The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-15 00:00:00

Naval and

telligence

In compliance with her Majesty's Royal War-
rant, the following are the rules and regula-ions
for granting a fixed sum of money in lieu of pen-
sions, compassionate allowances, and gratuities to
widows, families, and relatives of officers killed in
action, or dying of wounds received in face of the
enemy within six months after being wounded :
"1. The amount of money to be paid to a ;vidOw;
widow and children, or other relatives of an officer
killed in action, or dying of wounds received in free of
the enemy within six months after being wounded,
whatever branch of the service he may have belonged
to, be the regulation price fixed for commissions in ea-
va'ry and infantry of the line, as set firth in the follow-
ing seal', viz.,—To the 'A idow, widow and children,
father, mother, sister or sister; of—
Cavalry.
£6,175
4,575
3,225
1,150
840

Infantry.
£4,500
3,200
1,200
700

Lieut.-Colonel
Major
Captain ...
Lieutenant
Cornet ...
Ensign ... 450
But it shall in no case exceed the sum of money acual'y
paid, in conformity with the regulation price, by the
officer for the purchase of his commission or counnis-
sions.

"2. When an officer so killed, or so dying of his
wounds within six months, shall leave a widow only,
the sum thus fixed rhall be paid to her for her sole and
absoluts benefit, provided she be not left in such pecu-
niary circumstances as would !otherwise preclude all
claim to a pension ; and she shall be required to esta-
blish her claim, and to sign an acknowledgment of hav-
ing consented to receive such sum in lieu thereof, and
as a full compensation fur all pension and gratuity to
which she may or might have proved herself entitled in
consequence of the loss of her husband, according to the
forms prescribed by the Secretary of State for War,
and described in the Appendix as forms 10, 15, and A.
" 3. In the event of an officer leaving a widow and
children, who may or night have established a claim to
the pension, compwsiouate allowance or gratuity, then
in that case the money awarded in lieu thereof shall be
held in trust by the Secretary of State fer War, and the
interest thereof, at the rate of 3:. per cult. per annum,
shall be receivable by the widow until her death, when
the money shall he divided then and there alike among
the chi dren then alive of such deceased officer, provided
they shall have attained the ago of 21, otherwise the
money shall still continue to be held in trust, and the
interest applied for their benefit up to that age. In the
event., however, of the widow surviving her said chil-
dren, the money shall then become her sole and absolute
property, as laid dowa in Article 2 ; but should such
children survive the widow, but shall die before attain-
ing the age of 21, then and in that case the money, after
discharging all just liabilities, shall become the property
of the Crown.

" 4. In the event of an officer leaving a child or chil-
dren, but no widew, the money shall be held in trust, and
the interest thereof, at the rate of 3/. per centum per an-
num, as stated in Article 3, shall be applied by the Secre-
tary of State for War for the benefit of such child or
children, until be, she, or they shall attain the age of
21, when the money, as in the ease of the widow, shall
become the absolute preivrty of such surviving child or
children, share and share alike. Should, however, such
child or children die before attaining the age of 21 years,
then and in that case the money, after discharging all
just liabilities, shall become the property of the Crown.
"5. In the event of an officer leaving at his death
neither widow, child, nor children, then the money
shall be paid to his father ; and, if he leave no father, it
may be paid to bis mother, for his or her sole and abso-
lute benefit, provided that he or she shall establish a
claim thereto, according to the forms described in the
Appendix, as the case may be. And in the event of
there being neither father nor mother, then the money
shall be paid to the sister, or sisters, as the case may
be, share and share alike, provided they shall have at-
tained the age of 21 years, and that their claim shall be
established according to the forms described in the Ap-
pendix, as forms 13, 15, and E, or forms 14, 15, and F,
as the case may be. But should any sister, or sisters, he
under that ago, then the money shall be held in trust by
the Secretary of State for War, and the interest be ap-
plied, as stated in Article 4, until such sister or sisters
shall become 21 years of age, when it shall become the
absolute property of the survivors or survivor. Should
no survivor or survivors attain the age of 21 years, then
the money, after discharging all just liabilities, shall be-
come the property of the Crown.
" 6. No grant of money under the provisions of this
warrant shall be made to any person who would not be
eligible for pension, compassionate allowance, or gratuity
under the provisions of the Royal warrant of June 15,
1855 (a father alone excepted, whose claim must be estab-
lished as set forth in Article 5) ; but the ineligibility of a
widow to any grant under this warrant shall not affect
the interests of the legitimate child or children of a de-
ceased officer for whose benefit she money shall be held
in trust, and the interest applied by the Secretary of
State for War, as stated in article 4, except they be left
in such pecuniary circumstances as would disqualify them
for the compassionate allowances under the provisions of
Article 3. Should, however, such child or children die
before attaining the age of 21, then, and in that case,
the money, after discharging all just liabilities, shall be-
come the property of the Crown.
" 7. In the event of it being represented and satisfac-
torily proved to the Secretary of State for War, that any
widow on whose behalf money shall be held in trust for
the benefit of herself and children under the provisions
of this warrant, shall thereafter so conduct herself as to
become unworthy of the bounty of the Crown, or shall
neglect or illtreat her children, then, in that case the
Secretary of State for War shall have full power to make
such arrangements for apportioning the interest of the
money and makiug better provision for, the children as
in his judgment may seem most advisable.
" 8. The allowances to be granted under the autho-
rity of this warrant are not applicable to the cases of
officers killed in action, or dying of wounds before the
declaration of war with Russia, hut it is to take a retro-
spective effect up to that date ; and, therefore, any offi-
cer's widow to whom there may have been granted a
pension, compassionate allowances for children, or gra-
tuity for herself and children, or any other relative of an
officer who may have received a pension under the war-
rant of the 15th of Juse, 1855, who may wish to com-
mute such pension, allowances, or gratuities for the sum
fixed under the provisions of this warrant, shall be per-
mitted to do so ; but in that caw, whatever sums may
have been received by or on account of the widow or
children or other relatives, will be deducted from any
amount to be paid under the terms of this warrant
But in every case of a sum of money being awarded
under the provisions of this warrant, interest thereon, at
the rate of 31. per centum per annum, will be allowed
from the day of the officer's death.
" 9. Should the widow or any other relative of a de-
ceased officer, who, prior to the 23d of Oct., 1855, has
been granted a pension and other allowances under the
provisions of the warrant of the 15th of June, 1855, wish
to commute such pension and allowances for a sum of
money in lieu thereof, in conformity with the terms of
this warrant, it will be necessary that application to that
effect be made to the Secretary of State for War within
a year from the 23d of Oct., 1855. And should the
widow, or any other relative of a deceased officer, who,
since the 23d of Oct., 1855, may have already, or may
hereafter be granted a pension and allowances, wish to
commute such pension and allowances for a SUM of money
in lieu thereof, under the provisions of this warrant, it
will be necessary that application to that effect be made
to the Secretary of State for War within a year from the
date of the said pensions and other allowances being
granted.
" 10. A. return of all sums paid under the provisions
of this warrant shall be laid annually before Parliament
on or after the let of April.
" Given at our Court at St. James's, the Ist day of
March, 1856, in the 19th year of our reign.
"By Her Majesty's command,
" PAsmum."
The Pear], 21-gun corvette, Capt. Sotheby, was taken
into the fitting basin at Portsmouth yesterday to be
docked for repairs.
The Chanticleer, No. 83, steam-transport, went into
Portsmouth harbour yesterday to discharge her cargo ;
and the Imperial, No. 188, left fur the Thames.
The prevailing easterly winds have driven a consider-
able fleet of merchant vessels into Plymouth Sound.
Among them are the steam-transport Eagle, No. 71,
from the Mediterranean ; the clipper ship Heroes of
Alma, Capt. Noble, from Wharnpea ; the Britannia,
Preat, from Ceylon ; the Helen Douglas, Welch, from
Calcutta ; and the French brig Alalherbe, with maho-
gany and coffee, front Gourvee.
RETIREMENT OF THE OLD COMMANDERS . —We under-
;G stand that, following up Sir C. Wood's promise, an Ad-
it miralty circular has been isseeed to the old commanders
on the list, inviting them to make the necessary appii-
-03
is cation for retirement from the active list. We say again,
50 we trust that there will be no necessity to make this
49 measure a compulsory one, but that those officers who 1
14 encumber the active list only to impair its efficiency,
I will make way for those who have served actively afloat
162 for the rank and opportunity they have years ago most
'3O justly earned. The good of the service demands that
133 there shall be no favouritism or partiality exercised in
_ this retirement of the old commanders. We must have
114 no more promotions to the active list of captains of OM.
29 cers whose time has gone by for serving afloat. Not a
its
14g commander should be promoted to the active list who is
53 not eligible by age and service for active command afloat
oil
058 now and for ten years hence.
,843 _

sg CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES.—PUBLIC
3S
tS7 IVOILKS AND BUILDINGS.

Yesterday have been issued the Civil Service CA:

mates, &c., for the year eliding March 31, 1357, as far
as relates to public works and buildings. The following
is the statement for 1856, compared with the estimate n
for 1855 ;—Public Buildings and Royal Palaces, 1855,
154,952/. ; 1556, 195,141/. ; compared with 1855, in-
crease, 40,189/. Buckingha.in Palace, 1856, 7,8687. ;
Royal Parks, Pleasure Gardens, &c., 1855, 69,544/. ;
1856, 91,6847. ; increase, 22,140/. New Houses of
Parliament, 1855, 122,209/. ; 1856, 99,3831. ; decrease,
22,826/. Holyhead Harbour Roads, &c.,1855,122,841/. ;
1856, 207,305/. ; increase, 84,464/. Harbours of Reooo/fuge,
1855, 234,000/. ; 1356, 233,0001. ; decrease, 1,.
Port Patrick Harbour, 1855, 375/. ; 1856. 384/. ; in-
crease 91. Public Buildings (Ireland), 1855, 30,9631. ;
1856, '41,221/. ; increase, 10,253/. Kingston Harbour,
1855, 5,876 ; 1856, 19,350/. ; increase, 13,4747. Re-
pository of Public Recprds, 1855, 6,000/. Total, 1855,
746,760/. ; 1556, 895,3361. ; increase, compared with
1855, 178,404/. ; decrease, 29,8261. Increase compared
with 1855, 148,5767.

SIR C.

.PIER.

(Fram tte Times of this day.)
Complaint hag of c,en been made, and with con-
siderable apparent justice, of the superior advan-
ta!ses enjoyed by thewe military and naval officers
who' possess seats in either House of Parliament,
and by the possessiore of those seats are enabled to
defend themselves age inst attacks which their less
fortunate brethren are compelled to leave unan-
swered. Whether Lord Lucan and Cat digae have
profited much by the power of pleading their own
conse in the House of Lords we will not, in consi-
deeation of the pending inquiry, stop to discuss ;
brit assuredly when fortullt, gave Sir Charles Napier
a seat in the House of Commons, arid thus the
power of bringing forward his own grievances, in his
own w.ay, the good-natured deities were in one of
those. facile humours in which they overturn
whole hoases, as the Romaat poet tells us, at the
desire of their short-sighted possessors. Nothing
that Sir Charles Napier himself could supply—
nothing that his supporters or opponents could
add—was wanted to the completeness of his dis-
comfiture, the sliest complete, probably, that any
hero, off the stege,has ever succeeded in drawing
down upon himself. He entered the house with a
reputation for skill and courage higher, indeed,
among civilians that naval men, but still by no
means inconsiderable, and with a vague idea that he
lent been ill-treated„ and that he had disclosures
to make such as would cover his opponents with
disgrace. He had obtained the voice of a large
popular constituency in his favour, ansl by the
earnestness of his desire for inquiry half persuaded
people to believe that inquiry would absolve him
feom all blame.
He left the house in a condition bearing about
the same relation to the condition in which he
entered it as the fishing-boat of Xerxes did to his
stupendous fleet, or the sledge of Napoleon to the
cannon and carriages of the Grand Arm}. Not only.
did Sir Charles Napier contrive to furnish his ene-
mit s with every possible ground of attack—he also
did his best to deprive himself of every possible
ground of defence, of every ground of sympathy
and indulgence. le came before the house to ask
for justice, and he did all in his power, by the
outrageous accusations which he threw out, and.
the unscrupulous use of confidential documents to
which he had recourse, to impress upon his hearers
that if he sought for justice himself it was not with
the wish or the intention of doing justice. Last
year we took occasion to remark on the gross im-
propriety, the violation of duty and of honour,
implied in producing before the House of Commons
documents of a strictly confidential nature, which
either respect for private communications or re-
gard for the public interest required to be en-
veloped in inviolable secrecy. Such conduct
is a species of crime, and may be fax more injurious
to the interests of the nation than many of those
which our Courts visit with such exemplary seve-
r' ty. Nor was there any excuse for this monstrous
betrayal of public confidence—any necessity which
might palliate, if it could not wholly excuse, this
departure from rules to which social as well as po-
litical considerations have given the force of bind-
ing and unalterable laws.. Sir Chas. Napier was
visited with no stigma, laboured under no public
or official censure, had received no open mark of
disapprobation, except his removal from a com-
mand his retention of which the public opinion of
the country never would have tolerated. The pri-
vate censures be received he has made known in
order that he might refute them, and thus dis-
charged the double task of accusing as well as de-
fending himself. It is difficult to understand what
is the precise charge that he brings against Sir J.
Grahatr. Sir Charles accuses him of having writ-
ten letters restraining his zeal during summer, the
best time for action, and in autumn, when the time
for action was past, seeking to goad him to dan-
gerous and rash enterprises. But, granting this
to be so—and it is impossible not to admit that
Sir James's conduct is susceptible of this con-
struction—the charge, even as Sir Charles Na-
pier puts it, seems Co go no higher than an error
in judgment, and to have no connection what-
ever with the violent and unreasonable abuse with
which it is preceded and followed, and which
effectually deprived Sir C. Napier of the sympathy
of the house under the severe castigation which he
received.
The answer to the charge, such as it was, was
easy and triumphant. Sir C. Napier was treated
differently at different timee—reined in the sum-
mer and spurred on in the autumn—because expe-
rience had changed the estimate which the Admi-
ralty had formed of his character. He started by
informing them that he was ready for any service,
however desperate, and by the furious signal with
which he announced the commencement of hostili-
ties he convinced the English Government as well
as the Russian that he was bent upon the imme-
diate performance of some hardy and terrible enter-
prise. Time wore on, and it was found that, though
terrible in signals and letters, our Admiral had a
great respect for batteries and fortifications, that
everything formidable in itself assumed in his eyes
an aspect doubly formidable, and that things which
British seamen in earlier days would have con-
fronted without hesitation became in the eyes of
this desperate commander absolute impossibilities.
The storms, the currents, the fogs, and the
rocks terrified him beyond measure. Each
fortress was pronounced impregnable, each
enterprise desperate and hopeless. In the
beginning of June he approached within
eight miles of Sweaborg, but for some reason
hitherto wholly unexplained forbore to attack it,
under the impression that it was unassailable, this
impression being derived, not from personal obser-
vation,—for he made no reco unaissance,—but from
a belief that the channel, as laid down in the plans,
was impracticable. An ad; niral who reports on
plans when he has the opportunity of judging with
his own eyes, and pronounc es places unassailable
which are afterwards attack ed and taken, should
not be too lavish in provoking r unfriendly criticism.
Unfortunately for Sir Charles. -Napier, England and
France were not content with a paper reconnais-
sance, and so they sent out t rwo Engineer Generals,
who, after an actual survey of the place, reported
to their respective Governments that Sweaborg
might be taken by means at the disposal of the
admirals. Of these xeporbs Sir Charles Napier
disposes very summarily, loy saying that the one
officer is mad, and the other has no confidence in
his own opinion. But it is evident these opinions,
which were received in the) early part of Septem-
ber, produced a change in the sentiments of the
British Government. From that time the Ad-
miralty dropped the rein and applied the spur
vigorously and unspaxit4ly to the sides of the
reluctant Admiral. They forced him to make a
personal reconnaissance, which he ought to have
made months before, and ut bed him, but in vain,
to do something before the :season closed. It is of
no use for Sir Charles Napier to say that this change
was caused by the supposed fall of Sebastopol. The
change was evidenly caused by the reports of the
two Engineer Generals and his own, all agreeing
in pronouncing, upon personal observation, that
the place might be destroyed, which Sir Charles
Napier, within an hour's sal, had from plans pro-
nounced to be impregnable.
For this extraordinary rem.hssness in the execu-
tion of his duty Sir Charles Naleier is fairly answer-
able to his superiors and to the country, and he
ought to have been grateful that no public notice
was taken of his misconduct, instead cif ransacking
confidential documents,for proof of exaggerated and.
ridiculous charges, which, even if true, .would have
furnished no excuse for his own lamentable want
of zeal and decision in the service of the public. It
is melancholy to see a man who has done much
and gallant service in his day thus
into
prominentrshadowing
the evening of his life, and calling n
notice faults in his own conduct, weaknesses, and
infirmities which, but for other faults of character
and discretion, might have passed unnoticed and.
unrewarded. But Sir Charles Napier would have
it so, and. we are bound to say that he has made
os;rttiacase b
againstause, himself which no amount of as-
on or no past exploits or present popu-
.arity, are able to alter or to extenuate.

We regret to announce the demise of the venerable
Lord Boston, who expired on Wednesday last, at his
seat, iledsor, Bucks, in the 79th year of his age.
fit'INTER IN PARTS.—A pretty sight has been spoiled
by the weather. The cradle offered by the Ville de Paris
tai her Majesty, and presented yesterday, was, eve
order
of the Emperor and Empress, placed this rrirning• in
large salle of the lintel de Ville for the gratification of
those who had already exhibited so much pleasure while
regarding the baby-clothes. Intrepid, indeed, should be
the curiosity of ladies who could form
queue as they did
the other day at Madame Felten) s door in the Rue
Vivienne, for snow and sleet have been failing and
driving the whole day. We are.
suddenly thrown, an
it were, into the midst of winter, in all its severity. The
cradle, as has been already mentioned, is of the form of
a ship, as being the prominent figure in the arms of
Paris. At the prow an eagle is placed with wings half
outspread, whilst at the poop is a figure representing the
City of Paris, covered with a robe of gold, whilst its
arms of silver, raised above its head, support the Im-
perial crown. At the feet of the statue two sca-deities
retard the cradle with a protecting look, and below, at
each corner, winged syrens of silver twine in numerous
spirals the folds of their tails, formed of scales enamelled
with various colours. On the sides of the cradle, four
rnertallious of blue enamel represent in grey hues the
cardinal virtues of princes—Force, Vigilance, Prudence,
and Justice. Between each medallion are to be seen the
initials N.E. The materials used in the construction of
this rich and beautiful work of art are rosewood, gold,
enamels, and oxidised silver, and the effect produced is
most exquisite, reflecting the greatest credit on the house
of Froment-Meurice, to which the superintendence of
the whole was entrusted.