The Sun.
London, England, 1826-04-22 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR. OF THE MORNING HERALD.

SlR—Every one agrees with you on the necessity of some in-
quiry into the present system of promotion in the Navy; but let
me ask you when will this inquiry be made? Certainly not in
the House of Commons, where so large a majority is interested in
supporting it. No, no !it is not to the Aristocracy that we are
to look for any exertion to put an end to these shameul abuses. I
will tell you when the nation will be roused from its present apa-
thy, when the enemy are destroying the commerce in the ports
and harbours, in the face. of au impotent navy !! Whatever
your sophists may say or think, that unhappy period will
not he long protracted, unless very vigorous mwsures are adopt-
ed
to oppose the vile system of patronage under which we. are
hastening with such rapid strides to our ruin.
To prevent the possibility of being accused of bold assertions,
unsupported by facts (in respect to the present vile system of
advancing the Aristocracy), i herewith transmit a statement, the
particulars of which are furnished, by the " Navy List,"'pnblish-
ed by the authority of the Admiralty.
There are actually in commission flirty-three ships, com-
manded by Post Captains, eliijible to command frigates, eighteen
of which are commanded by Lords, sons or nephews of Lords and
Baronets,* many of whom had not entered the service at the con-
clusion of the war, and I believe hardly one that had com-
manded a post-ship ; and I presume that I may safely add, that
twenty out of the remaining twenty-five are commanded by
officers having Parliamentary interest, or the relatives or par-
ticular friends of the Lords of the Admiralty. Ido not mean
to assert that in this latter class some distinguished officer are
not to be found ; but do not let it be supposed that it is to
their claims or to their merit that they are indebted for their ap-
pointments ; indeed they all know perfectly well that such quali.,
fixations, unaided by powerful interest, are very useless appen-
dages—an officer soliciting an appointment at the Admiralty, with
no other recommendation, only finds his solicitations treated with
derision and contempt.
In conclusion, let me mention a circumstance which appears
not to be generally known—namely, that the Captains in the
Navy who have had the rank of full Colonel sixteen years,
are in the receipt of less half-pay than Lieutenant Colonels pro-
moted yesterday, and that there are Lieutenant Generals, who
had scarcely entered the service when the oldest Post-Captains had
the rank they hold.
To be quite sure of the ground of my assertions, you would do
well to refer to the Lists.

A FRIZND TO JUSTICE.

P.S. Of the Nobles employed (not including such men as Sir
W. Hoste, and others made Baronets for their services) the pro-
portion is eighteen in forty-three; on the list they stand about
eight in a hundred.
Query—Why. do the Navy Board persist in- building 28 gun-
ships—a non-descript?
* Earl of Huntington; Lords Napier, Byron, Thyme; Ho.
nourables Rodney, Spencer, Maude, Dundas, ROW, Spencer; Sirs.
J. Sinclair, C. Sullivan, J. H. Burrard, W. Wiseman; Captains
Gambier, Fitzclarence, Dundas, and Murray.
$ Sir F. Adam, fur one.

Thursday evening, between eight and nine o'clock,
Mr. DYKES, the King's Messenger, arrived at the
Foreign Office in Downing-street, . with dispatches
from the Duke of WELLINGTON to Mr. Secretary
CANNING, dated up to the sth instant.
Dispatches were received yesterday morning at the
Colonial Department, from Lieutenant-Genera Sir G.
L. Co LE, G. C. B. at the Mauritius.
Yesterday Prince ESTERIIAZY, the Austrian Am-
bassador, transacted business with Mr. Secretary CAN-
'xirro, at his office in Downinf-street.
Mr. MEATES, the Kings Messenger, *ho was
sent off a few evenings since with dispatches to meet
the Duke, of WELLINGTON, we are concerned to say,
met with a serious accident on his journey, as he was
entering Frankfort the horses in his carriage took
fright, ran away with the carriage, and before the
horses could be stopped Mr. MEATEs had experienced
so much injury by the overturning, of the carriage that
his right shoulder was dislocated, and he was in other'
respects .so much bruised that on his being taken into a
hotel, and a surgeon sent for to attend him, he was
found to be in so bad a state that it was deemed im-
possible for him to proceed with his state dispatches ;
and upon application being made, representing the
distressing circumstances to die British Minicer resi-
dent at Frankfort, his txcellency sent a Courier off to
forward the dispatches to their destination.

Madame nisTA left Calais at the same time sa
Mr.' DYKES) the King's Messenger, and arrived in
London, at Brunet's Hotel, on Thursday morning.

THE FUNDS.
CITY, 12 o'CLocr.

Consols opened this morning at nearly the same
price they left off yeterday, at 79k, for the Account;
since which they are done at 7911 with little fluctua-
tion. It is not expected that any business of conse-
quence will take place this day, owing to the major
part of the Hebrews being absent from the Stock Ex-
change, it being a great holiday with them, Passover.
The Cousol Market appears rather heavy, which is
more attributed to the local state of the country than to
political information, of which we have not any as yet.
In the Foreign Market a good deal has been doing,
Columbian, Mexican, and Peruvian experienced a
rise in the earlier part of the morning—since they have
somewhat declined. Shares remain in a had state :
Old Spanish, 7i to 8 ; Russian, 76k, 7 ; Mexican,
; Peruvian, 30 to 31 ; Columbian, 431, ;
Chili, 45 ; Greek Bonds, 15 to 16 ; Brazilian Bonds,
55, 56 ; Exchequer Bills, 10 to 11 pm.; New Scrip,
to pm.

Two oi Clock.

The Consul Market within this hour has mate-
rially changed and become heavy. Consols, which
were in the earlier part of the morning at 791 for
the Account, are at the present time 79 to k, and the
fluctuation has been, during the morning, from 791 to
79, a fall ofd per cent. Up to the present hour we

have no political information that can be depended on,
but the idea still prevails that a war will take place be-
tween Russia and the Turks, some of the West End
of the town party have been '`selling, and this is more
likely to have caused the above decline in Consols.
The letters this morning from the manufacturing
districts continue to be gloomy, and great fear is en-
tertained for the result.

New Scrip has been done at 7i prem.
One hundred thousand pounds in specie has arrived

Mr. ROTITSCHILIA.

Old Spanish 7i to i; Mexican 63i to 63;1; Co-
lombian New 421 to 43 ; Russian 76 to ; Greek
15 to 16 ; New Scrip prem.; Exchequer Bills 10
to 11 prem.; Peruvian 32 to 33.