The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-19 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

rter Majesty's ship Ciesar 91, Capt. Frederick, arrived
in Portland harbour on Sunday afternoon, ani lest for the
westward on the following evening.
Notwithstanding very heavy rain at Devorport on Tues-
day the Lords of the Admiralty managed to get through a
considerable portion of their official duties. The weather
detained them on board the Diadem until half-past 11, when
they proceeded to inspect the ships under repair at Keyham
steam-yard, and the impsrtait works now in progress there.
In Dock No. 1 is the steamship Himalaya, fitting for the
conveyance of troops; this vessel W£9 about two years since
taken into the same dock, her rudder was then obliged to be
put hard over, and it touched the bilge of the caisson
placed in the outer stop, and when the vessel was grounded
the front of her stern was only three -quarters of an
inch from the rock at the fore part of the dock. The dock
has since been lengthened, and will now allow a vessel
about 14 feet 6 inches longer than the Himalaya to be
docked—viz., 365 feet 6 inches, just about the load line.
The Himalaya is to be undocked in the course of the
week to receive her boilers and the Orlando, havin her
boilers in place, will be taken into the same dock in order
to remove her launching gear and to copper her bottom, &c.
When ready for undocking she will be replaced by the
Himalaya, to have her propeller shipped, which cannot be
done otherwise, as she has no well communicating with the
upper deak. The Himalaya is being fitted for the reception
of 1,200 troops, mess accommodation for 850 of whom will he
on the main deck, and 350 on the lower deck. A separate
berth for 40 women is fitting on the lower deck forward.
Instead of the military hospital being below, it is now pre-
pared on the main deck forward, in a better ventilated posi-
tion on the starboard side. The navy hospital is opposite.
Her engines are undergoing a thorough repair. While
lying at Calcutta some large native rats went on board, and
increasing on the passage swarmed the ship on arrival. They
infested the wood casings round the iron beams, cat through
the soil-pipes of the water closets, and stole the officers'
light clothing from their dressing tables. The stench from
these vermin is almost insupportable in some parts of the
ship, and measures are to be attempted for their extermi-
nation.
In Dock No. 2, is the Turkish ship of the line Fethia, re-
ceiving machinery and fitting for a screw. The foremost
sternpost of this ship has been found very rotten and mast
be shifted, also many of the after timbers. These defects
will keep her much longer at Keyham than was at first
considered necessary.
In Dock No. 3, or the Queen's dock, is the steam frigate
Encounter, 14, receiving a large repair, preparatory to her
joining the second-class steam reserve.
In the South Basin are the paddle-wheel steam sloop
Virago, 6, Commander Dunn, and screw steamship Hawke,
60, Captain James Willcox, making good defects; screw
steamship Doris, 32, complete; screw steam sloop Brisk,
16, complete; and the steam sloop Geyser, 6, waiting to be
repaired.
In the North Basin is the new screw steam frigate Or-
lando, 50 (recently launched at Pembroke), under large
crane, taking in her eight large boilers, and other machinery
suitable for her engines of 1,000 horse power.
Much less, comparatively, has been done to Keyham
works during the current year, SO consequence of the re-
duction by the present Ministry of the amount of the pro-
posed grant for extending the new works as originally in-
tended. Excepting the north-western portion of the great
storehouse now in hand the whole of the great quadrangle
and adjoining buildings is nearly seven acres in extent.
The quadrangle with the fitting and erecting shop, large
boiler shop, the various blacksruiths'shops in the quadrangle,
large foundry, storehouses, &c., are now occupied by the
workmen under the chief engineer, Mr. Trickett, and his
staff ; and, from the splendid collection of new machinery,
constructed by the first manufacturers in the world, Key-
ham may in a few years be superior to any similar esta-
blishment at home or abroad.
In consequence of the abandonment of the committee's
vote of X 20,000 the connexion of the Keyham works with
the Cornwall Railway is for the present suspended, as Well
as the extension of the yard northward. A short pecimen-
Pic rf lip' t :1 gauge, been laid along
Eta, east wall of the north basin to the boiler shop, and has
proved highly beneficial for the transmission of huge steam
boilers, some of which weigh 33 to 35 tons. On the river
front f the old powder works borings, varying from 5 feet to
70 feet deep, have been taken, with a view to the extension
of the north basin (yet in an unfinished state), and of pro-
ceeding with the works northward. The north basin is now
only 500 feet long; when extended it will be 1,030 feet, or
thereabouts, and will include a long dock of 500 or 600 feet,
with suitable entrances.
On the south of Keyham-yard Moon Cove is to be im-
proved by deepening the water, so as to enable merchant
vessels to discharge coal or other merchandise into the
Government vaults at the mouth of the Keyham-tunnel.
On this inspection Sir John Packington was accompanied by
a full Board. They inquired into every detail, and ex-
pressed their unqualified admiration of the works and
machinery completed and in progress. Their lordships gave
an hour's interview in the Superintendent's office, and
granted the men the usual half holiday. The guardship in
ordinary, the Royal William, 120, Captain Woodward J.
Williams, was then visited, and the men of the ordinary
mustered. After spending half an hour on board the Dia-
dem, Sir John Pakitigton proceeded, at 4 o'clock, to the
flagship ImpregnaLle, 104, Captain William H. Stewart.
His lordship, who was accompanied by Admiral Milne and
Mr. Corrie, wes received with a salute of 19 guns and yards
manned. The ship's company was first mustered, the ship
was then inspected, and the naval apprentices exercised at
general quarters. Their discipline excited the admiration of
their noble visitors, especially Captain Jerningliam, of the
gunnery ship Cambridge. While on board the flagship Mr.
Riddle's new " cone" code of signals was exhibited. Their
lordships dined on Tuesday with Major-General Eden on
Mount Wise. Before leaving the port of Plymouth it is their
intention to inspect the Great Western Commercial Docks,
which were examined above four years since by the Board
If Admiralty, who considered that as a coaling depot they
would become a valuable adjunct to the other Government
establiskments, to which they are contiguous.
The screw steamship Royal Albert, 121, Captain the Hon
Francis Egerton, will be put out of commission in Devonpor'
to-morrow.

The steam frigate Terrible, Capt. Frederick H. H. Glasse,
C. 8., &c., and the steam-frigate Valorous, Capt. William C.
Aldafn, arrived at the Nore at 6.30 ,p.m. on Tuesday—the
former having the Queen,3l6, in tow, from Plymouth; the
latter in attendance in case of need. Yesterday, at 8 a.m.,
both frigates lashed alongside the Queen, and brought her
into harbour, where she remains moore
The Locust steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander John B.
Field, has arrived at Sheerness with volunteers from the
Northern ports. The Locust a ill be refitted and leave again
for the protection of the fisheries on the east coast of Eng-
land and of Scotland.
The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :
Lieutenant Edward White, to the Victor Emmanuel;
Lieutenant E. A. luchraft to the Hawke, vice White; F.
L. Kelly, master, to the Hannibal, for service in the Falcon;
Samuel W. Brown, stunt) master, to the Oberon; J. T. C.
Webb, second Tarsier, to the Hannibal; and George Pat-
terson, second master, to the Orion.

MR. It OFFATT, M.P., and hil COI V STIT UE.I7 T.S.

Mr. Moffatt addressed his constituents at Ashburton on
Friday, giving a general review of the topics of the day. Ile
referred in the opening to the commercial panic of last au-
tumn, the events in India, and the meeting of Parliament
in December, 1857, and proceeded to the great measure of
last session—the India bill. The hon. gentleman said—
" Immediately after Parliament met a bill was brought in
for the better government of India. That bill embraced one
main principle—the dissolving of the double government.
The session opened with a prospect that the India bill was to
be the great battle-field of conflict between the Tory and
Liberal parties; but here, again, we may see how uncertain
are all political calculations. Notice we's given that that
bill would be opposed, the ground of opposition being
that it was inexpedient in the present state of affairs in
India to legislate for that country, and therefore delay
was desirable. Mr. Baring, a very eminent person in
commerce, and one held in high estimation in the House of
Commons, led the attack. It was sustained by almost every
member of the present Government, except one. That one
gentleman—l mention it to his credit—was Lord Stanley.
(Hear.) -Every one of the leaders of the then Oppositions—
the present Ministers—were adverse to the bill. Mr. Disraeli,
seeing probably the mantle of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer 'looming in the distance'—(laughter)—declared
that the House of Commons did not view the matter rightly
—they had lost sight of the financial part of the question.—
(laughter) ;—now there was a deficiency of £2,000,000,
next year it might be doubled, and the third quad-
rupled. He further said it would not be a question simply
of losing India, but also of ruining England, unless some
fundamental change was made in the local government of
that country. Anether member of the present Cabinet de-
dared the bill to be audacious, ill conceived, and entirely
unnecessary; but when we came to a division on the 18th
of February the bill pdssed by a majority of 140 members
out of a house of 480 members. That was considered
as almost settling the question of the political hostilities
of the session. But while this subject of India was being
discussed, another event was occurring in a neighbouring
country which excited the greatest interest there and
here. It was no less than an organised plan for the assassi-
nation of the Emperor of the French. A despatch was ad-
dressed to our Government by the Minister of the French
Emperor, urging. it to repress the preaching of assassi-
nation by political refugees. It was laid before the House
of Commons, and a bill was framed with the title of The
Conspiracy to Murder Bill,' and this despatch was practi-
cally the preamble of that bill. (Hear, hear.) Now I, for
one, as a member of Parliament, decline to pass any bill
at the dictation of the Emperor of the French, or any other
foreign potentate. (Cheers.) The bill was brought in
simultaneously with the despatch. There was a slight op-
position made; and having read the despatch, I voted against
the introduction of the bill. (Cheers.) When the bill came
to the second reading—the night after the triumph on the
India Bill—the bill was thrown out, not because it was a
particularly offensive bill, but simply because it was a bill in-
troduced at the dictation of the Court of France. (Cheers.)
felt—and many with whom I acted felt—after the triumphs
of this country over Napoleon 1., that we who had
struck the lion down need not pay homage to the wolf.'
(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I rejoice to tell you that that bill
was thrown out, and I further rejoice to tell. you that we
have heard no more of the bill and its preamble. (Cheers.)
We have received no more such despatches from Count
Walewski—and the best answer that we could give to the
gentleman who occupies the throne of the Tuileries was that
the bill was thrown out. (Applause.) The further conse-
quence was the resignation of Ministers. It was known
from the circumstances under which that Ministry was called
to office and the general pledge of support it had received
that it would be exceedingly difficult to form another Ministry,
but the Tories cheerfully took the task in hand. Lord Derby,
whose political courage no one can doubt—and notwithstand-
ing all the prognostications and prophecies to the contrary
—did form a Government, and, after some delay had
occurred in prcceeding to business, commenced the un-
dertaking of cenducting the affairs of the country, and has
worked his way through the business of the session with, I
must confess, a measure of success. (Hear.) It is neces-
sary that I should dwell somewhat on the earlier period of
the session, because I was returned by you as a supporter of
Lord Palmerston, and I have now come before you to ask
you whether I have done right, acting on my own re-
sponsibility as your representative, in not endorsing that
bill of Lord Palmerston's. (Cheers.) Amid all the
prophecies that Lord Derby's Administration would not
last more than a few weeks a slight event occurred
Welt seemed likely to fulfil these prophecies. The
gentlemen with whom I have acted were not reluctant to
come back to office, nor was I unwilling that they should
return ; but I confess that my business in the House of
Commons is not to give indiscriminate support to any sec-
tion in order that they may get iuto office, but rather to
support those measures—no matter by whom they are brought
forward—which are for the benefit of the country at large—
(cheers) —and consequently you must not expect, if the men
with whom I have differed throughout the whole of my poli-
tical life are in office and are carrying out sound measure!,
that I should lift up my voice against them. (Applause.)
I say nothing for their political consistency—(laughter)—
I am not here to endorse the whole of their proceed-
ing., or to be sponsor for them—(hear, hear)—but we
will see what they they have done." The hon. member
then gave a succinct history of the proceedings in con-
nection with the new India Bill, and explained certain of
his own motions in committee en the bill. He denounced
the bill (No. 3) as merely "Lord Palmerston's measure with
a job superadded." That job was the great objection to the
bill. The hon. member next expressed his gratification at
the passing of the Jew Bill, denouncing the conduct of the
Lords as most undignified. After adverting to the ques-
tions of the abolition of the church rates, the property quali-
fication, and the county franchise (on all of which the hon.
member takes the Liberal side), the hon. gentleman pro-
ceeded :—" Upon the question of the finances of
the country I have not the gift of speech of Mr.
Disraeli, nor do I approve that gentleman's new way
of paying old debts by reducing taxation and avoiding
payments. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) I am not pre-
pared to tell you that I viewed the late financial state-
ment with satisfaction. (Hear, hear.) We were under
contract to pay a large portion of Government debt ; but
we have now made arrangements to postpone those pay-
ments; and the Minister who made that proposition also
did the popular thing of reducing the income tax. Our
finances, therefore, are left in a barren state. (Hear, hear.)
With respect to the expenditure of the country I have
nothing very satisfactory to report to yon. It is heavy—
very heavy—(mar, hear)—and will be exceedingly bur-
densome whenever a time of pressure shall come. It
is not eo much felt when bread is cheap, and all the
staple articles of food are to be obtained on easy
terms : but still the taxation of the country is, doubt-
less,(enHear, hear.) As your repre-
sentative, I exceedinglyhave notaoeo
bee
n prepared to advocate any
he
large or sweeping reduction either in the expenditure of the
army or navy. When the present Ministers came into office
they paiditbeir predecessors the compliment of expressing
their surprise at the efficiency of our military force. No one
will deny that our navy ought also to be in an equal state
of efficiency, and I can only say I hope it is s 3. (Hear,
bear.) Thus we have gone through the session—a varied
session, and a session marked by minor incidents." After
ridiculing the rhapsody of Mr. Disraeli at Slough, and re-
ferring to the " intentions" of the present Ministry, the
lion. me tuber declared his own opinions on reform. lie said
—4ll may say that I am for the extension of the franchise,
and shall support a measure of that kind from whatever point
of the political compass it may come. (Cheers.) I' am quite
sure that the franchise may he extended, and safely and
benefically extended in this c untry. lam quite willing—
aye, I am desirous, that we should make our constituencies
larger than they arc at present; and I think these points
ought to have the attention of any Government in broaching
this great and difficult question. I believe, also, that large
bodies of men at present unrepresented ought to be repre-
sented—(cheers)—and that small bodies having two repre-
sentatives ought to be well content with one, and perhaps
amalgamated with some other constituency for that one.
(Cheers.) I should be glad to see an equalisation, to a mode-
rate extent, of the constituencies of the country—(hear, hear)
—but I tell you unreservedly that I am not prepared to vote for
a measure that shall make the franchise of no avail by bring-
ing it down to manhood suffrage—(hear, hear)—or that
shall cut the country as it were into parrilelograms and
squares, In order to send members to Parliament. This
country has maintained its character of representation
simply by the varied elements sent to Parliament. Century
after century it has sent them there, unbought, unpaid, and
at a great sacrifice to themselves of time and health, in
order that they 'night have the high honour and privilege
of serving their country. (Hear, hear.) That Is a high
honour and privilege, and it has been maintained in that
almost sacred state by the mixture of the various
elements you send there. (Hear.) You send a given
number from large constituencies representing abstract
popular opinions ; you send some from the counties repre-
senting the agricultural interest; and you send others from
the less important towns representing the opinion of the
middle classes. (Hear.) lam willing that small boroughs
should be made larger, although, perhaps, if you watch not
only the present Parliament, but any Parliament, you will
see where the really independent body of men come from.
It has been from small independent boroughs which would
not be overridden by great landowners—(cheers)—and the
constituencies of which have exercised their own freedom in
the choice of their own representatives. (Cheers.) I assure
you that there is not a more free• body to act in this country
ytoLoardoith? Sira
than those who represent small independent boroughs, wher
err
for
a man is not returned at the d!ttvheennoofwm
somebody else. (Cheers.)
ef
baying detained you so long. I
nave scarcer sae more to say." That one word more related to foreignwr
policies, after a brief allusion to which, Mr. Moffatt sat
down.
A vote of confidence in the hon. member w Is then tnored4s
And caulcd by ACclAmmion.•