The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-05 00:00:00

In congratulating your Grace on your appointment to the high
office of Commander-in-Chief, permit me to Call your attention to
(I may safely say) the most deserving, and I may add, rather ne-
glected rank in the Army, I mean the Captains.
Rank and honours were lavished on Field Officers, who were
during the late war fortunate to command a battalion in action,
when it is a well known fact that many of them would hate
found it difficult to manoeuvre their regiments at a field day to the
satisfaction of yoUr Lordship, so that it must be admitted, that h
was their courage, (and who dare shew a want of it in the field),
and not their abilities, which procured them those flattering tes-
timonials.
YoUr LOrdship knows very well, that it is not every man who
can manoeuvre a battalion, (although every man is eligible *), and
when a deserving Officer so situated, finds himself at exercise, or
in the field, he looks for assistance and receives it from the steady
conduct of his Captains, who, being the only Officers exposed with
the front rankf, see and appreciate the command (and contem-
plated movement) of their Commanding Officer. It is not for We
to point out the various duties of Captain, and the responsibility
attached to the rank. If a Gmeral Officer finds fault with_ a
Regirnetit, the Commanding Officer rows (as the saving is) the
Captains, and if he has reason to find fault himself, he rows
them again.
It is well known, that our late lamented Commander-in-Chief
was thwarted in his desire to do justice to all ranks, by the cries
of Mr. Hume and his party, but, my Lord, had he been spared to
the Army, he would have carried his point in spite of such ready
calculators, and it is left to your Lordship to finish his good in-
tentions.

Every one knows, that it is no uncommon thing to find Cap-
tains on full (and half-pay), of 20 and 30 years' service, without
Brevet rank, whose full pay and allowances do not exceed 2001. per
year, a sum, that a merchant in the city would be ashamed to
offer a junior clerk after-17 years' service.
Now, if your Lordship will take the trouble to enquire, you
will•find that on the breaking out of the war, after the' peace of
Amiens, it was understood, that the Brevet would be extended to
Captains, who should be placed on half-pay at the conclusion of
peace, as it is at present to the higher ranks ; and notwitbstand•
ing too many Brevet Captains interfere with the interior economy
and duties of a Regiment, I trust I shall see (through your Lord-
ship) those duties altered, so as to prevent this inconvenience, and
thereby silence all 'objection to extending the Brevet to the half-pay.
The honorary title of Brevet, on the Continent of Europe only,
is now granting to Field Officers who dispose of their full or half-
pay, according to the general orders of April, 1825. Now, let
me say, my Lord, that it would be worthy the character and high
estimation in which you are held by the army, to recommend a
similar Brevet, to Captains who have sold out under these regula-
tions; it will be of no expence to the country, (Which induces me
to suppose that.even Mr. Hume will not object to it), it will not
interfere with any existing regulations of the army, and it will
flatter the 'vanity of a deserving class of Officers, who have up-
wards of twenty years' service, and in most cases some half-dozen
wounds, to boast of. •
To this. appeal in favour of half-pay Captains, I beg, in the
name of the army at large, to call your Lordship's attention to the
subject of medals; it is not only the Officers, but the men, who
complain of the extraordinary preference given to what is termed
the Waterloo men. If numbers and the result on the destinies of
Europe authorise preference, certainly Waterloo justly deserves it;
but your Lordship cannot forget the privations and extraordinary
valour of our little army of 19,000 men at Talavera, out of which
we lost 5,000 ; nor that of Albuera, where our numbers and loss
was much on the same scale; soldiers who fought the whole of
the Peninsula Campaigns, and were on detaehment or on the sick
list (whilst their corps were at Waterloo) are yet to be found in
the ranks beside young men, who were not six months soldiers,
prior to that glorious action, for which they were honoured with a
medal, and I believe I am correct when I say, many, who were
not within hearing of the thunder of the artillery, were similarly
honoured. • I am, my Lord, &c. &c. &c.,
A CAPTAIN,
Of Twenty-five years' Service, on Half-pay.

4' I have seen the late Lord Castlereagh, when commanding the
Londonderry Militia, in 1798, at a dead stand (as it is termed)
in manceuVring the Regiment.
t Officers of all ranks in the Continental Service are in rear of
the Line.

BRITISH SHIPPING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Six--I have read with much satisfaction your very excellent
observations on the meeting of Shipowners, held at the City of
London Tavern, and although I am a Shipowner myself, I cannot
agree with the sentiments of many of my brethren, as expressed at
that Meeting. That a considerable degree of distress is telt by
Shipowners I admit, but I cannot attribute that distress to the
recent measures of the Board of Trade. The truth is, that we
have had overtrading in Shipbuilding, as well as in every other
branch of Trade. In 1824 and 1825, when the Carrying Trade
was paying well, an immense addition of Tonnage was added to
thet h e
Ports British
of SLhoinpdpoinn,g.
yarNmoet oethn the Ports
,lyHell,\vhit h
Whitby,
tNeewCeahsatnlen,elD,
ebnu_t
dee, Aberdeen, and even those of Canada, exhibited a degree of
bustle and activity which had never been witnessed before. The
consequence is that the Market is overstocked with Shipping, and
a certain time must elapse, before the supply and demand again
accommodate themselves to each other. It is quite absurd to hear
men, who should be better informed, assert that our Navigation
Lreamwasinlsiay been
in full
fulln set aside. The
force, which
is,thafatmtohus Act ofe.rreduee Oelifvaner Cro
any Country
can only be imported into England by the Ships of that Country,
or by British, Ships. For instance, no American vessel is per-
mitted to bring us Wines froni France ; no Dutch vessel is permit-
ted to bring Hemp from Russia ; nor can a Prussian bring Cot-
ton from the United States. In some of the minor points the
Navigation Laws have been altered, but 'in no fundamental part.
Our Coasting Wade, which is
quite as important as our Foreign
Trade, remains exclusively with ourselves ; no foreigner can take
an ounce of goods from one British Port to another. I cannot
see what advantage would arise from levying heavier Duties upoi
Foreign Ships, than upon our, own, because, Foreigners would
lay corresponding charges upon our Shipping when we entered
their Ports ; and if we refuse their produce, unless imported in
British Ships, they will refuse our Manufactures, and Colonial
Produce, and take those of France and Holland. We cannot have
a Trade with any Country which is only to be beneficial to our-
selves, it must be mutually beneficial, and founded upon an equita-
ble basis, otherwise it cannot be advantageous to either country.
The only relief that Government can give to British shipping,
is to remove the duty on naval stores, which on oak timber and
hemp is extremely heavy, and if this be done, we shall be able to
keep our full share of the carrying trade. I sincerely trust, that
Government will not listen to the absurd clamours of Agriculturists,
Shipowners, Manufacturers, or any set;of men ; but that they will
consider the good of the nation generally, and lop off all re-
strictions and monopolies which have so long disgraced the Statute
Book of a free people, and leaveAtraßydßeolutoTr
loflsbo;iesinnHttolspetrhvoasnet,channels
which our own necessities, and the necessities of others, will open
I am, Sir,
up for it.
Feb. 28, 1827.

dF thrte° dSaTyeAinig R
very.— week the frost continuing,
an
that extensive piece of still water,
—__
s Fb TfinUee,
day
called Diss Mere, was a scene of winter enjoyments seldom to be
witnessed—two circumstances rendering it rather remarkable,—
first, that it seldom happens, as was now the case, the weather
sufficiently severe, as to render the place safe for a large concourse
of persons, which also took place last year ; and, secondly, it was
remarked, that it was never before remembered to have been frozen
over so late in February. A well contested cricket match was
played on the ice, from ten in the morning till five in the afternoon.
Other parties amused themselves with skaiting, sliding, running,
ten pins* boxing, and sparring; and a party in a booth played
cards till late in the evening; upon the whole, a more varied round
of amusement has seldom been enjoyed. The refreshments, be-
sides those most common to rural fairs, consisted principally of hot
red herrings, of which the great number present tbok part, be-
cause broiled upon the ice. The extent of the Mere is SA. In.
26r., having suffured several encroachments. It is computed,
that in the course of the day, upwards of 1,500 persons were pre-
sent.--Bury Paper.

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MONDAY .EVENING, -.MARCH 5, 1827.

TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.