The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-10 00:00:00

paid in the dockyards. The importance of properly inves-
tigating this question could not be overrated, and the Com-
mittee had given great attention to it. The vote No. 6
commenced with stating the reasons for the re-establishment
of Deptford as :a building-yard. Reasons of policy as well
as economy required this to be done. The necessity for
building steam-ships required that additional facilities for
building them should be found. No resources were so
immediately available at the time as the re-establish-
ment of Deptford yard as a building-yardeand this would
account for the increase in this department. As to the total
number of ships in the dockyards, they were not more than
were sufficient for the public service. The question of timber
inspectors he would leave for the present. At page 46 the
Committee made some remarks with reference to the super-
intendence of timber received in the dockyards, in every one
of which he entirely concurred. Those remarks truly pointed
out that everything depended on the vigilance of the super-
intendent. If that officer did not exert himself, much useless
expenditure and enhanced cost of useful works . would take
place. It was, as had been suggested, therefore, most impor-
tant that these offices should not be conferred on men as an
honorary reward for past services, but should be reserved
for men of competent knowledge and ability. It was the
determination of the Admiralty not to confer appointments
of this sort henceforward on any one who was not in full
possession of his faculties, both of body and mind. An
important saving could be effected is this department, but
the difficulty would be to find fit men to till these posts,
on account of the multifarious and important character of
the duties. The report further stated that our public esta-
blishments were disadvantageously circumstanced in one
particular respect, and gave his (Mr. Ward's) authority for
this statement. He (Mr. Ward) begged to say that he
never gave an opinion as to the expediency of breaking up
our establishments, or diminishing them unduly—or substi-
tuting private contracts for shipbuilding in place of building
ships in our dockyards. If one thing was more clearly
proved than another, it was that an increased expense
would be incurred by transferring shipbuilding from the
dockyards to private shipbuilders' yards. He admitted that
dockyards were worse in one respect, because they had not
the stimulus which existed in private shipbuilding. But
the Admiralty had done all they could to remedy this disad-
vantage. They had given up all the patronage of the dock-
yards--they had made them a fair field for all—and they
had received the best evidence of the good and salutary
working of the new system. They had found that the
system was doing good every day, and that it was giving
a stimulus to the dockyard artificers, which was an equi-
valent for the stimulus afforded by private enterprise. He
believed the system was creating a new set of valuable ar-
tisans, and creating a race of officers who would do credit to
the public establishments, and who would leave little to de-
sire, as far as the advantages of private establishments were
concerned. The Committee justly remarked that the esta-
blishments of the. country were regulated by the wants of
the country. The. Committee made a comparison between
the navy of past times and the navy of the present time—a
comparison, however, which he hardly thought thee- had
curried out to the full extent. The decrease which had
taken place in some classes of our ships of war was most ex-
traordinary. In line-of-battle ships, the number in 1814 was
199 of all classes, while in 1848 the total number was 47.
In 1814 the total number was 199
1825 ... ... 117
1835. 97
1848 ... 47
This showed the progress of decay in this department of the
service. Some had been converted into hulks, some to hos-
pital ships, some to quarantine ships, and others to other
purposes ; but it was true that as line-of-battle ships we
had not 50 ships. This was owing to the large addition
which we had made to our navy of steam ships. A large
expense had beea incurred for building steam-vessels, and
must continua for. some time, if Lord Auckland's recom-
mendation as to building three ships a year for some years
to some were adopted. The estimates for the dockyards
was fixed in the year 1830 at 6G,000/. a year. This was
after the introduction of steam, and at a period when all
matters connected with the dockyards were cut down much
too low. But as no reference was had to the increase of the
steam-navy these estimates did not last a year. Extra
lists were introduced, and the wants of these establish-
ments had gone on growing up to the present time.
The Committee recommended that these establishments
should be thoroughly revised, and that an inquiry be
instituted as to the amoant of building which ought to
take place for the next eight or ten years. The inquiry was
to be made by a mode fixed by an order in Council. Hired
men ought to be got rid of; there should be no extra men
employed, except under official sanction. In these recoin-
mendatiogs he acquiesced. The Admiralty were prepared
to revise those establishments, calling to their assistance per-
sons connected with the dockyards, and the Admiralty then
hoped next year to be able to come before Parliament with a
revised scheme for these establishments. There were many
other remarks in the report on matters of detail, for instance,
as to the duties of surveyors, in which there was complete
concurrence. The Committee recommended that the steam
and surveying departments be so organized as to work toge-
ther; the Admiralty would carry out the instructions of the
Committee for co-operation in• this respect, as the want of
co-operation in those two departments must be productive
of loss and mischief. The Committee alluded to the large
sums which had been expended in adapting steam machinery
to old ships of war. The guard-ship, the Renheim, had
been so fitted up ; and three days ago a letter had been re-
ceived from a gallant and experienced officer, Captain Chad;
who described the performance of the Blenheim. The Blen-
heim was attached to Admiral Napier's squadron. She met
with very rough weather, but she weathered it equal to the
St. Vincent or the Bellerophon, though carrying fifteen tons
more water. She was said to be available for either the Me-
diterranean or the Channel, and would keep a whole fleet of
the enemy's steamers at a prudent distance. She was in Cork
harbour when a gale was blowing. She steamed out at once,
and performed her voyage in a perfectly satisfactory manner.
Another portion of the Committee's remarks had reference to
the steam factories, and whether it would not be judicious to
reduce them. The vote was reduced 65.0001., which the
Committee thought was sufficient. The Admiralty agreed
with the Committee in thinking that the practica of doing
steam work in the yards was objectionable, and that this
duty ought to be limited to steam machinery. But he could
not agree with the Committee that the manufacture of
:team-boilers ought to be discontinued in the dockyards.
The rivets and plates of which the boilers were made, were
not made in the dockyards. The only work that was done
in the dockyards was to put the boilers t %ether. If boilers
were built by contract, as suggested, it would not be fol-
feeefes oat the principle of economy to build them at Bir-
mingham, and then have to remove such heavy bodies by
railway to the dockyards. The Committee then proceeded
to rec. mmend a better system of accounts to be kept. It
was difficult to bring large establishments into working
order all at once when a new system was proposed ; but
he should not be satisfied until he saw a system of debtor
and creditor accounts, simple and accurate, produced be-
fore that House. The Committee recommended it to be
ascertained if the packet service could not be more
efficiently performed by private contract, and referred
to the communication between Holyhead and Dublin. The
Admiralty would have no objection to listen to any proposal
for making this service more efficient, provided it was based
on the principle of giving security that the service should be
well performed. With reference to the recommendations as
as to the extra hands, they should have consideration. The
Committee expressed apprehension that the establishment
at Malta was too expensive; but he thought the establish-
ment at Malta a great addition to our security, and it would
be found advantageous in point of economy to our steam ar-
rangements in the Mediterranean. Then, with reference to
naval stores, and the great consumption of English oak, as
being injudicious and impolitic, M. Creuze, the surveyor of
Lloyd's, advised, that by using other kinds of timber we
could economise our oak timber. The Admiralty were mak-
ing experiments in this direction. A great many new kinds
of timber had been recently introduced, and experiments
were now making with teak, Honduras mahogany, Italian
oak, and other sorts of wood, to see how far they would
answer the purposes of the dockyard ; but it must be recol-
lected that these sorts of timber were not in use in mer-
chants' yards, and therefore no decision as to their value
could be yet arrived at. If, however, they were found
to be of use, and they could have a fair trial, they would be
made to operate towards diminishing the consumption of
English oak. The Committee stated that a large expense of
timber would be necessary for the creation of our steam navy ;
bat they hoped a large reduction would be made on this
head. He should not be dealing fairly with the House if he
did not say that he did not think any large reduction could
be looked for. It must be recollected that Lord Auckland
said we ought to build three line-of-battle ships every year.
Now, these three line-of-battle ships yearly would require
18,000 loads of Umbel-. That was not a vote, however, in
which he could hope to effect any very great saving. The
Committee recommended that the establishment of timber
ought to be kept up, as well- as those of all the
principal articles in store in the dockyard; for, as
it observed, economy in such a vote was only postponing
a purchase—putting of the evil day, and leaving to
a future Parliament the necessity of making a greatly
increased vote. The Committee also recommended
that, considering the importance of the vote for timber, it
should be taken separately instead of being limped with
other items. To that no objection could be made, and they
also expressed a hope that a large reduction would be made
in the item of steam machinery in the course of the ensuing
year. That had already been promised by the Government,
who had stated that they would effect a reduction of 180,0001.,
and he did not think that they could go further. Vote No. 11
was the last vote of any importance connected with the navy
upon which he should have to make any remarks. It was
the vote relating to new words, and it had given rise to long
inquiries in the Committee, and occasioned great difference of
opinion. The Committee said this was a vote to be judged,
not by a comparison with the estimates .of former years,
but with reference to the expediency of the works proposed.
and it then went on to inquire whether these new works were
indispensably necessary ; and whether precautions were taken
for due economy in their eLecution. He had no hesitation
in saying that all the works 'conducted by the •Admiralty
department were most indispensably necessary.. It
was impossible to keep the eountry in an efficient and proper.
state, with regard to her coast defences, without such works
as were then being carried on at Portsmouth, Chatham,
Woolwich, &c. Certainly, if more time for reflection and
preparation had been taken, if they had been planned ten
years since, there would have been more 'system in their
operation, and greater economy in their execution' ; but in
all future works he would not have the House, in every ca se
where alight errors and faults were discovered, suspend
them, and refuse the grants for them; thus putting an end
to the works, and robbing the country of the benefit of all
the money sunk in them. In forming that estimate the
Committee approved of the course of leaving all new works
under the vote No. 11. The Committee went on to remark
upon the minute details of all the various charges made in
each separate item; and it laid to the charge of the Govern-
ment, that for the last ten years it had not given a complete
plan of the factories built at Woolwich. That, however,
could not have been done; for all the ingenuity of some of
the first engineers of the kingdom had been occupied for 14
years in improving it. The factory had increased and grown
with the growth of the steam navy of the country, and there
were constant demands upon it. There were also suggestions
of experiments which had been tried in private yards, and,
being found useful to the public, were adopted. With all
this he could not attach any blame to the board for not
having submitted a plan of the building in its integrity to
Parliament, for it could not be done. They had now sufficient
experienee of the working of this factory to do so, but ten
years ago it could not have been done. The Committee re-
marked upon the large factory establishments kept up by
the Government, but said that it had not been able to ex-
amine all the details. He admitted at once that there was
no subject more worthy of the attention of Parliament, and
he proposed to enter into a laborious inquiry into the matter
during the recess as to the means of avoiding the augmenta-
tion of the burdens of large and increasing factory establish-
ments. Until some such proceeding was adopted, no satis-
factory result could be obtained. With regard to the sawing
establishment, his Noble Friend seemed to think that the
public had not had all the benefit of all the reduction which
ought to have taken place in manual labour. It was only a
few months since these mills had come into operation, and
yet they had lately made a large reduction in the manual
labour in the dockyard since the commencement of the pre-
sent Year, and that system they were prepared to carry out
still further. The next item in the report of the Committee
ryeefaerrsreadgoto, thebut basineinee at Devonport. That was begun ten
place th! plan. that time great alterations had taken
There wads great clifiefoce of opinion—in

THE SiJN,