The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-08 00:00:00

became impossible to give employment to any buta few

of those officers,

At -the end of 1817, the number of

commanders were 800, but the number in actual ser-

vice was no more than- 40.

With regard to the number

of lieutenants immediately a'ter the close of the last war, he
begged to observe, that so great Has the number of those
that were not in actual service, that the last on the list would
be 82 ye till of age before they could be employed, assuming
that • they were 25 years old when promoted. When the
hou. and gallant gentleman contended that a large class of
officers to whom he had referred ought to be employed, he

(Sir Charles Wood) must say that the idea was preposterous.
The services of those hon. and gallant officers were not, in
fact, wanted, and ships to employ them in were not wanted.

Stiefi was the reduction of the force within the last quarter

of a century.

There was no denying the fact, as his hon. and

gallant friend had stated, that the number of old officers on

the list of lieutenants and commanders was very great ; but;
with regard to the vast propertion of them, it would be quite
impossible to employ them ; and, with regard to the number
of old officers, it would bo quite impossible to give them em-
ployment. When his hon. and gallant friend said that there
was no promotion given to officers of the late war, in pro-
portion to their claims, let him state to the house that, in
the fifteen years after the last war, the officers in the service
were promoted just as they would have been on the war
establishment. Now, let them look to the state i f the list,
as it stood fifteen years after the war. In the year 1810
there were 850 post-captains and lieutenants on the list, and
there were no means of employment for more than 50 of
them; and there were 800 captains, for whom there were
no means of employment in the service. The number of
officers kept up, however, at that period was as 'Argo in pre-
portion as if the country was at war ; and the number of
officers employed, it should be borne in mind, ought always
to bear a lair proportion to the demand for their services.
And if they were to take the number of officers on the list at
the present moment, they would find that of 99 admirals,
there were only 18 employed ; that of 396 captains,
140 were only employed ; that of 569 commanders in the
service, 200 only were employed; and that of 1,200 lieu-
tenants, there but 900 employed ; and taking any time, ex-
cept the time of war, the number employed-would be more
than ample for any force that the country could require.
Within the last few years the 'number of captains employed
varied fro u6O to 80. He might now state, in reference to
the claims and opportunities for promotion, that they hail
no:, been met so much by actual employment as by a disposi-
ti,m to confer just rewards. The hon. and gallant cfficer,
however, said that the promotions that had taken plae:! were
partial and unjust. (Hear.) Now, if they admlted the
principle of " selection," he did not think that they could, on
that ground, say the promotions were governed by partiality.
If they would confine the question to promotions by seniority
bow few young officers could they employ ? Taking promo-
tions by selection, they would, in alt probability, by that
process, get the best possible officers. He did not stand up
for selection ; but they must have a rule. Of course such a
mode was open to the charge of partiality—(hear) an 1 such
I a charge as that night be readily made, and not easily passed
over. He, however, defied the whole of the s !rvice not to be
open to it. He had now more experience in the duties and
working of his department than he had last year ; and he
could scarcely say how many applications lie might have had
made to him for one appointment. He, of course, selected a
man. His hon. and gallant friend on his right might take
one man for the appointment, and be, of course, could not
complain of the selection. His lion. friend on his left might
select another man, and he could not complain of it. But
when he reflected, lie must be allowed the right of selection
as to who might be the most desirable and fit officer for the
duties of the appointment. His honourable and gallant
friend said that they had a long list of old admirals in the
service, and that there were very few young admirals.

That was very true. The list was gradually increasing ;
but let them observe that they could not possibly have
yo .mg admirals unless they promoted young commanders and
young lieutenants. If they promoted young lieutenants by
seniority, they could not have young admirals. The hon. ani
gallant officer said that the Admiralty were chargeable with
the exercise of political patronage. He could safely say, that
in no promotion or appointment which he bad made, had be
been in the slightest influenced by partiality, or by any influ-
ence of political patronage. Since he had been at the head
of the Admiralty he had not promoted more than ten officers
to captaincies ; and be now further asserted, that since he
had come to the Admiralty, he had not made a single ap-
pointment or promoted a single officer unless on the recom-
mendation of the Naval Lords of the Admiralty. (Hear, hear.)
It had been said that promotions were giVen more by aristo-
cratic influence than upon grounds of merit; but that really
was not so, and upon inquiry it would be found that there
was no just ground for such a charge. It had been said that
Lord Dundonald, Lord Cadogan, and Lord Anson were ne-
glected officers ; but that was not so. About those hon. and
gallant officers' ability there could be no question ; but there
were other considerations, and those were as to the general
efficiency of officers, for the duties of command. He must
say, that he knew not of any duty which the officers ap-
pointed in the Crimean war had to discharge that they had
not performed in a most efficient, a most gallant, and distin-
guished manner. (Hear.) Unfortunately, they bad not ships
to contend with. But take the officers from Sir Ed. Lyons,
who was the soul of the expedition, to Captain Lyons, in the
Sea of Azoff, that there was nothing that they had been ap-
pointed to do that they had not performed in the most gal-
lantjand brilliaut manner. And he mast say that it was
highly to the credit of the right hon. Bart., Sir J. Graham,
who preceded him at the Admiralty, that the appointments
and arrangements he had made were, in all respects, most
satisfactory, and had redounded to the honour and credit of
the country, and the glory of the British navy. (Hear, hear.)
He would, with the permission of the house, follow the hon.
and gallant gentleman through the different ranks of the ser-
vice as he had gone through them, with respect to pay and
promotion. The committee recommended that there should
be a permanent number of officers of each rank, which should
not be exceeded, but there were some, such as Lord Dun-
donald, whom he would be sorry to see removed from the ac-
tive service list, although he was above the age which the
hon. and gallant officer had named. Even in the time of war
we do not employ more than 18 admirals, and lie did not
think the number was too large. Lookiag at the captains,
he (Ed not think 350 was too small a number. By increas-
ing the number of persons whom it was impossible to employ,
they were only increasing the number of complaints and
heart-burnings. The larger the number of persons from
whom they had to make selection, the greater the discontent,
and, therefore, he thought that the recommendation of the
committee of 1848 was exceedingly wise, that the lists should
be limited, and that there should not be too many on the ac-
tive list. He confessed that he knew of no better test than
non-employment ; for, although a man mast learn his profes-
sion in early life, he did not think that an officer who had
been serviug as captain should be placed precisely on the
same footing as one who had not so screed. A man to be
an admiral ought to have had some experience in command-
ing. Experience as lieutenant was not sufficient ; he ought
to have served as captain. The hon. and gallant gentleman
had said that there were donttlesssome promotions for merit,
but that they were a small proportion of the whole. But
what were the feats of the case ? The number of promotions
made during the last two years were 66 promotions to the
rank of commander and captain, of whom 31 were " First
Lord " promotions, that was promotions of deserving offi-
cers by seniority, and 35 were " Board" promotions, viz.,
for special services. A large number of these special see.
vices were performed by lieutenants, 142 of whom had
been made commanders, 32 of them by the First Lord, and
110 by the board. (Applause.) That was, 110 were clearly
and distinctly promoted for special acts of gallantry, and the'
other 32 were those old and deserving officers whose case the
hon. and gallant gentleman has this evening brought before
the house. He quite concurred in the observations of the
hon. and gallant gentleman as to the language of the memo-
rial; it was quite natural that people should ask for what
they want, and press their claims to the utmost of their
power. It was impossible, however, to promote all deserving
cases, because they could only promote one comenander and
one captain for every three taken off the list. The hon. and
gallant gentleman complained of the list of retired captains,
but the fact was that there was only a difference of 6d. a day
in their pay; one was 10s., and the other 10s. 6d. ; so that,
although they rewarded deserving commanders, by promoting
them to captains, they gave t hem the rank, but only an extra
6d. a day. (Hear, hear.) He proposed to add 150 to the
.eniority list. Let the hon. and gallant gentleman look over
the list of retired captains, and point out one single man who
had not claims on the ground of service. (Hear, hear.) He
defied him. (Applause.) The commanders' list had caused
more anxiety than any other. There were 1,2'10 lieutenants,
and only 450 commanders, and there were, therefore, large
numbers of lieutenants pressing for promotion to that rank.
But while almost all the lieutenants were employed, not more
than one-third-of the commanders were. They had promoted
140 commanders last year, the greater part of them for dis-
tinguished service. Sixty-six were promoted the year before,
but the number of commanders promoted last year exceeded
by twenty the whole number of commanders employed iu sea-
going ships. Though he felt bound to reward lieutenants, by
making them commanders,, for gallant actions, yet when they
became commanders the chances of active employment for
s eme time were small. They therefore removed ono diffi-
culty, but created another. (Hear.) He had employed com-
manders in a class of vessels hitherto commanded by lieu-
tenants with a view to diminish the evil. It would be seen,
therefore, that in the rank of commanders, it was necessary
to provide large means of retirement. The complaints of the
hon, and gallant gentleman were unjust, because many lieu-
tenants were made commanders at an advanced age, and
there was, therefore, no chance of their finding themselves at
the top of the list till it was too late in life for them to expect
active employment in that capacity. The list of lieutenants
the hon. and gallant gentleman desCribed as " frightful and
disheartening ;" hut it hatibeen greatly reduced by the addi-
tions to the retired list and promotions to commanders, a
rank very much eoveted by them, although not bringing any
great accession of pay. The list was thus brought to about
the limit recommended by the CoMmitteo of 1848. As teethe
charge made against the Admiralty of large and indiscri-
minate admissions into the navy it was unjustifiable. It was
gratifying to give a complete and satisfaCtory answer to such
a statement as that, although he must confess it was not a
little provoking to have a statement made in that house, by
'a gentleman of the hon. and gallant member's authority,
which was altogether untrue. If the admissions had been
' ifkire than were demanded by the requirements of the ser-
vitt, they would have been overdoue with mates and mid-
shipmen. Bid the lieutenants were only 1,200; so that the
mates could notlave been diminished by being promoted to
lieutenants. Time fact was, the numbers had been studiously
kept down ; and the mates, midshipmen, and naval cadets,
were 600sbort of the number recommended by the coneniVie:.
So much for the charge of indiscriminate admissions. I
had foreseen what had been adverted to, vtith respeict to
had,tleye
redundancy of officers, should peace ensue; and t ley
therefore, kept down the numbers, so far as they coulAdndoothseor,
consistently with the exigencies of the service.
point was the difference between
cot oseartteheyey and thpeuin.suavedy
with respect to bounty. The
was not to give bounty, bat to improve the condition of
the seamen. They lead improved their condition permanently,
by increasing their pay, improving their food, and in every
way they could. Large bounty had been attended in the
army with evil instead of beneficial results ; it had been found
unprofitable and demoralising. What were the comparative
results of the two systems 7 They were short of men in the
army, while the navy was full. Could they have a bettor,
proof of success than this? The hon. and gallant gentleman
said it was wrong to take the coastguard and riggers; but
they were engaged as such under the exprcas condition to be
taken when wanted. They were employed on this condition
when discharged from sea-going ships. There could he no in-
justice, therefore, in carrying out the conditions of their em-
ployment. The great difficulty the navy had always to provide
for was to be able, at any time when such a step might be
necessary, to make large additions to the number of men, and
to make such additions rapidly. They must, therefore, always
have at hand numbers of men who could be called at once
into active service when wanted. A measure was nearly ready
which would materially improve the condition of chaplains,
naval instructors, paymasters, assistant-surgeons, and engi-
neers, The latter was a very deserving class of officers whose
condition had hitherto been somewhat anomalous. This was
a delicate and difficult task ; for if advantages were given to
one, they must be given to all, or dissatisfaction would be
excited. The hen. and gallant officer opposite said that there
was a large portion of business to be transacted by the Board
of Admiralty which could not be done properly by civilians.
Now, that was not so, for although it was quite true that he
' knew nothing of the management of a ship, he was perfectly
capable of taking a part in transacting the business which came
before them. In point of fact 9.loths of it couldbetransactedby
i thalami. There was, for amulet the ripply of galtmeat for tho