The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-07 00:00:00

The small boroughs are, veThaps for the most part
favourable to it. A Member for a small borough
has been its firmest advocate this session. The
counties are all eager for it; though, unfortunately,
for the very reason that they most need it, they dare
not vote for it. The larger towns arc, probably,
unanimous for it. Ireland and Scotland confessedly
want it. It is abundantly practicable to send a
considerable majority of members pledged to de-
mand the insertion of the Ballot in, any Reform
Bill. For ourselves we.would give little for any
measure without it. What we ask is a bill, not to
place the election of our representatives in the
hands of landlords, lawyers,. and stewards, or in
thcise -of manufacturers and millionaires, but -in
those of the electors themselves. And we affirm of
every candidate, be he Whig, or Tory, or what-
ever he may, if he can look the electors in
the face and tell them he will not vote for the
Ballot, he tells them, in all but direct language,
that he cannot trust than, and they ought in reply
to tell him by their votes—that they will not trust
him. We would not ourselves vote for any can-
didate who refused the Ballot, and do not see how,
at the present crisis, any well advised Liberal could
do it. Two additions are needed to the Act of
1832—more electors, and more independent elec-
tors—extended suffrage and the Ballot. These
must be the demands of 1869.

Sir CHARLES WOOD last night made a severe on-
slaught on his successor in office, respecting a state-
ment made on bringing forward the:Naval Estimates
some weeks since. The right hon. baronet speedily
discovered the magnitude of the error into which
he bad been betrayed, and found that he had
" caught a. Tartar," with whom he had not the
slightest possible chance in any conflict that might
take rilace. Sir JOHN PAXINGTON not only re-
peated and proved his assertions, but materially
strengthened them. He clearly pointed out that
be " had spoken by the book," and that "if he had
erred in any respect, it was on the side of courtesy."
That was the head and front of his offending,
which so grievously excited the wrath of his pre-
dee,essor. On succeeding to office he did not find
the navy in a proper and adequate state
for the defence of our coasts and the protec-
tion of our commerce. He was, therefore,
compelled to ask for a large sum, in order that it
might be brought to such a state of efficiency as
would maintain the maritime supremacy of Great
Britain, and prevent the possibility of our well-won
laurels being torn from our brows, or even in any
degree tarnished. There can be no doubt that the
efficiency of the navy was not kept up to the
mark while Sir CHARLES WOOD was First Lord.
Although it was an imperative dUty to make him.
self fully acquainted with the position and pro-
spects of the French navy, he seems to have totally
neglected that very important point, and it was

not until after Sir JOHN PAKINGTON had been

some months in office that he was enabled to obtain
the information which ought to have been placed

on record in the office.

But Sir CHARLES WOOD not merely neglected his
duty, but he absolutely deceived the House.
We do not for a moment insinuate that it was a
suggestio falsi, but it came very near the suppressio
yeti. It was, at all events, a palpable want of
candour, when two years since, in 1857, he took
credit for ships then building as a portion of the
available maritime resources of the Country,
although these very ships have not as yet been
launched. He must have known the actual force
then ready for duty, and must be convicted of
gross negligence in only demanding an additional
sum of £70,000 in order to supply the deficiency.
It was, as Sir JOHN PAKINGTON truly declared,
to fall " greatly short of the duty which he (Sir
C. WOOD) owed to his country."

The " submission " of Sir BALDWIN WALKER
proves beyond the possibility of doubt the positive
and relative inadequacy of our naval forces
at the time of the last change of
Ministry. If Sir CIIARLES WOOD had efficiently
discharged the trust confided to his hands, the
Surveyor of the Navy would not have been com-
pelled to remonstrate with the new First Lord on
the defective state of our maritime forces, and im-
plore the addition of several line-of-battle ships.
That request was not disregarded. Having satisfied
himself, as he was bound to do, that it was founded
on incontrovertible facts, Sir JOHN PAKINGTON
proposed an addition to the estimates, not for
£70,000, but for £1,000,000, the result whereof
will be to add no less than twenty•six powerful
men-of-war to the navy, and to restore England to
the position which she should never for a single
moment have relinquished, or suffered to have been
imperilled.
If the accession of Lord DERBY and his col-
leagues to office produced no other benefit save that
which has occurred in the Admiralty, it would be
sufficient to render it highly acceptable to the
nation. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON has well and
faithfully performed the arduous task imposed on
him by the carelessness and negligence of his pre-
decessors. He has shown himself to be the best
First Lord that England has seen for many years.
He clearly perceives the course which he is bound
to follow, and he does not shrink from it, in order
that his colleague, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
may be spared• some trifling inconvenience. No !
He has entered into the feelings and wishes of the
community. He has determined that it shall not
be his fault:-!if Britannia 'does not continue to
" rule the waves." now and evermore. The state
of the navy under the past and present regime
must not be lost sight of by voters at the coming
election. It is not merely a question between
Lords DERBY and JOHN RUSSELL, but also between
PAKINGTON and WOOD, MALMESBURY and CLAREN-
DON, DISRAELI and CORNEWALL LEWIS. Can there
be any comparison between these parties ! We think
not. It has been said that the diligence displayed,
so greatly out of the red-tapist line, is because the
Administration is weak, and could not afford to give
the slightest opening to its opponents. If :that be
so—if that, indeed, be the cause of the zeal and
energy exhibited in every department, we can only
say that it would be well for England if it had
always a weak Government; and not one which,
in fancied strength, could afford to disregard im-
perative duties, and to snub and insult every inde-
pendent member who ventured to exhibit an
inconvenient interrogatory, or to appear restive
under the despotism which was attempted to be
established.

•
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary, attended by Lieut.-Colonel
IL Turves, honeured -Lady Truro by their company at din-
ner last 'evening, at her ladyship's residence in Eaton-
square. A distinguished circle
.was invited to meet the
royal guests. A largo party assembled at a ;late hour at
the invitation of Lady Truro.

The Duke and Duchess of Manchester arrived at
their mansion in Great Stanhope-street on Tuesday from
Kimbolton Castle.

The Marquis of Lansdowne received a large party
at dinner last evening at Lansdowne House.
The Earl of Chesterfield has left town for.
Brighton, where his daughter, the Lady Evelyn Stanhope,
is now staying.

The Earl"of Sefton and Sir George Wombwell
left London on Monday for :Paris, en route to Rome.
The Earl and 'countess of March have arrived in
town. The noble earl has taken a residence in Lowndes-
square for the season.