The Sun.
London, England, 1827-11-22 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH CANAL.

Many years ago the late Mr. Rennie projected a
canal from London to Portsmouth. In the autumn
of 1824, a proposal for a ship canal between the
same points was laid before five or six gentlemen
by Mr. Elmes, who stated that the idea of a ship
canal had originated with his father some years be-
fore. , Mr. Elmes produced at the same time a print-.
ed prospectus, containing a rough estimate, and a
detail of the supposed advantages. The gentlemen
in question thought it prima facie worthy of atten-
tion and inquiry, and devoted a considerable por-
tion of • time and money to procure every species of
public return and private inforniation which could
throw light upon the subject and assist them in
coining to an estimate of the probable revenue of the
work if carried into execution. Feeling that so
magnificent a national work ought not to be brought
forward upon any insecure foundation, they deter-
mined to abstain from advertising, or calling in
any way on the public for money, until something
satisfactory and incontrovertible should be esta-
blished on this head. When they had been thus
employed for several weeks, a placard appeared
in various parts of the city, announcing that Mr.
Nicholas Wilcox Cundy would, in a few days,
submit to the public a prospectus for a grand ship
canal from , London to Arundel Bay. It may
not be immaterial to remark, that this placard
was printed by the same person who had printed the
prospectuses for Mr. Elmes, and whom Mr. Elmes
had in the mean time, for some reason, quitted for
another printer; and it should be observed, that the
book which Mr. Cundy has put forth contains three
distinct papers, which he calls reports, the second
and third of which have the date of a specific month,
while to the first are simply affixed the word and
figures " London, 1824." The gentlemen who had
entertained Mr. Elnses's proposition had now no
course left but to advertise at once and take posses-
sion of the ground. The consequence was, that
they received numerous applications for shares,
which were duly registered ; but adhering to their
original determination of not idly possessing them-
selves of other people's money, they altogether re-
fused receiving deposits which were in many in-
stances pressed upon them. After several meetings
all of them strictly private (except for the unexpec-
ted appearance of Mr. Cundy at one of them, where
nothing was done), a committee of six noblemen
and gentlemen undertook the provisional manage-
ment; and as by this time several different lines had
been suggested by several different projectors, it was
agreed to insert an advertisement in the papers,
stating that no conclusion could be formed until a
preliminary survey had been made by competent en-
gineers, for which purpose the kr essrs. Rennie had
been selected : that consequently subscriptions
(not deposits) of 1/. each would be received
to effect this object; and that each person sub-
scribing such sum of 11. should be entitled (not
compelled) to take 'tip• ten shares 'ins the con-
cern, if, in consequence of the inquiry so instituted
any company should thereafter be formed. So much
time, however, had been consumed in the previous
investigations, that all relish for speculations of any
sort was gone by, and only about 2201, was sub-
scribed, of which 1001. was given by one of the
committee, Mr. Wilson, then Member for the city
of London. Still the survey was very liberally
completed by Messrs. Rennie, with the able assist-
ance of Mr. Giles ; and we are now enabled to lay
before our readers the report which those gentle-
men haie made to the committee, the names of
which committee, being Lord Palmerston, Sir Geo.
Cockburn, Sir J. Brenton, Mr. Manning, Mr. Wil-
son, and Mr. Twiss, have been copied Ly Mr. Candy
into his book, as if that committee had been acting
in adoption of any designs of his ! Our readers will
perceive by Messrs. Rennie's report, that whereas
Mr. Cundy, in his book, asserts roundly that Messrs.
Rennie and Mr. Giles confirm him in every yarti-
cular, and state that his line, by Dorking, is the
preferable one, they distinctly condemn it, on the
score of the natural difficulties, and of the enormously
extra expence with which it would be attended. Mr.
Cundy's book is so complete an answer to itself, that
to any mind capable of the most moderate reflection
.no other need be given ; but we know not with what
`face to recommend our readers to expend 10s. upon
it, unless, indeed, any one contemplated subscribing
for shares,•and then the purchase would be a cheap
one. As to the original supporters of the measure, it
only remains to say, that perceiving the time gone
by for such matters, and feeling that it was impos-
sible to raise the immense sum of money required,
'even on the cheapest plan, without, extensive aid
from Government which it was not disposed to af-
ford, their abandoned all notion of it for the present,
took every farthing of the expence incurred upon
,themselves, and left the 2204, which had remained
untouched, to the inadequate remuneration of the
survey. They altogether disclaim any participation
in the extraordinary statementr, which Mr. Cundy
has from time to time ;o.ut forth, and in the adver-
tisement for deposits which is at present going the
round of the papers. At the same time, they wish
it to be tmderstood that they are sensibly alive to
the immense importance -of the project; that they
believe in its practicability ; that the result of their,
calculations justified an expectation of about 5 per
cent.* in time of peace, with a material increase in
time of war, upon a capital of six millioms and a
half, being the smallest amount for which the
Messrs. Rennie estimate that the work could be
executed; 4nd that at any moment more favourable
tq its execution, they are. in a condition to aid it
with the produce of their labours.

London, October 12, 1827.
In consequence of the resolutions passed, at a
meeting held at Mr. Freshfield's in the spring of
1825, for the purpose of considering the practica-
bility of forming a grand canal between London and
Portsmouth, capable of receiving the largest class of
vessels, we were requested to make Et survey of the
whole of the intervening country in order to ascCr-
tain the practicability of the undertaking, and to in-
vestigate the merits of the different lines proposed
for the same by Messrs. Cundy, Elutes* and Morris ;
and, lastly, whether any other line could be found
which, under all the circumstances of the case,
should be more eligible than any of those proposed,
and which would be most likely to meet the object
in- view. We accordingly employed Mr. Francis
Giles to take the necessary levels and survey, and it
is but due to him to esy, that he has discharged the
arduous trust imposed on him with great judgment;
and we have subsequently explored the country in
person, and now beg leave to lay before you, for the
information of the various parties concerned, the re-
sult of our observations.

A goad communication by inland navigation be-
tween London and Portsmouth
has long been an

Mr. Cundy says the revenue will be 700,0001. pet
annum, and the cost will not exceed four millions, thus
producing 17/ per vent, per annum!

object of imalortonee, and, as far hack as the year
1800, the lag" Mr. Rennie turned his attention to
the subject; so that, in addition to the present in-
vestigation, the whole line of country has been well
examined,' so as to -enable us -to -deScribe with
tolerable precision the best line for the proposed
canal, together with the comparative merits of all
the other lines.

There are five lines through .which a canal be-
tween London and Portsmouth may be made; first,
commencing with the river Darer; which enters
the Thames below Dartford, and continuing up the
valley, and crossing the summit near Westerham,
Smallfield-place, and Limpsfield, and continues from
thence by Horsham, Slinfold, to Pallinghain Quay,
where it enters the vale of the river 'Arun, and con-
tinues from thence by Arundel to Portsmouth, either
inland or through Langston and Chichester har-
bours. The highest point of this summit is about
500 feet above the level of high water of spring
tides, and the total distance from the Thames to
Portsmouth harbour, besides the river navigation, is
above 100 miles. This line, with the exception a
the great height of the summit, is favourable, but
the extra length, and enormous expence of cutting
through the summit, render it unadvisable within
any wioderatemeans. • _ _

The second line departs from the river Thames,
near Greenwich, and pursues the vale of the Ravens-
bourne, from thence by Croydon to Dlerstham Gap,
by Smitham Bottom, where it crosses the summit,
which is about 430 feet above the level of the tide,
and continues from thence by Stha
Horsham, and Slinfold, to Pallingham 'Quay, where
it enters the vale of the river Arun, and continues
from thence to POrtsmouth harbour by the same
route as the other. The' total distance from Dept-
ford to Portsmouth is about 100 miles. This line is
very favourable, for, after passing through the sum-
mit, to cut through which, however, would be a
very expensive operation, a 1041 of 50 miles might
be obtained 'without a lock, very little, if any, valu-
able property would be interfered with, except im-
mediately near GreenwiCh and Deptford. This is
the line chosen by Mr. Elmes for an open canal
without locks, which is proposed to be effected by
cutting down to the level of the tideway, and to ad-
mit all the rivers and streams from the country
through which it is intended to pass. This scheme
would be almost impracticable on account of the
enormous expence, and 'when executed would not
answer the purpose, as it would be either dry -in
summer, or flooded in winter, and consequently-
unfit for navigation ; and, if it is to be executed at
all, should be made with locks and reservoirs.
The third line departs from the Thames, Deptford,
near the entrance of the Grand Surrey Canal, and
continues from thence by Kennington, Streatham,
Merton, Leatherhead, Dorking, Holmwood-common,
Ockley, Pallingham-quay, and Arundel ; from
thence, by the same route as the others, to Ports-
mouth-harbour; the distance by this line would be.
about 83 miles from London to Portsmouth, and the
height of the summit near Dorking, is 382 feet above
the tideway. The expence of reducing the summit
to about 120 feet above the tide level, as 'proposed
by Mr. Cundy, in order to reduce the lockage and.
ensure a constant supply of water, would be, like the
other summits, a most serious operation. This might
be redUced by keeping a level of 80 feet higher, but
even then,' the cutting of this would. still be very
great : or by keeping more to 'the lower range of
the country, to the east of Holmwood-common ;
but then the length would be increased about three
miles, and, after all, the cutting would still be a very
considerable operation. This Is the line which has
been chosen by Mr. Cundy.
The fourth !hie projected by Mr. Morris between
Dorking and Ockley, by the way of Wotton and
Abinger, instead of Holrnwood-common, is only a
diversion from Mr. Cundy's, which is higher above
the tideway, and consequently more objectionable..
In consequence of the objections to the various

lines above stated, we continued our researches, irs
order to find out another line which might be more
eligible; and in this we hope we have been success-
ful, namely,—
The fifth line, whiekeemmences at the Thames
near Deptford, and continues from thence by Ken-
nington, Malden, Chessington, Epsom-common, to
Guildford, from thence to the summit of the coun-
try, between the Wey and Arun rivers, near Alford,•
which' is only 174 feet above the tideway, or 208
below that. of Dorking. From thence to Lox Wood
Palliugham-quay, where it- follows the vale of
the river Arun, and continues from thence, by Arun-
del, to Portsmouth, in the same line as the others.
The total length of this line would be about 86
miles, an 4 the country, upon the whole, very favonr7
Able. By assuming a level of 120 feet aboVe the
tide, the summit might be passed with tolerable fa-
cility, as the difficulties before encountering it would
be comparatively trifling ; and by this line a-level of
26'milei, without a lock, at only 120 feet above the
tide, would be obtained; whereas, by the Dorking
line, a level of only seven miles would be obtained,
with a length of 200 feet above the tide, and that at
an enormous extra expellee. Upon the whole,
therefore, considering all these circumstances, ~the
line by Guildford appears preferable to any of the
others.

The above are leading features of the scheme :
but if ever it should be carried into effect, various
collateral branches might be made to it to connect.
different places together, with docks, entrance basins,
and harbours, which at present it would be prema-
ture to enter upon.
With regard to obtaining the proper supply of
water to feed the lockage, by assuming a summit
sufficiently, and compensating the mill-owners of the
different streams which would be intercepted, and
maintiti ng properheadjoinsihaed high
hreservoi drains,
country,
ra
we have and
y feed
ers,
in ryidi
tetris,
e
doubt but that it would be obtained.

With regard to the sum that would be necessary
to carry such a gigantic -undertaking into effect, so as
to accommodate the largest vessels, wo feel consi-
derable difficulty in giving a decided opinion, for it
embraces such a variety of subjects, besides the
making of the canal ; such as the value of the land
(which for eight or ten miles out of London, for the
most part, must be taken as building ground),
Houses, compensations to trill-owners, and variety
of other points to have obtained, which correctly
would have occasioned a much greater expenditure
than we feel ourselves warranted to enter upon. We
have entered, however, into the leading points,
and
are satisfied' that if the line by Guildford should be
adopted, a sum not less than 6,000,000/. to
6,500,000/. would be required. If, however, the
line by Dorking should be adopted, a much larger
sum would be necessary. Before any thing, how-
ever, is decided with regard to a subject of .such
importance, the whole should be more thoroughly
investigated.
(Signed) GEORGE and JOHN RENNIE.

—,. --- .-----„
RUNNING IvIATcH.—An excellent running
match took place at seven o'clock yesterday morning iu Nt.
James's Park, CHARLES LgliNox (the gentleman who
runs a match of 200 yards next Saturday, against. GEORGE
WEsr) undertaking, for a bet of ten sovereigns, to run
round the railing in six minutes. He started very fast,
,thaemmaongnor,
:aid about 50 yards before coming in, ' opposite the Bird-
cage-walk, in jumping over a bill of dirt he fell ; he was
on his legs again immediately, but ultimately lost . the
match by 42 seconds, Betting was 5t04 in his favour ;
sovereigns, and sceptre
and but for his fall lie would certainly have won the match.
The gold and silver coins found some time
ago, when taking down one of the old houses, the property
ti;emC
the now
corpo-
alld o partret o ofbe tshoeldsiitne ol
of
tilobryp
anus Christiction,
d nCrlinl Colleges Cam-
bridge,next
week. 'They were found in two earthen pots,*the one full
)f silver, the other of gold coins, and had evidently been
in currency; the first pot contained shillings, sixpenco, and
minor coins, even to silver halfpennies ; the other contain-
ed gold, whole, half, quarter
pieces of King JAitics ; the whole consists of more tbs
500 pieces. it is supposed to have been concealed o,o_lll
the time of ()mum CRoMwELL. man , . shout:,
y claimants aro,,e.
the C -
&lege,
and the Crnwn ; upon investigation the right
be in the Crown, who gave it up
.to tb _proved to
e College.: and
uraptoionnthofe discoveryantbridgeo! ties
Ltroerads treasure,
!'or this favour 1221. were actual]
y paid for fees ! ! !—Suf
folk Herald.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Time is the steady friend of truth, and a very
little of it frequently serves to expose the most

impudent fabrications. The Tory impostors,
who have within these two days been sending
round a ridiculous tale about the displeasure en-

tertained by the Kiag's Government at the oc-
currences of Navarin, and the intention of
Ministers to recall the British Admiral who con-

ducted them, ;een; to have taken for granted that
their story required confirmation, and forged,
accordingly, the collateral falsehood that Admiral
de Rigny was disapproved of, and would be dis-
graced by the French Government, as Sir E.
Codrington was to be by this. The English
part of the story was fast dying away, since the
contradictions which appeared in this and other
Journals, when the Paris Papers last night
brought us intelligence which disposes with just
as little ceremony- of all the speculations as to
Admiral De Rigny and his Sovereign. The
" fact" so much relied upon by the Opposition
prints, viz. that the French King had resolved
to mark his discontent with the conduct of the
French squadron by withholding every badge of
honour and distinction from the officers, turns
out to be the same kind of fact as the Minis-
terial condemnation of Admiral Codring-
ton,—that is to say, no " fact" at all.—
Admiral De Rigny is raised to the rank
of Vice-Admiral, his senior Captain, Baron
I'lilius, to that of Rear-Admiral, .and all the
other French captains have been promoted in the
Legion of Honour. The satisfaction of the
French Government has likewise overflowed upon
the officers of the allied squadrons. Sir Edward
Codrington P, n d Count Heiden are presented
with the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Louis;
Captain Fellowes, of the Dartmouth frigate, is
named a Commander of the Legion of Honour ;
and an the Captains, English and Russian, are
decorated with the Military Order of St. Louis.
So much for Tory ".facts. There is still, not
a fact, but a distortion of one, remaining to be
noticed. It was much insisted on by the prints
of that congregation, that there must have been
felt some serious pique on the part of the Rus-
sian Admiral against the British, from his not
condescending to answer the note of thanks and
approbation which Sir Edward addressed to him
after the battle was over. Now it so happens,
that by the etiquette of the Russian service, no
formal return to such a letter could have been
made by Count Heiden to his foreign command-
ing officer, until the pleasure of his Imperial Ma-
jesty had been taken upon the subject, and offi-
cially notified from home. This unanswered
letter we apprehend to have been the last hope of
the miserable Tories ; and it has cost us' a com-
passionate struggle to rob them of a delusion so
consolatory.—Times.

Hitherto all has gone on in France as favour-
ably as the most ardent friends of liberty could wish.
The Paris Elections are all liberal ; and the Pro-
visional Bureaux named by the Government,
have in most of the instances of which an ac-
count has yet been received, been changed. Great
fears have been expressed here for the result of
the elections on the whole, from the small num-
ber of the electors compared with the population.
We possess no means of forming even a conjec-
ture on this matter. In a crisis like the present
all ordinary calculation is baffled. When the
indignation of .a people has been fairly roused,
the suggestions of worldly prudence, timidity and
caution, are not listened to. The tide of popu-
lar feeling sweeps. every thing before it ; an'-d--the
refinements and subtleties of cunning Machiave-
liens, which, in periods of calm, might be suc-
cessful, are found quite unavailing. If even in
the most distant provinces the traveller could
find in none of the coffee-houses a Journal
which was not 'liberal, from the complete ab-
sence of demand for all others, we may infer
that the same feeling which has triumphed so
signally at Paris and some other populous
places is universally prevalent. If the Ultra
Noblesse in the distant departments possess much
(interest, one should think it would have ap-
peared in the partial circulation of Ultra Journals.
But the matter will soon be no longer one of
conjecture, for a few days must now bring us
the result. Should, however, the majority of
Deputies be illiberal, still the number of men of
talents, and patriotism, and determination in the
Chamber, coupled with the unequivocal mani-
festations of feeling against the system pursued
by the Government, will give a prodigious moral
power to the . Opposition, and thereby paralyse
and intimidate the Ministry. It is time that
nations should no longer be harassed and dis-
quieted by political quacks, who, instead of con-
tenting themselves with the proper functions of
Government—that is, the protecting the people
from external vielence, and "from encroaching on
each other—are never happy but when they are
busied in making the people something which
they are not, and trying experiments on them,—
Nations are constantly changing, from changes
of circumstances. One stage of civilization is
the parent of another. The exertion of indus-
try, the perfection of mechanical art to which it
leads, and the accumulation of capital, are per-
ceptibly felt in the character and habits of a
nation. It is not for Governments to do more
than to follow this natural course of develop-
ment. Whenever they attempt to do vio-
lence to the inclinations of a people, to
impede their activity, to restrain their inclinations,
to give them new ways of thinking ,and so
forth, they only betray to the world the secret ,of
their own weakness. Who, possessed of a par-
ticle of common sense, would think of dragoon-
ing a people like the French into an admiration
ctf the barbarism of the middle ages; and of
communicating to a people, whose literature for
a century past has been one continued satire on
priesteradft and superstition, from the inexhaus- 1
Bible stores of reasoning and raillery of Bayle,
down to the more pointed, though more super-
ficial, invectives of Voltaire—who, we say, would
choose such a peopiq as subjects to which Jesuits'
might communicate a sympathy with the mysti-
cal laws of St. Theresa, or faith of the mira-
culous powers of St. 1-1 ohenlahe ? The priests
themselves feel that the age of hair4irts, and
for acquiring immortality by imitating the habits
of pigs, is gone for ever ; for, if we trust Sir
A. B. Falconer, they every where looked un-
easy and downcast. And yet how much more
easy might it be to govern the French than
to govern the people of this Empire ! The
French have long been tired of changes, and wish
to apply themselves to the acts of peace and in-
dustry. They are subject to few taxes, and a
wise and moderate Government could easily ob-
tain a sufficiency for the public wants without
pressing on the citizens, and thereby creating
discontent.
Property is very much divided
among them,. and
no class of men feel sliffi-
- cteutly
.confident in the.'
Government asthen strength to claim the
one of the rights of property,
and to exercise it for the
themselves through Purpose •of enriching
t
monopoly
at the expellee of
.the people. No junto of
individuals dare to

think of caballing on the strength of their inte-
rests against the Government, with the view of
compelling it to come to terms. In this coun-
try, on the other hand, there is a King de jure
and an Aristocracy tie facto. The Government,
with the best dispositions in the world, cannot
conduct the helm of state in a way that shall not
provoke animosity. On the one hand there
is a numerous and industrious population
pressed to the earth with taxation, in-
censed at seeing their industry rendered una-
vailing by a cruel monopoly, which the class in
possession of power, having the means of giving
effect to their separate interests, at the expense
of the rest of the community, are determined to
retain. On the other hand, we have the Lords
of the soil shutting their ears to the cries of the
poor, and looking with indifference on the decay
with which our industry is threatened, by the
departure of capital to other countries in quest of
higher profits, urging the results of former extra-
vagance as the pretext for the continuance of a
System which must involve all in one common
ruin. We have one division of the Empire no-
toriously sacrificed to ascendancy views ; a po-
pulation of seven or eight millions reduced to a
state of misery and degradation unexampled in
Europe. These are difficulties which no Go-
vernment in this country can overcome with ease.
The French Government need attend only to
the wishes of the nation ; the English Govern-
ment is placed between the nation and those
who have a separate interest from the nation.—
Morning Chronicle.
We are still without any news relative to
Greece and Turkel/. The anxiety upon this
subjecj in the City is excessive, and this feeling
is much increased by an idea which generally
prevails that both the English and French Go-
vernments have received despatches which they
will not suffer to transpire. In the absence of
any real news, there is of course no lack of ru-
mours. "-Amongst these we may mention that it
is reported the Austrian Government has pro-
tested against the proceedings at Navarin, which
they designate as a violation of thelaw of nations.
It is added, that they have expressed their sur-
prise that the Admirals of the three Powers should
have destroyed the Turkish fleet at the very time
the Austrian Minister iAs engaged, at the 're-
quest of all parties, in endeavouring to bring
about an adjustment. That Austria should dis-
approve of the destruction of the Turkish fleet
under any circumstances would not be at all im-
probable ; but that this should be the case in the
present instance, when we consider the very
equivocal grounds upon which the battle took
place, is more than probable. We apprehend.
however, that the report of the disapproval of
Austria rests upon no other authority than its
probability. The Evening Papers of yesterday
deny that Vice Admiral Sir John Gore has
gone, out to supersede Sir Edward Codrington.
One of them goes so far as to say that Sir John
is merely gone on a visit to his friend Sir Ed-
ward, but that the Lord High Admiral has em-
braced this opportunity of sending important
despatches by him to Admiral Codrington, and
has also given him (Sir John) full instructions
as to-the mode in which the measures, so fully
set forth in the Gazette of last night, for the
protection of commerce in the Archipelago, are
to be carried into effect. Really this is most im-
portant information, as it shows very clearly that
the Ministers have determined to practise the great-
est economy in all their transactions. Instead of
sending their important despatches by a mes-
cienger of high rank, and at a great expense, we
may expect that henceforward they will adopt
the plan of careful tradesmen, and intrust them
to friends that happen to be going in the direc-.
tion they wish to send, carefully writing upon
the back of their papers, favoured by Sir John
Gore," or Sir or Mister anybody else, who may
be good enough to take charge of them. In our
opinion, the Funds ought to rise upon this
instance of economy ; for, though the saving
may wit be great, yet it shows the disposition of
the Government; and we all know that those
who take care of the pence are seldom unmindful
of the pounds. Still, however, notwithstanding
this visiting story of our contemporary, the re-
port of Sir John Gore having been sent out to
supersede Sir Edward Codrington has been
;igain prevalent. It is also said that, in order to
inalc,e the thing as little disagreeable to Sir
Edward as possible, the Government have al-
leged that they have adopted the measure of
superseding him merely to facilitate the negotia-
tions . with the Turks, who might not feel
inclined to negotiate with a Commander that
had inflicted upon them so much injury and dis-
grace. We give this news without wishing that
any more importange should be attached to it
than to a mere report. It may I.)p remarked here
that Sir John Gore is senior officer to Sir E.
Codrington ; so that, if Sir John hoist his flag
in the MeiJiterranean at all, he must be consi-
dered as Comin;indenill-Chief.-----Morning

The silly Evening Ministerial Journal which
presumed to contradict our statements as to the
delusions and tricks attempted, fortunately with-
out success, to be played off upon the British
Nation, with respect to the battle of Navarin,
flounders on in hopeless desperation ; and pre-
fers the despicable and profligate resource of mis-
quoting flip Gazette Extraordinary, to the
honest admission o' the silly blunder it commit-
ted, in alleging upon pretended official informa-
tion, that the dispatches of Sir Edwar4 Codring-
ton were printed verbatim et literatim, as they
arrived in England. The words of the Gazette
stand, as we remarked yesterday, in unbending
contradiction to the al),egation of the Journal in
question. They are as follow
Admiralty Office, Nov. It, 182.1.
" Despatches, of which the following are copies or ex-
tracts, have been this day received at this office, addressed
to John Wilson Poker, Esq. by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward
Codrington, K.C.8., Czkomander in Chief of his Majesty's
ships in the Mediterranean."
VPut our veritable contemporary will not en-
dure to be contradicted, even by the Olicial Ga-
zette of the Gov,ermnent which he labours to
support. His reply, not ous so much as to the
Gazette, is couched in these very dear and sa-
tisfvory terms :—,
" The' cause of the introduction of the word "extract"
might have been easily discovered, if our contemporary
would Only baye looked at the Gazette itself. No. 3, to
the Admiral's dispatch, is an extract from a letter of Cap-
tain Hamilton of the Cambria;;, dated the 18th October.'
With that accuracy which has always distinguished our •
Gazette, this extract' of Captain Hamilton's letter i 3 not
• Confounded with the copies which were given of all the
other papers, and it is evident from the date of Captain
Hamilton's letter, that the parts not published could have
nothing to say of the battle of Navarin."
Of course we can have no 1110 re to say upon
the subject. It would be idle to argue with an
antagonist who has not the faculty of distinguish-
ing between the publication of extracts and a
verbatim et literatim publication ; anti who to
atone for the want of this faculty, we suppose,
claims the right of transmuting the plural into
the singular, or vice versa, in quoting an official
document, as may be most convenient for his ar-

gument. The Ministerial Journals have, indeed, •
no less than their patrons, degraded themselves
in the estimation of the country upon this occa-
sion. They unite with one voice in abuse of us,
and in contradiction of the faithful and unexag-
gerated statement of facts which it has been our
duty to lay before the public, whilst in some other
column of the very same number which contains
this abuse and contradiction, they themselves re-
cord, and many of them without notice or com-
ment, a fact which fully confirms most of what
we have said. This fact is, the mission 0) Sir
John Gore to obtain further information and
explanations relative to the circumstances which
brought on the battle of Navarin. The Ministry
which, a short week ago, proceeded with breath-
less haste to obtain for the services of Sir E.
Codrington the stamp of Royal approbation, now
thinks it necessary to recede from its too forward
position, and would cover its disgraceful retreat
under the pretence of inquiry. What can, in so
short a time, have recalled this Ministry to its
senses? What but the indignation, and the
grief, and the alarm, which they found were
rapidly extending throughout the country, on,
this, the first instance within living memory
of the British arms having been employed,
and British blood having been shed, in
the commission of atrocious injustice ?—Then
as to the unanimity of Ministers—whom
does this extraordinary mission of one Vice Ad-
miral to investigate the conduct, and verifij the
representations of another, shew to have been
right ? Or will the advocates of Ministers still
insist that they were perfectly unanimous last
week in conferring honour upon Sir E. Co-
drington, and equally unanimous this week in in-
flicting disgrace upon that Officer ? For it is
indisputable, that by the very mission of Sir
John Gore for the alledged purposes, Sir E.
Codrington is already disgraced. If the Mi-
nisterial Journals do so insist, they are more
grave accusers of their patrons even than our-
selves. And in the last place, how strikingly
does this unparalleled mission confirm all the
statements which from the best authority we have
been enabled to lay before the public. Here we
leave the subject for the present, with the me-
lancholy reflection, which the whole train of cir-
cumstances forces upon us, that the honour and
welfare of England have never, at any former
period of her history, been committed to the
hands of men apparently so incapable of pro-
tecting or understanding them, as at the present
moment.—Morning Post.
With respect to the statements which we have
published of the circumstances relating imme-
diately to the battle of Navarin, we have to
assure the public that they cannot fail to be com-
pletely borne out by the result of the investiga-
tion of that most unfortunate and lamentable
aflair ; at the same time that we entertain a con-
fident hope, that Admiral Codrington will be
able to afford a satisfactory explanation of the
whole of his conduct, under the untoward cir-
cumstances in which, by the imbecility of Mini-
sters, he found himself placed on so very critical
and important an occasion. In further elucida-
tion of this part of the subject, and in corrobo-
ration of our own accounts, we feel it due from
us to the public, to give the following extract of
a letter from an officer of the Fleet, dated Na-
varin, Oct. 22, which we copy from the Paisley
Advertiser :

" Navarin Harbour, Oct. 22.
" Navarin harbour has a narrow entrance, defended by
batteries on each side ; but within it is capacious, appa-
rently nine or ten miles in circumference. We entered it
about half-past one o'clock, P.M. Just as we reached the
mouth of the port, a Turkish boat came off to acquaint
the Admiral that no ships were allowed to enter without
permission from Ibrahim, Pacha. The Admiral replied
that he came to give orders, not to receive them ; and
that if they fired a single shot at any of our ships, he
would destroy_ the whole Turkish fleet. On the return of
the boat, a blink gun was breflieotn the Sort, which we
considered a signal of peace, and the ships went in quietly
and anchored, taking their stations in succession without
molestation. We knew that five or six fire-ships were
ranged to windward of us across the harbour • the Dart-
mouth frigate anchored close to one on the right side, and
the Philomel within 15 or 20 yards of another on the left,
All was still for about a quarter of an hour, except the
dropping of an anchor, or the rustling of a cable, as the
ships came in, when the Dartmouth commenced a dis-
charge of musquetry on the fire-ship which lay close on her
bow. It appeared the Dartmouth had sent a boat to
the vessel, whose people would not permit its crew to go
on board, but fired upon them with small arms, and killed
or wounded the greater part of them. After a little, the
fire-ship blew up. ' The French Admiral fired a heavy
gun at the fort. The fight then began, and raged furiously
from two o'clock until seven. The shot flew like showers
of hail in all directions over the harbour, which was agi-
tated like a caldron of boiling water. The Turks fought
dreadfully hard—much harder than we expected. Ibra-
him Paella's ship, after fighting until she had sunk nearly
to the level of the water, blew up, and went clown with
her flag flying. Another Paella's ship did the same.
The scene became awfully grand. Every gum:ter of an
hour a vessel was perceived exploding, and the water co-
vered with Turks floating on the shattered timbers. The
batteries fired some time after the ships had ceased, and
night terminated the affair. Next morning we found that
about twenty sail had taken refuge at the top of the har-
bour, but their owners have saved us the trouble by blow-
ing them up. The Admiral did not intend to capture any
of them, but to effect their destruction. We are now
lying under the batteries, and they do not fire a shot upon
us. A Pacha has been with the Admiral, and asserts that
the fire-ships did not belong to their fleet, that they were
of Modon, and strangers to them. This I consider false ;
we knew they had fire-ships before we entered the port ;
we also knew their positions, and the brigs of the squa-
dron were ordered to secure them in the first instance."
We here close our extracts. The letter con-
tains little else not generally known ; what we
have quoted is interesting, from affording some-
thing like a reasonable explanation of the steps
that hastened this most sanguinary contest.
Yet, though we have reason to doubt the state-
mei4, we would gladly have proof that the author
of it has been mistaken. The announcement
of tile three Admirals, that " the Allied Powers
did not enter Navarin with a hostile intention,"
accords ill with the order to the brigs, " to se-
cure the fire-ships in the first instance ;" but it
must be confessed that such an order is not in-
consistent with the terms used in Sir Edward
Codrington's dispatch, stating that the Dart-
mouth, the Rose, the Brisk, and the Dart
mouth,
were to look after six fire vessels at the entrance
If " to secure
of the harbour," and
u " to look
after" mean the same thing, then the riddle of
Navarin is easily read. The boat from the
Dartmouth was sent to secure" the fire ship,
which, refusing to be " secured," gave all that
the Admirals appear to have desired, a pretext
for battle. These are extraordinary times.
Monarchs with no law beyond their sovereign
will, without fee or reward fight the battles of
freedom. A nation whose life is commerce ge-
nerously forfeits the repose essential to its pro-
sperity, for the purpose of establishing insular
States that must of necessity become its rivals.
Statesmen, grown grey in the iniquities of Courts,
draw from religion and humanity the elements of
their diplomacy, and writers, regardless of every
creed on earth, insinuate the propriety of a holy
war !—Aid,

We do not recollect a more disingenuous at-
tempt at sneeking out of a position into which
nothing but utter regardlessness of decency could
have led him, than has been made by the con-