The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-29 00:00:00

1,000 quarters yellow wheat, 611 b. to 621 b., if at 325. ship (and, I may add, of greater beam than foreign
cost on board and freight to England ; but front the I frigates) ; they have, therefore, ample room for one
present aspect there is little chance of its execution, as I continuous battery on the upper deck.
345. cost and freight is the figure to—lay, and reports The disadvantages in cutting in two the frame
from the British market firm." lie further adds, of a heavy ship are the following:—lt considerably
" with an average crop there is no doubt our farmers . weakens her, and carrying the guns at the extretni-
can afford to sell at prices to ship at 30s. per quarter ties causes her to pitch heavily in a sea, and thus
put on hoard ship here, and, it is my belief, even at tends to break her hack.
less. Some years back they sold at 18s. to eos. per We lose (without any saving in expense) the force
quarter first cost." of 10 guns, and that in the part of the upper deck
Now, Sir, I could give you plenty of extracts from where they are most available, as there only are the
other letters to the same effect, but I think I have muzzles of the guns clear of the fore, main, and mizen
said enough to prove that the statements I made are riggen ; and, last of all, the beauty and symmetry of
fully borne out by facts and documents iu my pos- a ship is destroyed.
session. lam aware that Rostock wheat brings in For these reasons, the French, Americans, and
the London market a relative higher price (owing other nations have discontinued a practice only desir •
to its greater strength) than Stettin, hut not so in able or rather unavoidable under the old system of
Wakefield ; there the colour of the latter fully cool- naval architecture. It is difficult to account f. n. the
pensates for the strength of the former, and is equal, Government designers having omitted this accompa-
as I state), to the best Rostock, Pomeranian, Nor- niment of the improvements of the new system.
folk, or Suffolk red wheat. Sir, in my remarks The French and American ships have now one un-
I particularly named red wheat, yet you refer to broken bulwark and battery on the upper deck, from
the prices of white wheat at the various markets stern to stern. From the breadth of the new ships
of Mark-lane, Wakefield, Leeds, Boston, D measter, the main tack is now hauled aboard half-way amid-
Nottingham, &c., whereas any one in the trade knows ships on the deck, the hauling part as well as the
that fine white wheat brings 4s. to se. per quarter over block is toggled to a strap or shackle, clenched to
red ; but what are the facts ? The best runs of red the deck beam ; therefore the tack is no longer
wheat are now selling at \Visbeach, Boston, &c., 621 b. a lumber to the deck, and does not interfere with
to 631 b. per bushel, at 325. to 34i. per quarter, in the fighting of the guns, and moreover gives a
Yorkshire even still lower, and at Wakefield, on clear lead to run aft with the tack. They also stow
Saturday last, the finest Essex red 375. to 384. per their spare spars entirely amidships, with two large
quarter. Norfolk and Suffolk 358. to 36:4, Lincoln- boats—one on each fide. Thus have they re-
shire and Cambridgeshire 335. to 355., and Yorkshire moved all the former objections to a perfect bat-
-32.5. to 345.; whilst at the same time the finest white tery on the upper deck, and have a ship of 100
wheat, both English and foreign, brought 445. per or of 60 guns where we have one of 90 or 50. And
quarter. Within the last few days we have pur- be it remembered that if you would produce a given
chased fine Rhine wheat, delivered in Liverpool, at force, it is efficient and economical in proportion as it
335., and to-day we have offers of fine Polish red at is concentrated. Thus, if you would send to sea a
355. cost, freight, and insurance. force of 1,000 guns and 10,000 men, in ten ships, it
The following will show some of the mis-statements is more powerful and more economical than if you
made of my speech in the public press : produce a similar number of guns and men in eleven
The Times. Chronicle. ships.
At present he (Mr. San- Only this week the house I must add, that the time is fast approaching when
dare) could bring the finest to which be belonged had the screw will be applied to every ship of war, of
quality of wheat from Stet- midi) extensive contracts which I shall speak presently. It would, therefore,
tin or Rostock for 335. per of wheat from Stettin and be prudent and economical never to construct another
quarter. Rosteck, at a cost includ- sai •
ling ship of war without a view to her some day
ing freight, at 38s. per having a screw, and being available for steam tactics,
quarter.
Standard and Herald. if I may use the expression. To this end I should
Mr. Wilson had stated Mr. Wilson had said the recommend that two-decked ships and frigates should
the cost of bringing corn cost of bringing corn from have no waiste (id. est , a perfect upper-deck bat-
from Dantzic at 16s. per Dantzic was 6s. per quer- tery), and no poop. What a noble and magnificent
quarter, less 3s. 9(1. cost, ter; he (Mr. Sanders) did sight would the upper deck of a 100-gun ship then
from the interior—leaving not dispute it was 3s. 9d. lo:—ships of the Rodney and Albion class would
12s. 3d. as the expense of per quarter. carry 100 guns—but the more substantial advantages
bringing corn from Dantzic of having no poop are, that,. having one unbroken
to this country. deck, you have a clear run of the ropes, the men at
the atter part of the ship can lend their power to
the braces and halliards as they come aft; the men
would not have to leave their guns and run up a
ladder to trim the sails; the ship is more available
altogether for warlike purposes, and much top-hamper
is saved. In close action, also, men stationed on the
poop are terribly exposed to grape and musketry ; the
only disadvantage is that some accommodation is lost,
but this will be more than compensated by the advan-
tages for warlike purposes. And, moreover, there is
clearly a grOwing opinion in the navy that all
commissioned officers should mess together, in which
case room should be gained, and, by a re-arrange
ment of the cockpit exactly double the accom-
modation could be found there. For instance, let a
wing or shot-plug passage run round the entire orlop
deck. We might then have a double tier of cabins
where we now have a single ; one set of cabins could
open into the wing, and another into the cockpit.
With reference to applying the steam-screw, a method
has been discovered by which it can be applied to
sailing-ships of any size at a twentieth part of the ex-
penses we have hitherto gone to, and that without
weakening or touching the frame or dead wood.
Thus it appears that steam is destined to make more
rapid strides than it has hitherto done, and it would be
well for us to keep our eyes open and neglect no
modern improvement in our dockyards. I write this
letter with a hearty desire to render service to the
naval profession. Hoping I have not conveyed cen-
sure on any,
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
London, March 25, 1850. JASON.

Daily News.
At the present moment The freights from Ham-
the cost of bringing wheat burgh, Dunkirk, &c., to
from Hamburgh, Dunkirk, the East Coast of England
and Antwerp to the port were at present 4s. to 4s.
of London was Is. 61 to 6d., whilst the cost from
2s. per quarter; and the Boston and Grimsby was
freight from Boston, Wis- about the same.
b,ach, &c., would amount

o about a similar sum.

Now, Sir, atter these specimens of reporting, I
think 1 am justified in declining any further com-
ments upon arguments founded on premises so incor-
rect as the reports of a speech delivered at a late hour
in the House of Commons; and if you wish, Sir, to
to do me justice, you will insert along with this in
the Times the enclosed, which is, I believe, an
authentic report of what I did say, and a copy of which
I sent to the editor of the Economist, that he, at least,
might not make use of the garbled statements of my
speech which appeared in the various papers on that
occasion.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,

G. SANDARS.
27, Sussex-square, Hyde-park, March 27.

TO THE EDITOR. Of THE TIMES.

Sir,—Your article in yesterday's paper has con-
firmed me in the opinion which I had formed that
bu.ilness might be done satisfactorily with the house
of Sandars and Co., after the declaration made in the
Ifutve of Commons by Mr. George Sandars,
for Wakefield, and I have in consequence given an
order by this post to Mr. George Sandars, begging
him to supply me with wheat, to be of the finest
quality, at 335. per quarter.
Having already made some trifling speculation in
wheat at a much higher figure than that at which
Mr. Sandars appears to be ready to supply customers,
I have no hesitation in extenoing my transactions
where the margin for loss is so small as at Mr. San-
dar's price.
It being in the highest degree important to the
whole agricultural body that the position in which we
stand as regards the future should be clearly seen,
and that the price at which we may anticipate com-
petition from the foreign grower should be truly
defined, I ahall take the, liberty of informing you and
the public of the result of my speculation.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN VILLIERS SHELLEY.
Maresfield-park, Sussex, March 27, 1850.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS IN 1848.
According to a return of exports and imports
during the year 1848, which has just been issued, the
total declared value of our exports to the British
West India colonies in that year amounted to
1,546,862/. The chief items furnishing this total are
—cotton manufactures and yarn, 401,2341.; apparel
slops and haberdashery, 145,655/. ; linen manufac-
tures and yarn, 128,7331.; soap and candles,
112,701/. ; wrought and un wrought leather, 74,654/. ;
wrought and unwrought iron and steel, 69,2341.;
butter and cheese, 62,284/. ; coals, cinder', and culm,
53,5531.; machinery and mill-work, 18,1681. Our
principal imports from our West India colonies
were coffee, of which 5,075,1281 b. were imported,
and 5,704,3991 b. entered for home consump-
tion, at a duty of 4 1-54. per lb.; cocoa, of which
2,G02,3091b. were imported, and 2,715,5601 b. en-
tered fur home consumption, at a duty of 1 1-201 per
lb. ; rum, of which 5,653,867 gallons were imported,
the quantity entered for home consumption being
2,623,109 gallons of West India rum, and 147,321 of
East and %Vest India vatted together, at a duty, up to
July 19, of Bs. 7d. for England, 45..5.1. for Scotland,
and 3s. sd. for Ireland, which was subsequently
reduced respectively to Bs. 21, 41., and 3,.; un-
refined sugar, of which 2,794,987 cwt. were im-
ported, and 2,770,830 cwt. admitted fur home con-
sumption, at a duty which, up to July 12, was 16s.
4d., when equal to white clayed, and 14s. other-
wise, and was reduced subsequently to 15s. 2d. and
131.; molasses, of which 385,484 cwt. were imported,
and 402,276 cwt. entered for home consumption, at a
duty of ss. 31 per cwt. up to July 12, and 43. 101.
subsequently ; mahogany, of which 22,618 tons were
imported from Honduras, and 282 from other parts.
Our exports to the East India Company's territories
and Ceylon amounted in declared value to a total of
5,077,1461., the principal items being 2,344,7631. for
cotton uaanufectures,693,loBl. for cotton yarn, 326,8081.
for brass and copper manufactures, 234,8121. for arms
and ammunition), 219,0361. for woollen manufactures
and yarn, 212,042/. for iron and steel wrought and
unwrought, 137,351/. for ale and hirer, 92,435/. for
hardware and cutlery, 30,4631. for coals, &c., and
26,9771. for machinery arid mill-work. Our princi-
pal imports from those territories were coffee, of
which 30,851,465 lb. were imported, and 24,440,775 lb.
entered for home consumption at a duty of 4 1-54.
per lb. ; cotton manufactures of which 114,306
pieces were imported, the declared value of the,
quantity entered being 1201. for' made-up goods,
and 218/. for those not made up, at a duty for
stet
iloantst7
indigo,ofsperof cwenhtichwh6en from British pos-
sessions
; undressed hemp and39o3tih°eBr9ibsUbwstearnecesimo-f
the same nature, the imports of which amounted
to 258,238 cwt. ; pepper, 7,487,33116. of which
were imported, and 3,058,0311 b. entered for home
consumption at a duty of 6 3-161 per lb.; silk
handkerchiefs, of which 298,458 pieces were im-
ported, and 147,260 entered for home consumption at
a duty of 5 per cent, ad valorem; unsweetened
spirits, of which 882,483 gallons were imported, and
205,816 (exclusive of quantities vatted with West
India rum), entered for home consumption ; sugar,
unrefined, of which 1,332,745 cwt. were imported,
and 1,352,004 cwt. entered for home consumption ;
cotton wool imported to the amount of 84,101,9611 b.,
and lamb's and sheep's wool to the amount of
5,997,4351 b. The total declared value of exports to
China amounted to 1,445,959/. The principal items
are cotton manufactures to the amount of 808,822/. ;
cotton yarn, 142,4231; woollen rnanufactures,379,9l2/ ;
iron and steel wrought and unwrought, 19,5201. ;
linen manufactures, 24,5021. Our imports from
China consisted chiefly in tea, of which 47,346,8171 b.
were imported, and 48,301,9431 b. entered for home
consumption at a duty of 2s. 21d. per lb.; raw silk
imported to the amount of 2,200,1821 b.; thrown silk
to the amount of 40,8291 b., and nankeen cloths, of
which 64,463 pieces were imported. The total de-
clared value of exports to the Mauritius amounted to
169,308/. The principal articles were cotton manu-
factures to the amount of 63,762/. ; wrought and un-
wrought iron and steel, 9,2201.; beer and ale, 9,2611. ;
hardwares and cutlery, 8,2731.; brass and copper ma-
nufactures, 6,624/.; woollen manufactures, 6,0301. The
chief imports from the Mauritius were unrefined sugar,
of which 886,282 cwt. were imported, and 813,199
entered for home consumption; rum imported to the
amount of 114,807 gallons, the quantity entered for
home consumption being 9,642 gallons ; and pepper,
of which 154 9601 b. were imported, and 20,1051 b. en-
tered for home consumption. The total declared value
of exports to the British North American colonies
was 1,990,659/., the chief items being cotton manu-
factures and yarn, 394,8381. ; woollen manufactures
and yarn, 355,591/.; apparel, slops, and haberdashery,
211,889/. ; wrought and unwrought iron and steel,
206,7721.; hardwares and cutlery, 95.9671.; linen
manufactures, 80,0941. ; silk manufactures, 54 955/. ;
leather, wrought and unwrought, 58,619/. ; coals, cin-
ders, and calm, 34,4671.; cordage, 42,0671.; refined
sugar, 48,2201. The principal imports from these colo-
nies were—wheat, 27,120 qrs.; wheat flour, 554,47.5
cwt.; train oil and spermacetti, 11,237 tuns ; un-
dressed skins and furs of various kinds, 1,079,078 ;
timber, not sawn or split, of which 695,235 loads
were imported, and 598,327 entered for home con-
sumption at a duty of ls. 0 3.5 d. per load; deals and
split or sawn timber, of which 496,081 loads were
imported, and 486,103 entered for home consumption,
at 25. 1 1-5.1. duty ; and staves, 30,340 loads. The
total declared value of exports to New South Wales
and the Australian colonies amounted to 1,463,837/.
The chief articles were, apparel, &c., 308,7651.;
woollen manufactures and yarn, 142,745/. ; cot-
, ton manufactures, 140,487/.; wrought and, un-
wrought iron and steel, 89,8791.; beer and
ale, 77,601/. ; linen manufactures, 62,547/.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

APPOINTMENTS.

Woomvic if, AlAgcu 28.—Second Master Frederick
J. Krabbe (1845), to the Alsi*tance, fitting out for
the Arctic expedition.
Midshipman J. K. E. Baird, to the Phazton, 50, at
Portsmouth.

Tile MeAwra steam-sloop, having taken her ballast
on board, went down the river at 10 40, A.M., to-day
on a❑ experimental trial, under the charge of Lieutt,-
nant Robertson.
DOCK ACCOMMODATION AT DIIVONPORT ♦ND Ex-
rENstrz Snips.—lt Rill be remembered that at the

time the Vanguard, 80, was about to be docked f,r
repair there was only one dock which was capable of
receiving her; but as this was the only working dock
for large ships belonging to the establishment, and it
wag estimated that the Vanguard would occupy it six
months, it was not deemed advisable to reduce the
establishment to so lamentable a condition as to be
obliged to send all the other large ships that re•
quired docking to Portsmouth. The notable plan
was consequently resorted to of taking the Iranguail
into No. 6 dock first, to have her bends taken off,
and then, being reduced in size, she was taken out
and transferred to dock No. 4, where she has been
since the 22d of May last, running up a precious hill
fur the navy estimates. She is, however, now ready
to come out, and will have to be taken again into
No. 5 dock to receive her bends before she will be
ready to be placed in ordinary. What a silly affair
this presents to the world. We actually build ships
too large for the docks, and we then pull them to
pieces in one dock before we can take them into an-
other to give them the necessary repairs. The re-
newing of this bad ship likewise affords us one of the
worst specimens of dockyard trickery. It was
doubtful whether she was worth repairing at all ; but
as with the Vernon so with the Vanguard ; the ship
was too notorious to be forgotten in a coal hulk, or to
be sunk as the breakwater at Harwich. A low esti-
mate was therefore given in for her repairs, and it
was calculated that she would be completed in six
months, but, as usual, she has been ten months in
duck, at a fearful cost to the country. We cannot
help being reminded of the case of the Dublin,
50-gun frigate, at this same dockyard. Having
no friends; it was proposed to appropriate
the Dublin to the service of a coal-hulk at
Liverpool, as the dockyard estimate for her repairs
was 40,000/. From certain facts, however, which
had reached us, we were induced to expose the
attempt thus to get rid of a good ship, and the result
waG, a committee was appointed to survey her, and she
was repaired for 8,0001., there being a difference of
only 32,0001. between the unfavourable and faithful
estimate. In the case of the Vanguard, however, the
estimate is on the other aide. By giving in her defects
as comparatively very small, the Adtniralty ordered
her to be repaired; but having expended the money
granted upon her, it was discovered that she had ad-
ditional defects, which would take the men four ad-
ditional months to repair. The Admiralty were by
this manoeuvre placed in a fix. It was impossible to
condemn the ship after so many thousand pounds had
been expended upon her, and they were compelled to
finish her at a great additional cost. Surely this is a
sort of dockyard economy which will never more be
tolerated. This is the ship, be it remembered, of
which it was stated in evidence before the Select
Committee of the House of Commons that a portion
of the cost of former repairs was charged to other ships.
We trust that on this occasion, when Parliament calls
for the bill, we shall have no more such " cooking" of
accounts.—Herald.

IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR MEN-OF-WAR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.

Sir,—From the strong way in which you ever ad-
vocate the cause of economy and improvement in the
navy, I think you will deem the following remarks
worthy of insertion.
We have lately launched several splendid first-
class frigates, Phaeton, Arethusa, Nankin, and others.
I take the present opportunity of calling attention
to their construction, as an admirable drawing of the
latter is in the Illustrated London News of the week
before last, which will materially assist my explana-
tion.

It will be seen in this drawing that they still con-
tinue in the Government yards to build ships with
waists, or in other words that the upper deck battery
is cut down between the fore and main masts.

Every other nation has discontinued this old-
fashioned method of constructing ships, fur the fol-
lowing obvious reasons :
Frigates wwre formerly light ships, varying from
500 to 1,100 tons ; they were long, narrow vessels,
and therefore could not conveniently carry guns in
the centre of the upper deck, where the boats and
spare spars were stowed.
An entire change has taken place in naval archi-
tecture. Our frigates, as well as those of other
nations, are powerful snips of '2,000 tons, actually
larger, and having greater beam than the 74-gun