The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-01 00:00:00

LONDON:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1841.

The gallant Sir C. NAPIER is as untiring- as he
is brave. Scarcely elected for Marylebone, he
made a sensible speech in Parliament; Sir R.
PEEL is scarcely in office, and the vigilant officer
addresses a letter to him (published by RIDGWAY)
on the subject of the navy. After pointing out
with great force many of the evil effects of the
present plan of making the•navy an engine to
promote party purposes, which has gone far to
degrade that service into a means of pensioning
the younger sons of the aristocracy, the Gallant
Officer gives the following sketch of the plan
which he proposes for governing the navy. Our
quotation is perhaps long, but we cannot in jus-
tice to Sir CHARLES NAPIER abate one word of it.
lam of opinion that the navy should be ruled by a
naval officer, not a Cabinet Minister, with the title of
Admiral of Great Britain (that of Lord High Admiral
being perhaps too high for any person under royalty).
The whole of the patronage and responsibility should be
vested in him. He should be assisted by two flag offi-
cers, with the title of Vice and Rear-Admiral of Great
Britain (doing away the two sinecures of that name), a
flag officer or a captain with the title of Captain of the
Fleet, a civilian, and two secretaries, one a naval officer,
and the other a civilian.

" The Vice-Admiral should superintend the dock-vard
departments ; the Rear-Admiral the victualling and-me-
dical branch ; and the civilian the Accountant-Gene-
ral's department. All correspondence with either of
these departments should go direct to them, and they
should give their orders to the Surveyor, Store-keeper
General, Physician of the Fleet, and Comptroller of
Victualling.

The Admiral of Great Britain would, of course, con-
sult with them when he thought it necessary, and give
what directions he thought proper. But his attention►
would be particularly directed to the stationing of ships,
the pm motion and appointment of officers, in which he
would be assisted by the Captain of the Fleet and his
naval secretary. _ _

" The civil secretary should attend to the political
part of the business, which should only be known to the
Admiral and himself ; whereas, at present, there are
many transactions that ought to be secret, with which
the whole Board are acquair ted, and, in addition to
them, perhaps, one-half of the clerks of the Admiralty.
" The inspections at the different ports should be
made by the Admiral, the Vice or Rear-Admiral ; they
should hoist their flags, and examine minutely into their
departmentss, and most particularly into the discipline of
the ships, which r.ever can be properly done by a Board
in plain clothes, with a secretary tacked to their tail,
running hastily through the departments in the manner
they have hitherto done.

"I remember perfectly well the impulse that was given
to the service when the late king was Lord High Ad-
miral. He might, perhaps, have done too much, and
might not have been prudent in his communications with
the Government; but no apprehension could be enter-
tained of any difficulties between the Ministry and an
Admiral who could be removed at pleasure, but who
ought most certainly not to be removed with every
change of Ministry. At present, not only the first Lora,
but all the Board, are political partisans ; and just as
they begin to know their business, they are replaced by
a fresh set, who have their lessons to learn, and inva-
riably entertain different notions from their predecessors.
Hence arise the constant changes that take place, ruinous
to the discipline and:the well-being of the service, and
expensive to the country.
•" It may be thought great presumption in so humble
an individual as myself, waking suggestions to a Prime
Minister about to form his Administration ; but I do it
from a conviction that, if things are allowed to continue
in their present state, a great catastrophe will befal thi;
country. _

" You, Sir, are placed in a position supported by a very
large majority ; you may almost do what you please,
and I venture to say, if you adopt the suggestions 1 have
proposed, you will give satisfaction to the country, and
to the Navy. They are a powerful body, almost all on
the Conservative side, and their opicions ought not to be
disregarded. I know, Sir, a Minister may hesitate to
adopt my views, fearing to lose the patronage of the
navy ' • he may also have difficulties with his political
friends, who aspire to the place of the tirstLord of the Ad-
miralty ; but, Sir, Mr. Canning broke through all these
difficulties, and I see no reason why-Sir Robert Peel
should not follow his example.
There is no difficulty, sir, in choosing the man ;*
the whole service could lay their, finger on
.him ; he is
one of your own politics, and no one will find fault if you
choose them all from the same school. It would cer-
tainly be better if it was mot so but:l am not .unreason-

• We believe the Gallant Commodore points to Sir G. Cock-
burn.