The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL DEFENCES.

A correspondent has addressed the following let-
ter to a contemporary:-
- The country will be glad to gather from the
speeches lately delivered that no politician contem-
plates a misplaced parsimony in the estimates for
our national defences. From Mr. Ducane, one of
the most prominent and promising champions of
Conservatism, to Mr. Roebuck, the " Tear 'em" of
Radicalism, all patriotically proclaim themselves
inclined to that judicious economy which does not
begrudge a necessary expenditure.
Political economists have illustrated their science
by comparison to the regulation of a household.
The sums expended in defences during peace-time
may well be included in the metaphor ; they repre-
sent the premium paid to an insurance-office, annual
instalments against unexpected contingencies. To
the unthinking a constant expenditure, productive
of no immediate result, may assume the aspect of
waste or extravagance. But to the statesman or
the prudent household such outlays represent a
policy almost as good as honesty; The small instal-
ments may seem spent in vain while the rick, the
barn, or the vessel are preserved from danger. Yet
the hour of need may come, at any moment, and an
irreparable loss may prove the penalty of a nig-
gardly and short-sighted retrenchment.
Were it necessary to borrow demonstrations I
might show how foreign statesmen view the
exigencies of the countries they govern. Sardinia
is yearly augmenting the number and armament of
her navy, and the port of Spezzia is rapidly assum-
ing the dimensions of a first-class fortress. Prussia,
without any maritime pretensions, has acquired a
new naval station at Jande, and her flotilla is an-
nually enlarged. Austria, with only three ports,
Ties constructed an arsenal on the Adriatic, and
periodically sends forth squadrons of evolution dis-
pl tying no small proficiency.
The United States have shownus their Minnesota
and Niagara.
Turkey is enlisting in her military service talent
wherever it can be found. Spain has of late years
been purchasing war steamers in this country.
Nanl,,s, as nrav have been seen in the Cagliari cor-
reTondcnce, has her piroscafi di yuerra, and can
exhibit a very tolerable squadron, entirely composed
of steam-vessels.
The progress of Russia in this respect was dis-
covered to our cost during the last war. North
and south she bristled with fortresses ahnost im-
pregnable. Even now she is dispatching her
cruisers over the world, and. the suppression of her
Black Sea fleet has resulted in the production of a
mercantile marine, presenting as a remunerative
speculation all the elements of a mighty naval force.
This is one of the fruits vouchsafed to us under the
wonderful Treaty of Paris. Every State boasting a.
future displays a similar tendency. None more so
than our neighbours the French. In another year
that great nation will exhibit a fleet of 40 screw
line-o-battle ships, besides six ironsided frigates of
the scantling of two deckers. At the period of the
Queen's visit to Cherbourg France had. afloat 18
line of-battle ships—nine at Cherbourg itself, six at
Brest, and. three in the Mediterranean. I need
scarcely refer to the powerful fortresses of Cher-
bourg and Brest, nor to the well disciplined army
of our ally. I allude to them in no spirit of appre-
hension. I quote them as an example contrasting
favourably with our own, and as an incentive to
England. not to be left laggard in the race of
nations.

It would be superfluous to indicate the enormous
difference created in maritime warfare by the in-
troduction
_eves
thei7p
screw,apina ore eproduced
the
urgent b
modernnecessity of
adopting v
science and skill. It will scarce be believed, how-
ever, that even in 1854 we built line-of-battle ships
on the old principle of sailing vessels, and that at a
moment when the country was aroused to a sense
of its, danger, and was consequently lavish of its re-
sources. It is painful to reflect on treasure so ill
employed, on the small results derived from expe-
rience and expenditure. Naval reform is, how-
ever, not vet hopeless. A glance at the list of our
effective -ships will-show how by a little skilful
management we might place our fleet far beyond
the competition of bur neighbours. - -
The number of our effective vessels amounts, I
believe, to 460, or thereabouts, carrying nearly
13,540 guns. Besides these we have 159 gunboats
and a considerable number of vessels employed as
tenders, stereships; and for survey and harbour
service.

Under the first category we find 139 vessels of 50
guns and upwards, bearing metal to the amount of
10.861 guns. But of our whole armed fleet almost
200 are sailing vessels, about two-thirds of the re-
mainder being screws, and one-third paddlewheel
steamvessels. Nearly.half our flotilla is, therefore,
constructed on a principle almost exploded, render-
ing many of our finest ships, under certain contin-
gencies, absolutely useless. In fact, a great pro-
portion of these vessels may be placed entirely on
one side in any calculation of our force. They are
beyond all hope, useless as sailing vessels, and with-
out the qualities rendering feasible
.the adaptation
of a screw.

But with some of our vessels this addition is not
only feasible, but easily practicable. By giving to
these the assistance of a screw we raise them to
purposes of the first utility, and almost double the
efficiency of our naval forces. This, however, will