
motives were for what he had said on all these sub-
jects, both now and on former occasions.—(Cheers.)
He had stated his opinions again that night, becausche
felt that the Noble Lord had neglected the protection
of the insterests of his country in the Chinese
affair, and the country had reason to regret that
that neglocti had. taken place, and .if they did not
mind they would have another misfortune hap-
pen in that quarter. The fleet for China bad
not yet sailed. These things had happened in China
eleven months since, and they had not yet sent out a
single ship, That did not look like providing far the
proper performance of the service in that part of the
world.—(Cheers.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN would remind the Noble
Viscount that if the Noble Duke bad made no remon-
strance at the time of the French invasion of Algiers,
a certain pledge hid been then given by the French
Government. He would ask how that pledge had been
fulfilled ?—(Cheers.) Had not that pledge been given
the expedition never would have taken place—that
pledge would have been fulfilled to the Noble Duke.—
(cheers.) But the .French knew with'whom they had
to deal. They knew they might safely trust either to
their indecision or their apprehension.
The Earl of MINTO said the Noble Earl had
thought proper to attack him on the ground of misap-
propriation of the patronage of the navy. He was
glad, that he had thought proper to bring forward the
appointment of Admiral Fleming. He had no desire
to flinch from the responsibility of that appOintment,
and he thought Admiral Fleming was worthy
to fill it. He did not know to what the Noble Lord
had intended to allude when he commenced his attack.
He thought they were going to have the Plumridge
case over again. He did not fear inquiry as to the
manner in which the patronage of the navy had been
disposed of by him. He would ask the Noble Lord
when he thought he had a fair case against him, to bring
it forward. With regard to the officers 'of the navy
being deficient in experience, which the French officers
bad an opportunity of acquiring, he had great pleasure
in stating that the discipline and skill of the officers of
our navy were the object of wonder to the French
ships that were lying alongside of them. He was anxi-
ous of not losing that opportunity of bearing wit-
ness to the skill and activity of our naval officers,
and he had found that those officers who had been out
of the service for some time, and bad been re-appointed,
had, after that interval of repose from active service,
been found performing their duties with all their origi-
nal skill and energy.

Lord EL LE NaOROUG H wished to ask. the Noble.
Earl whether it wTs true, as had been stated, that tb: t
officer bad never been in action ; because he had re-
ceived the highest situation as to emolument to which
a naval officer could be appointed ?
The. Earl of MINTQ did not .know how often ;
but he had understood Admiral Fleming had been in
action, although he could not take upon himself to state
this. But this be knew—that Admiral Fleming's ser-
vices had been for )ears of the most active kind—that
be had exhibited great skill and energy, and that few
had gone through more arduous duties than he had
done.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH said as the Noble Earl
did not know if Admiral Fleming had ever been in ac-
tion, and as the Noble Viscount had stated that he
had made inquiries into the merits of the respective
candidates for the appointment, it was not possible but
what he must know the facts of the case. He would,
therefore, ask the Noble Viscount if Admiral Fleming
had ever been in action.

Viscount MELBOURNE—I really don't know.—
(A laugh.) I have always taken into consideration
the general services of the officer, and I apprehend that
there are many distinguished officers in the Navy who
have never been in action.

Lord ELLE N BO RO UG H—Narne.
Viscount MELBOURNE—I don't wish to name
names, because I may be wrong ; but I may observe
that fighting is not the whole of a sailor's duty, nor of
a soldier's either.—(Laughter.)
Lord ELLEN BO ROUGH—But 5t is the sort of
service for which they have always obtr,ined distinctions.
Viscount MELBOURNE—I dor,'t think so.
Lord COLCHESTER replied; he denied that Admi-
ral Fleming had ever commanded •a ship in action ; and
with respect to distinctions, he liras one of the very few
Admirals who bad no honorary distinctions after his
name. He held in his hand the Navy List, from which
it appeared that there were no less than nine distin-
guished officers his seniors. If Admiral Fleming had
been appointed to an active command in the fleet, there
never would have been a word about it—(Hear, bear)
—but what they complained of was, that a usan in the
prime of health and strength should have been ap-
pointed to Greenwich Hespital. As he understood
that there was some objection to the latter part of the
return, he would withdraw that portion.
The return, as amended, was then agreed to, and
their Lordships adjourned at a Quarter to Nine
o' Clock.