The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-18 00:00:00

aster, Conlthas being the gamekeeper of Dr. Bowes, the y FRENCH NAVY CREDITS BILL.
defendant, and it was for criminal conversation with the ill. THjERS'
wife of plaintiff. The rule was now sought on the ground SPEECH AT THE CHAMBER OF DE-
PUTIES ON THE 15TH.
the verdict beim.; against evidence. The defendant was ! necessarL
‘UP.Mri of age, an. 4 the wife cf the defendant, who of I
as housekeeper, was 58. The plaintiff, who was 60 years of
1.3.ga• had been in the service of the defendant for 35 years.
During that time a considerable intimacy sprung up and the
defendant and his wife were considered as part of plaintiff's
fauilly- About five years ago Dr. Bowes had had a very
severe attack of illness, a nervous complaint, during which
1e had been nursed by the plaintiff's wife, which still
brought her into more immediate contact with the
defendant then before. Subsequent to this she had
been in daily waiting on him, and as he had an affection in
one of his feet, she had to lace and unlace his boot morning
and night, and otherwise to attend upon his person. It was
during the latter period that the alleged adultery took place.
The Learned Gentleman then recapitulated the evidence
adduced on the trial in support of the charge of adultery,
hadset forth that two acts of criminal conversation
nad been witnessed in one day by two persons, the
evidence of whom was believed to be somewhat sup•
ported by several letters of the defendant produced on the
trial. The witnesses called were parties well known
to be on ill terms with the defendant and the
Plaintiff's :wife, while, in answer to that, there were
the whole servants of the establishment called, who proved
that no improper familiarity had ever been witnessed, and
this was corroborated by the principal relations of the de-
fendant who visited there. With respect to the direct acts of
adultery alleged to have taken place on the 29th of November,
the Learned Gentleman said it was proved that the plaintiff
went to bed that night at ten o'clock, the hour at which the
act of adultery was said to have been seen by two witnesses
appointed to watch by the plaintiff. Next day he went to
church without making reference to this fact, and he came
home at night the worse for liquor, and wished to sleep with
his Wife, bat s'le resisted. He then got into a v'o'ent passion,
and upbraided her with being a w-; on which, when
one of the servants to whom he addressed himself reproached
him with using such language, he said he had it from two
parties, not the Smiths; no reference being made to them,_
or the night before. The two parties whom he gave as his
authority, when spoken to, denied all knowledge of h
any-
thing of the kind. In fact, the adultery alleged to have
been seen in the study on the 29th was got up, after the
wife went home to her mother at Wakefield, to suit a parti-
cular purpose. It was also proved, in answer, that the
blinds had been put down by the servants, so that it would
have been impossible to see anything of the kind from
the outside. The same answer applied to the acts of
adultery said to have taken place in the bed-room at a
later hour the same evening, and watched, it was said, by the
same parties. Considering the ages of the parties charged,
the proceedings of the plaintiff on the nights referred to,
the discrepancy in the evidence pro and con, with the fact
that Dr. Bowes had solemnly declared on affidavit that he
never had had any criminal conversation with the de-
fendant's wife, he trusted their Lordships would. grant the
application.
Lord Chief Justice TINDAL intimated, that they would
confer with the Judge who tried the case before answering
the application.

1 TITERS felt ~iy to ascend the tribune, in artier
firmly to establish some ideas which had been vaguely stated
during the discussion. Three things were requisite to create
a powerful navy—perseverance, time, and a firm will. Some
Hon. Deputies had spoken of faults that had been committed
in this department. Undoubtedly faults could be pointed
out easily; but when the general plan was good, mere errors
of detail were redeemed by the efficiency of the ensemble.
If he had found any evidence of such a plan in the report
sent to the King by the Minister of Marine, he should
net have thought it necessary then to address the Chamber.
T. he questions which it seemed chiefly desirable to discuss,
111 connexion with the subject under examination, were
these :—W as the past history of the French nary a cause
of discouragement or of hope? What enemy was France
most likely to compete with? Had she a sufficient number
of men employed in the service, and were adequate
pains taken to secure that point ? And, lastly, what ought
to be done between sailing vessels and steamers ? Such
were the questions to be examined. As France had about
GOO leagues of coast, and only 560 leagues of land frontier,
and as, besides, she was a commercial country, having goods
to sell and to purchase, the possession of a navy was to her
a matter of absolute necessity. England and the United
States had at present some differences to settle. He trusted
that an amicable arrangement would be entered into between
these two Powers; but should a war burst out, what course
was France to adopt? The Government bad decided that
she was to remain perfectly neutral. No doubt that was a
fine position, as the commerce between the two countries
must mostly fall to her share. But on what conditions
could she assume that position ? On no other than if she
possessed a strong and effective navy capable of making her
neutrality respected. France possessed the great colony of
Algeria, which would succeed in the end, in spite of diffi-
culties, but not unless constant relations could be kept up
between the colony and France. He was a great advocate
in favour of that colony, and not, therefore, opposed to the
existence of a strong navy, as had been wrongly stated of
him. Undoubtedly the army was the principal force of the
kingdom ; but it would be sometimes found useful to di-

minish it in order to augment the navy, and vice versa. At
one period of the English alliance it would have been allow-
able, perhaps, to diminish the navy in favour of the land
forces. He considered that alliance of great utility to
France, and was strongly in its favour. He deprecated war
as a great calamity; but he could not shut his eyes to the
fact that a collision might some day or other take place
between the two countries, as was nearly the case two years
back relative to Tahiti. As, therefore, the alliance was not
so sure that a war might not arise, care should be taken to

have France prepared for such an eventuality. He, there-
fore, should say, "Increase the navy. Increase it with a
gradual increase, and zealously." Ought the past career of
the navy to encourage the country to pursue that plan ?
He thought that the past was strongly in favour of -the
development which he recommended ; for whenever an
energetic and patient attempt had been made to increase the
naval force of the kingdom it had fully succeeded. (The
Hon. Deputy instanced various periods in the history of
France in which this had been done, and always, he declared,
with success.) The navy had fallen off during the seven
years' war, and Voltaire had thought it worth while to
examine at great length the causes of that decline. Vol-
taire died in 1778, about the period of the American war,
and then the navy was in a sad condition. Yet by the
firm resolution of Louis XVL—ill-rewarded for his exer-

BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Commissioner Gort.nunx.)
IN RE REAY AND REAT.

To-day was appointed for an audit of the accounts of these
bankrupts, who were wine-merchants in Mark-lane. No-
thing publicly transpired as to the accounts, but it was stated
that, at present, no idea could be formed as to the amount of
the dividend.
The Solicitor to the assignees applied for the Learned
Commissioner's sanction to the allowance of extra costs in
this case, for double meetings, as the estate was very large,
and the affairs intricate.
The Learned COMMISSIONER having referred to the rules
and orders, &c., said that he would allow them.
The Solicitor next applied for fees to Counsel on the choice
of assignees.
The Learned CommissiowEß said he was afraid that he
could not make an order for that, for by the statute the peti-
tioning creditor was bound to prosecute the commission until
the choice of assignees.
The Solicitor said that he was not solicitor at the time to
the petitioning creditor, but appeared on behalf of creditors
to the amount of 140,0004, and they were, after a long dis-
cussion, appointed—it would have been almost impossible to
have done justice to the case without the assistance of
counsel, whose exertions were continued at the same meeting.
The Learned COMMISSIONER said the Act gave power to
grant costs to the petitioning creditor and to the assignees,
but here there was a gap, and it became a very nice point ;
but in a case which had been so well conducted throughout,
he thought all the costs which could be allowed ought to be.
Re should, therefore, allow these.

tions—it recovered strength, and during that war it fought
not less than seventeen battles, not one of which was lost
except the last. France had, in fact, held the Channel
free, and had sometimes gained advantages over England.
The French navy did not, it was true, resist altogether the
English power, but it made itself respected in all quarters.

Vtiat had there been to achieve all that ? A firm deter.

mination ! The French navy fill off during the revolution,
and Napoleon endeavoured to revive it. He lavished men
and treasure for the purpose, but he wanted to prevail much
too quickly—he did not allow sufficient time, and he failed.

_
From these circumstances he came to the conclusion that
whenever the Government was eetermined to possess a
powerful navy, it could most surely succeed ; not a navy
certainly, which was to rule over every sea, but a powerful
and effective naval force, such as it was under Louis XVI.
With what country was France most likely to be engaged in
a maritime war? Not with Austria, or Russia, or Spain, or
Holland, but with England. But what force had that coun-
try to bring against her enemy? In the last war she never
had one hundred ships at sea at the same time, and, on an
average, not more than eighty. To oppose that number, the
force of thirty-six or even forty ships of the line, spoken of by
the Committee and in the Bill, could not be regarded as deter-
mined on seriously. It was true that the quality of these vessels
had been insisted on; but quality, though excellent in itself,
was not sufficient ; quantity was also indispensable, and at least
60 ships of the line ought to be kept up by France. With that
number, she could, he thought, hold head against the whole navy
of England, for the latter power, from the number of her colo-
nies was obliged to divide her forces into many quarters.
But France must thus concentrate her forces as much as pos-
sible, and on no account depart from that system. It was
because he so clearly felt the importance of this system of
concentration, that he had disapproved of the establishment
of the Marquesas, and such distant colonies. No. If money
WAS to be laid out on colonies, let it be in the defence of
Algiers, Port Vendres, and the Port of Berra (qy. Bona.)--
(Movement.) Some persons imagined that large vessels
could be dispensed with altogether, and that frigates could
be happily employed in naval warfare. The case of America
was brought forward in support of the present argument.
But why did America use frigates? Because she pos-
sessed Lo others. She sometimes succeeded, it was true,
but at an immense cost. In truth, to speak of the greatness
of a navy, and to desire to prepare only for a war of priva-
teers, was, in his opininion, absolute nonsense. Theremust
always exist a certain fitting proportion between the
larger and lesser vessels; and, besides, naval warfare with
squadrons was far less destructive than with small divisions.

IC was said by some that France could not fit out 50 ships of
the line and 50 frigates. That he considered to be a great
error. Taking the Government tables, he found that the
maritime register; afforded 125,000 men. Out of that num-
ber there were 24,000 workmen, pilots, captains of coasting-
vessels, &c. Take away the cabin-boys and others who were
not able bodied seamen, and the number left would be 05,000
seamen between 18 andso. It was said that out of that num-
ber must be taken the men too old to continue in the service.
lie believed that up to 50 a sailor was well able to perform
his duties, and it was quite a mistake to suppose that many
did not remain to a greater age in the navy. But, making
every allowance, the computation of the Minister of Marine
might be taken, and 46,000 chosen men be stated as certain
to be found in the number just mentioned. But if war was
to be carried on with picked men only, the armies of
Europe would be exceedingly reduced, and he should
increase the computation of the Honourable Minister to
50,000 at least. But in all crews two-thirds were eld sailors,
and one-third the new levy which would give 75,000 men,
and with that complement, according to the calculations of
the Hon. Minister, 50 ships of the line, 50 frigates, and 100
steamers could be fitted out. Many persons thought that
free trade would tend to augment the number of seamen.
Such was not his opinion •, he considered the protective
system more favourable to the development of the navy. He
was quite ready to discuss that question, and from the pro-
gress that the public mind was making on the subject, he
conceived that the Chamber would be called on next year
to examine the matter thoroughly. One thing, howeve, he
thought self-evident—that if they desired to increase the
maritime register, they must augment the number of vessels.
Whenever the vessels of the State were prepared for a
larger number of seamen, the latter would be
certain to be found, for they would proceed from the
merchant service, which, in its turn, would take its new
supply from the population of the seaports. The mode in
which the French navy was kept up, until of late, was to
have a certain number of vessels in commission de rade, which
was a kind of half-allowance of men—half a crew, about 350,
and a staff. In that state the crew could be exercised—
could make a voyage from Toulon to Algiers. By adding a
certain number of men the crew would be complete. The
Minister of Marine had changed that system, and established
the desponsibilite de Fade, in which case the vessel had no
staff. There was also no crew—namely, a guard of 100 men,
and the vessel remained always in port. That measure ap-
peared to him deplorable, as there should be a crew or
nothing. He had inquired into the expense of keeping up a
crew. To have ten ships of the line completely armed and
provisioned, and ten dismantled, it would be necessary to
add to the Budget Lot 6,000,000 f. a-year ; and to have
twelve of each the augmentation would be 9,360,000 f. ;
and for fifteen of each the additional cost would be
14,000,000 f. He should, therefore, propose nothing
abrupt or immediate. He merely desired to see six, nine,
or fourteen millions added annually to the budget, and if the
Minister refused sums, so insignificant in comparison to the
objects to be carried out, he (M. 'Tiers) must think him not
serious in his assertions of readiness :to increase the navy.
So much for the men to be employed in the navy. He
should now briefly allude to the number of vessels. If a
stthaetenuofmtbrearnsuiftiofonrtwy riotahaspa of tk
now going
inoilngeason,
a per
he should
butconsiderdas
changes were in preparation, he could conceive that an
Willingness existed to build all the vessls that mightunbe
manned by the
though steamers were amen whom the State could famish. Al-
veesrselhkely in the end to have the advan-
tage over sailing
of great importance. e ?jndstill ships of the line must always be
not oppose the number f Under these circumstances, he should
condition
thirtyix or fort vessels, but on
only,
that if the number-s yof vessels was kept down,
the full
lo n
quantity
uan
tity of stores, timber, and materiel, should be
carefully prepared.
A Voice—That was what
M. Thiers.—No doubt; b the Committee desired.
the Hon. Minister specify aumt‘,hat quantity of timber did
on hand? 180,000 steres I 11711 the
proper quantity to be kept
more than about two years, three
was not a supply for
smallest quantity that ought to be ekat most.
The very
steres. The Hon. Deputy here criticisedege up was 300i000
experiments in building vessels as practised in Froanincea, fog
gave the preference to England in that respect. To sum
up, France, he said, ought to have a powerful navy, not to
rule over the seas, but to make herself respected ; and in
order to effect that, she must concentrate her forces, have a
considerable number of vessels fitted up, and a large quan-
tity of stores of all kinds. The heads of the Marine De-
partment ought to proceed on a fixed plan, which he did
not think could now be asserted. The Minister of Marine,
besides, had no excuse for any inferiority in his department,
back the Chamber insisted on adding
3,000,000 f. to his budget.
for two or three years
ifa
Under such circumstances,
Minister did not do all that it was his duty to perform, he
responsibility, incurred an immense such as few persons
would like to accept.—(Agitation.)

FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—The re-
turn of Lafont attracted a brilliant audience last evening.
There were present the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort,
Countess of Beauchamp, Lord and Lady Macdonald, Count
and Countess de Jarnac, Lord Chelsea, Lord Cowper, Count
Anthony EAerhazy, Count D'Orsay, Countess of Blessing-
ton, the Misses Power, Lady Webster, Lady Slade, Lady
Wilsq& Lady and the Misses Burgoyne, Sir John and Lady
Larpeirt, Lady Fitzroy Kelly, Hon. r. Pert', Count Kiel-
rnansegge, Mr. Canofari, Hon. Mrs. Leicester Stanhope, Sir
Henry Webb, Sir John 11. Lowther, Mr. Milner Gibson,
Mrs. Paul, &c.

ALARMING FIRE IN THE WESTMINSTER-ROAD.—
This morning, shortly after twelve o'clock, a fire, which at
first threatened very serious if not fatal consequences, was
discovered by police-constable 162 L, raging upon the pre-
mises in the occupancy of Mr. R. C. Gay, a tailor, carrying
on business at No. 9, Mount-street, Westminster-road, Lam-
beth, next door to the entrance of the National Swimming
Baths. The discovery was made by the constable perceiving
smoke issuing Irons the door and front windows. An imme-
diate alarm was raised, and after a great deal of trouble the
inmates were aroused from their slumbers, but not before
the fire was ascending up the staircase in such dense bodies
as to cut off all means of escape by that quarter. The en-
gines belonging to the Brigade and West of England-office
were quick in arriving, and the Lambeth Water-works
yielded an immediate and an abundant supply of water, from
which the engines were set to work under the direction of
Mr. Connorton and Mr. Hamelton. After Considerable
trouble the inmates managed to effect a safe retreat from the
blazing premises, but the fire was not safely extinguished
until the stock-in-trade in the shop was destroyed, and the
building much injured by the fire, water, and hasty removal.
The origin of the fire is unknown, but Mr. Gay, it is under-
, stood, is fully insured.