The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-14 00:00:00

a House

Although we Co-not ngres with everything that
falls from Sir CHARLES _NAPIER respecting naval
architecture and naval affairs in gpneral, we fully
recognise the high honour, unblemishedintegrity,
and great xpi',rienc,-2 of the Gallant Admiral, and his
anxious desire to increase the efficiency, while
the cos', of the irnportcnt service of which he
is one of the most di6tinguishcd ornaments, and
thereby to promote the Lterests of his native land.
He hi,ve Lis " hubbies" new are without
ino7e or,p7oially on tubj-e,ts •to which
tLir tliorig,ht, and criei-gici are chiefly directed—
constitute the omplDynamts and occupations
of their lives. Whatever rory 13,,,, these hobbies, they
do not di::qtmlify Sir Cu.:.nr.ta from. being a faithful
.‘yorthy witness—ono .Whose evidence should
ved with high aspect and maturely consi-
was arrived at. We do
to attach any additiouai weight to
.otter which will he found in another
y's impres;:lon fain tile name, rank, or

and t;l7.
be recE
den d b

re a- -f

1 dcc

part of

experienca cf iik.guthcr,ff Liad even erconated

from the- 'pem -- of a nameless find unknown !.
writer, it would still be en ,:itied to a
favourable reception on its own merits. It
contains internal evidence of being the production
of one thoroughly acquainted with, and who had re-
flected profoundly on, the subject-matter cn which
he was engaged; we commend it to the public atten-
tion on these grounds, and these grounds only. Let
it be taken for what it is worth, and we feel assured
that the statements and arguments therein contained
will carry with them conviction to every unprejudiced
mind, and show the errors into which some of the
popular representatives have fallen.
It will be seen that Sir CHARLES NAPIER enter-
tains the same opinions on the naval estimates to
which we gave expression on Tuesday last. "It is
not," he says, " the vote for men that governs the
amount of the navy estimates, it is the vote for artifi-
cers employed in the dockyards that ought to rule the
expense." This is indeed the truth, and its accuracy
is established by the simple rules of arithmetic. Our
entire effective force cf seamen, marines, and boys—
what may be termed the personnel of the service, only
costs 1,93G,355/. out of tLe gross total of 5,727,259/.
required, or, in other words, little more than one-
third of the entire amount, that sum including
every expense for wages, victualling, clothing, &c. ;
while 2,011,3071. is required for the dockyard expen-
diture. Every shilling of the former outlay is, or
rather, under a wiser system than is now pursued,
would be, applied to a good purpose. Sailors, when
fully trained and disciplined, become exceedingly
valuable. It takes several years to make a thorough
practical seaman. A few months may en-
able a soldier to go through his drill,
load and fire his musket, and point his
bayonet against any aggressor, but it is not so
easy to teach sailors to ascend the masts, spread
themselves out upon the yards, furl or unfurl the
sails, or perform the various operations that may fall
to their lot in the ordinary routine of duty. There
is not, therefore, so imperative a necessity for keeping
a reserve of the former as of the latter. Besides, if
necessity should arise, we could more easily col-
lect the disbanded men. Their pursuits keep
them on terra firma, and they could be found when
wanting. But still we reverse the proper policy.
We watch jealously over our soldiers, maintain depots,
4nd skeleton regiments, and objections are'made to
enlistment for limited periods. In fact, when once a
man joins as a recruit, he becomes so very dear to
his country that he will not be willingly partod with,
save on the payment of a good round sum of money.
And why ? Because, say the authorities, " a soldier
is an expensive machine." We believe each man is
estimated to have cost some 35/. before he became
really valuable, and it would take an equal sum to pro-
vide an efficient substitute. It would, therefore, be an
unsvise economy to discharge such. a man because
there was no immediate necessity for his services, and
this judicious view is, fully carried out in practice.
But how do we act with regard :to our sailors ?. A
vessel is commissioned and sent on foreign service ;
thi! crew are collected together with great difficulty,
and considerable delay, months being often consumed
'before the entire complement can be obtained,
or the gallant ship fully ' manned. At first the
men are unable to work efficiently together. They
do not understand their different posts, or the sub-
division of labour, so as to do the largest amount of
work with the least possible expenditure of trouble;
by degrees this valuable knowledge is acquired,
everything goes smoothly. The captain, officers,
and Leamea become accustomed to each other. Com-
pliinente are freely bestowed on the high state of effi-
ciency into which they have been brought,
when the mull three ye.are' term expires, and
these valuable men, each of whom costs fOr pay,
clothing and rations, as much as three soldiers,
and requires thrice the time in acquiring the lull
practical knowledge of his business—so that the
" naval" actually costs about eight or ten times theprice
of the " military machine"—are paid off discharged,
dispersed throughout the globe, where they cannot
he procured, under any circumstances or at any
price, when there is again occasion for their services.
Nay, we actually flitg them into the arms of our
maritime rivals, to be used in case of emergency
against their ungrateful country. What madaess is
what do our sapient rulers rely

;, and on

replacing these unappreciated but inestimable
? Is it on the iniquitous and now happily obsolete
practice of impressment? Do they suppose that they
can get together at a moment's notice the hardy band
they have recklessly flung away? No, the infamous sys-
tem of impressment has departed, never to return, and
wit h Sir CHARLES NAPIER we say, " they might just as
well attempt to return to Protection." If we want
to obtain good men, we must pay for them justly and
honourably, and we must hold out advantages to in-
duce efficient volunteers. Why not give
the men, after a return from a foe years' voyage—
and the ship's findings and fittings would
fully last that period, thus saving 50 or 60 per cent.
on the repairs—a reasonable leave of absence, to see
their friends and enjoy themselves after their labours,
their pay continuing, but their rations and
allowances of course being withheld ? They
would willingly return at the appointed
time, and an invaluable reserve would always
be available at a cost but little exceeding the duty on
grass seeds, for the remission of which Sir CHARLES
WOOD claims so much credit from the agriculturists.
" But," say our " penny-wise-and-pound-foolish"
statesmen, " they would, after fire years' services,
become entitled to extra pay." It might, therefore,
cost the country a few thousands additional. Ah,
gentlemen, how full are you of the propriety and '
necessity of " keeping faith" with the men of your
own order ; of keeping an utterly useless set of
admirals, because it would be " a breach ,of faith"
to deprive the post-captains, who have not
been afloat for the last twenty years, of the
prospects of their flags ; but where is the faith with
the sailor, without whom the captain and admiral
could do little, if we turn him adrift, care-
less of his future fate, because, if longer
retained in the service, he would become entitled to
exti'a pay and additional advantages ? Was he in any
degree tempted to enter the service on account of
these prospective aalvantages; and is not the turning
him off, when he has almost become entitled to them,
but little better than an :Net of "swindling r Examine
it in its details, and see ,vhether it is not conduct
unbecoming a mighty nation, a people who boast of
their integrity, and who hoili /tsets proverb that
g, honesty is the best policy ?"
But it is in the dockyards that ecalnernY is practi-
cable. There we maintain a body of -a-neza far more
than can be required, and we are•bounel )41:0 provide
employment for them, lest the nation should be dis
gusted if they were seen eating the bread of idleness.
Like a man who evoked an evil spirit, the Admiralty
are compelled to find work for their servants, and
that work is often of the most useless and unneces-
sary character. It is for that purpaoe that
vessels are unrigged, dismantled, or altered, when
there is no real necessity for such acts, but when, on
the contrary, they are worse than useless. If
the 2,011,3071. were applied to the best
purposes, we might assent to the outlay ;
but as it is, -we protest against the profuse
expenditure. We fearlessly assert that I,oa aO,OOO/.
sterling, or one-half that expenditure, might be .saved,
and that the business would really be bette r done,
and the fleet maintained in a more efficient con dition,

We are rejoiced to observe the promptness cvinced
by the Noble Lord the Earl of CARLISLE in Irg.tening
the passage of the Sale of Arsenic Regulatii m Bill
through the Upper House of Parliament. LfiSt even-
ing it was rend a second time, and before long we
shall undoubtedly have the satisfaction of anti Dunning
its completion as as enactment by the Impe r.al Le-
gislature.
Ghastly evidence of the necessity existing
for a measure of this character has unfortunately
been afforded too frequently of late--a terr ible in-
stance of the crime resulting from the abse,- ice of a
jaw of the hind having only within the last fe w days
horrili€4l the public imagination. The cons:39re nce of
the unrestricted TendiL
ggorfitlearii.cauisstd.,:e7
nloat,s;inign
fact, been in certain 2ic
less th.= the organization of a regular ay ',item of
poisoning.. Such are the principal calamities fieving
from the remfisness of the Legislature in thi s parti-
cular, not to spelsk of the dangers multiplied by it
in regard to thone who are entirely innoc eat. A
frightful illustraCon of the latter effect was 516:1ed
very recently by as occurrence which crt :tad no
mall degree of e; ;citement in the; secluded h fplet of

Bishop's Sutton, in Somersetshire. Upon this
occasion it eppeared that no lees than ern en
lives were placed in the most imminent jeopardy
by the want of all precaution evinced by
the dealers in arsenious acid and other
destructive commodities. The particulars, as briefly
given by the local newspapers, are simply to the ef-
fect that white arsenic, instead of carbonate of soda,
was by mistake mixed with the batter used inthe cook-
ing of some pancakes on Ash-Wednesday, the poison
having been sold at the general dealer's in lieu of the
harmless powder asked for by the purchaser. This
circumstance—happily in no way fatal, seeing that
the proper antidotes were betimes administered—
comes to us as a powerful corroboration of the argu-
ments lately put forward by our contemporary,
.Household Words. According to a writer in that ex-
cellent periodical, no reasonable, or, at any rate, no
adequate precautions are taken to prevent the acci-
dental distruction of human life by the careless em-
ployment of this very poison, arsenic. "A sporting
friend," says he, " writes to us, that having shot
away all his powder the other day, he had ;occasion
to go into a rural grocer's shop for more. While
he was being served, there came in a little girl, who
ended a long order for tea, sugar, soap, currants, red
herrings, and flour, with the remarkable demand—
' and two ounces of arsenic.' No comment whatever
was made by the shopkeeper, who pulled a small
blue paper of poison out of its proper
compartment in a drawer, with the same
composure as he handed over the packages of tea,
sugar, currants, and flour. The little girl jumbled
them all into her apron and went away. Perhaps,'
remarked our friend, `some of those ingredients are
for a pudding." Loikely,' answered the huxter, with
a strong Derbyshire accent. ' And should the blue
paper burst, or a little mistake be made by the cook,
the whole family will be poisoned." They should
moind what they're at,'—this was the only life-pre-
server which occurred to the chandler's mind—
`they should moind what they're at. Now, in
the very , case we have instanced the accuracy
of this home-description was exemplified. The
blue paper, it is true, didn't burst, and the poison
thus get mingled with flour used in making the pan-
cakes of the farmer down at Bishop's Sutton—brit
the shopkeeper made just a trifling blunder of selling
a packet of arsenic when he was asked for a couple
of ounces of carbonate of soda. It was merely a mis-
take in the compartments. That was all. A trivial
one enough in itself, but one which threatened to
terminate not less than sixteen lives prematurely.
Our observations upon this point may call
to the recollection of some the witty and
humorous manner in which the danger referred
to was pointed out just sixteen years ago by CHARLES
DICKENS, in one of the most brilliant portions of his
immortal " Pick wick." The illustration eccurs in
the course of the great trial of BARDELL V. PICK-
WICK, when the jurors are being severally sworn in.
We don't think our readers will regret a quotation cf
the passage in these columns just now, when the in-
terest of the subject it alludes to has aroused even
the attention of Parliament. Some diffisnity is ex•
perienced in making up the requisite number of the
jury. Ten jurymen are sworn in—two more are want.
ing, and a greengrocer and a chemist are caught di-
rectly. The green-grocer is "all right," but the chemist
demurs when his name is called. " THOMAS
GROFFIN." Here,' said the chemist. ' Teke the
book, gentlemen. You shall well and truly try—'
' I beg this Court's pardon,' said the chemist, who
was a tall, thin, yellow-visaged man, but I hope
this Court will excuse my attendance." On what
ground, sir ?' said Mr. Justice STAP.ELEIGH.
have no assistant, toy Lord,' said the-chemist. 'I
can't help that, sir,' replied Mr. Justice STARELEIGH,
you should hire one." I can't afford it, my Lord,'
rejoined the chemist. 'Then you ought to be able
to afford it, sir,' said the Judge, reddening; for Mr.
Justice STARELEIGH'S temper bordered on the irrita-
ble, and brooked not contradiction. know I
ought to do so, if I got on as well as I deserved,
—but I 'don't, my Lord,' answered the chemist.
g Swear the gentleman,' said the Judge peremptorily-
Tha officer had got no further than the You
shall well and truly try,' 'when he was again
interrupted by the chemist. I tun to be sworn, my
Lord, am I?' said the chemist. Certainly, air,'
replied the testy little Judge. Very well, my Lord,'
replied the chemist in a resigned manner. Then
there'll be murder before this trial's over ; that's all.
Swear me, if you please, sir;' and sworn the chemist
was before the judge could find words to utter. I
merely wanted to observe, my Lord,' said the chemist,
taking his seat with great deliberation, that I've left
nobody but an errand boy in my shop. He is
a very nice boy, my Lord, but he's not
acquainted with drugs; and 1 know that
the prevailing impression on his mind is, that
Epsom salts means oxalic acid, and syrup of senna,
laudanum.' " It is precisely to prevent the possi.
bility of such very harmless little false impressions as
these that the Bill to regulate the sale of poison has
been just introduced into the House of Lords by the
Earl of CARLISLE. The propriety of such an enact-
ment needs no argument in proof—it is visible on the
very front of its consideration. Every chemist in
the United Kingdom is neither so laudably scrupu-
lous or, to say truth, so agreeably intelligent as
honest THOMAS GROFFIN. The majority of village
chandlers and general dealers in the agricultural dis-
tricts have about as much knowledge of drugs as Mr.
GRorFIN's errand boy—and, in the instance already
given by eurselves, it will be observed that if the
huxter at Bishop's Sutton did not actually sell
oxalic acid for Epsom salts, or laudanum for syrup
of senile, he made a mistake quite as terrible of its
kind by selling a paper of arsenic instead of a packet
of carbonate of soda. No wonder, seeing the peril
incurred by this extraordinary want of caution on the
part of the Legislature, no wonder, we say, that the
Earl of •
.CARLISLE has at last attempted to
force upon Parliament the necessity for some strong
legislative interference. The marvel is, the endeavour
has not been adventured upon previously. While,
nevertheless, we are disposed to exult most cordially
in the rapid progress already made in the carrying
this Sale of Arsenic Regulation Bill through the
Legislature, we are most solicitous that it should be
rendered yet more stringent and comprehensive in
its character. We are, therefore, looking forward
anxiously, but hopefully, to the introduction of ad-
ditional clauses, rendering it in every way more likely
to prove efficient in operation, a change easily ca-
pable of being effected when it comes before the House
in Committee.

ALARMING EXPLOSION OF GAS IN LIVERPOOL.—
About one o'clock to-day (Thursday) the inhabitants and
neighbourhood of Renshaw-street, in this town, were thrown
into a state of great consternation and alarm by a loud report
resembling the discharge of a heavy piece of artillery. The
cause was speedily ascertained to have arisen from an acci-
dental explosion of gas, at the slv43. of Messrs. liming and
Co., wholesale confectioners, at the corner of Roscoe-arcade,
in the above street, by which near:y the whole of the plate-
glass front was demolished, the woodwork being riven as
though struck by lightning, and considerable damage sus-
tained to the stock in trade, a large portion of the latter being
contained in expensive show-glasses. The precise origin of
the disaster is not known, but from minute inquiries made
upon the spot, as well as at the gas-office, it is supposed
that an escape had been for s,me time previously going on
beneath the double sashes of the shop, and that upon a light
being taken near them for some ,purpose connected with the
business an ignition took place, which might have proved
still more destructive in its consequences than is the case at
present. We are happy to add, that beyond the injury to the
shop front and the stcck ni material damage has beensus-
tained, although, from the nature of the explosion, it was
likely to have been attended with some loss of life.
DEATH OF THE VISCOUNTESS NEWARK.—WO re-
gret exceedingly to announce the demise of this lady, who
expired on Monday last, at her residence, near Torquay,
having survived her lamented husband only a few weeks.
The deceased lady was second daughter of Lord llatherton,
and sister to the Countess of Cavan.

LIMERICK AESTZES.—In the Criminal Court, on
Moncla;--, before Judge Jacksor, a ca a chai-ac erigie for
cruelty was tried. Tee eccu,ed, 'Ten William", of Rath-
cale, vas ird ctcd f..r attemptir g to hu7n a little boy, nine
years old, in a bed c f straw ! It appea- ed that the pfi oner's
husband Is a sweep, vad tha juvenile pr. BCC nor had barn
9,1c1 by annat,e al patents to Mi illiams for ss. Ts e child
was subjected 3o gnat seve its' by Elba Will,ams, whose
conduct was ferocious, but h.ving been only found guilty of
a common assault she was sentmc .d to tweve month: lin_
prisonmey. Patrick Looby, c-pvictcd b,-f -.re Judge Jackson
of the mu der of And-ew was Lent.nced to ese u-
Lion on the 200. April.
[nE D ODDING BUR ST 14 URDER.—CONFESsIoN.—.
Information reached London thi day from the Essex con-
stabulary, that a most importau and satisfactory message
had been forwarded to the proper quarter relative to the eon-
4ssion of the prisoner Drory.
The Rev. Robert Wien, .D., Oxon, whose elec-
tion to the see of Moray and Ro a, yacaLt by the resignation
.of the Right Rev. Dr. Low, re ently announced, was con--
seerated to his office by the Bish p of Aberdeen and Prinins,
assisted by the Bishops of ,Edintiurgh, Argyll, and Glasgow,
in St. PAUL'S ft;LANLI, Edinburgh(' on Sunday last.

THE FIZEI‘TCI-1 REPUBLIC.

~~-

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The proposition of M. BEaRYER for the re-imposi-
tion of the salt-tax, in order to return to the land-
owners the additional 45 centimes levied by the Pro-
visional Government, has been met by a notice of
motion by M. LAGRANGE, that the milliard of the in-
demnity accorded to emigres on the re-establishment
of the Bourbons shall be restored to the State with
interest, by the persons who received it, or by their
heirs; and that part of it shall be employed in the
repayment of the 45c. He also demands that this
proposition shall he referred to the Committee on M.
BERRYER'S motion, and that the Committee, if pos-
sible, shall report on both at the same time.
M. Ducoux proposes that for the reimbursement
of the milliard and for that of the 45c., there shall be
levied every year a tax of 25 per cent. on all the
revenues of those who shared in the milliard, until it
shall have been paid off integrally, and that this sum
shall be divided amongst all the tax-payers, except
the above-named class, after there shall have been
deducted from it a sum of 174,212,404 f. 26c., the
amount received from the 45c., which shall be divided
among the rightful claimants.
The A'atiooal has the following on M. BERRYER'S
proposition :
" Who will pay the sums necessary for this re-imburse-
meat? The consumers of salt. Thus the consumers of
salt will first give with one hand what they will receive
with the other as a restitution; and, moreover, they will
have to pay into the Treasury the sums necessary for
the entire re-imbursement of all the other tax-payers.
Who then, M. Berryer, are the salt consumers? The
most unfortunate, the poorest of the inhabitants in our
villages. Your friends created agitation in the country
districts; they cried everywhere that the Republic had
caused frightful charges to be imposed on them, in order
to pay the idleness and misconduct of the revolutionists of
great towns; and under pretext of repairing the; injustice of
the republicans, you demand that the poor farmer shall be
despoiled for the advantage of the richest tax-payers. It
was thus some years ago, whilst jobbers, enriched by the
purchase of the property of emigres, displayed their luxury,
you demanded the milliard ofindemnity from the peasants.
The Republic, to pay the debts of, the monarchy, de-
manded a painful sacrifice from all citizens; the chief of
the Legitimatists wishes these painful charges to weigh
wholly on the most unfortunate. Each one had his sad
share of the inheritance left by the monarchy, and M.
Berryer wishes th'e poor to support it alone. His pro-
ject of restitution is nothing more than a project of
spoliation."
The intrigues of the Jesuits have succeeded in
procuring the silencing of M. MICHELET, and a de-
cree has been issued suspending the delivery of
lectures which he was in the habit of deliver-
ing as Professor of History in the College
of France. In consequence of this suspension,
the students, to the number of upwards of
1,000,' yesterday assembled in front of the Sorbonne,
and proceeded in procession with a petition to the
Legislative Assembly. They visited on the route the
offices of the Evenenzent, the National, the Presse,
and the Republique, and arrived at the Palace of the
Assembly shortly before the commencement of the
sitting. On their approach this troops stationed in the
Palace, took arms. The students quietly drew up on
the Place, and several, stepping out of the ranks,
handed the petition to one of the officers of the As-
sembly. They then resumed their march, crying
" Viva la h6publique !" " \rive MICHELET !" crossed
the Pont de la Concorde and the square of the same
name, and proceeded along the Boulevards, with the
intention of paying a visit to M. MICHELET at his
private residence.
At the opening of the witting M. VERSIGNY rose and
said, "I have the honour of depositing a petition,
signed by upwards of 200 students, which was
brought to the Assembly by 1,000 or 1,200 of their
comrades, who had not the time to sign it.—(" Oh,
oh !" on the Right ; " they were scarcely 300.") The
signers,"continued M. VERSIGNY, "protest against the
arbitrary Act which has suspended the lectures of the
Hon. N. MicnELßT."—(Laughter on the Eight ;
bravoes on the Left.)
The Ethzement states that the dissolution of the
National Guard of Strasburgh was decided on three
days since, in a Council of Ministers.
The BOUrie was again almost deserted by the usu%l
speculators, and there was scarcely any business trans-
acted. The Five per Cents. opened at 94t. 10c.; and
closed at the same price; the Three per Cents. were
quoted at 57f. 800.; Orleans Railroad Shares, 8861. 25c.;
Avignon, 192 f. 50c. ; Vierzin, 428 f. 75c. ; Basle,
156 e 25c.; Bourdeaux, 397 f. 50e. (Pada and Strasburg,
3671. 50e.; Tours and Nantes, 2561. 25c.
BUSEN!'SS IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
_ LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MARCH 13.

Boulogne and Amiens, —.Central of France (Orleans
and Vierzun), 1714—Dutch Rhenish, :3% —Great Indian Pen-
insula, 2% Luxembourg, 214—,Narnur and Liege, 8—
Northern of France, 1514 Orleans and Bordeaux, 374 Paris
and Orleans, 36%—Paris and Rouen, 26—Paris and Stras-
bcurg, 10 %—,Sarn')re and Meuse, 3,A—Tours and _Nantes, 5