The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-12 00:00:00

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THE SUN, _LONDON TUESDAY EVENING FEBRUARY l2) 185 6, .
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Thera was indeed a small diminution, The clerks were paid duals to whom he alluded. It would therefore be needless years' service. With regard to medical officers, in 1855 They had been told that the Russian fleet was reviewed or five times aelay, so that during the last five years the Stirling joined Captain Elliot with a flag-ship and a large Country Markets. .
according to seniority, and if a senior retired anti his place I delicacy on my part to withhold the names of those two inspectors and deputy-inspectors hadan advantage in point ' during the summer before the war under the eye of theEm- Surveyor of the Navy had positively lived in a cab- frigate on the 7th of june. That should have rendered ,
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was supplied by a junior, there was a small diminution. officers, while I give the reason for our bestowing these of time granted towards retirement; staff-surgeons received peror himself, and that such was its efficietihy that in only (laughter)-perhaps not slept in it, but he was always I our squadron overwhelming. • They remained together
Mr. WILLIAMS-Has not the expense of postage been. rewards upon diem. The first of them i 3 Captain Keppel, higher pay in certain temporary situations ; assistant-sur- one instance was the line into which it had been formed , riding backwards and forwards from one establishment to from the 7th of June till the 27th-20 days-and during CHELMSFORD-FEB. 8.
the diner
transferred ? who has seen wore active service than almost any other goons had an additional is. a-day, were placed in the ward- broken. The Emperor was so much gratified at the spec- ' the other. One house had been taken from a junior lord, the greater portion of the time they were lying off De Cas- A liberal supply of wheet to-day, but from ee- • .
nese of the weather most of the samples offered were inn,l,
sir (se WOOD-The Admiralty were not responsible for officer of his rank ; and if my hon. friend behind me were room mess. and had cabins when possible. Theie has been a tacle that he nominated the officer who performed the ex- but it took five years to effect that change, and how snuck tris Bay. On the 27th of June they received orders to sail
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that; it was the act of the Treasury, who thought it advis. to poll the elates° navy, he would find its unanimous opin- great change made in the condition of secretaries and pay- ploit a rear-admiral on the spot. Notwithstanding the , longer it would take to get possession of the other house for the south, never having attempted to search for the
plea muse e‘"
able that all the postag should appear in one vote, The i„ to be that there is not a bettner more gallant, or more masters. They used to be paid by perceutaee, which led to statemeat of the gallantadiniral near him (Admiral Napier), for the public service it, was impossible to say. Some very Russian nivadron ; and they afterwards learnt from Ibis-
next vote is 20,0001. forNavai Coast Volunteers, In that deserving officer in the service. (Hear.) Capt. Koppel has great abuses. They have been placed on a rate, with half-pay that the fleet with which he sailed was inefficient, he was i splendid buildings had recently been erected at Somerset- sian prisoners that on that day, late as it then was, only one- quoted 2s less money. Spiing corn Is to 2s cheaper.
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there is a „nsiderable reduction. The number of men distinguished himself on every occasion in which his ger- of 10s• Chlo and an addition of 2s. on retirement. For as- confident that it would have met the Russians in a way house, and if the money which had been spent there had half of their (the Russians') ships ban got through the pas- Wheat, white, old, per s. s. 0. 8
who have entered has been much smaller than was ex- vices have been called into requisition, the most recent in- sistant-naYneasters and clerks there is a new scale, with worthy. of its ancient renown. (Cheers.) He regretted that been applied te extend the Admiralty the whole establish- sage, the vessels having never been go much as reconnoitred. gr. 56 76 Oats, per qr 22 2
eg 40
pacted. I think it is possible, however, that this establish. stance of this having occurred during hie command of the half-pay if they are unfit or unemployed. It hes also been the right imp. gentleman had thonght it necessarY to direct ment could have been removed to the latter place, and So it appears that up to that time Admiral Stirling had new.... 62 75 Peas, Partridge - a
„,eut may be turned to more account when the number of Naval Brigade before Sebastopol, and, if such a mark of determined that pensions shall be given to the widows of a personanend unworthy allusion against him. His accuse- room loft at the former for the Inland Revenue and other never reconnoitred the passage through which the Russian red, old 58 72 White 40
e 50
sailors employed inthe navy is renuced at the conciu,io, honour is to be conferred at all, I deolare Ido not know an officers who die from disease while ore aervice. With regard tion against- the AdmiraltY was not for having Placed him depertuaents, He might be told, as was sometimes said, ships effected their escape, and that, if he had done so, n0w....56 71 Boiling - g
of peace ; and lam therefore unwilling to adopt the course officer on the list to whom it could be more appropriately to the marines, non-commissioned officers have been ern upon the reserved list. If, either from age or other circum- that the foundations of the Admiralty were unsound, but even then he would have found one-half of them still there. Barley 28 34 Dun 36 SI
which some persons have suggested, and to put au end to given• (Hear.) The second officer to whom my hon. friend Pointed adjutants or quartermasters to the dock Yard bat- stances. it was thought he could no longer serve his coun- was it not possible to find an engineer who could drive in i should thank the First Lord of the Admiralty to inform Chevalier ........... 30 37 Beans, Tiok 35 30
the system which was rsscommended by &committee of most referred is Lord Clarence Paget. It is true that Lord Cla- tedious; increased retirement allowances have been given to try with credit, it was right and just that he should be put a few piles and make a foundation ?He would take away the committee whether he intends te lay the despatches on Grinding .. ........ 26 32 Harrow ticks 37 0
awe ',facers during the time that the Duke of Northumber• ranee Paget has not seen the 951110 211101111 t of service as colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and captains ; the fi.xed list of on 0110 side. But in the year 1823 he happened, through the houses of the first lord a,nd of the first sea lord and of the table • and, if so, when e Malt 70 74 Mazagan ....... 34,, 0
land was at the hese of the Admiralty, The next vote is Cant. Kennel; but it was considered that he and Captain general officers has been placed upon the same footing as the blessing of God, to perform a service that in the opi- the seccnd sea lord, and would, in addition, extend the sir c. WOOD said that there were one or two points to Chevalier 72 76 Ditto, new... 34
58,982/. for the scientific branch, In that department there Henderson, both being most meritorious officers, who had that of the army ; the retired list has been revised ; gra- nion of his commander-in-chief was of a brilliant character, Admiralty into the gardens behind, which would then which, before replying to the hen. member's question, he M.1.1.N......
has been an increase of expenditure, to which I think the done good service in the, war, and in consequence of that tnities and peasiens for good service have been extended and for which he recommended him for a Companionnhip afford sufficient room for the whole establishment. The desired to allude in the order in which they had occurred COLCHESTER- FEB. 9.
country will willingly, assent. Thehrsh item is for aniucrease service had unfortunately been incapacitated by ill-health to this force ; and in the course of the last year two RAH- of the Bath. Owing to the employment in which he was right hon. member for Carlisle once proposed a reformation during the debate. lt had been more than hinted that he A fair „pply of wheat ; prices 1, to 2, Der hr. lotragr'
of the eatery of the -Astronom„ Royal. It is now 20 Years for the discharge of further duty, were fullY eligible to re- lery companies were added to it, the officers and men of engaged, his health was so much reduced that his life was of the Admiralty, which the right hon. baronet (Sir C. had got some friend to write him a letter, giving a nourish. anti a good businees done. -Barle hea v ;ale at ls P.
since eh, Airey was anneinted to that position at a smaller calve this pension. Lord Clarence Paget served in the these companies receiving increased Pay. But the care of despaired of. But in 12 months afterwards his health was Wood) said was opposed by Sir G. Cockburn, That was ing account of the state of the navy ; but for this suspicion eg cheaper, Beans and peas 2, cYhct
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' dPricoes-tto-dayw_ere as fellow :-Wle:tr, white, 7as.te,te ;0
„tau than hiserede4hl;r had enjoyed. While he has filled Black Sea, and was also employed en shore in various ways the Admiralty has not been confined to officers only. In restored, and he addressed the Admiralty for employruent. true, and Sir G. Clerk also opposed it, becalm they fore- there was not the slighteet foundation in truth. The letter
that °face he has' distinguished himself by various imProve- by Sir E. Lyons until his eyesight comPletely failed him. 1853 the pay of all warrant officere was increased from 20 From the year 1823 to 1852 he continued to offer himself saw what had really taken pnice, that there would be no to which he had referred Wa3 one written 25 yeare ago by
ments in the constitution of the Observatory and its appa- I believe that he hne irrecoverably lost the use of one eye, to 25 Per cento and it Wag PrnVided that special pensions for any description of employment, to serve on any station, responsibility upon any one. According to the act of Par- the gallant admiral opposite to the right hon. baronet the re ,7 s o 769 ; barley, his to 40s ; oats, 248 to 281 , hod,
ratus, He has shrunk from no labour, and hats constantly un- and is in imminent danger ofalso losing the une of the ether; should lie awarded to them in case they were rendered in- and to accept of any command. He so offered himself hun- liament, he believed there were only two persons who could member for Carlisle, at that time First Lord of the Admi. Mazagan, 38s to 40s ; midtlle and small, 40s to 465; r''"-
derteken work not connected with the Observatory'. The cud being, moreover, tie excellent an officer as there is in capable of service bY ill-health or other causes. In 1819 dreds of times altogether, as the records of the Admiralty legally sign at the Admiralty. But both the secretaries ralty. The reason why he (Sir C. Wood) bad referred to white, 50. s to 56s ; grey, 38s to 425. •
character of that establishment now stands as high as, or the navy, we thought a good-service pension would not be the petty officers had new ratings in all ships,land in 1854 wouldshow. Having done all that man could do to obtain signed letters, two lords signed letters, although the act of it was simply that he desired to claim the benefit of a doe.
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higher than that of any other establishment in Europe. ill bestowed if it were awarded to him. (Hear.) The same they wore divided into three classes, with higher pay, gm- employment. and having failed, he said it was discreditable Parliament Prohibited it. He had received letters signed trine set forth in it_namegy, that the state of the navy Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, Seen re ~..„e;
The cataloeue of stars which the Astronomer Royal has remark applies to the case of Capt. Henderson, who car- tuities, and Pensi°m• Wi,th resPeet to the seanlen, a new to the Board of Admiralty to rob him of the fair honours by the secretaries- by two lords, and from a eisrk earned might be taken as a fair test of the efficiency of the Admi- in the port of London, from the following ports, ti-
prepared has ge„ appealed to without hesitation as the tainly does not belong to an aristocratic family, and there. rating has been introduced for leading seamen ; additional he had wen in 1823, and to place him on the reserved list Prosy-(a laugh)-froin Mr. Grant, the head of the Vic- ralty. In reply to the complaint that boys were not taken the 4th to the 9th Feb., both inclusive.
'1 t and perfect One which exists. (Hear.) He IOTO cannot be said to have received his pension for the Pay has been given At the rate of 2d. a-day te men above undecorated and unemployed. The Admiralty said that tualling Department ; from Mr. Dundas, the head of the in sufficient numbers into the navy, it would suffice to say ------- ---ee • ----.-------.._.,-----e---:
most comp e e
• ha, amelied photography to the tekieg of observations, and reason to which Lord Clarence Paget's has been unjustly the rating of A. 8.; corporal Punishment has been abolished all the captains could not be employed ; but if the Admi- Stores Department ; and he thought from others ; all of that upwards of 2,000 bad been admitted in the course of
CHolchesiter
ha, hereihi at much trouble in connexion with the measures ascribed. Capt. Henderson is an officer of very fair ser. except by sentence of court-martial or for mutiny ; good- ratty kept a few captains year after year with ship after which was contrary to the act of Parliament and ought to the last year. As for the insinuation of the hon. and gal- li pas 5 / I I 4
which have recently been adopted for communicating the vice, although not longer than that ofLord Clarence Paget ; conduct badges have been adopted, and a higher rate of ship, how could he or any other man get employment ?He be prev„ted. There Were at present si, lords of the lent admiral opposite, that the Lords of the Admiralty ee
has been given the men who have served continuously wanted no pay; he only waisted the honour and credit of Admiralty. The first lord had the general surveil- held in private very different opinions with respect to the ::- 4 * i—•
correct time to the mercantile marina. He has also taken he was selected by my predecessor in office for the command Pay
part in enanY scientifie inquiries ; and it is only right that in the West Indies, tvhere he acquitted himself with ad- for a long period. Areangements have also been Wade for serving his country. If it were on record that he had bi een hue° of all departments. The senior naval lord took condition of the navy from- those which they avowed in ' ---)---- —— -;
enabling seamen to allot their pay to persons who are not recommended by his commander-in-chief tor the Coin. charge of the ships and the surveyor's department. One public, he begged to say that, as far as he was himself - ' 574 201
the country should in some manner express the sense mirable judgment, discretion, and skill. He was oompelled
Y ; concerned, this was not so. He always said what he g:•15"" 39e - 491 - - 1
which it entertains of the value of his services. The other to return home from ill health, and it was myduty to anew members of their families-in fact, to whomsoever they panionship of the Bath, and if his late Majesty had written lord had charge of tho victualling &peal:neat nominal'
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prin
• cipal item of the increase in this department is a sum him to leave without being previously relieved, in order to Please. When a ship is brought into harbour to be fitted to say he was deserving of the honour, then he said that to another hail charge of the stores and the medical depart- thought. (Hear.) With regard to the question of slops,
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of 4,2001., required for proouring and erecting at the Royal save his life. Under these eircunastances I deemed hien leave of absence i 8 now given to the men for a month or six place him on the reserved list was unworthy of the Adini- I?nent ; while the civil lord had charge of the Accountaet- he could only sey that a number of officers and seamen had
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Observatory a more perfect astronomical instrument called not undeserving of a good-service pension. After thes6 ex- weeks, during which time they receive full pay, and they ralty, and conduct that his country would, ha believed,
KIRKCALDY-FEB. 9.
an equatorial. The equatorial now in the Observatory is Planatiens, 1 hardly think that the committee, or even the thus have the opportunity of visiting their families and treat with reprobation. 14jo re da awl. aals'
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inferior to those possessed hy any similar establishment of hon. gentleman behind me, will regard these pensions as friends without the less of pay or of time, and they are Sir C. WOOD explaided that he had only said that on a hut it halePene'l often that a commander-ire-chief received chosen had been adopted. ,
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auy reputation iu Europe, and even to one which has been having been improperly or unfairly bestowed. In the next not exposed, as was formerly the case to the risk of being former occasion the hon. and gallant admiral had coniplained. letters of a contrary nature, If the naval department was Mr. BENTINCK deprecated the practice of appointing market opened slowly for everything, at a reduction.is•
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erected by a gentleman in the county of nligo. There vote, for pensions, there is a slight increase, in consequence caught uP bY crimPs. A uniform sys;em of minor pimish- of the institution of the reserved list on which he wasplaced. to he nroherlY constituted, the Controller of the Victualling a civili.,n to the post, of First Lord of the Admi„lty. to 53 per qr. on wheat, and ls on barley, oats bri st
about last week's prices-latterly sales were quieken
is at Present an opportunity of obtaining a very per- of the extension of the boon to the widows of officers dying ments has been established throughout the navy, and a ' That list was not his doing, and it was a matter of fact
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a alight improvement in prices.
feet one with an object-glass 13 inches in diameter, and from ill health contracted in the service ; but the main in- "defaulters' book "is kept in each ship. Some hon. gen- that the lion. and gallant admiral had complained. spheoptial rdt
the Astronomer Royal has proposed to me to take a vote crease in this branch of the expenditure is owing to a change tleman referred the other day to the clothing of the sea- Mr. CAYLEY wished to know what alterations the right others, for their respective dep„rtm„ts, That would enable which he bad put to him.
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Wheat. Barley. f Oats. I - tet
.
for its purchase and for the erection of the necessary ma- that has been made in the mode of paying seamen their men ; and I may therefore inform the committee that the hon. gentleman proposed to make with respect to masters. the countrY toidiaPense with three Lords of the Adrairalten Sir C. WOOD said that it wannot convenient to answer First 7ss Od 3firs Od 0 291 ed iSe 04
chinery. To that vote lam convinced the house will most out-pensions. The seamen will be placed this year on the Prices of clothing have been revised and reduced, and hon. Sir-C. WOOD-The alteration made is raising the pay and if a first lord and two others were left to attend to the questions of that description in committee, but he would Second 7os Od 375 Od I 28s Od el Oe 0,1 ,
willinglyassent. The next vote is 153,795/. for her Majesty's same footing as the army with regard to these pensions, members will find in vete No. lof this estimate no incon- of two classes of masters, discipline of the fleet they would have the public ser vice answer it on a future day. Third 503 Od 30s Od I 24s Otl lOs
establishments at home. The greater part of the increase in which will be paid to them in advance instead of at the siderable sum proposed as an annual charge upon the pub- Mr. BAILLIE hoped that the first opportunity would be much better conducted. The First Lord of the Admiralty The vote was then agreed to,
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thie vote has been rendered necessary by the pressureof work end of the quarter. The next vote is for civil pensions and lic, in order that our sailors may be furnished with good taken of increasiug the qualification of naval instructors. said on a former night, that nine-tenths of the matter re- A vote of 1,434,730/. for provision for seamen and _
COAL MARKET.-.--FEB. 11.
in the dockyards ; but it also includes an item which, as it allowances, and amounts to 147,685/. Thie item so en- clothes at a lower price than their actual cost. The provi- It was very desirable that they should be able to give in- forred to by the hon. member for Bath had nothing to do marines, a vote of 2,0057. lls. 7d. for scientific perposes,
may provoke some opposition, I think it right to explain. tirely depends on the health and mortality of the service, sions issued to the seamen have also been improved both struction in the French language. with the navy, and instanced beef and pork, as if the navy and a vote of 20,000/. for the Naval @oast Vol t
un eers, Prim,. of Coal per ton at the close of the market.
We find that there are in the navy a considerable and the rules which regulate its distribution are so fixed in amount and quality. A great ineproyement has been Sir H. WILLOITGHBY hoped thatsome means would be was not fed upon beef and pork. Some lords of the Admi- were agreed to.
s. d. Wallsend, kn. ~
number of Roman Catholic officers and soldiers, and we and unchengeahle that there is verY little variation in its made with regard to the admission of seamen into Greon- devised of placing the power of exceeding the estimates raltY, when first appointed, did not know a brig from a fri- On the vote of 153,795/. for the salaries of officers and
s. P
thought it was but fair that theY should, when in Port, amount one Year as compared with another. The next vote, wich Flospital. Formerly, owing to careleesness on the under some control. It appeared that in thisyear's expen- gate, and the naval lords were occupied in teaching these contingent expanses of the naval establishment at home, Bate's West Hartley 16 0 0
have the opportunity of attendine at the performance which is for the trans Port service, is very large ; and, al- part of the admitting officers, a great many men obtained diture no less a sum than 654,000/. had been spent without their duties ; thus it became necessary for heads of depart- Mr. MAGUIRE said it was his intention to have brought Huddle W. Hartley lB 0 Heaton
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16
of divine worship according to tEe rites of their own though I propose to take a smaller sum than that which admission into that institution who, I believe, were not en- the sanction of the house. One item of this excess, the ments to sign papers, or the whole machine would stop. forward at a future period what be should now complain Holywell l7 0 H.edley . .............. ......• 0
church. We have, therefore, at each of the ports, caused appears on tha estimates- viz., 6,971,537/. inclusive of the titled to ita benefits ; but it is !love. provided that none shall expenditure of 435,000 h upon the vote No. 10, he had be- But the Board of Admiralty always told tho house ever
Y• of. It was his duty to call the attention of the committee North Percy Hartley _l6 0 Lambton lB 0
16
to be prepared in a ship in ordinary, accommodation charge for prisoners of war-yet, even if it s'hotild so happen be admitted but those disabled bywounds, unless theyhave fore brought under the notice of tho house. thing went on in beautiful order, and then one lord got uP to the unfair distribution of the lel' d't
pu lc expen 1 ure as ap- weigni
r Primr s
Welke o e .........14 6 Russell's Hetton ......... , 9
precisely similar to that which is provided for the that peace is shortly concluded, and the whole of our troops the recommendation of at least 10 years'-gooel servitude. Mr. BENTINCK thought there was a practical absur. and praised himself, and then another praised himself, and plied to England and Ireland. The great national re- "J l5 0 South Hetton ,11 9
16 0
service of our own church, and in these ships Roman can be brought home from the ahores of the Black Sea, it Another change has been made, which ma,y seem of little dity in the system of which the hon. and gallant member every one of them declared that everythieg was carried on sources of the harbour of Cork were neglected, though it Heugh Hall
Catholic priests have performed service hitherto with- must aevertheless be obvious that there can be little or no importance, but which has proved a great benefit to the for Christchurch (Admiral Walcott) had complained. An in the most perfect manner. But, if they took the trouble was admirably adapted for the building and repairing of Wallsend, etc. Kelloe 17 0
13
out remuneration. I propose to the house that we reduction in-this vote. (Hear.) The freights of most of il Tl'
senor. .......e exaniinatious for pensions are now conducted officer was not employed for a Certain number of years, to inquire of any of those who had been at Sonserset-house, ships. He did not, as a beggar, ask that Ireland should HarveY WYlant 16 0 Tees
should at each port pay a Roman C
• atholic chaplain for the vessels have fallen, and on that account a smaller sum at the outports. Formerly all persons entitled to pensions and at the end of that time ho was told that, because he had but had now left it, and were therefore able to speak out enjoy a portion of thepublic expenditure, but he demanded Ships at market... 103 I Sold
the performance of service to the seamen of the fleet. An will be chargeable than was required last year ; but, on were compelled to come to London for examination, and not been employed, his services should no longer be avail- boldly, they would 'cern that nothing could be more un- it as a right. Of the 3,636,000/. which the house was asked
impression having existed that there are in the fleet no the other hand, the sum taken for coals has turned out to hail to find there way here as well as they could. -Under able. Every efficient mania the service might be placed on satisfactory than the state of confusion which at present to vote for Admiralty purposes, only 4,500/. was to be ex- e
great number of seamen of the Roman Catholic Persuasion, be inadequate to meet the demands of the service ; and in that system great hardships and expense were entailed the reserved list of the system wore carried out. existed, and that, if a board of the cleverest men in the pended in Ireland.
- SEABORNE MAILS.
I desired a return to be prepared, showine the number of the ease of many of the other items, such as those for the upon them from which they will now be relieved. An hon. Capt. SCOBELL said, the right hon. gentleman had world were ehosen, it would be impossible forthem to goto Sir C. WOOD said that the hon. gentleman seemed to -----......--_
enh
officers and men who attended the celeaation of divine fitting of the transports, bedding for the troops, forage, ite., member the other night impressed upon us the importance spoken at considerable length, and had alluded to some workefficiently. He sawhon. gentlemen opposite takingnotes think that the public expenditure should be equally dis- (IT signifies that the mails are sent from the General Poste-
worship according to the ritual of that church, at the three the amounts also proved insufficient. Therefore, lookine to of introducing boys into the service, and seemed to coin- points to which no reference seemed necessary after the and preparing to attack him, but let them go where they tributed over all parts of the country. He (Sir C. Wood) lin the night-and Mby the morning-tiespatch.)
great ports. I find. that yesterday there attended the the larger force that we now have in the Black' sea ttan plain that the eubject had not received sufficient attention ample discussion they had received some nights ago. Pleased, inquire of those comPetent and able to speak, lived in the north of England, and the people there did not
_one'
_____
Roman Catholic service at Sheerness 2 officers and 59 men, we had before, we propose to take a still larger sum than from the Government. If, however, hon. gentlemen will He did not assert that more ships than were necessary had and they would learn that what he had stated was true. consider themselves exceedittgly ill-treated because there Day when naade up prom what Vill
and at Portsmouth 120 officers and men. The average num- emperience showed to be requisite for tlie last year. In like look to the estimates, they will find that-the number of hitherto been employed, but when the right hon. gentle- Sir George Cockburn's was a better plan than the one now was no:dockyard in the Humber or Mersey. He thought COUNTRIES. in General Post- Port Wale
Ler of those who have attended that service at Plymouth manner there will be a slight increase in the vote for tho boYs introduced iuto the navy had been increased from man talked of 350 pennants in tho Baltic and 100 in the followed. That ,gallant officer recommended-and he (Sir that dockyards ahould only be formed and maintained at Mice, Loudon.* Dispatched. 1411(1
has been 26 officers and 197 men. It is exceedingly undo- maintenance of prisoners of war, because we have more 2,000 to 10,000, But I may observe that it is not desirable Black Sea, where there was not now a single cockboat C. Napier) had also often recommended- that the Rear- those places which were most convenient for the public -------" --________
_____.
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terabit, that the men should be required to land 112 port, as prisoners to keep now than we had last year ; ana we have to increase too rapidly that branch of our naval force. The of the Russian fleet, he thought it was rather overdone. Admiral of Great Britain, who held at present a sinecure service, and he did not think that it would be for the con- imerica(byßrit.pitek)N Every Friday .. •• Liverpool ... Fe •
such landing eenerally leads rather to attendance at public- to bear the expense not only of those who are in this coon- system of novices entered for the service is also working Let them send out as many small ships as they pleased- appointment, should be placed at Somerset-house at the venience of the public service that dockyards should be emerice. (by United Sts. ( b
11
houses than a a place of public worship; anti I believe it try, but of those who are at Constantinople. As long as extremely well, and 1 aiii son naval officers must observe they were at last doing right in that respect, but ships like head of the Victualling Department, that the whole cor- formed either at Cork or in Scotland, or in the Humber or 4 packet) .........
melee (by U. States
•N et •• ••• •• • • Liverpool ... re '
I
, n 9
will be very conducive to the discipline.of the service, as these persons remain prisoners of war they must be main- with surprise the skill and discipline to which youths have the Conqueror and the Marlborough wore too large to be of respondence of that depertment should pass through him, Mersey. He was fully aware of the merits and beauties of packet) ..........N •••.‘ •• • - SOuth,ampte ..e-•
welt as to the moral character of the men, that they should tained ; the acceunt can be checked when it comes in, and been brought who were but lately at the ploughtail. Great use in the Baltic, for they could not get near the places and that he should be entirely responsible for its conduct. es n e e
...ore naruour. He must say that a more beau. Lustraita (via South-
•
have the opportunity of attending this service. I, therefore, it would be unwise not to make au ample provision under improvements have been effected in the condition of per- which wore to be bombarded. He was glad that a large At the head of the Store and Surveyor's Department should tifui spot, or a, better harbour, he had seldons seem ampton) ..........M ......... • • Southampton
truet that the sum required for that service will be granted this head. The committee may, perhaps, like to kuow the sons in ell ranks of the service, from the admiral to the boy increase was to take place in the number of boys, for no be placed the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain, who also He was not aware that the Rosamond steam- Ditto (via Marseilles) N •• .......• • Dover .... •
by the house. The next three votes are for the salaries amount of service which has been performed in the course who has just entered ; and I think the committee will do, one could become a good sailor who did not go to sea as a held a sinecure appointment, and who ought also to be sloop had arrived at Cork with a broken shaft. As Hilt:too (via Cape of Goeitil
.. Crhe°tel'i
of officers and wages of seaman in the yards at home and of tho past year by the Transport Board ; and I shall, uot the present, but former boards of Admiralty the justice boy. With regard to the employment of coastguardsnaen, entirely responsible fot the management of those depart- soon as the vessels had returned from the Baltic, tifrieVwo7;Eo.as-t3..N 23d of tile° monnt... Plymouth... Yeb' 6
abroad. Ido not think it is possible to reduce the sums therefore, read to it the number of the tioops who have been to admit that they have nct been negligent in the discharge no doubt they waro fine old sailors, and it was very pro- moots. These, he believed, weru substantially the sug- the Admiralty had directed that they should be dispersed Alexandria..........N,S, 9. 24, &30 of m.,Dover .....• i
paid for wages. Hon. gentlemen are aware that during the conveyed by sea within that Period. The figures are as or theirimportant elutiee. There is no class in her Majority's per to put theue on board men-of-war at first, but he gestions of Sir G. Cockblint, and ouo great advantage among the different ports of the country to raiee men. At Alexsaidrla........ _ m '4th 81.; 20th of mon.Sotithampton
last year much building has been done by contract ; but follows :-To the Black Sea front Europe-British from navy whose condition has not been improved by the consi- thought they would now be able to get a aalE. would undoubtedly result if they were acted upon. Ever3'- Dublin there were now one ship of the line and two fri- Bahamas ...........millth of the monthiSouthamptorf ~
that is not a satisfactory mode of executing the work. We &elan/1,50,00) • military corps from ditto, 5,00 e; Foi eien derate attention of those who preside over the aeltninistra- cient number of seamen at less expense to the body knew how essential it was that the outports should gates ;at Waterford one large steam-thigate ; and at Gal- inieriglir - " "•• ";;71,is Ittlleo'r.t.h.,;•
iv., • • ill: • Dover .... .. reagiris,
find that even the largest contractors seldom have an ex- Legion, ditto, 5,1000; French from south of France, 26,030 ; tion of that branch of the public service, aided by the country. Older sailors dial not like to see men be frequently visited• At present, when the Admiralty env a frigate. He hoped that these vessels would be sue- tituazenosnyr••.e.s::::•:„„mleth of the moGnatin.'B"thanaPt", 'b lb
•ISouthamp ton ke toe
teusive gook of material on hand, and- consequently much Sarehlians from Genoa, 19,000. Total, 105,000. To the liberality with which this house has naet the demands that with much larger pay than themselves on board tho same paid such a visit, it was nothing more than & party of cessful in raising MOIL But he must add that the only Capeof Good liop•e ..NI Various port Ilecer
uf the timber that is put into even the smaller vessels is Mediterranean-Militia from England, 5,000. In tho have been made upon it. In 1847 all the regulations relate ship, although they did not say much about it ; anti he Pleasure, and the board ran through the dockyards as fast ••i h* h -he would act upon in these matters was to Cape of Good Hope ..N
princtp e w ic
lb
not sufficiently seasoned. More than that, very few cou. Black Sea and the 31editennnean-British from the Medi- jog to the dechyanda were revised, anti restrictions were thought it would lie better to expend the amount of their as they possibly could, in a manner whieh Wa3 certainlY do that which was most conducive to the interests of the Cape de Verds .... ..ei 9tli of tha month kloutheanpWr,,Feb•
tractors have kept time and delivered the vessels at the ' tarranean, 20,001 ; French hi the Black Sea, 5,000 ; Turks adopted with reeard to the admission and promotion of ar- extra ply in bounty. He denied that it was wrong to not calculated to eticit accurate information as to what empire at large. (Hear.) * Ceylon (see India) l
period at which they promised them. Independeutly of in ditto 58,000 ; Turkish Contingent, 20,000 ; British on tificers• The enmiralty now require from the superinten- mention the subject of bounty-the error was in not giving went on. Now,' if the- Rear-Admiral of Great Britain Colonel DUNNE said that Ireland had a right to these egitne.1.1);;s:::•.•• 7.1 f Mon ,Wed.,&Ftle. Sou h L • eel
.Tbe
the greatenpunctuality insured by such un arrangement, the Black Sea, 20,0e0 ; Kinburn, 3,500. Total, 138,000. dents of the various dockyards an accurate and faithful it. He wished to impress upon the right hon. gentleman were sent down to the outposts, he would be senior in naval establishments, and the time might come when the Chi11..................m ,2d tit .17th of month SoutthasamuPwtonfra
I cannot hut think that, both as regards the soundness of Troop 3 moved elsewhere, invalids, Sec., 46,000. Total account of the manner in which that duty is discharged ; the necessity of keeping down the number of cadets. Old rank to all the admirals in conamand there, and would eh Government would see the expediency oftioing herjustice. China .... ;Once a month.... P Feb. I
the material 3 used and the superior character of the work- number of trooPs moved within the Year, 291,00 J. (Hearn and the same course is pursued in the caseof tho victualling admiral. and captaine could not be strangled • they must through the different offices, the victualling., the medical, Mr. JOHN M'GREGOR said that he had listened with Constantinople
~„
„N 9,13,18,23,&as ot +over ......
tuanship, The interests of the public will be best promoted And lam happy to saY that with the exception of the yards, factories, and workshops. -These subjects have been be put up with while they were alive, and ca'dets ought, an i other departments, attending, perhaps., a week or ten great satisfaction to the speech of the right hon. gentleman Constantine/ea „„ „ jeth k 20th anion. Southampton ,e,goo
by tieing the work as much as possible in our oven dock- burning of a single vessel, this vast amount of work has carefully considered by a committee appointed by the therefore, to be kept out of the service. From 1812 to the daYs in each Place ; the eice-admiral would tio the same the First Lord of the Admiralty, and bo believed that no Cont. of Europe M& N i Twice daily .. .• .. Dover .. .. .. Tvelv-
yards, instead of giving it ont on contract, as was custo- been Performed without a disaster. (Hear.) It is only Board of Admiralty, and• during the last 10 years there is present time 2,000 cadets had been admitted, while in the thing ;it would not be necessary for them to drag down a Minister was more anxious to do that which he considered rgifcte(....., 1 no„, . N Twice da11y...• •• Dover ...... Teriaol
mary in former times. The amount of repairs necessary to fair that I should hear testimony to the exemplary cm. not a single branch of the naval service afloat or ashore, saute period not more than half that number of lieutenants whole board with them, with a secretary tacked on to righ t and just than the right hon. gentleman. (Hear, Gibraltar :. .. ...... han, 7, 17, 20, 27 efm. Southamptoe
be executed on ships returning from the Black Sea, and the duct and care of the masters of the transport ship 3, whether abi oad or at home, which bag not been the object of revi- had been inede. An average of 15 cadets a year would be their tail; and these persons would send for the various hear.) He (Mr. John M'Gregor) would not go into the Greece (see India) 1
Baltic during the last two yeers was so large that building belonging to the RoYal Navy or to the nserchant service, sion anti improvement. In some instances additional ex- quite sufficient for the next 10 years. The right hon. °Moen, and would euten into a thorough examination of question of taxation, for he thought that no change Greytown ...... .. ow ind & 17th of mon. Southampton
was to a certain extent diminished, but, as the committee for it was mainly owing to their great skill and dilieence panditure has undoubtedly been entailed by this process ; gentleman had accused him and other hon. members of each department inspected by them. Such a visit would could be made in our administrative system until the re- Hemburgh ..........N :FU!NidaY 84 FridaYl.•oodoo ..... .. 16,
will nu doubt be of opinion with me that it is by no means that the service hail been so satisfactorily accomplisehed ; hut the House of Commons have, in successive years, most making erroneous statements.; but, in spite of the right be productive of real benefit, and would lead to much turn of peace. Great injustice had been done in uot nsak- Goavlaattindiah ..........si ituailityo.f.t.he month'ttivthanipton teaioily •
desirable that in a couutry such as this the art and practice and it cm tainly afforded me much pleasure to hear the liberally met the demands which have been made upon hon. gentleman's judgment, expelience, and authority, he greater economy in this portion of the national expendi- ing use of Cork harbour for naval purposes. He would golnduras • t...::•• ::::ti,l7ta t :tin; ....... Souteltra.t.iiiZ 1615011 t
of shipbuilding should be allowed to fall into disuse, I truat hon. member for Northamptonshire (Mr. Stafford) speak them in order to effect these improvement% and I think an would repeat every statement that he had made on former ture. His had convereed frequently with people who had suggest that the eetablishment at Deptford should be re- India (viaSouthi;upt.)ll:4th & 20th of mon. Plymouth ...4 k2° -
that you will sauctien, for next year, the sense expeutli. so highly aa he did the other night of the admirable state amPle return is to be found in the present condition of our occasione. The right hon. eentleuian had alluded to one been Lords of the Admiralty, and, though he ceuld not moVed to Cork. It would be remembered that awing the helia (via Marsoilies)ht 9th&2sth of monthiDover ......) .
ture on account of the yards as is at present in progreen of our transport service. (Hear ) The only other vote is navy. Ido not believe that at any period in the la story of the first naval officers an7l one of the best Lords of the allude to them by Lame, all seemed to agree that the board last war Cork harbour was the great rendezvous for our lonian ehe, (see hewn', 17, &27 of InenDover.... •• 1 gilli
(Hear.) The only item in respect of which 1 can entertain one for the packet service, on which there is a small in- of this country our naval establishment has been in a state Admiralty we ever had-Sir G. Cockburn. Was the as at present constituted was most inefficient. There were commercial fleets whilst waiting for convoy. Ireland ........M & N Twice (Jelly ...• . Hole head ~, Toil*
11117. 9. 17, 4 27 of rn..l3oetaampk„ ,gee, lb
a well-fouuded hepe that there win be a reduction before crease in consequence of a contract ordered by the 'rites- of greater completeness and efficiency than at the present document left at his death, by an officer of so much expe- more complaints against this board than all tho other boards Mr. MAGUIRE said a more fallacious and flimsy answer IsParetlir.a..... •...........mi9th of the monthSouthanip- toe
the close of the year is that which Defers to our establish. sures for Shetlaud aud Orkney. I have now gone through motneut. Look at the improvemeut and development of rience and talent, of no authority ? Why, the right hon. Put together. Look at the way in whieh private ships and shiP than that of the right -hon. baronet (Sir C. Wood) bad never atadeira ...I.:. 7. 7. „N rad of month .... Liverpool ...
'tants in Constantinople and the Black Sea. An burned"- the various items comprised in these estimates ; but I said steam pewer as applied to our fleet. Why, last year not gentleman (God giant he might live many years !) might, yaorcrls are managed. Our grfat shipowners had servants who hcen given by any First Lord of the Admiralty. Cork har- Malta (see India) 1
th oughly understood their busines. and the whole system
20'111
ate reduction is scarcely to be expected, for the committee that I should postpone further remarks upon -them till 1 a single sailing-ship of war appeared in the Bat; aill weorfe. rerhaps,ffavourbthhm with a little advehiin hisi wilt-rna
hour was einieently calculated for a dockyard, and, by means rtalntsiti.......i ......N IC Is. &28 of mon. Dover .., .... 4 k
of management was far better than tiliat of the Ad • It
will not fail to bear in mind that, if peace should be con- ceuld present to the committee. in a, single view, the causes either ps..ddlewheel or screw steamers. All
b• b inwe:th- auhile)-_-- or he . elieved many
ta man hlt s rea :..pinio:
net len
.Y. of the electric telegraph, the Admiralty could. eonununicate 54urritlauss (see
ni11.4)..N 14th of the- month
ii The right hon. gentleman (Sir C. Wood) had quo ed the
eluded, we shall have to withdraw the whole of our army of the additional expense in the shape of pa.y, retirement battle ships which are not scrhve steamers ?ere eet nt if whi ehe was In °tape. Wi h regard o priomo son,
with Cork from -Whitehall in the space of one minute. Mexico ...•:..••:•.:..mi2nd of the month.. Sonth 10
from the Black Sea and for that reason the amount of allowances, and pensions, which appear., in the estimate,, ; dra.wu from the Black Sea, with one exception- ha
.o. a wished to know how it was that many subord nate officers other nieht fro! aI tt fh• bh h 1 9
11_ _eer o 14 pu is et ...6 years ago, Mr. SPOONER asked for somo explanation with regard Naples .........:„ „N sthlSth•4sthertuon. DoverasaPSea Feb.
h S';J
werk thrown on thh establishment at Constantinople will and to do this 1 mast revert to a period that has long veieel left as a depot-ship ; and only three or four sailing who had served against the Russians before Sebastopol wen t ames Graham was at the head of the Admiralty,
7 to the suns charged. for Roman Catholic chaplains for the New Granada .... .. re ell& 17thof monthlSoUth .....
in the first instance be necessarily very great. For this elapsed, because what we are doing now and what has line.of-battle ships are left afloat in our ports, except as had been passed over in favour of men who never saw the in which he said that the welfare of the navy depended so navy.
ampter ,p
New Zealand .......... ;By Private sIIP .. Various port undo-
reason, and fur no other, it may be necessary to increase been done in the couree of the last year, are merely the store-ships. Thie change has, of conree, been ettended trenches ? The rieht hou. gentleman had reed a letter, much upon the manner in which it was administered, tint Sir C. WOOD said he was prepared to justify that vote, Papal Btates ........2,lsthlsth2hthofmon. Dover ......
the expenditure on account of transports. The next vote sequel and consequences of a series of measures which have with considerable expense, but it has added enormoindy to although he did not name the writer, to prove that every. we had only to refer to the discipline of oar ships, and if which, he thoueht, •• Ist 1 •
was lig ant pi oper. There were a p
peaimla
..........milthl7thi7thofmon.Southatteston _
is for stoves, and it will be seen that upon this item there been in constant progress during the last eight or 1.0 years. tire efficiency ofour /sweet force. Look, too, at our officers. thing was going on as well as possible, but every' First they were found in a high state of efficioney-well built eru .• ............et et & 27th of mon.)Bouthamptest
rtel°
, °neat number of Roman Catholic sailors seri-hie in the fleet p tN t ,
Or S. ft...........N fly prelate ship... Various ports ChM
is a reduction of about 500,0001., chiefly owing to the large Whatever Government may have been in power during Have they not deserved we:l of their country wherever they Lord cluld get a hundred such letters if he gave out that well fonnd, well officered, and well manned-it might be ' f hom e fee 1 1 ; 's•
'
and. Divine service wars per- Sicily , . Nlsthlsth2sthetutatt Dover ......
supply of some essential articles of storee, the means of that period, a continuous improvement in the condition of have been engaged inoperationse Have they not maintained he wished for them. He had eome lettere in his possession, surmised that the navy was conducted by just and expo- finoryerl)ii7all- ecsasiet e'ocnelrd•rue to the rit sof the Church of Tailcani.::'''•'''::l„;lsthlsth2sthofinon: Dover .. . psis
purchasing which the House of Commons placed last year every class in the navy-from the admiral to the cabin-boy and even increased tho ancient reputation of our navy ? and he should be glad to show them to the right hon. gen. rienced men. But the right hon. gentleman should have Enland, but Of cour;e Ro 1g ' •e • • •. •
man Catholic sailors wei e not so- hencniel, ghhhhhhhnie 2d & 17tli oimonth SouthamPto.n. Ikb P-
at the command of the Admiralty, the main article being -has been steadily going forward from year to year. It The Russian Black Sea fleet, it has been truly said, has tleman, which would prove to him the existence of more quoted further. He went on to say that if, on the other •
g 1 d ' I Van Diemen's Land (sei
' h 11
quire( to atten that service, t was most desirable tat a
.
~ that most necessary commodity-hemp. It was but natural is much the fashion for hon. gentlemen to ten us night been swept from the sen It is true there may be 2or 3 discontent in the service than he could imagine. With hand, we SaW a geneial relaxation of diecipline, no enaula- Austraiia) ••••••••• •;hg 17 se
crsons in tbe fleet should have en o iortunit of ettendine
I &OP'
W_ est Indies ..... ..m u th of rnonnenouthamaterel _
to expect that the war would interfere with the regular after night that the officers and men of the navy are nog- steamers at Nicholaieff or in the liver Don • but every reseect to the small vessels, he should congratulate the tion, no zeal, and the generality of ships in bad order, or in Divine. worshi Sunday in st;ch Neither a:was e‘onsieteept.
and abundant supply of Baltic hemp, and, under thhe lected and uncared for by the Admiralty ; and I dare Russian ship of war in the Black Sea has been burnt, sunk, Admiralty in finding them better names. Some of them Ino order at all, we might mononnee withees ene...;-.. Pen - ' in•
_ _
circumstances, an offer was made to the Admiralty of a say that those who make these assertions do so sincerely or destroyed by us or by tho Russians themselves_ We -
larhe quantity of Italian hemp, which has been received. believio,, teen 4- 1..,....._ r_ . • • -

or five times a-day, so that during the last five years the
Surveyor of the Navy had positively lived in a cab—
(laughter)—perhaps not slept in it, but he was always
riding backwards and forwards from one establishment to
the other. One house had been taken from a junior lord,
but it took five years to effect that change, and how much
longer it would take to get possession of the other house
for the public service it.was impossible to say. Some very
splendid buildings had recently been erected at Somerset-
house, and if the money which had been spent there had
been applied to extend the Admiralty the whole establish.
ment could have been removed to the latter place, and
room loft at the former for the Inland Revenue and other
departments. He might be told, as was sometimes said,
that the foundations of the Admiralty were unsound, but
was it not possible to 'find an engineer who could drive in
a few piles and make a foundation ? He would take away
the houses of the first lord and of the first sea lord and of
the seccnd sea lord, and would, in addition, extend the
Admiralty into the gardens behind, which would then
afford sufficient room for the whole establishment. The
right hon. member for Carlisle once proposed a reformation
of the Admiralty, which the right hon. baronet (Sir C.
Wood) said was opposed by Sir G. Cockburn, That was
true, and Sir G. Clerk also opposed it, because they fore-
saw what had really taken place, that there would be no
responsibility upon any one. According to the act of Par-
, hamlet, he believed there were only two persons who could
legally sign at the Admiralty. But both the secretaries
signed letters, two lords signed letters, although the act of
Parliament prohibited it. He had received letters signed
by the secretaries- by two lords, and from a clerk named
Prosy—(a laugh)—from Mr. Grant, the head of the Vic-
tualling Department; from Mr. Dundas, the head of the
Stores Department ' • and he thought from others ; all of
which was contrary to the act of Parliament and ought to
be prevented. There were at present six lords of the
Admiralty. The first lord had the general surveil.
lance of all departments. The senior naval lord took
charge of the ships and the surveyor's department. One
lord had charge of the victualling department nominally ;
another had charge of the stores and the medical depart.
ment ; while the civil lord had charge of the Accountant-
General's department. Sir G. Cockburn said that each
lord was to a certain degree responsible for his department,
but it happenei often that a commander-in-chief received
letters of a contrary nature. If the naval department was
to be properly constituted, the Controller of the Victualling
Department should be responsible for his department, as
should the Controller of Stores, the Accountant-General, and
others, for their respective departments. That would enable
the countrytoldiepen se with three Lords of the Admiralty,
and if a first lord and two others were left to attend to the
discipline of the fleet they would have the public service
much better conducted. The First Lord of the Admiralty
said on a former night, that nine-tenths of the matter re-
ferred to by the hon. member for Bath had nothing to do
with the navy, and instanced beef and pork, as if the navy
was not fed upon beef and pork. Some lords of the Admi-
ralty, when first appointed, did not knew a brig from a fri-
gate, and the naval lords were occupied in teaching these
their duties ; thus it became necessary for heads of depart-
ments to sign papers, or the whole machine would stop.
But the Board of Admiralty always told the house every-
thing went on in beautiful order, and then one lord got up
and praised himself, and then another praised himself, and
every one of them declared that everything was carried on
in the most perfect manner. But, if they took the trouble
to inquire of any of those who had been at Somerset-house,
but had now left it, and were therefore able to speak out
boldly, they would learn that nothing could be more un-
satisfactory than the state of confusion which at present
existed, aml that, if a board of the cleverest men in the
world were chosen, it would be impossible forthem to goto
work efficiently. Ho sawhon. gentlemen opposite taking notes
and preparing to attack him, but let them go where they
pleased, inquire of those competent and able to speak,
and they would learn that what. be bad stated was true.
Sir George Cockburn's was a better plan than the one now
followed. That gallant officer recommended—and he (Sir
C. Napier) had also often recommended— that the Rear-
Admiral of Great Britain, who held at present a sinecure
appointment, should be placed at Somerset-house at the
head of the Victualling Department, that the whole cor-
respondence of that department should pass through bim,
and that he should be entirely responsible for its conduct.
At the head of the Store and Surveyor's Department should
be placed the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain, who also
held a sinecure appointment, and who ought also to be
entirely responsible for the management of those depart.
ments. These, he believed, weru substantially the sug-
gestions of Sir G. Cockbtirii, and ouo great advantage
would undoubtedly result if they were acted upon. Every-
body knew how essential it was that the outports should
be frequently visited. At present, when the Admiralty
paid such a visit, it was nothing more than a party of
pleasure, and the hoard ran through the dockyards as fast
as they possibly could, in a manner which was certainly
not calculated to ejicit accurate information as to what
went on. Now, if the. Rear-Admiral of Great Britain
were sent down to the outposts, he would be senior in
rank to all the admirals in command there, and would go
through the different offices, the victualling, the medica,
and other departments, spending, perhaps, a week or ten
days in each place ; the eice-admiral would do the same
thing; it would not be necessary for them to drag down a
whole board with them, with a secretary tacked on to
their tail; and these persons would send for the various
officers, and would enter into a thorough examination of
each department inspected by them. Such a visit would
be productive of real benefit, and would lead to much.
greater economy in this portion of the national expendi-
ture. He had conversed frequently with people who had
been Lords of the Admiralty, and, though he could not
allude to them by Lame, all seemed to agree that the board
as at present constituted was most inefficient. There were
more complaints against this board than all the other boards
put together. Look at the way in which private ships and ship
yards are managed. Our great shipowners had servants who
thoroughly understood their busines.i and the whole system
of management was far better than that of the Admiralty.
The right hon. gentleman (Sir C. Wood) had quoted the
other night from a letter of his published 26 years ago,
when Sir James Graham was at the head of the Admiralty,
in which he said that the welfare of the navy depended so
much upon the manner in which it was administered, that
we had only to refer to the discipline of our ships, and if
they were found in a high state of efficiency—well built,
well found, well officered, and well manned—it might he
surmised that the navy was conducted by just and expe-
rienced men. But the right hon. gentleman should have
quoted further. He went on to say that if, on the other
hand, we saw a general relaxation of discipline, no emula-
tion, no zeal, and the generality of ships in bad order, or in
no order at all, we might pronounce without hesitation
that the Admiralty were unjust and partial in their selec-
tions fur command, that promotions were conferred from
political considerations, and that there was a total exclu-
sion of meritorious old offisters.' He did not mean to say
that the navy was in thiS condition now, and he acknow-
ledged that the right bon. gentlerrian had done a great deal
to improve it. Even now, however, its affairs were far from
being administered as they ought to be, and there was not
a Lord of the Admiralty who did not know this as well as
he did. If he mistook not the senior naval lord, with whom
he had often held conversation upon the subject, would
agree with him upon this point. But he thought he had
said enough about the Board of Admiralty. Not that he
entertained the smallest hope that it would have any effect
upon that house. (A laugh.) Members of the Board would
doubtless get up and say, as had always been said when
the naval administration was impugned, " The navy was
never better conducted than at the present moment."
Let the house, however, only order the subject to be
examined into by a committee, and he should be infi-
nitely surprised if they came to the conclusion that the
management of the navy was satisfactory. With regard
to the construction of the Board of Admiralty, he would
appoint a Commander-in-Chief of the fleet, and a
Captain of the fleet, with the requisite number
of secretaries ; their duties should be restricted entirely to
matters concerning the discipline of the fleet, together with
the necessary promotions; and the Vice and Rear-Admirals
of Great Britain ought to be constantly with them, and to
take their orders from them. That was the way in which
he would construct the Board of Admiralty. But if Go-
vernment should continue obstinate arid refuse to adopt
his plan upon the notion that all naval officers were unfit
to take the first station at such a board, why, then, let
them appoint the right hon. baronet at the head of it, and
if they pleased let them take two other lords from the
benches opposite, but let thbre be a certain number of naval
lords who should sit by themselves for strictly naval pur-
poses. The right hon. baronet had given the committee a
survey of all that he hail done for the navy. Many things
had been done--some of them good and some bad. During
Sir R. Peel's Government he (Sir C. Napier) submitted a
plan on which the retiring list should be established.
Many of his suggestions were carried out by that Govern-
ment, but not all of them; nor were those which were
adopted effected in the manner he wished. Some time
after Caine a new First Lord of the Admiralty, and he pro-
posed another list. Some'admirals in former days had been
forced to retire without adequate pay. The Duke of Cla-
rence, when he became Lord High Admiral, saw the cruelty
of this, and he placed aildho,ee who had retired against
their will again on the list. Well, then came another
First Lord of the Admiialty, and by him all those who
had boon restored from .the retired list were again taken
off, and again put on the retired list. If the Government
had followed the system he recommended, no man would
have gone off the list without his own consent. But
there was another plan which-he had proposed, and which
he thought,betterin at 'respects,- both for the individuals
and for the service itself. There were a great many
admirals or the list who were too old for service. Now,
his plan would be to do away with all distinctions
between vice-admirals and rear-admirals, and to call
them, all alike, admiralli, and pay them 5001. a-year ;
and when the Admiralty wished to employ an ad-
miral they could select whomsoever they please I, awl from
whatever rank they pleased. This plan might be easily ac-
complished without costing the country any money what-
ever. With roepest to the. position of the masters in the
navy, that had of late bean very much improved ; but still
sufficient encouragement was not given to that very impor-
tant class of officers. If, as masters, they performed a gal-
lant action they were eligible to the post of lieutenant, but
they only ranked according to the period at which they
were appointed, and not according to seniority. Now, he
was of opinion that a master who had served sufficiently
long to entitle him to the rank of lieutenant, and who by
his gallantry in fight etasedetrined worthy of promotion,
should not.be obliged to take the rank of lieutenant, but
should be at once promoted to the rank of commander. As
to bounty, it was his opinion that it would be much better
to give 30/. or 40/. to a tried seaman to induce him to enlist
than to 'spend it in training a landsman to make him fit
for sea. It they were well treated sailors preferred a man-
of-war to a merchant ship; and he did not doubt that if
they gave a bounty they would obtain many more trained
seamen than they did at present. It was said that if you
gave a bounty the sailors would spend it iu drink. That
objection applied with much greater force to the gratuities
which were now given upon landing to sailors who had
conducted themselves well.' Such gratuities were generally
spent in drink, but a bounty would in most cases be ex-
pended upon necessary clothes and outfit.' The right hon.
baronet (Sir C. Wood) had done a great deal of good, and
be (Sir C. Napier) hoped that he would persevere. At the
same time, he could not attach much importance to the
fact that the right hon, baronet never promoted an offs ear
without consulting his Board. It was not likely that the
Board would refuse to sanction anything Which was re-
commended by the First Lord.
Sir F. BARING defended the system of compelling
admirals who had not served a certain period afloat
to go upon the reserved list. That rule WS= laid down
by the Duke of Clarence when Loid High Admiral, and
was afterwards forced upon the Governineut by a com-
mittee of the House of Commons. He denied tliat officers
were employed from political influence.
Mr. H. BAILLIE—As naval affairs again engage the
attention of the house, I may be permitted to observe that
on Friday a cloning I asked the First Lord of the Admiralty
a question, to which I hay, Tv 't as vet r oeiived an answer,
with reference to the operations of Admiral Stirling in the
China seas. I asked whether the 'Feta hon. gentleman
was prepared to ley upon the 'a'ele all the p pars and c
respondence relating to these toanaaotions ; and that in-
quiry I now repeat, because a statement ha eon pub-
lished by Captain Whittineham, which renders explan -
lion necealary. Captain•Whittingliam dates that; Admiral

They had been told that the Russian fleet was reviewed
during the summer before the war under tl eye of the E-
mperor himself, and that such was its efficienly that in only
one instance was the line into which it had been formed.
broken. The Emperor was so much gratified at the spec-
tacle that he nominated the officer who performed the ex-
ploit a rear-admiral on the spot. Notwithstanding the
statement of the gallant admiral near him (Admiral Napier),
that the fleet with which he sailed was inefficient, he was
confident that it would have met the Russians in a way
worthy. of its ancient renown. (Cheers.) He regretted that
the right bap. gentleman had thought it necessary to direct
a pereonartend unworthy allusion against him. His accusa-
tion against the Admiralty was not for having placed him
upon the reserved list. If, either from age or other circum-
stances. it was thought be could no longer serve his coun-
try with credit, it was right and just that he should be put
on one side. But in the year 1823 he happened, through
the blessing of God, to perform a service that in the opi-
nion of his commander-in-chief was of a brilliant character,
and for which he recommended him for a Companionship
of the Bath. Owing to the employment in which he was
engaged, his health was so much reduced that his life was
despaired of. But in 12 months afterwards his health was
restored, and he addressed the Admiralty for employment.
From the year 1823 to 1852 he continued to offer himself
for any description of employment, to servo on any station,
and to accept of any command. He so offered himself hun-
dreds of times altogether, as the records of the Admiralty
wouldshow. Having done all that man could do to obtain
employment, and having failed, he said it was discreditable
to the Board of Admiralty to rob him of the fair honours
he had won in 1823, and to place him on the reserved list
undecorated and unemployed. The Admiralty said that
all the captains could not be employed ; but if tho Admi-
ralty kept a few captains year after year with ship after
ship, how could he or any other man get employment ? He
wanted no pay; he only wanted the honour and credit of
serving his country. If it were on record that he had been
recommended by his commander-in-chief for the Com-
panionship of the Bath, and if his late Majesty had written
to say ho was deserving of the honour, then he said that to
place him on the reserved list was unworthy of the Admi-
ralty, and conduct that his country would, he believed,
treat with reprobation.
Sir C. WOOD explaided that he had only said that on a
former occasion the hon. and gallant admiral had complained
of the institution of the reserved list on which he was placed.
' That list was not his doing, and it was a matter of fact
that the hon. and gallant admiral had complained.
Mr. CAYLEY wished to know what alterations the right
hon. gentleman proposed to make with respect to masters.
Sir C. WOOD—The alteration made is raising the pay
of two classes of masters.
Mr. BAILLIE hoped that the first opportunity would be
taken of increasing the qualification of naval instructors.
It was very desirable that they should be able to give in-
struction in the French language.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY hoped that some means would be
devised of placing the power of exceeding the estimates
under some control. It appeared that in this year's expen-
diture no less a sum than 634,000/. had been spent without
the sanction of the house. One item of this excess, the
expenditure of 435,0001. upon the vote No. 10, he had be-
fore brought under the notice of the house.
Mr. BENTINCK thought there was a practical absur-
dity in the system of which the hon. and gallant member
for Christchurch (Admiral Walcott) had complained. An
officer was not employed for a certain number of years,
and at the end of that time ho was told that, because he had
not been employed, his services should no longer be avail-
able. Every efficient man in the service might be placed on
the reserved list of the system wore carried out.
Capt. SCOBELL said, the right hon. gentleman had
spoken at considerable length, and had alluded to some
points to which no reference seemed necessary after the
ample discussion they had received some nights ago.
Ho did not assert that more ships than were necessary had
hitherto been employed, but when the right hon. gentle-
man talked of 350 pennants in tho Baltic and 100 in the
Black Sea, where there was not now a single cockboat
of the Russian fleet, he thought it was rather overdone.
Lot them send out as many small ships as they pleased—
they were at last doing right in that respect, but ships like
the Conqueror and the Marlborough wore too large to be of
use in the Baltic, for they could not get near the places
which wore to be bombarded. He was glad that a large
increase was to take place in the number of boys, for no
one could become a good sailor who did not go to sea as a
boy. With regard to the employment of coastguardsmen,
no doubt they were fine old sailors, and it was very pro-
per to put them on board men-of-war at first, but he
thought they would now be able to get a suffi-
cient number of seamen at less expense to the
country. Older sailors dial not like to see men
with much larger pay than themselves on board the same
ship, although they did not say much about it ; and he
thought it would be better to expend the amount of their
extra ply in bounty. He denied that it was wrong to
mention the subject of bounty—the error was in not giving
it. He wished to impress upon the right hon. gentleman
the necessity of keeping down the number of cadets. Old
admiral, and captains could not be strangled • they must
be put up with while they were alive, anti cadets ought,
therefore, to be kept out of the service. From 1812 to the
present time 2,000 cadets had been admitted, while in the
same period not more than half that number of lieutenants
had been made. An average of 15 cadets a year would be
quite sufficient for the next 10 years. The right hon.
gentleman had accused him and other hon. members of
making erroneous statements; but, in spite of the right
hon. gentleman's judgment, expelience, and authority, he
would repeat every statement that he had made on former
occasions. The right hon. gentleman had alluded to one
of the first naval officers and one of the best Lords of the
Admiralty we ever had—Sir G. Cockburn. Was the
document left at his death, by an officer of so much expe-
rience and talent, of no authority ? Why, the right hon.
gentleman (God giant he might live many years !) might,
perhaps, favour them with a little advice in his will—(a
laugh)—for he believed many a man hid his real opinion
while he was in office. With regard to promotion, he
wished to know how it was that many subordinate officers
who had served against the Russians before Sebastopol
had been passed over in favour of men who never saw the
trenches? The right hon. 'gentleman had read a letter,
although he did not name the writer, to prove that every-
thing was going on as well as possible, but every First
Lord ceuld get a hundred such letters if he gave out that
he wished for them. Ho had some letters in his possession,
and he should be glad to show them to the right hon. gen-
tleman, which would prove to him the existence of more
discontent in the service than he could imagine. With
reseect to the small vessels, he should congratulate the
Admiralty in finding them better names. Some of them
were most wretched, such as the Clinker and Cracker.
There was something in a name, for sailors did not like to
be put on board the Flincher or Pincher. Surely there
were enough gods and goddesses to pick names from. The
subject of transports was rather a terrific ono. In the be-
ginning of the war they were sent out at random, and heaps
of money were thrown away. There must be 103 or 150
transports somewhere in the Black Sea and Baltic. The
price of them he was told was now somewhat lowered—from
50s. to 40s. per ton per month. Thus, a vessel of 2,000 tons
would cost 4,0n01. per month, or 4i,000/. a year, in addi-
tion to which the Government found coals for the trans-
port. Why could not men-of-war have been used for the
purpose, esnecially since the sinking of the Russian fleet at
Sebastopol ? The French carried almost all their troops in
men-of-war, and thus saved a great deal of money. With
respect to the dockyards, nothing had worked bettor than
the system of rewarding merit which had been established
for two years, and he only wished such a system existed in
the naval and military services. Our ships, ho admitted,
were noble machines, but he thought it extraordinary to
push on the completion of large vessels when small were
wanted. He congratuleted tbe services on the establishment
of an order of merit, which would incite officers and men in
the performance of their duty more than any other device
that could be hit on. It would be more valued than the
Order of the Bath or any medal, for the Cross of the Order
of Merit would not be given indi.criminately to a whole
army or navy, bat only to such individuals as deserved
it. The right honourable baronet said that to remove
the coasteuard men would create inefficiency in the fleet,
and that ob(ervation proved that the Government were
obliged to resort to that method of getting men to mix
with the landsmen. With respect to the changes to be
made in the commanders list, he thought the right hon-
ourable baronet's motive very good iudeel, hut he (Cap-
tain Scobell) made some remarks the other night on two
classes of retired captains, which the right honourable bait.
had misunderstood. Ono class was made of men, many of
whom bad been nearly 40 years commanders, and they
were pet on the retired captains' list, and got the highest
pay of commander. When they were made post-captains
they g 103. 6(1. pay and ranked with lieutenant-colonels,
and in three years' time afterwards ranked with colonels,
but get no higher pay. But the great hardship ou the class
was this, that there was another on which younger com-
manders were put, according to choice, before them. He
would not object to any grant necessary for the efficiency
of the service, or to any encouragement being given,
whether by bounty or pay, for the purpose of obtaining
good men.
Admiral BERKELEY said that many gallant officers had
talked very much on the impropriety of Government re-
fraining from offering bounty, but he did not believe that
if 51. bounty had been offered at the beginning of the war,
one able seaman would have been got more that at present
for men of war. Those seamen were not to be picked up in
the street, and if the Government had c Tired Si. bounty the
merchant seryieer would have offered 10/. Ho had been very
much surprised to hear an officer like the hon. and gallant
member for Bath (Capt. Scobell) advocate the conveyance
of troops by men-of-war. The house had been told that the
fleets were badly manned and deficient in discipline.
Copt. SCOBELL corrected the hon. and gallant mem-
ber. He had stated that the Black Sea fleet was very well
manned, but that the Baltic fleet was the reverse.
Admiral BERKELEY thought that an extraordinary
statement, seeing that the ships from the Baltic fleet con-
stituted the best part of the Black Sea fleet. However that
might be, it was well known that nothing disarranged the
affairs of a ship or interfered with the discipline of a man-of-
war so much as when a raw ship's company was mixed up
with a body of troops. Besides, in order to make room for
troops on board a man-of-war she must discharge half her
crew, and so, he supposed, it was intended that ships should
corns home, land half their companies, and then retui n to
fetch the troops. He was quite sure that the freer men-of-
war were kept from strangers the better it would be both
for the discipline and the comfort of the crews.
tiir C. NAPIER, before making any remarks, wished to
know whether the right hon. baronet had been correct in
saying that the number of seamen and marines to be voted
this year was greater than that voted the year before last,
as he (Sir C. Napier) imagined there was a decrease?
Sir C. WOOD replied that the number of seamen, ma-
rines, and boys voted in the year alluded to was 70,000,
while the vote for the present year was 76,000, an increase
consequently of 6,000.
Sir C. NAPIER proceeded to congratulate the Govern-
ment on the statement which he had heard from the right
hon. baronet, that there WAS to be a sufficient fleet of gun-
boats and mortar vessels for the Baltic this year, and he
gave the Government the highest credit for making such
preparations at last. Having said that, he wished to make
a few observations respecting the Admiralty, although ho
knew very well it was quite useless for any naval officer
in that house or out of it to criticise the conduct of the
Admiralty or the construction of the board. The moment
such criticism was attempted, up started in defence—first,
the First Lord, then the first naval lord, then the secre-
tary, and soon through all the members of the board in
that home. However he would say that it was impossible
for the duties of the Admiralty to be well performed while
one half of the establishment was at Somerset-house and
the other half at Whitehall. When the right hon. 1 aro-
net the member for Carlisle (Sir J. Graham) reformed the
Admiralty, it was, no doubt, his intention that the whole
establishment should be at Somerset-house, but he (Sir
C. Napier) heard that it was the ladies of the department
who objected to the transfer, as they considered White-
hall more fashionable than the Strand. Every ono con-
nected with the department, whether First Lord or clerk,
must know how impossible it was to carry ou naval
duties iu separate buildings, and yet there was no rea-
son why the inconvenience had not been remedied, only
that the Admiralty did not choose to do it. The Surveyor
of the Navy was an officer of great importance, and he had
to be telegraphed for from Whitehall to Somerset-housefour

Thera was indeed a small diminution. The clerks were paid
according to seniority, and if a senior retired anti his place
was supplied by a junior, there was a small diminution.
Mr. WILLIAMS—Has not the expense of postage been.
transferred ?
Sir C. WOOD—The Admiralty were not responsible for
that; it was the act of the Treasury, who thought it advis-
able that all the postag should appear in one vote. The
next vote is 20,0001. for Naval Coast Volunteers. In that
there is a considerable reduction. The number of men
who have entered has been much smaller than was ex-
pected. I think it is possible, however, that this establish-
ment may be turned to more account when the number of
sailors employed inthe navy is reduced at the conclusion
of peace ; and I am therefore unwilling to adopt the course
which some parsons have suggested, and to put au end to
the system which was recommended by a committee of most
able officers during the time that the Duke of Northumber-
land was at the head of the Admiralty. The next vote is
58,9821. for the scientific branch. In that department there
has been an increase of expenditure, to which I think the
country will willingly assent. The first item is for an increase
of the salary of the Astronomer Royal. It is now 20 years
since Mr. Airey was appointed to that position at a smaller
salary than hispredeceasor had enjoyed. While he has filled
that office he has distinguished himself by various improve-
ments in the constitution of the Observatory and its appa-
ratus. He has shrunk from no labour, and hats constantly un-
dertaken work not connected with the Observatory. The
character of that establishment now stands as high as, or
higher than that of any other establishment in Europe.
The catalogue of stars which the Astronomer Royal has
prepared has been appealed to without hesitation as the
most complete and perfect one which exists. (Hear.) He
has applied photography to the taking of observations, and
has heed at much trouble in connexion with the measures
which have recently been adopted for communicating the
correct time to the mercantile marina. He has also taken
part in many scientific inquiries ; and it is only right that
the country should in some manner express the sense
which it entertains of the value of his services. The other
principal item of the increase in this department is a sum
of 4,2001., required for procuring and erecting at the Royal
Observatory a more perfect astronomical instrument called
uu equatorial. The equatorial now in the Observatory is
inferior to those possessed by any similar establishment of
any reputation iu Europe, and even to one which has been
erected by a gentleman in the county of Sligo. There
is at present an opportunity of obtaining a very per-
fect one with an object-glass 13 inches in diameter, and
the Astronomer Royal has proposed to me to take a vote
for its purchase, and for the erection of the necessary ma-
chinery. To that vote lam convinced the house will most
willinglyassent. The next vote is 153,7951. for her Majesty's
establishments at home. The greater part of the increase in
this vote has been rendered necessary by the pressure of work
in the dockyards ; but it also includes an item which, as it
may provoke some opposition, I think it right to explain.
We find that there are in the navy a considerable
number of Roman Catholic officers and soldiers, and we
thought it was but fair that they should, when in port,
have the opportunity of attending at the performance
of divine worship according to the rites of their own
church. We have, therefore, at each of the ports, caused
to be prepared in a ship in ordinary, accommodation
precisely similar to that which is provided for the
service of our own church, and in these ships Roman
Catholic priests have performed service hitherto with-
out remuneration. I propose to the house that we
should at each port pay a Roman Catholic chaplain for
the performance of service to the seamen of the fleet. An
impression having existed that there are in the fleet no
great number of seamen of the Roman Catholio persuasion,
I desired a return to be prepared, showing the number of
officers and men who attended the celebration of divine
worship according to the ritual of that church, at the throe
great ports. I find that yesterday there attended the
Roman Catholic service at Sheerness 2 officers and 59 men,
and at Pertsruouth 120 officers and men. The average num-
her of those who have attended that service at Plymouth
has been 2G officers and 197 men. It is exceedingly unde-
sirable that the men should be required to land in port, as
such landing generally leads rather to attendance at public-
houses than at a place of public worship; and I believe it
will be very conducive to the discipline of the service, as
well as to the moral character of the men; that they should
have the opportunity of attending this service. I, therefore,
trust that the sum required for that service will be granted
by the house. The next three votes are for the salaries
of officers and wages of seaman in the yards at home and
abroad. Ido not think it is possible to reduce the sums
paid for wages. Hon. gentlemen are aware that during the
last year much building has been done by contract ; but
that is not a satisfactory mode of executing the work. We
find that even the largest contractors seldom have an ex-
tensive stock of material on hand, and consequently much
of the timber that is put into even the smaller vessels is
riot sufficiently seasoned. More than that, very few con-
tractors have kept time and delivered the vessels at the
period at which they promised them. Independently of
the greater.punctuelity insured by such an arrangement,
I cannot hut think that, both as regards the soundness of
the materials used and the superior character of the work-
manship, The interests of the public will be best promoted
by doing the work as much as possible in our oven dock-
yards, instead of giving it out on contract, as was custo-
mary in former times. The amount of repairs necessary to
be executed on ships returning from the Black Sea and the
Baltic during the last two years was so large that building
was to a certain extent diminished, but, as the committee
will nu doubt be of opinion with me that it is by no means
desirable that in a country such as this the art and practice
of shipbuilding should be allowed to fall into disuse, I trust
that you will sauctian, for next year, the same expeutlie
ture on account of the yards as is at present in progress.
(Hoar.) The only item in respect of which I can entertain
a well-founded hope that there will be a reduction before
the close of the year is that which refers to our establish-
meets in Constantinople and the Black Sea. An immedi-
ate reduction is scarcely to be expected, for the committee
will not fail to bear in mind that, if peace should be con-
cluded, we shall have to withdraw the whole of our army
from the Black Saa, and for that reason the amount of
work thrown on the establishment at Constantinople will
in the first instance be necessarily very great. For this
reason, and fur no other, it may be necessary to increase
the expenditure on account of transports. The next vote
is for atoms, and it will be seen that upon this item there
is a reduction of about 500,0001., chiefly owing to the large
supply of some essential articles of stores, the means of
purchasing which the House of Commons placed last year
at the command of the Admiralty, the main article being
that most necessary commodity—hemp. It was but natural
to expect that the war would interfere with the regular
and abundant supply of Baltic hemp, and, under thee
circumstances, an offer was made to the Admiralty of a
large quantity of Italian hemp, which has been received,
and which has proved of excellent quality. Five hundred
tons of Hungarian hemp were also offered to the Admi-
ralty, and we thought it advisable to accept them, not
only that we might insure an ample stock of so essential
an article, but because it is desirable to extend the area of
supply, and so sec urn the double advantage of a larger
market and a cheaper price. In 1854 Baltic hemp was sold
at 66'. per ton. 6,600 tons of the Italian article have been
purchased sinue then, and the result has been that Baltic
hemp has fallen to 441. the ton. In other words, a reduc-
tion of more than 201. per ton has been effected in the price
of the Baltic hemp by the act of the Admiralty in buying
the Italian commodity, which turns out to be of a very
good quality. We have now doubled the stock we had on
hand at the beginning of last year, and are therefore inde-
pendent of any unfavourable contingency that may here-
after arise. Having two years' supply in our stores, we
should not suffer inconvenience, even though the sources
heretofore open to us were now to be closed. Copper is
another important commodity, of which, that it might be
at hand in any required quantity fur' the purposes of the
dockyards, we last year laid in so large a stock that we
can of to make a considerable reduction in the supply
now demanded. The item which relates to the purchas-
ing and repairing of steam machinery for the construction
of steam-ships is necessarily a, very heavy one, for, inde-
pendently of works that may be hereafter projected, wo
shall have to pay a large sum for vessels already ordered.
(Hear, hear.) It is to be understood, therefore, that this
vote does wit refer merely to immediate objects, but that
a large portion of the expenditure is due on account of
work which will not be completed till within the course
of next year. (Hoar, hear.) The large increase in the
number of steamships frequenting the Baltic rendered it
unavoidable that there should be a proportionate augmen-
tation of the expenditure on account of coal. However, I
mean to ask for something less than appears on the face of
the estimates. (Hear.) lam not in a position to make a
sweeping reduction, but I propose that, instead of
3,500,0001., as originally intended, we shall take under this
head a vote fur 3,000,000/. (Hear, hoar.) I need scarcely
observe that the introduction of steam is causing a com-
plete revolution in the mechanism of the navy. Fully
one-third of the expense of a new ship is now due to the
ntachiuery, and I think I should be justified in computing
that a screw ship of 90 guns will cost three to two com-
pared with a sailing vessel. (Hear.) It is obvious that I
such a system of naval architecture demands extraordinary
weans and appliances, and renders it necessary that there
shall be factories, anti new machinery of a costly and com-
plicated character, iu all your dockyards, Nevertheless,
we have heretofore had regard to economy, and I am sure
that naval men, who have a practical knowledge of such
subjects,. will concur with we hi thinking that we have
rather When short of thee exceeded the demands of the
service in this respect. The increased size of vessels ren-
ders it necessary to enlarge the proportions of the docks ;
and in foar of the yards we are at the present moment in-
curring coueiderable expense fur the purpose of extending
the docks in such a manner as to enable them to accom-
modate the longer vessels which the invention of steam has
ntroduced. Fur some years baek it has been the practice
of all the Admiralties to promote as much as possible the
introduction of machineryinto the dockyards. This de-
wable
anobjeet will be materially promoted by the vote
me to it this year, and I era particularly
anxious that the committee should
that
r in mind that
of h
a large item is due on account
vote for ma-
chinery, which will improve the work dene in the yards,
and, by economising labour, eventually diminish the cost
of production. Another item in thistoteis for the build-
ing of marine barracks at the head-quarters %ars of the various
divisions of marines. (Hear.
an expenditure
which I doubt net the committee will
h ho n-
rialetrovaeo,
afolrotohre
marines have done good service to the
co
dially concur iu the hope expressed by the rim'
tloman who preceded me in office, that no Government-g wen-1
take so injudicious a step as to reduce the numerical
strength of that valuable branch of the service. They have
at all timeebeen most useful as far as, The discipline of war
ships is concerned, and en many occasions, recently as for.
merly, they have proved that they are not inferior to
sailors afloat or to soldiers on shore. The sanitary arrange-
ments of these barracks will necessarily involve some slight
additional expenditure, but this consideration will not, I
am sure,
avail against improvements which modern en-
lightenment renders indispensable. The next vote is for the
medical supplies of the navy, and under that head I pro-
posed the same votes as last year-55,0001. On the miscel-
laneous votes I do not know that it will be possible to
make any considerable reduction. They are pretty much
the same as last year, the only material increase
of a
assbeisntagttehaotf
occasioned by legal proceedings arising out
blockade. I now come to the vote for half-pay. Here there
is an increase which was inevitable under the circum-
stances, and which will, I trust, be a sufficient answer to
thy hon. and gallant friend near me (Captain Scobell), and
setisfy him that we have not been niggardly
tioue we have made in consequence of the war. The m-
in the promo-
creased expenditure under this head is simply attributable
to the fact that a number of officers have been promoted
or gallant services since the commencement of hostilitioa.
Ou this account alone 100 lieutenants were last year pro-
moted to the rank of commanders, and, although there
may be in conseqeence4 greater number of commanders on
the list than can at the
present moment be employed, there
is no one, I am pure, who will deny the justice and expo-
diency ef giving to these officers the advancement to which,
by their merits, they are manifestly entitled: On these
sad some other, items I shall make so further observa-
tions byte and bye; but I Nave them forra the present and
pass on the other. „votes. I come, then, to the good-
service penejolm Tliepehnosni;
nesenutpleemn
oanoiffimotdr
officers
°Jot eptal
rut
ipooon.
the bestowal of these
lar, and, although he did not mention their names, nobody
to identify the indivi-
referring to thteestimates could fail

duals to whom he alluded. It would therefore be needless
delicacy on nay part to withhold the names of those two
officers, while I give the reason for our bestowing these
rewards upon them. The first of them is Captain Keppel,
who has seen more active service than almost any other
officer of his rank ; and if my hon. friend behind me were
to poll the entiee navy, he would find its unanimous opin-
ion to be that there is not a better, more gallant, or more
deserving officer in the service. (Hear.) Capt. Koppel has
distinguished himself on every occasion in which his ser-
vices have been called into requisition, the most recent in-
stance of this having occurred during his command of the
Naval Brigade before Sebastopol, and, if such a mark of
honour is to be conferred at all, I declare I do not know au
officer on the list to whom it could be snore appropriately
given. (Hear.) The second officer to whom my hon. friend
referred is Lord Clarence Paget. It is true that Lord Cla-
rence Paget has not seen the same amount of service as
Capt. Keppel; but it was considered that he and Captain
Henderson, both being most meritorious officers, who had
done good service in the, war, and in consequence of that
service had unfortunately been incapacitated by ill-health
for the discharge of further duty, were fully eligible to re-
ceive this pension. Lord Clarence Paget served in the
Black Sea, and was also employed en shore in various ways
by Sir E. Lyons until his eyesight completely failed him.
I believe that he has irrecoverably lost the use of one eye,
and is in imminent danger ofalso losing the use of the ether;
and being, moreover, as excellent an officer as there is in
the navy, we thought a good-service pension would not be
ill bestowed if it were awarded to him. (Hear.) The same
remark applies to the case of Capt. Henderson, who cer-
tainly does not belong to an aristocratic family, and there-
fore cannot be said to have received his pension for the
reason to which Lord Clarence Paget's has been unjustly
ascribed. Capt. Henderson is an officer of very fair ser-
vice, although not longer than that of Lord Clarence Paget ;
he was selected by my predecessor in office for the command
in the West Indies, where he acquitted himself with ad-
mirable judgment, discretion, and skill. He was compelled
to return home from ill health, and it was my duty to allow
him to leave without being previously relieved, in order to
save his life. Under these circumstances I deemed him
not undeserving of a good-service pension. After thes6 ex-
planations, I hardly think that the committee, or even the
hon. gentleman behind me, will regard these pensions as
having been improperly or unfairly bestowed. In the next
vote, for pensions, there is a slight increase, in consequence
of the extension of the boon to the widows of officers (lying
from ill health contracted in the service ; but the main in-
crease in this branch of the expenditure is owing to a change
that has been made in the mode of paying seamen their
out-pensions. The seamen will be placed this year on the
same footing as the army with regard to these pensions,
which will be paid to them in advance instead of at the
end of the quarter. The next vote is for civil pensions and
allowances, and amounts to 147,6851. This item so en-
tirely depends on the health and mortality of the service,
and the rules which regulate its distribution are so fixed
and unchengeable that there is very little variation in its
amount one year as compared with another. The next vote,
which is for the transport service, is very large; and, al-
though I propose to take a smaller sum than that which
appears on the estimates— viz., 6,971,537/. inclusive of the
charge for prisoners of war—yet, even if it should so happen
that peace is shortly concluded, and the whole of our troops
can be brought home from the shores of the Black Sea, it
must nevertheless be obvious that there can be little or no
reduction in this vote. (Hear.) The freights of most of
the vessels have fallen, and on that account a smaller gum
will be chargeable than was required last year; but, on
the other hand, the sum taken for coals has turned out to
be inadequate to meet the demands of the service ; and in
the case of many of the other items, such as those for the
fitting of the transports, bedding for the troops, fera'e, &e.,
the amounts also proved insufficient. Therefore, looking to
the larger force that we now have in the Black' Sea than
we had before, we propose to take a still larger sum than
(experience showed to be requisite for the last year. In like
manner there will be a slight increase in the vote for the
maintenance of prisoners of war, because we have more
prisoners to keep now than we had last year; and we have
to bear the expense not only of those who are in this coun-
try, but of those who are at Constantinople. As long as
these persons remain prisoners of war they must be main-
tained ; the account can be checked when it comes in, and
it would be unwise not to make au ample provision under
this head. The committee may, perhaps, like to know the
amount of service which has been performed in the course
of the past year by the Transport Board ; and I shall,
therefore, read to it the number of the troops who have been
conveyed by sea within that period. The figures aro as
follows :—To the Black Sea from Europe—British from
England, 50,00) 1 • military corps from ditto, 5,000; Foreign
Legion, ditto, 5,000; French from south of France, 26,000 ;
Sareitnans from Genoa, 19,000. Total, 105,000. To the
Mediterranean—Militia from England, 5,000. In this
Black Sea and the Mediterranean—British from the Medi-
terranean, 20,00 r ; French iu the Black Sea, 5,000 ; Turks
in ditto, 58,000 ; Turkish Contingent, 20,000 ; British on
the Black Sea' 20,000 ; Kinburn, 3,500. Total, 133,000.
Troops moved elsewhere, invalids, Ssc., 46,000. Total
number of troops moved within the year, 291,00 J. ((sear.)
And lam happy to say that with the exception of the
burning of a single vessel, this vast amount of work has
been performed without a disaster. (Hoar.) It is only
fair that I should bear testimony to the exemplary c in-
duct and care of the masters of the transport ships, whether
belonging to the Royal Navy or to the merchant service,
for it was mainly owing to their great skill and diligence
that the service has been so satisfactorily accomplished ;
and it certainly afforded me much pleasure to hear the
hon, member for Northamptonshire (Mr. Stafford) speak
so highly as he did the other night of the admirable state
of our transport service. (Hear) The only other vote is
one for the packet service, on which there is a small in-
crease in consequence of a contract ordered by the Trea-
sury for Shetland acrd Orkney. I have now gone through
the various items comprised in these estimates • but I said.
that I should postpone further remarks upon 'them till I
cauld present to the committee. in a single view, the causes
of the additional expense in the shape of pay, retirement
allowances, and pensions, which appears in the estimates ;
and to do this I mast revert to a period that has long
elapsed, because, what we are doing now and what has
been done in the course of the last year, are merely the
sequel and consequences of a series of measures which have
been in constant progress during the last eight or 10 years.
Whatever Government may have been in power (luring
that period, a continuous improvement in the condition of
every class in the navy—from the admiral to the cabin-boy
—has been steadily going forward from year to year. It
is much the fashion for hon. gentlemen to tell us night
after night that the officers and men of the navy are neg-
lected and uncared for by the Admiralty; and I dare
say that those who make these assertions do so sincerely
believing them to be true, from not having taken the trou-
ble to inquire into the facts. I feel it, therefore, my duty,
in justice, not so much to myself as to those boards which
have preceded me, to go through the various improvements
which have been made in the condition of every officer and
every man in the navy. My hon. friend behind me refer-
red the ether evening to the number of admirals, but be
mixed up with the active list the reserved list of admi-
rals, of which the vacancies will- smut be filled up. The
number of admirals apon the" active list was fixed by
order in Council, in 1351, at n 6, and at the same time 10
reserved service pensions of 150/. a year were assigned to
such admirals as were willing to have their names taken
off the list. With regard to the captains, by order in
Couucil the number was fixed at 3:o—the reduction to
that amount being gradual, as officers attained the head of
the list. I know that my hen. and gallant friend oppo-
site complains that his name appears on the reserved list.
[Admiral WALCOTT—" I did."] Bat unless that
course were adopted, it would be impossible to bring
the number of officers down to a number consistent with
a state of peace. (Hear, hear.) To use, perhaps, a strong
term, besides being deceitful, it disgusts the public to see
a large number of admirals and captains on the active list,
when it is perfectly well known that a very small number
only eau be employed. %What was done was this—a re-
served list of admirals was made, consisting of captains
who had not served their time, rising in rank, but with
the pay only of -rear-admirals. In 1346 there were 200
retired admirals and -captains, 55 years of age, and 10
years' standing, on the captains' lists and that number has
been kept fall up to the present time. There are two
modes by which captains may go upon the reserved list.
If they get sufficiently high in the list they may take the
half-pay of 255. a-day as rear-admirals ; and if they choose
they may retire, after 10 years' service, with pay rising
from 18s- to IL a-day. In the course of the present year a
change has been made in the mode of paying captains.
Instead of being paid according to the rate of the ship its
which they are employed, they are paid according to their
standing on the captains' list. It may be desirable, on
account of the importance of the command, to employ a
captain of high standing in a small ship, and I think it
would be a great injustice to give the lower rate of pay.
It is, therefore, now provided that captains shall bo paid
according to their standing on the list, in whatever size
ship they may serve, and, at the same time, we have
raided the pay of the lower class of captains of all below
the first 170, because we thought it not adequate to meet
the expenditure which in these days they may be called
upon to make. (Hear.) With regard to the next list,
that of commanders, the number in 1851 was fixed at 450.
A certain number were placed on the reserved list, and
50 were promoted to be reserved captains by selection,
with the lowest grade of half-pay as captains. At
the same time 50 additional retirements were given
to commanders by seniority, making, with the 50
retirements in 1840, 100 retirements for commanders.
They have boou receiving the lowest half-pay of captains,
and Ido not think that adequate retirement. (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) There should be large means of
retirement for that class of officer, because it is a step most
anxiously sought by lieutenants, and the natural tendency
is to accumulate on the commanders' ,liet fur more officers
than can be employed. We therefore added 50 moi-e to the
number, to be promoted by selection, to be'reserved cap-
taine, and 150 more to those rising to the rank of seniority.
There aro thus 250 commanders who rise to the position of
reserved captains by seniority, to be reduced ultimately to
200 ; and it is arranged that those appointed by selection
shall not be appointed all at once, but at the rate of 15 per
annum until the whole number is completed. With regard
to lieutenants, the number was fixed by order in Council
in 1851 at 1,200, and the number is about that at present.
Power was also given in 1851 to promote 50 by selection to
be reserved commanders, with the lowest half-pay of com-
mander. That was felt to be a great boon, and I propose
to double the number. This is one of the sources of in-
crease in the half-pay vote; but I think it only jest and
fair to the officers, while it is equally fair and beneficial to
the public. [" Hear," from Mr. Williams.] In 1846 half-
Pay was given to mates after three years' service if they
were unable to obtain or were unfit for service, but before
that they were sent away without any half-pay at all.
With regard to midshipmen, one great change was made
1 in 1850, rendering indispensable examination at the end of
four years, and two years' sea service, subsequent to pass-
ing that examination before they became mates. I come
next to the class of masters. A more meritorious class of
officers does not exist, and they have not been neglected by
successive Boards of Miniraltey .
In 1646 a regulation was
made that the time as master should count as lieutenants'
time to qualify for promotion to the rank of commander.
In 1855 it was arranged that masters should be paid by ser-
vice and not by rate, theirfull pay was raised their half-pay
was raised, and ample means of retirement were given, if
after 20 years as captain. In the present year it is
they qualified for first or second rate. after 15 years as cons-
maniler,Proposed, and the proposal only waits the sanction of the
Treasury, and an order in Council—to further increase the
pay of two classes of masters. I should also mention that
in 1852 half-pay was given to second masters if unfit for
service or unemployed, in the same manner as to mates.
The next class aro the engineers, They have been in a very
anomalous position, incidental to the comparatively recent
application of steam to the navy,
and they naturally desire
to be placedeen a permanent footing. A measure is we-
p ir, ed and waiting only the sanction of the Treasury, which
places them substantially on the same footing as masters.
They are divided into classes like masters ;
the same pay; they will have
they will be entitled to the same half-pay;
they will have similar pensions granted to their widows and
families, and will wear the same uniform. An order in
Council was passed in the present year increasing to a cer-
tain extent the full pay of chaplains. An order has been
also lately passed, increasing the half-pay of naval instruc-
tors, after 15 years' service, and giving retirement after 20

years' service. With regard to medical officers, in 18':5
inspectors and deputy-inspectors had an advantage in point
of time granted towards retirement; staff-surgeons received
higher pay in certain temporary situations; assistant-sur-
geons had an additional is. a-day, were placed in the ward-
room mess, and had cabins when possible. These has been a
great change made in the condition of secretaries and pay-
masters. They used to be paid by percentage, which led to
great abuses. They have been placed on a rate, with half-pay
of 10s. Gd., and an addition of 2s. on retirement. For as-
sistant-paymasters and clerks there is a new scale, with
half-pay if they are unfit or unemployed. It has also been
determined that pensions shall be given to the widows of
officers who die from disease while on service. With regard
to the marines, non-commissioned officers have been ass-
pointed adjutants or quartermasters to the dockyard bat-
talions; increased retirement allowances have been given to
colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and captains ; the fixed list of
general officers has been placed upon the same looting as
that of the army; the retired list has been revised; gra-
tuities and pensions for good service have been extended
to this force ; and in the course of the last year two artil-
lery companies were added to it, the officers and men of
these companies receiving increased pay. But the care of
the Admiralty has not been confined to officers only. In
1853 the pay of all warrant officers was increased from 20
to 25 per cent., and it was provided that special pensions
should be awarded to them in case they were rendered in-
capable of service by ill-health or other causes. In 1819
the petty officers had new ratings in all shipsjancl in 1854
they wore divided into three classes, with higher pay, gra-
tuities, and pensions. With respect to the seamen, a new
rating has been introduced for leading seamen ; additional
pay has been given at the rate of 2d. a-day to men above
the rating of A. 8.; corporal punishment has been abolished
except by sentence of court-martial or for mutiny; good-
conduct badges have been adopted, and a higher rate of
pay has been given the men who have served continuously
for a long period. Arrangements have also been made for
enabling seamen to allot their pay to persons who are not
members of their families—in fact, to whomsoever they
I please. When a ship is brought into harbour to be fitted
leave of absence is now given to the men for a month or six
weeks, during which time they receive full pay, and they
thus have the opportunity of visiting their families and
friends without the less of pay or of time, and they are
not exposed, as was formerly the case, to the risk of being
caught up by crimps. A uniform system of minor punish-
ments has been established throughout the navy, and a
"defaulters' book" is kept in each ship. Some hon. gen-
tleman referred the other day to the clothing of the sea-
men ; and I may therefore inform the committee that the
prices of clothing have been revised and reduced, and hon.
members will find in vote No. 1 of this estimate no incon-
siderable sum proposed as an annual charge upon the pub-
lic, in order that our sailors may be furnished with good
clothes at a lower price than their actual cost. The provi-
sions issued to the seamen have also been improved both
in amount anti quality. A great improvement has been
made with regard to the admission of seamen into Green-
wich Hospital. Formerly, owing to carelessness on the
part of the admitting officers, a great many men obtained
admission into that institution who, I believe, were not en-
titled to its benefits ; but it is now provided that none shall
be admitted but those disabled by wounds, unless they have
the recommendation of at least 10 years'.good servitude.
Another change has been made, which may seem of little
importance, but which has proved a great benefit to the
sailor. The examinations for pensions are now conducted
at the outposts. Formerly all persons entitled to pensions
were compelled to come to London for examination, and
bad to find there way here as well as they could. Under
that system great hardships and expense were entailed
upon them from which they will now be relieved. An hon.
member the other night impressed upon us the importance
of introducing boys into the service, and seemed to com-
plain that the subject had not received sufficient attention
from the Government. If, however, hon. gentlemen will
look to the estimates, they will find that the number of
boys introduced into the navy had been increased from
2,000 to 10,000. But I may observe that it is not desirable
to increase too rapidly that branch of our naval force. The
system of novices entered for the service is also working
extremely well, and lam sure naval officers must observe
with surprise the skill and discipline to which youths have
been brought who were but lately at the ploughtail. Great
improvements have been effected in the condition of per-
sons in all ranks of the service, from the admiral to the boy
who has just entered ; and I think the committee -will do,
not the present, but former boards of Admiralty the justice
to admit that they have nct been negligent in the discharge
of theirimportant duties. There is no class in her Majesty's
navy whose condition has not been improved by the consi-
derate attention of those who preside over the administra-
tion of that branch of the public service, aided by the
liberality with which this house has met the demands that
have been made upon it. In 1847 all the regulations relat-
ing to the dockyards were revised, and restrictions were
adopted with regard to the admission and promotion of ar-
tificers. The Admiralty now require from the superinten-
dents of the various dockyards an accurate and faithful
account of the manner in which that duty is discharged ;
and the same course is pursued in the case of the victualling
yards, factories, and workshops. These subjects have been
carefully considered by a committee appointed by the
Board of Admiralty, and during the last 10 years there is
not a single branch of the naval service afloat or ashore,
abi oad or at home, which has not been the object of revi-
sion and improvement. In some instances additional ex-
penditure has undoubtedly been entailed by this process;
but the HOUS3 of Commons have, in successive years, most
liberally met the demands which have been made upon
them in order to effect these improvements, and I think an
ample return is to be found in the present condition of our
navy. Ido not believe that at any period in the k story
of this country our naval establishment has been in a state
of greater completeness and efficiency than at the present
moment. Look at the improvement and development of
steam power as applied to our fleet. Why, last year not
a single sailing-ship of war appeared in the Baltic, all were
either paddlewheel or screw steamers. All the line-of-
battle ships which are not screw steamers hare been with-
drawn from the Black Sea, with one exception—that of a
vessel left as a depot-ship ; and only three or, four sailing
line 'of-battle ships are left afloat in our ports, except as
store-ships. This change has, of course, been ettended
with considerable expense, but it has added enormously to
the efficiency of-our 732Y.11 force. Look, too, at our officers.
Have they not deserved well of their country wherever they
have been engaged inoperations? Have they not maintained
and even increased the ancient reputation of our navy ?
The Russian Black Sea fleet, it has been truly said, has
been swept from the sea. It is true there may be 2or 3
steamers at Nicholaieff or in the river Don • but every
&lesion ship of war in the Black Sea has been burnt, sunk,
or destroyed by us or by the Russians themselves. We
have destroyed the vessels that were employed to convey
Russian stores, an from Odessa to the Straits of Kertch,
and throughout the Sea of Azoff, not a Russian ship of
any size remains. Along the entire coast the destruction
of stores by our fleet was enormous, and there were per-
formed in various instances exploits worthy of the proudest
days of the British navy. At one point 200 sailors landed
in the face of from 3,000 to 4,000 Russians, boat them off,
and destroyed an immense amount of stores for miles along
the shore. One consequenee of all this—aod that a most
important one—was an exorbitant rise in the price of pro-
visions to the Russian Government. Only this morning I
received a communication which shows how completely
the means of communication had been interrupted. It is
there stated that while wheat was selling at 15s. per quarter
at Taganrog it was 30s. a quarter at .Rostoff, a circum-
stance which can only be accounted for by the impossibility
of keeping up a communication between the two places.
My hon. friend (Mr. Williams) says the Baltic fleet came
home having done nothing. • I believe, on the contrary,
everything was done that could have been reasonably ex-
pected. At Sweaborg, to which reference has been made,
I believe everything that was inflammable was destroyed
—nothing that could be burnt escaped destruction. For
five days the bombardment was sustained, and everything
combustible in the place was reduced to ashes. It is im-
possible to tell exactly how many of the enemy fell, but I
believe that in one explcs'on not fewer than 1,000 men
were destroyed. Indeed, nothing could exceed the gal-
lantry or the precision and skill with which the marine
artillery conducted themselves on this occasion. As at all
the other ports of the Baltic Sea, no Russian ships wore
allowed to swim ; public buildings were everywhere
burnt ; every vessel that made its appearance, and was
an object of hostility, was either taken or destroyed, and
yet all this was done with a proper regard to private pro-
perty. I confess Ido not think that these services deserve
the censure which the hon. gentleman has conferred upon
them. (Hear, bear.) I think they were most able,- skil-
ful, and effective services. (Hear, hear.) It is stid, why
was not Cronstadt attacked ? On this point I may state
that wo had not, with regard to small vessels, the support
ou which we at first calculated. An agreement had been
made between the French and English Governments ti
send au equal number of floating batteries to the Baltic.
After wards the French Government changed its views as to
the best mode of carrying on the war, and they sent their
floating batteries to the Black Sea; but, although we had
the number intended, yet the whole number originally
agreed upon was not sent. In every other respect, how-
ever,
what we meant to execute was performed, and I may
state that throughout the roost perfect cordiality existed
between the navel commanders•in-chief of the two coun-
tries. (Hear, hear.) They rivalled each other only in
their desire to discharge all the duties imposed upon them
and in their zeal for their respective services. the only
jealousy—the only difference—being which of them should
be foremost in any undertaking which they had to accom-
plish. (Hear.) Lean assure the house that the Government
WAS roost anxious to provide ample moans for carrying on
the service much more vigorously and efficiently than pre-
viously, and, therefore, as soon as I received the report to
which I have already alluded, I gave ordure in ac-
cordance with the vote of the House of Commons, to pro-
vide a larger number of vessels of small draught of
water. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen must see how great
the advantage is to have such a force employed in shallow
waters, and, therefore, I ordered a very large number
of vessels with a light draught of water. In 1854 there
were constructed on our wharfs 34 gun-boats. This
year we have constructed in this country 152, besides
others in the Mediterranean, so that if peace is not con-
cluded we shall have about 200 gun-boats of one kind er
another ready for service. The construction of these gun-
boats has answered remarkably well, and in the Black Sea
they performed most effective service. A naval officer told
me that he could conaparethemovernents of these gun-boats
to nothing so welt as to the graceful evolutions of a skilful
skater on the ice. I had also taken measures to provide a
sufficient number of mortar-vessels, having given orders for
the construction of 100 of these, and likewise 8 floating-
batteries, so that, if it is necessary to undertake another
campaign, the number of vessels which the Government
will be able to send will be suchas I think will enable us to
take measures forcarrying on the war even with our own
resources in such a manner as will be perfectly adequate to
cope with any enemy that may meet us. No one is more
anxious than lam that peace should be established for the
sake of Europe and ourselves, but if we are to carry on the
war I thirds the committee will agree with me that measures
have been taken for doing so with the greatest vigour and
efficiency. If, unfortunately, peace should not be made,
we shall be ready as soon as the sea shall allow us to com-
mence operations with 350 British pennants floating in the
Baltic, and 100 is the Black Sea. (Cheers.) So far as hu-
man means can do so, we have taken measures to insure
victory. We know well that victory is not always to the
strong, and God forbid it should be so in an unrighteous
cause ; but in a struggle undertaken from no selfish motive,
in a war waged against the grasping power of Russia and for
the protection of an ancient ally from the domineering ag-
gression of a powerful neighbour, I trust we may appeal to
the Almighty Disposer of Events to look down with favour
on those human means which it is our duty not to neglect,
and I hope and believe that He will bless our arms with
success. (Cheers.) The right hon. gentleman then moved a
vote of 204,0221. to meat the excess of expenditure on the
sum voted for the year ending the sth of April last.
Admiral WALCOTT had listened to the statements of
the right hon. gentleman with much interest. He had at
all times been of opinion the Baltic fleet had acted with
credit and honour to itself and the nation, and that it was
composed of those who were over ready to emulate the deeds
performed hi tho palmiest days of our naval history ; and
he believed that the next fleet that sailed to the Baltic
would conduct itself in a way that would redound to the
honour of the service and the glory of the nation at large.

Stirling joined Captain Elliot with a flag-ship and a large
frigate on the 7th of Juno. That should have rendered
our squadron overwhelming. ' They remained together
from the 7th of June till the 27th-20 days—and during
the greater portion of the time they were lying off De Cas-
tris Bay. On the 27th of June they received orders to sail
for the south, never having attempted to search for the
Russian squadron ; and they afterwards learnt from Rus-
sian prisoners that on that day, late as it then was, only one-
half of their (the Russians') ships had got through the pas-
sage, the vessels having never been so much as reconnoitred.
So it appears that up to that time Admiral Stirling had
never reconnoitred the passage through which the Russian
ships effected their escape, and that, if be had done so,
even then he would have found one-half of them still there.
I should thank the First Lord of the Admiralty to inform
the committee whether he intends to lay the despatches on
the table • and, if so, when ?
Sir C. WOOD said that there were one or two points to
which, before replying to the hen. member's question,
desired to allude in the order in which they had occurred
during the debate. It had been more than hinted that he
had got some friend to write him a letter, giving a flourish-
ing account of the state of the navy; but for this suspicion
there was not the slightest foundation in truth. The letter
to which he had referred was one written 25 years ago by
the gallant admiral opposite to the right hon. baronet the
member for Carlisle, at that time First Lord of the Admi-
ralty. The reason why be (Sir C. Wood) had referred to
it was simply that he desired to claim the benefit of a
trine set forth in it—namely, that the state of the navy
might be taken as a fair test of the efficiency of the Admi-
ralty. In reply to the complaint that boys were not taken
in sufficient numbers into the navy, it would suffice to say
that upwards of 2,000 had been admitted in the course of
the last year. As for the insinuation of the hon. and gal-
-1 lint admiral opposite, that the Lords of the Admiralty
held in private very different opinions with respect to the
condition of the navy from. those which they avowed in
public, he begged to say that, as far as he was himself
concerned, this was not so. He always said what ho
thought. (Hear.) With regard to the question of slops,
he could only say that a number of officers and seamen had
been asked to choose the material which they considered
best without reference to cost, and that which they had
chosen had been adopted.
Mr. BENTINCK deprecated the practice of appointing
a civilian to the post of First Lord of the Admiralty.
Mr. BAILLIE hoped that the right hon. gentleman the
First Lord of the Admiralty would answer the question
which he bad put to him.
Sir C. WOOD said that it was-not convenient to answer
questions of that description in committee, but he would
answer it on a future day.
The vote was then agreed to.
A vote of 1,434,7301. for provision for seamen and
marines, a vote of 2,0051. lls. 7d. for scientific purposes,
and a vote of 20,0001. for the Naval @oast Volunteers,
were agreed to.
On the vote of 153,7951. for the salaries of officers and
contingent expanses of the naval establishment at home,
Mr. MAGUIRE said it was his intention to have brought
forward at a future period what he should now complain
of. It was his duty to call the attention of the committee
to the unfair distribution of the public expenditure as ap-
plied ,to England and Ireland. The great national re-
sources of the harbour of Cork were neglected, though it
was admirably adapted for the building and repairing of
ships. He did not, as a beggar, ask that Ireland should
enjoy a portion of thepublic expenditure, but he demanded
it as a right. Of the 3,636,000/. which the house was asked
to vote for Admiralty purposes, only 4,5001. was to be -
pended in Ireland.
Sir C. WOOD said that the hon. gentleman seemed to
think that the public expenditure should be equally dis-
tributed over all parts of the country. Ho (Sir C. Wood)
lived in the north of England, and the people there did not
consider themselves exceedingly ill-treated because there
was no:dockyard in the Humber or Mersey. He thought
that dockyards should only be formed and maintained at
those places which were most convenient for the public
service, and. he did not think that it would be for the con-
venience of the public service that dockyards should be
formed either at Cork or in Scotland, or in the Humber or
Mersey. lie was fully aware of the merits and beauties of
Cork harbour. He must say that a more beau.
tiful spot, or a better harbour, he had seldom seen.
He was not aware that the Rosamond steam-
sloop had arrived at Cork with a broken shaft. As
soon as the vessels had returned from the Baltic,
the Admiralty had directed that they should be dispersed
among the different ports of the country to raise men. At
Dublin there were now one ship of the line and two fri-
gates ; at Waterford one large steam-frigate; and at Gal-
way a frigate. He hoped that these vessels would be suc-
cessful in raising men. But ho must add that the only
principle which he would act upon in these matters was to
do that which was most conducive to the interests of the
empire at large. (Hear.)
Colonel DUNNE said that Ireland had a right to these
naval establishments, and the time might come when the
Government would see the expediency ofdoing her justice.
Mr. JOHN M'GREGOR said that he had listened with
great satisfaction to the speech of the right hon. gentleman
the First Lord of the Admiralty, and bo believed that no
Minister was more anxious to do that which he considered
right and just than the right hon. gentleman. (Hear,
hear.) He (Mr. John M'Gregor) would not go into the
question of taxation, for he thought that no change
could be made in our administrative system until the re-
turn of peace. Great injustice bad been done in not mak-
ing use of Cork harbour for naval purposes. He would
suggest that the establishment at Deptford should be re-
moved to Cork. It would be remembered that during the
last war Cork harbour was the great rendezvous for our
commercial fleets whilst waiting for convoy.
Mr. MAGUIRE said a more fallacious and flimsy answer
than that of the right -hon. baronet (Sir C. Wood) had never
been given by any First Lord of the Admiralty. Cork har-
bour was eminently calculated for a dockyard, and, by means
of the electric telegraph, the Admiralty could communicate
with Cork from Whitehall in the space of one minute.
Mr. SPOONER asked for some explanation with regard
to the sum charged. for Roman Catholic chaplains for the
navy.
Sir C. WOOD said he was prepared to justify that vote,
which, he thought, was right and proper. There were a
great number of Roman Catholic sailors serving in the fleet,
many of whom came from Ireland, Divine service was per-
formed in all'vessels according to the rites of the Church of
England, but of course Roman Catholic sailors were not re-
quired to attend that service. It was most desirable that all
persons in the fleet should have an opportunity of attending
Divine worship on Sunday-in such manner as was consistent
with their faith and belief, but, on the other hand, it was
not advisable that they should be landed and introduced to a
town, in order to seek out some place of worship.
Mr. SPOONER could not give his consent to any such
vote, but would not trouble the committee to divide.
After some observations from Mr.
,11PCann, Mr. R. Blake-
more, Mr. Kinnaird, Sir C. Wood, and Mr, Vance,
The veto was agreed to,
The next vote, 1,190,309/. for wages of artificers, was
agreed to.
A vote of 109,1131., for wages in her Majesty's establish-
meuts abroad, was agreed to.
The next vote, f0r3,000,000/ for naval establishments, was
agreed to.
Tho next vote, for 864,334/. for the establishment at Key-
ham, was agreed to.
Upon the vote of 655,4211. for half-pay, reserved half-
pay, and retirements to officers of the navy and royal ma-
rines,
Sir C. NAPIER wished •to know why 3/. 3s. per day was
voted for an admiral of the fleet, when there was no such offi-
cer appointed ?
Sir C. WOOD said that it was intended to make that ap-
pointment only for distinguished services ; at the same time
it was thought desirous to have the vote in case the office
should at any time be filled up. The money voted remained
in the exchequer.
Captain SCOBELL saw no reason why an admiral of the
fleet should not be appointed. It was a position on a par with
that of field marshal, and it was only fair to the naval pro-
fession that the post should be filled up.
Sir C. NAPIER thought that no distinction should be made
between the different ranks of admiral. He would have them
all placed on one list, and let the Board of Admiralty select
whom they pleased for active service ; and when they with.
drew from active service again, let them have the half-pay
according to the rank which they held before.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS said that he found an increase of rear-
admirals in the reserved list and the retiree! list which ho
could not account for. In 1853 the number on the retired
list was 113, now it was 133.
Sir C. WOOD explained that the retired list was fixed at
200 odd, but with regard to the reserved half-pay there was
no fixed number. Before a captain could receive the retiring
pay of a rear-admiral, he must have served a certain number
of years. When a vacancy,in the retired list took place, the
first on the captains' list would be appointed, provided he
had served the required number of years ; if he had not, he
order,woilld who had placed
served
he
be appointed ; so tha • by this means the number on the re-
served list would vary according to circumstances.
Tho vote was then agreed to.
upont
thethe required.ed
list,
numberand of the
years, nex
t ono
would
u in
The following votes were agreed to without discussion :-
494,363/. for pensions and allowances.
147,6851. for civil pensions and allowances.
600,000/. for salaries and expenses of transport service ;
for victualling and carrying troops ; for expense of prisoners
of war, &c.
On the question that W 6,487/. be voted for eharge of
packet service,.
Sir E. PERRY said that the Government had denuded
themselves of a great amount of dockyard patronage, and
wastt
whether it might not be
eto prevent future Govern-
ments :ltbgtoiisteedint
yla, sea
ntboeogbp.
(cieedih.
lotnop ecflztghngicesi
to be a permanent ar-
ments from returning to the former objectionable system.
Sir C. WOOD observed that when he was Secretary to the
Admiralty 20 years ago, the appointments were so jobbed by
the superintendents that thesAdmiralty took them from
them. He believed, however, that the superintendents now
exercised their trust faithfully and honourably, and as they
were responsible to th 9 Admiralty, the board did not deem it
advisable to take the patronage from them,
Sir C. NAPIER complained that the right hon. baronet had
not answered the question of the, hon, member behind him
I (Sir E. Perry).
' Sir C. WOOD—I said that it was not advisable to carry out his suggestion.
Sir C. NAPIER—I think it very advisable, (Laughter.)
There ought to be an Order in Council to put an end to the
system immediately. While I was absent at dinner the sala-
ries of the Lords of the Admiralty were voted, and I should
like to know why three of the lords get 1,000/. a year and
the fourth 1,200/, a year
. Sir C. WOOD—It occurs In this way : one lord is allowed
for a horse,
Sir C. NAPIER—Then why should they net all have allow-
ances for houses? What is good for the goose is good for the
gander. (Laughter.)
Sir C. WOOD was about to explain further, but
The CHAIRMAN said the discussion was quite irreg,utar,
aab sent.
the vote had been agreed to while the gallant-admiral was

liSouthamptab

11&16,0100

Whenany of those dates fall o. a Sunday, the malls will dr
spatchod on the following day, with the exception of the Uri!! 'to
eouthampton), and the Malta. both of which will be deepatchou
preceding day.

The vote for the packet service was then agreed to, and the
house resumed.

COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD moved that the second reading of
this bill be fixed for Friday next.
The second reading was accordingly postponed till Friday.
The House of Commons Officers Bill was read a third time
and passed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of and the
house adjourned at a quarter past 11 o'clock. ,

ARMY AND NAVY MEnals.—Yeste7day was issued
an estimate of the sum required to be voted in the
year 1856, ending 31st March, 1857, to make good the
deficiency of the vote of last session, for defraying the
expenditure of the Mint for the various Medal Ser-
vices in the year ending 81st March, 1856. The sum
referred to is 80,000/. The sum of 52,500/. was voted
for this service last session, but it having been sub-
sequently decided to present the Crimean medal to the
troops of the Allies, the provision made was inadequate,
and the sum of ,80,0001. is required to carry on the
work at the Mint to the 31st of March, 1856. The
expense of army and navy medals will henceforward be
provided for in the estimates for the two services.