The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 3, 1859.

PUBLICATIONS..

Now ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols.,
THE WAY OF THE WORLD.
By ALISON REID.
" A good novel. It 'falls little short of being a first-rate
one."—Leader.
" It is impossible to write a cold criticism upon a book like
this. There is a spell and fascination upon one from the first
page to the last."—John Bull.
Hurst and Blaekett, 13, Great Marlborough-stroet.

New Novel. Now ready,
AGAINST. WIND AND TIDE. By HOLME
LEE, Author of " Sylvan Holt's Daughter," " Kathie
Brande," dm 3 Vols.
Smith, Elder, and Co., 65, Cornhill.

The Fourth Edition, Just Published. Byo, in cloth, price ss,
by post free, 58. (Id.

ON. TRUE and FALSE SPERMATORRHCEA;
with the View to the. Correction of wide-spread Errors
in relation to the Treatment and Cure of Sufferers from De-
bility of the Generative system, or Sexual Hypochrondriasis.

Translated from the German of Dr. PICKFORD.

" Dr. Pickford is known to English readers by his frequent
practical contributions to German medical literature. This
is the first time, he informs us, that he has addressed himself
to the non-medical reader. We trust that this may not be the
last, if he shall detect any other equally flagrant evil which it
may be in his power to correct." London Medical Gazette.
",The. editor has Conferred a great boon on the sufferers
from this distressing malady by translating this little book,
and by laying bare the scandalous practices of unqualified
adventurers, who profess to cure a disease of which they
know nothing, with no other object than to fill their own
purses. The difference between true Spermatorrhcea and the
various forms of disease which resemble it are accurately de-
scribed, and thus a safe guide is offered for the treatment of
the malady."—Medical Circular.

" We have delayed so long upon the contents of the preli-
minary chapter, that we have scarcely left ourselves space for
any notice of the subject specially treated of by Dr. Pickford ;
but the moderate price at which the brochure' is sold, places
it within the reach of every one interested in the matter."—
Dublin Medical Press.

DISTRESSING SHIP WRECK.

PALLING, NORFOLK, Dec. I.—A most distressing
shipwreck occurred on Friday last on Hasborough
Sands. About 10 o'clock on the ening of that
day the sloop Gratitude grounded on the sands,
durinc, thick weather and a strong breeze. She was
knocked to pieces in a few minutes and immediately
sunk. The crew took to the rigging about 12 feet.
above the deck, a-o.d remained in that 'position from
Friday, until rescued on the morning of Monday
last by a Baotou boat manned by 18 fishermen.
The poor fellows had been lashed to the rigging for
a period of nearly 60 hours, without either food or
water, and life was fast ebbing . when taken
into, the boat. A brig had passed them on Swi-
ftly, and made an attempt with its boat to save
them, but there being so much sea it could not
get near enough. Information was afterwards
given at Winterton by the master of the brig that
five men were seen in the rigging of a vessel on
Hasborough Sands, and this .was communicated
along the coast. It was the intention here to have
launched the lifeboat of the National Lifeboat In-
stitution at daybreak, as the news did not reach us
until 7.30 p.m., at which time it was very dark,
and no lights could be discerned. The Baotou boat-
men had learnt from the floating light vessel that
there were men in the rigging: Several guns had
also been fired from the light vessel for assistance.
The Bacton boat had during the night run along
the edge of the sand, but could discover nothing.
They again launched the next morning, when they
fortunately.succeeded in saving the poor men. Too
much praise cannot be given to the Bacton men for
theirpraiseworthy efforts. They. have been promptly
paid £lB for their noble services by the Lifeboat
Institution. The poor men were landed here in a
very exhaussed condition, and every care has been
taken of them that humanity could suggest. The
vessel belonged to a poor man at Grimsby. The
master attributei the loss of the vessel to the defec-
tive state of the compasses.

THE RECENT MUTINY ON BOARD YHE

PRINCESS ROYAL.

CONCLUSION OF TIIE COURTS-MAR'rIAL.
The proceedings in the adjourned coirt-martial
on board her Majesty's ship Victory were resumed
yesterday morning.
Mr. Medder, clerk, deposed—l produce a list of
those prisoners whose names were taken on the
after part of the main deck, and also of those whose
names were taken on the poop of the Princess
Royal on the night of the 12th of November. (The
lists were then produced and read.)
Lieut. J. Simpson, examined by the prosecutor,
said, after the disturbance was over on board the
Princess Royal on the 12th of November last, I was
present whoa the men came up from the lower
deck. They were placed three deep on the starboard
side of the main deck, with sentries abaft them and
forward. They were sent aft one at a time to have
their names taken down by the clerk. I did not
consider it possible for any of the men to have gone
through the lower deck ports on to the jetty.
When free communication was opened with the
lower deck at.the conclusion of the riot seven or
eight men were found there who were exempted
from the riot, because their messtraps were found
complete and they were men of very good character.
They stated they had tried to come up, but were
prevented by the rioters, and had also remained to
take care of their messtraps. _

By the Court—Then, any of the prisoners, if they
were well-disposed men, might also have been pre-
vented coming up P—Possibly so.
Did it appear that these seven or eight men had
attempted to suppress the mutiny ?—I can't say.
John Ainsworth, gunner's mate of the Princess
Royal, corroborated a portion of the evidence given
by Lieut. Simpson as affecting one of the prisoners,
Thomas M'Kay.
Lieut. Arthur Solway said that immediately
after the disturbance was over on board the Prin.
cess Royal, on the 12th of November last, he
found the prisoner, John Mitchell, on the lower
deck of that ship. Ordered him to go on the main
deck with the remainder of the prisoners, but
on the ship's company being mustered the next
morning he noticed John Mitchell among the num-
ber of men on board, and reported him to Captains
Baillie and Farquhar, who ordered him to be sent
on board the St. Vincent.

By the Ccurt—Had you any particular reason 1
for singling out Mitchell?—Yes, I had noticed his '
conduct as mutinous in the dockyard on that day,
and heard him call out to the rest of the men
"Hang on ? "
Lieutenant F. M. Prattent, examined by the pro-
secutor, deposed to the means taken to secure the
prisoners as they came up from the lower deck at
the conclusion of the riot. Did not consider, frost
the , precautions taken to secure the names of the
prisoner, that any well-disposed men could have
been mixed up with
the prisoners against their
will. Believed the pipe for the men to come on
deck could have been heard over all parts of the
as it was piped at several hatchways.
Arthur Farquhar, of her Majesty's
ship
lower Victory,
Captaindeck,
de
posed to the measures taken to secure
the men as they came up from the lower decks of
the Princess Royal at the close of the disturbance.
Considered the means taken to secure the men such
as were calculated to secure only the ill-affected.
Went round the lower deck after that and, found
probably from 20 to 25 men on the lower deck. A
portion of them, assembled forward on the lower
deck, said they had remained quiet the whole time
during the disturbance and protected their mess-
traps, and from the appearance of the men's traps
and the unexcited state of the men themselves I
considered their statement to be the truth. Three
other men in one of the midship messes made the
same statement. The remaining men on the lower
deck I considered fully implicated in the disturb-
ance. The whole of the men were made prisoners.
By the Court—Supposing a prominent rioter
had mingled with those men and made the same
statement iu an unexcited manner, what means had
you of detecting it ?—None at the moment.
If a well-disposed man had done his utmost to
zuppress the mutiny, might he not have appeared
in an excited state ?—lle might; it is possible.
Did the other men whom you did not consider
well disposed say that they had stopped on the lower
deck to protect their messtraps, or assign any other
cause for being there?--One or two were lying
down, and on being roused up, or shaken, they made
no excuse, or said anything, to the best of my re-
collection ; they either were feigning sleep, or were
stupid from drink.
W. Johnson, boatswain's mate, Ceposed to having
heard the drum beat to quarters, and having piped
for the well-disposed men to come up from the
lower deck of the Princess Royal at the time of the
disturbance on board. Saw John Mitchell in his
mess about five minutes after the disturbance was
over. He was fast asleep. Did not see him after
that, as when witness woke him up he went away.
The case for the prosecution having now closed
the prisoners were called upon for their defence.
The whole of the prisoners simply declared their
innocence of all participation in the disturbance.
The Court then closed to deliberate on their find-
ing, which, on its being re-opened, was read by the
Deputy Judge-Advocate as follows :—" The Court,
after having maturely and deliberately considered
the whole of the evidence brought forward against
the 108 prisoners at the bar, find the first charge
proved, and the second charge not proved ; but, in
consideration of the peculiar circumstances of the
case, the Court only adjudges the prisoners to three
months' imprisonment in her Majesty's gaol at Win-
chester, with hard labour.
The 109 prisoners in the original charge comprised
—1 man in hospital, 1 blacksmith's mate, 1 sail-
maker's crew, 1 armourer's crew, 1 leading seaman,
24 able seamen, and 80 ordinary seamen ; total, 109.
One prisoner, John Scott, is in the hospital, and
unable to stand his trial at present.
This ends the series of courts-martial arising out
of the late extraordinary mutiny on board her Ma-
jesty's ship Princess Royal, and the chief cause of
which still remains unexplained. The proceedings
have excited the deepest interest in naval circles at
Portsmouth, and great sympathy has been felt for
Captain the Hon. Thomas Baillie and his officers
for the very unpleasant position in which they have
been placed. From what has transpired dining the
courts-martial no captain could have been more re-
spected by his crew, or have been more worthy of
that respect, than was the captain of the Princess
Royal.
Commander Josling, on the Princess Royal pay-
ing off, joins the Queen, 86, screw, Capt. 0. F.
Hillier, at Portsmouth, and, if our information be
correct, the number of the best men of the Princess
Royal who have volunteered to follow their present
commander into his future ship, will likewise prove
the estimation in which he is held. Lieut. Simpson,
the senior lieutenant of the ship, is also spoken of
by those who know him as a very meritorious officer.
This gentleman has been serving on board the
Princess Royal as senior lieutenant during the past
six years. He served in the Baltic and Black Seas,
and has been twice under fire in her. His commis-
sion bears date December 6, 1845, or 11 months
senior to that of Commander C. F. F. 13ouglieh

lately promoted to his present rank on the paying
off of her Majesty's ship Havannah at Devon port.
The Princess Royal is expected to pay off on Mon-
day next.
' TILE FIGHT ON THE PEI HO.

(From the Times.)
The December number of Blackwood's Magazine
opens with an elaborate history of the fight on
the Peiho, and we bespeak for this article the at-
tention of Englishmen of all classes. It is not be-
cause it is vivid in description and most exciting
in its narrative ; it is not because it is replete with
anecdotes of heroic deeds and rife with instances of
English daring ;—these are qualities which will
recommend themselves, and will fix the attention
of the reader who has once begun to read. But
this description bears upon. its face evidence that it
is the work of a man who has a right to speak with
authority on the matters of which he treats. We
have not only the tale, but welave the moral. In
thepreliminarieS to the battle we have.a lucid eX-
posit:on of the policy of the Minister under whose
command Admiral Hope embarked in his glorious
but unfortunate enterprise. In the condition of the
forts, apparelled with all the newest contrivances of
European warfare, we have a first light thrown upon
that dark question—the progress of Russia in the
East. In the unflinching, light-hearted, self-sacri-
ficing contest against hopeless odds, which comes
next in the story, we happily have no novelty, but
only a grateful proof that our seamen of the pre-
sent day are worthy of their fathers, and that the
old tradition of pluck and endurance are still to be
found- fresh and flourishing in every little gun
boat. The moral of the rude lesson every reader
will draw as he reads, and if he draws it justly
from his premises he will have sounder views upon
this Chinese question than have yet been able to
penetrate the cobwebby purlieus of the Admiralty.
We are not about to repeat the incidents of the
disaster which startled us so sharply from our com-
plaisant contempt of a Chinese enemy. We have
already long ago sketched in outline the picture
which has now been filled up, and we refer to this
magazine article for confirmation r ether than for
any great originality of view. The writer, however,
has, we think, successfully vindicated the policy of
Mr. Bruce in determining to remove the impedi-
ments in the river, and he has cleared up those
doubts which originally hung about the conduct of
the Admiral in conducting the conflict. It is now
ascertained from the official documents that when
Mr. Bruce arrived at the mouth of the Peiho he
had only six days within which to reach Pekin ;
for any failure to appear there on the day when
the ratifications were due would have furnished an
excuse that would have proved fatal to his mission
and his treaty. It is now also clear that his pro-
gress was not opposed by official notification ; that
some people, who represented themselves as militia-
men and of no public authority, advised him to go
round by some other way, but promised to remove
the impediments, which had been placed there, as
they represented, only to keep out rebels and
pirates. It is, moreover, now made manifest that
the forts were so well masked as to present no
threatening appearance. There was nothing official
or avowed in the matter. If Mr. Bruce had taken
the advice of the militiamen we are moreover now
in a condition to say what would have happened.
The American Minister has made this test for us.
After enduring a series of insults which our trans-
atlantic cousins must have the patience of doves and
the digestion of ostriches to digest, but which, ac-
cording to the New York Herald, they neverthe-
less seem inclined to swallow with all humility,
their ratified treaty has been openly and contemp-
tuously repudiated.
What the obstacles in the path of the expe-
dition were the writer in Blackwood very elabo-
rately describes. They were, doubtless, trouble-
some things to deal with, even if they had been
left to their own inert powers of resistance. It
was while attempting to remove these impediments
that a gun or two discharged with careful aim
showed that this would not be permitted. We are
now told, on authority which may not be lightly
gainsaid, that from this moment Admiral Hope
made every preparation which prudence or foresight
could suggest for a suceessful resistance to the at-
tack which would in all probability be made upon
him in passing the barriers. Referring, probably, to
some criticisms in this journal as to the advance
being ordered upon shallow waters during an ebb
tide, and to a landing having been delayed until
sundown, the writer says :

" The Admiral commenced to move his squadron into
action thus early, anticipating that by the time the flood
tide had ceased running every vessel would have reached
her position, the distance in no case being more than a
mile; but the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the
breeze, and the force of the current occasioned great delay
by forcing first one gunboat and then anotherashore on the
mudbanks, added to which the great length of the Nimrod
and Cormorant caused them, when canting or swinging
across the channel, almost to block it up. The consequence
was that the squadron was not ready for action at 11.30
a.m., or high water. Prior to high water it would have been
folly to commence action. No judicious naval officer would
engage an enemy's works while a flood tide was sweeping in
towards them. Had Admiral Hope done so every disabled
vessel and boat as well as every wounded man would have
fallen into the hands of the Chinese ; and, moreover, the
difficulty of anchoring by the stern in gunboats in so strong
a tideway can only be appreciated by seamen, and would
have probably resulted in the whole force falling aboard of
one another, and being swept by the tide in one mass under
the concentrated fire of all the batteries. By one o'clock the
ebb tide was running strong ; all the vessels were by that
time in position, except the Banterer and Starling, and they
were hopelessly aground, though in positions which enabled
them to co-operate to some extent. The Admiral prepared
to move the barriers, and issued his final instructions. To
those who say that Admiral Hope, ought to have acted
earlier in the day we have merely to point to the issue of
the combat into which ho was inveigled, and reply, that
had there been two hours' more daylight, we hardly think
a ship or man would have been saved.
These are matters of a technical character, which
must be discussed by professional men before civi-
lians are in a position to form a decided opinion
upon them. But we are anxious to be convinced
that Admiral Hope was as careful in his prepara-
tions and as judicious in his plan of attack as he
was undoubtedly heroic in his endeavours to carry
it to success. Even as it was, we would rather bear
the odium of Admiral Hope's glittering fault, if
fault there should be, than wear the orders which
reward the bloodless services and safe manceuvres
of some who affect to condemn him.

One word of inquiry upon all this. Since the
news of our repulse on the Peiho spread in Eng-
land there has been much. doubt as to the propriety
of the attack, for which, of course, the Plenipoten-
tiary is answerable, and as to the tactics of the Ad-
miral ; but there has also been a general feeling of
sympathy in the misfortune of a brave man and of
admiration for the daring devotion with which he
was supported. Never, we believe, in the very best
days of our navy, have men or officers done them-
selves or their country more honour than, when
hopelessly entrapped in a position whence they
could not escape, they were being shot down at their
guns by opponents whom they could not reach.
From all England have come words of encourage-
ment and solace, except only from one place, and
that, unhappily, is one to which the naval officer
looks most anxiously. Not one word of sympathy
or acknowledgment has been spoken by the Admi-
ralty in return for all that brave life that has been
yielded up so cheerfully, and those wounds and tor-
tures that have been borne so well. The First Lord
dines with the Lord Mayor, and returns thanks for
the Navy, but he seems to be ashamed of the gal-
lant deeds on the Peiho. Not a word of the men
who did their dutty so well there. " Fools," says the
proverb, " judge only by the event." Perhaps there is
a certain general wisdom in this folly when discreetly
used. No one would ask honours for an Admiral
who has failed, however gallantly; though a few
words of sympathy would not have been unjust nor
ungraceful, and they would have conveyed a balm
to a gallant spirit. But the captains, the lieutenants,
the gunners, the men—what have they done that
they should be a tabooed subject at the Admiralty ?
'We protest, in the name of all that is generous, and
we will add all that is manly in the English cha-
racter, against this unjust slur. The little French
ship which was with us, and which did her duty
well, but certainly not better than any one of ours,
has been rewarded with promotions and decora-
tions ; to our officers and men not a kindly word has
come from any one in high station. Depend upon
it, Jack and Jack's officers feel these things. Some
would ask—who is it who thus passes cold, silent
censure upon brave men—imposing this silence
upon the mouthpiece of their Board ? Are they
Nelsons and Collingwoods, and Admirals whose
names are synonyms for victory ? Are they men
who have shown that they can measure the safety
of a wise audacity, and tell where boldness passes
into temerity ? Let us not inquire. 'We have no
wish to raise a laugh, or to point the distinction
between the cautious expender of naval stores and
a gallant, although for the moment unsuccessful,
officer. We cannot, however, afford in this day to
allow the men who ask only " Is it safe ?" to de-
preciate the men who ask only " Are we to do it ?"

CALICOES, THREAD, AND YARN. 3,243,254
yards of plain calicoes, 3,139,200 yards of printed calicoes,
6,167,29-11 b of cotton thread and yarn, 811,6551 b of linen
thread and yarn, and 1,715,9561 b of woollen and worsted
S arn were exported from Run in the month of October last.

AGRICULTURAL MEETINGS.

The ninth annual exhibition of the Bridgwater
Agricultural Association was held on Wednesday.
In the afternoon the society's dinner was held at

the Clarence Hotel. Sir Alexander Acland Hood,
M.P., the president of the society, occupied the
chair, and was supported by the Mayor of Bridg-
water, Colonel Tynte, M.P., Mr. A. W. Kinglake,
KR, Sir P. P. F. P. Acland, ar.d Messrs. G. S.
Poole, G. Reed, and R. G. Evered. There were
about 140 guests present. After the usual loyal
toasts,

Sir ALEXANDER HOOD proposed "The Army
and Navy." He said that a few years back this
toast was received with the slightest enthusiasm
and as a matter of course ; but at the present time
it was hailed at every festive board all over Eng-
land with the heartiest acclamations. (Cheers.)
Why had this change taken place ? A short time
back the people of this country fondly hoped that
wars would not break forth again in their time at
least, and believed that our army and navy might
well repose on the laurels they had nobly won and
the prestige they had acquired by deeds of chivalry
and courageous battlings with mighty foes. This
dream was soon dispelled, and the spell of peace too
hastily broken by the ambition of Russia. Eng-
land could not then refuse succour to the oppressed,
and sent forth her gallant sons to stay the progress
of the' spoiler. Our hearts were wrung by the
accounts of the sufferings of our gallant warriors
and soldiers in the East, and at one time fears were
entertained that our, regiments might yield. No-
thing, however, could overcome the courage of the
British soldier, and, with the assistance of our
allies, the campaign was terminated gloriously.
History recounted no more brilliant deeds of bravery
than were performed at the charge of Balaklava,
and no struggle was more manfully sustained than
the unequal contest our soldiers victoriously main-
tained at Inkerrnann. Those things proved that in
the soldiers of England in the present day the bull-
dog courage of England still existed. (Hear, hear.)
Perhaps it was well for us that we were drawn into
that war, inasmuch as it made us look to the state
of our army and of our navy. Great attention was
consequently paid to the arms and organisation of
our troops, and shortly after the termination of
that war this attention was proved to be of the
' utmost use in silt doing one of the most awful muti-
nies the world had ever witnessed. Sir Alexander
graphically dwelt upon the splendid achievements
of our Indian warriors, and remarked that when
Providence blessed our arms with success in that
fearful crisis the people of England again hoped
for peace. The will of one man had again dispelled
the dream. France for an idea commenced war with
Austria, and thereupon the fertile plains of Italy
were overrun with armed masses of men, crops were
destroyed, tens of thousands of brave men were
slain, and tens of thousands of families mourned
the loss occasioned by fierce hostilities. What the
idea was that the war was waged for Englishmen
knew not, but trusted that it might be worked out
so that the liberties of Italy might be assured.
(Cheers.) All Europe was now disquieted; in all
directions they heard rumours and fears of war,
and the Continent was bristling with bayonets.
Why was this ? What country wished for war ?
Did England wish for war ? The people of this
country earnestly pray ed for, peace. In peace we
flourished, and war, however it might terminate,
must be damaging to all classes of the English
people. However gloriously they might fight, a
war would still add to the burdens of the middle
and poorer classes, as well as to the burdens of the
aristocracy of this country. Everything we could
do to maintain peace we were desirous of doing,
but he believed that if they did maintain peace it
would only be by showing that they must be re-
spected. (Hear, hear.) Unless they kept up an
efficient army and navy, peace could not be pre-
served for this country. (Hear, hear.) The late
Government and the present Government had
looped well into the state of the national defences.
One of the members of the present Ministry, in
returning thanks for the Ministers at the Lord
Mayor's banquet the other day, said, " In the pre-
sent disturbed state of Europe it becomes us to look
to our national defences, and not to trust to the
sufferance of any othor nation in the world."
(Cheers.) He believed that that was the universal
feeling throughout England—he believed they all
felt in their hearts that it did not become this
country to trust to the forbearance of any power
whatever, but that we ought to trust to our own
right arms. (Great cheering.) Foreign nations in
times of danger and difficulty, when they expected
to be attacked, prepared themselves by recourse to
conscription. It was for Englishmen to show that
wealth and liberty had not unnerved their arms or
deadened their spirit; but that they were ready
without conscription to volunteer to defend their
fatherland. (Cheers.) It was well for them to con-
sider the question whether their apprehensions
were excited without reason. He thought that
when they looked into facts they would find that
they were not excited without reason, Ten years
ago a commission sat in France for two years, and
had 200 meetings, to consult upon what stops
should be taken with regard to the increase of the
French navy. The answer of the commission was
that it was necessary to increase the navy to a
large extent, and that the amount of increase was
certain, as it must be such as on the first announce-
ment of war to be equal to the navy of any Power
they might attack. The answer went on to state
what Power that would be, and said, " Our only
enemy can be England." That was the report of
the commission which sat in 1849. If they neat
a little further, they would find some noteworthy
words from a French Admiral. One of the great
Admirals of France stated, before the National
Assembly of France, that there was no warrior
spirit in England, that.me could not repel such a
land host as the French could bring against us, and
that if a war was to be made upon us they had
only one thing to do, and that was to land.
(Laughter.) Now, he (Sir Alexander Hood)
thought there was a warrior spirit in England, and
he should like to see it once more aroused, not for
the sake of war, but in order that we might main-
tain peace. (Applause.) He noticed that some
gentlemen laughed when he mentioned the French
Admiral's opinion. .For the benefit of those gen-
tlemen he would allude to the Duke of Wellington's
celebrated letter to Sir John Burgoyne, in which
his grace said :—" If it be really true that our navy
is not able to be a sufficient defence to our shores,
we are not safe for one week after war is an-
nounced." Those were the Duke's warning
words, and he added :—" I am bordering on 77
years passed in honour ; I pray God to protect
me from being a witness of the tragedy I cannot
persuade my contemporaries to take proper mea-
sures to avert." These were not the utterances of
an alarmist, nor of a man unacquainted with the
forces of this and foreign countries, but they pro-
ceeded from the greatest General that ever existed
in Europe. (Cheers.) That opinion does not stand
alone ; but it is likewise the opinion, and the writ-
ten and acknowledged opinion, of the highest
authorities in England, both military and naval.
Therefore he wished to call their attention to a
subject of the utmost importance to Great Britain
—to the state of our national defences. They were
all over England agreed that it was necessary to
keep up such a navy as should not only be equal to
any other single Power, but equal to any other two
Powers that might combine against them. (Cheers.)
At the present moment our screw line-of-battle
ships scarcely exceeded the number of screw line-of-
battle ships owned by France, and in screw frigates
they were superior to this country, having nearly
double the number. Of corvettes, despatch-boats,
and gunboats we had certainly a larger number
than the French, but they had one immense advan-
tage over us in the splendid organisation by which
they could in ten days man every ship they had,
besides leaving a large reserve. English line-of-
battle ships not unfrcquently took six months to
man. Was that a state the navy of England should
be in ? The meeting would agree with him that it
was the duty of Parliament in the next session to
make such arrangements that the navy of England
might be able, whenever wanted and\ whenever
called upon, to vanquish the mightiest foe. (Cheers.)
Impressment in these days was impossible. Nobody
wished to recur to impressment ; but they must
take such measures that their gallant sailors should
be proud and delighted to serve their Queen and
country at any and every juncture. (Hear.) They
must recollect that the very worst economy they
could pursue was to discharge as useless those
sailors who had become efficient as soon as the panic
might have subsided. (Hear, hear.) If they wanted
good servants, they must treat them well. Having
said thus much with regard to the navy, he would
next consider what they should do with regard to
the army, because it was possible by a combination
of forces or by adverse circumstances that they might
for a short time lose the command of the Channel for
, one week even, and a shorter time than that would
give an enemy a dangerous opportunity. This was
possible, he did not say probable ; and it had
been stated to be possible by one of our own
Admirals, that an army of 200,000 men might be