The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-19 00:00:00

us not to let our means of defence get too low in times of
peace. He had once heard an intelligent foreigner say
that if he had to attack England, ho would endeavour
to strike a fatal blow within two years after the decla-
ration of war, for it took that time to put this country
effectually in a state of defence. That was a shrewd.
observation, and one which it would be well to keep
constantly in mind when considering the state of our
navy. In the late war, indeed, the power to which we
were opposed did not put our naval forces to any
severe test ; but in future wars, and with other powers,
matters might assume a different shape. One conside-
-1 ration which he wished to impress on members was, that
naval armaments were now much more expensive than
in former times, in consequence of the general introduc-
tion of steam in ships of war. For these reasons it could
not be expected that he should come down to a lower
level than that of former estimates. With these preli-
minary observations he would proceed to the considera-
tion of the estimates, which might be classed under two
great heads, the effective and the non-effective branches.
The nun-effective--half-pay, &c.—amounted to about
11,500,000/., and the effective to six and a half millions,
divided between men and material, wages, &c. The num%
ber of men to be voted for the remainder of the year was
48,000 seamen and Marines, and 5.000 in ordinary,
s
' makine in ail 53,000. Tnere were 33,000 seamen
and
15,000 ti arinee, and the remainder consisted of coast
guard. Taking the numbers of former years, he found
that in 1849, 1850, and 1851, we bad 28,000; in 1852
and 1853. 33,000 ; in 1854, 48,500 ; and in 1855,
54,000; but last year we had 60,000, which was subse.
quently reduced to 40,000. From this last number he pro-
posed a reduction of 7,000 seamen and boys. Of the
60,000 voted for last year only 54,000 were actually
raised, so that the reduction actually made amounted to
14,000, not 20,000 as had been stated. A more difficult
task than this reduction of men had never fallen to his
lot. In former times, when men were paid off at the
end of their cruise there was no difficulty, but now,
what with tts continuous service and the wish of the men
to remain, it had been a difficult and painful task to the
Admiralty, who had previously done so much to improve
the condition and increase the comforts of the men that
the latter were quite mewling to leave the service.
He hoped the house would forgive him for saying that the
Admiralty was also most unwilling to part with them.
When the Arrogant was paid off not one man left the ser-
vice. When the Duke of Wellington was paid off only 210
accepted their discharge. (Hear.) No ships bad been
commissioned during the last 15 mouths except such as
were absolutely necessary for relief, and the gunboats for
China, while many ships were paid off before their time
had expired. This year there being 8,000 neon above the
number, he had taken strong measures, and offered the
continuous service-men their discharge. Many ships
which had been ordered home were now on their passage,
and on their return the reduction of 8,000 would be ace
complished. The difficulty, then, was not in making the
reduction, but in doing it in time. He thought that
33,000 men would be sufficient in time of peace ; but
his object was as much as possible to disband men with
their own free will ; and he hoped that the house would
sympathise with the Admiralty in that motive, as by
keeping faith with the British seaman, he would be sure
to come forward with the greater alacrity when wanted
again. (Hear.) The permanent number they now pro-
posed to retain was 33,000, the same as in 1852 53, but
which was greater than the number in former years ;
but it should be remembered that our trade and com-
merce, which were every year increasing, required a
greater force for their protection than was required by
any other country. There was hardly a quarter of the
world to which our commerce did not extend, where our
merchants were not settled, and where ships of war were
not constantly demanded by our consuls for protection.
The house would therefore see that for the protection of
our trade and commerce a large force was constantly re-
quired. With regard to purposes not connected with
trade he thought it desirable that this year some attempt
should be made towards the formation of a home squa-
dron, not only for purposes of protection and security,
but in order that ships' crews and commanders might
acquire the habit of acting in large squadrons. If he
wanted any argument in favour of the proposition, he
bad only to look to the practice of other nations. In
Russia the fleet went to sea in two divisions every year,
and in France, when the Grand Duke Constantine visited
Toulon, six sail of the line came to meet him. He (Sir C.
Wood) was afraid that when his Imperial Highness
visited this country it would be impossible to muster
more than two ships of the line at Spithead. This
was not a proper state of things, as in ordinary
years we ought to have an adequa. e force near
our shores, ready to be sent to China, or for any other
emergency that might arise. The real difficulty with
which we had always to contend was the outbreak of a
war. Other nations, from having compulsory service,
could raise a greater number of men at once than we
could, although after a little time that advantage disap-
peared. We bad during the war raised 20,000 men, but
what we wanted was to raise men, not in a year, but
in a week or two. During the last war the press bad
done wonders, and might be again resorted to in extreme
circumstances ; but the house would agree with him that
everything possible should be done to prevent recurrence,
if possible, to so harsh a measure. In Russia the men
were half-sailors, half-soldiers, kept in barracks all the
winter, and put on board the ships in summer • but in
France the whole mercantile marine was enro led, and
could at any time be called out. The French officer
who recently drew up a report on this subject stated
that 60,000 good seamen could always be depended
on, and 20,000 not quite so good, but still very valu-
able sailors. To have any reserve in this country, it
would be necessary to maintain a squadron of evolution.
His proposal was for 15,000 Marines, being 1,000 less
than last year. They bad felt it to be impossible further
to reduce the number of seamen and boys, and there-
fore had taken 1,000 from the Marines. Every one
knew the value of Marines. With them and the coast
guard they had two important elements in ships' com-
panies. With respect to the coast guard, he was happy
to say that their organisation during the past year bad
been a complete success. The greatest satisfaction had
been expressed by the men ; and so far from their leav-
ing the service in shoals, as had been asserted, only one
man had actually resigned. On the other hand, 800
lad entered the navy, and at the termination of hostili-
ties had returned to their farmer position with the beet
characters. He had every reason to hope that in the coast
guard they might calculate on an efficient reserve of eight
thousand men. The royal naval volunteers also had
answered every expectation, and he had only that
morning received two most satisfactory reports respect-
ing not only their ready answering to the call, but their
admirable practice with large and small arms. Their
conduct had been most excellent when on board ship for
drill, there not being a single complaint of misconduct.
With regard to material, which inclnded all the expense
of repairing ships, it would be found that all the extra
men had been discharged from the dockyards, and the
numbers were the same as they had been before the war.
As to the building of ships, he knew there was great
difference of opinion amongst critics, some voting for
large ships, and some for small, but in his opinion the
best plan would be to have a few of both. We had built
during the war a large number of gunboats, bat they
were intended for the shallow waters of the Baltic, and,
although they would be very efficient for any service
within reach of shore, they could not carry coals or stores
for a distant voyage. They were not adapted for keeping
to sea, but for any service near shore they would be very
efficient. It would be necessary, therefore, to build large
chips and frigates, and if any proof were necessary of
the truth of that assertion, one need only look to what
was being done by other nations. Very few officers would
now-a-day think of fighting an action with sailing ships,
particularly as the French were building large screws,
and the Americans formidable frigates. He would not
say whether he thought these latter were as formidable
as they were represented, but he did say that we ought,
if occasion required, to be able to meet them with vessels
of a similar description. It had always been held that
Great Britain should have the most powerful navy in the
world. Some went co far as to say our navy ought to be
as great as those of any two other nations, but all held
that it should be greater than any one ; and that being
conceded, let him see how we actually stood as compared
with former periods. 7n'93 we had 115 large ships, the
French 76 ; in 1817 we had 131, the French 72 ; in 1840
we had 39, the French 46. Now, in coming down to the
present time he would, as he had said before, leave out
the sailing vessels, and take a comparative view of the
screws. We had 51, 9 of which were block ships, fitonly
for a peculiar service, and not able to keep the sea ; and
we had, built, building, or converting, 42, and 40 fri-
gates. The proportions at present were 42 ships to the
French 40, and 40 frigates to the French 37. They had
heard of the American Merrimac and Niagara, but we
had nothing whatever el that description. He would
not give an opinion as to their efficiency, but he thought
it only right that we should have something fit to beat
them if need be. He had, therefore, ordered two vessels
of that description to be laid down. To do all this it
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immensely greater than that of sailing vessels. But the
house would perhaps understand the difference better if
he gave a few examples. Our largest sailing three.decker,
the Queen, cost 100,Q00/ , the Duke of Wellington coat
170,0001. The Albion, 90, cost 95,0001. ; the Agamem-
non, 144,000/. Vernon, 50, cost 53,0001. ; the Liffey. 51,
sere w, cost 129,0001., so that the screw ships cost exactly
double what was expended on the sailing vessels. if they
took the cost of sailing-vessels at two thirds that of
steamvessels it would probably be near the mark, and to
the extent of a third therefore they might calculate that
the expense of a steam navy would exceed that of a sailing
navy. It was sometimes said that a much smaller number
of ships would do the same amount of work. (Hear, bear,
from Mr. Williams.) He did not think that was quite
clear. When they introduced steam they introduced an
element altogether novel ; and without doubt, as com-
pared one with the other, a steam ship in perfect order
was much more efficient than a sailing ship of equal size.
But steam vessels, as they knew, were much more liable
to get out of repair than sailing ships, and it was doubt-
ful, therefore, whether a less number of ships upon
With
anystation would give a greater number fit for service.
all the care in the world accidents wonld happen, and if
it
was necessary to go into dock to repair, as that repair was
of a more difficult character than the repairs of sailing
ships, much longer time was required in the operation.
He bad no wish to go into the questiononfdthtehemerchantcomparative
number of accidents in the Queen's a
service; but if he had it would not be difficult to show
that the number in the Queen's service was_ less in come
arison than in the merchant service. In the Govern-
lent service, out of 326 vessels, 23 had met with acci-
dents ; whereas out of 297 vessels belonging to private
owners employed as transports during 15 months of the
war, there had been 46 fined for delays occasioned by
accidents. He might take this opportunity of answerin
a question put to him the other night in reference to th
Urgent. Since that vessel had arrived he bad made
inquiry of her commander, and the reply was that from
the beginning of her voyage to the end no accident ha
occurred—that she was a most perfect sea boat, and i
every way qualified for the service in which she was