The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-18 00:00:00

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not be put in until the vessels were launched; but that
would be done in six weeks or two months. (Cheers.) The
Government had. proposed plans that would add 15 sail of
the line and nine screw frigates to our fleet in the course of
the present year, and yet they were the men whom the
gallant admiral charged with neglecting the state of the
navy. (Loud cheers.) A more unjustifiable attack he_Q4.l:.
Corry had never heard in his life. (Loud cheers) Atvaltetar
rega to the question:before the house, he hoped tha
the statement of his right hon. friend, namely, thatt the_
interests of the public service would be prejudiced b the
production of these letters, the house would reject the mo-
tion. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. T. G. 'BARING said that when the First Lord of the
Admiralty stated it to be inconsistent with the public service
that the recommendations of the Surveyor of the Navy
should be laid upon the table, he must observe that it was
an equally unusual course to read extracts to the house
from letters which the right hon. gentleman was not pre-
pared to produce. He (the hon. gentleman) would not
enter upon any defence of the right hon. gentleman the late
First Lord, who would be perfectly able on a more fitting
opportunity to justify his administration. There was, in
fact, only one thing mentioned by the right hon. gentle-
man opposite on which he felt called to offer a remark. The
right hon. gentleman (Mr. Corry) had told them what his
Government had done with regard to the submission of Sir
Baldwin Walker but it should be recollected Sir Baldwin
had made a submission in the previous March. Why, then,
had the right hon. gentleman (Sir J. Pakington) reduced
the estimates of the previous board ? (Cheers.) On the
12th of April the right hon. gentleman actually diminished
the vote which his predecessor proposed to take for building
line-of-battle ships, (Cheers.)
Lord LOVAINE said that his right hon. friend had read
the extracts from Sir Baldwin Walker's letters merely to
justify an unusually large vote. He hoped therefore that
the house would not cal/ for the letters themselves. When
the present Government came into office his right hon. friend
was naturally averse to propose a large estimate until he
had had an opportunity of examining in the reason. But
the moment he found that there was a necessity for in-
creased exertions he put the workmen on task and job,
which as his right hon. friend had stated was equivalent to
adding largely to the dockyard force. (Hear. hear.)
Mr. W. S. LINDSAY was not prepared to censure the
present Board of Admiralty, who had been unwearied in
their exertions to place the navy in a satisfactory condition ;
for he regretted to say that it was not yet in a satisfactory
condition, especially when they remembered the large sums
that had been spent upon it. (Cheers.) At the same time
hh thought that the entire letters ought to be produced, and
he should support the motion.
Mr. WHITBREAD should also vote for the production
of the letters, for if the Government were justified in read-
ing extracts from them this year to support a larger vote,
they had not satisfactorily accounted for their withholding
them last year when they proposed a smaller vote. (Cheers.)
Mr. G. HUDSON, amidst much merriment and loud
ironical cheers, expressed the surprise he felt at the conduct
of the gallant admiral in impugning the efficiency of the
British navy. When the day of trial came he felt satisfied
that it would not be found wanting. (Laughter.)
Sir C. WOOD said that if there was one member of the
house who might be supposed anxious for the production of
the letters it was himself ; but he would never allow per-
sonal considerations to interfere with public duties. (Cheers.)
The right hon. baronet had said it would be inconvenient
to lay the letters on the table, and he (Sir C. Wood) should,
therefore' vote against the motion. At the same time he
quite agreed with the hon. member for Sunderland, that the
British navy had never been incompeteht to the task of de-
fending our shores, and he hoped on a fitting occasion to
show that during his administration at least it had been
perfectly efficient for any purpose for which it could be re-
quired. (Cheers.)
Sir C. NA.PIER, in reply, observed that the Secretary to
the Admiralty had made a very extraordinary statement,
which he was sorry to say was not an unusual thing for
him to do. (Laughter.) He said that the present board
had added 18 sail of the line, and 15 frigates to the fleet.
(No, no.) Well, then, 15 sail of the line and 18 frigates.
(Laughter.) But the right hon. gentleman (Sir J. Faking-
ton) himself bad stated that we had in all 33 sail and the
French 32. How, then, could the right hon. gentleman
account for the addition of 15 sail of the line and 18 fri-
gates ? The Secretary to the Admiralty had on a previous
occasion made another very remarkable statement. He had
told the house that it would cost £164,000 to replace the old
and inefficient coastguard ships with the efficient ships
which he said were ready. That he (Sir C. Napier) knew
to be incorrect. The change could be made in eight-and-
forty hours, and he would leave the house to see what ac-
curacy there could be in the right hon. gentleman's state-
ment. Any naval officer would tell him that he was quite
wrong; but thought the right hon. gentleman had twice
been Secretary to the Admiralty he still knew nothing
about it.

Mr. CORRIE explained.
Mr. BOUVERIE trusted, as the right hon. gentleman
the First Lord of the Admiralty was of opinion that the
production of these papers would be detrimental to the pub
lie service, his hon. and gallant friend (Sir C. Napier)
would not press for a division.
Sir C. NAPIER, however, persisted in his motion, and
the house divided. The numbers were—
Fol. the motion
Against it
Majority
MERCHANT SHIPPING

177
-151

On the motion of Mr, LINDSAY, the folknving members
were nominated the 8000 committee on Merchant Ship-
ping—Sir George Lewis, Lord Lovaine, Mr. Cardwell, Mr.
Thomas Baring, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Horsfall, Lord Clarence
Paget, Sir James Elphinstone, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Bentinck,
Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Liddell, Mr. Dalglish, Mr. Francis
Russell, and Mr. Lindsay. Power to send for persons,
papers, and records ; five to be the quorum.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the house
resolved itself into committee on the Law of Property and
Trustees Relief Amendment Bill. The first and second
clauses were agreed to, and the house resumed.
The Ecton and Welton Exchange Bill passed through
committee.

The Elections, &c., Bill passed through committee pro
forma.

- The Oaths Act Amendment Bill was read a third time
and passed.

Ilia St. James Baldersby Marriages Validity Bill passed
through . committee
_ _

The- Consolidated Fund, (1,222,383 Bs. 9d.) Bill was
read a second time.

The Consolidated Fund (£11,000,000) Bill was also read
a second time.

The house then adjourned.