The Sun.
London, England, 1835-04-07 00:00:00

Mr. A. BARING said the Hon. Member for Middlesex
talked of injury to the public credit. But the fact was, as he
ought to know, that the money was not voted by Parliament,
and the payment was therefore properly delayed by Govern-
ment.—( Cheers.) It was certainly very odd for the Hon.
Member to complain of Ministers for not granting money
without the concurrence of that House.—( Cheers and a laugh.)
The navy estimates were produced on the 14th of last
month, and the reason they were not proceeded with was
that night after night one Gentleman or another proposed
some resolution to impede them. It was most unfair, then, to
blame Ministers for the delay.—(Loud cheering.) If it iad
been in the department of the navy he would have taken pre-
cisely the same course as the Noble Lord. It was too bad
that the Hon. Member for Middlesex, who, by making three-
hour orations which nobody listened to—(Hear)—on every
occasion the word " estimate" was mentioned, was the main
cause of the delay in bringing them forward, should charge the
Government with unnecessarily keeping them back.
Mr. HUME said he had not spoken for five minutes to-
gether during the present session upon the subject of the
Navy Estimates.

The vote was then agreed to.
On the next vote, relating to the wages of artificers, being
proposed,
Sir E. CODRINGTON inquired whether any alteration in
the system of classification in the dockyards was intended by
the Admiralty ? The present system, it appeared, did not
work to the satisfaction of the people there engaged.
Sir J. BERESFORD replied that it was not the intention
of the Admiralty to make any alterations until they had an op-
portunity of visiting the several dockyards in person, and thus
judging upon their expediency. Whatever measures they,
then should deem requisite be was satisfied would be framed in
a spirit of the greatest kindness to all parties concerned. At
all events, he promised he would go as far as man could go in
seeking to satisfy every man.—( Hear.)
After a few words from Sir T. Trowbridge, Dr. Bowring,
and Mr. Hume, the vote was agreed to.
On a vote of 160,7131. for naval stores being proposed,
Sir T. TROWBRIDGE thought the estimate was much
too high. He complained that new ships were continually
building, whilst the old ships were left to rot.
Lord ASHLEY justified the vote, and assured the Hon.
and Gallant Member that they had now fewer ships than in
any previous year. In 1791 there were 141 line-of battle
ships ; now they had only 120. Of shipwrights there were
upwards of three thousand in 1793, and now there were only
two thousand and odd. There were now only seven hundred
workmen employed on new ships building.
After a few observations from Sir E. CODRINGTON,
Mr. G. F. YOUNG animadverted upon the new system
of ship-building of Captain Symonds's, which had been in-
troduced and acted upon so universally, notwithstanding that
the Hon. Baronet the Member for Cumberland had stated
that the new principle was only an experiment and under trial.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he had great pleasure in stating
that since the last evening he had mentioned the subject, he
had received a letter from an officer on the Mediterranean
station, containing the most gratifying and convincing proofs
of the superior sailing powers of the ships built on the new
principle. It certainly had been an experiment, as he had
said before, but the experiments had been tried and answered
to admiration. He begged to confirm the fact that there
were fewer line-of-battle ships in ordinary at present than at
any period since the revolution.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG contended that the ships built under
Captain Symonds's principle had only the advantage under
certain circumstances and in fair weather, but in a rough sea,
would be found extremely uneasy.
Sir E. CODRINGTON spoke to the same effect.
After a short desultory conversation between Mr. Hume, Mr.
Warburton, Lord Ashley, and others, the vote was agreed to.
The sum of 19,5181. was then granted for medicine and
medical stores, as was also 26,9481. for Government packets.
169,4501. was granted for transports.
On the motion that the sum of 98,550/. be granted for de-
fraying the expenses of convicts sentenced to transportation to
New South Wales,

Sir E. CODRINGTON complained of the convicts being
employed in the dockyard with men of untainted character.
Mr. YOUNG said it was understood last year that the
practice would be abandoned as soon as possible.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that the convicts were em-
ployed only in two depots, and upon labour which was of a
very severe nature.
On a question from Mr. HUME,

Mr. G4O ULBURN said that the present number of con-
victs from the latest calculation was six thousand some odd
hundreds.

Captain BERKELEY made some remarks which did not
reach us.

Sir E. CODRINGTON expressed his gratification at the
manner in which all inquiries had been answered by the Noble
Lord opposite.
The vote was then agreed to, and the Chairman reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again.