The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-29 00:00:00

A NEW NAVY FOR SPAIN.

About three weeks since a Commission was formed
by order of the Spanish Government to inquire into
the utility of a project submitted on the part of a
British Company by Mr. Henry Misley, for the pur-
pose of rendering available to the State, for the re-
construction of its navy, the valuable oak timber of
the magnificent Royal forests of Santander, Galicia,
&c. The Commission has not yet reported progress,
but the Ministerial paper La Iberia, took up the
subject in its leading article in a way which shows
that there remains little to be done towards the com-
pletion of the project but to -deprecate the national
jealousy at the concession of such valuable materials
to the hands of foreigners. As the subject is one
which promises to he not only of considerable impor-
tance to Spanish, but also to British maritime inte-
rests, I shall present your readers with a brief out-
line of the proposal submitted to the Spanish Govern-
ment " for the re-building, equipment, and mainte-
nance of the Spanish navy."
To this extent the Company offer to furnish the
Government for an indefinite number of years with
all the materials necessary for the construction and
arming of seven ships of war, including steamers, per
annum.; receiving in exchange a proportionate num-
ber of oak trees, which the Government are to furnish
at the usual selling prices of the part of the country
where they are situated. The Company only proposes
to cut two or three per cent per annum of the trees
marked fit for the purpose by a Government engineer,
so that copsewood may arise, and to plant nur-
series for their replacement, beginning in the
splendid forests of Liebana, in Santander,
where some of the oldest and largest oaks in the
world are to be found. They offer to erect
saw-mills, railroads, common roads, canals, slips,
stores, founderies, &c., to he given up to the Govern-
ment, on a valuation, at the conclusion of the con-
tract ; engaging also to allow 5 per cent. per annum
additional on the value of the timber taken, till the
first year's price be doubled ; and further to allow of
2 per cent. per annum on the cost of the iron mate-
rials fabricated for the equipment of the vessels,
until the cost of the manufactured metal be brought
down to 3 per cent. They propose to obtain
the other materials of constructimi, provision, and
ammunition in Spain, by public contract, and to de-
liver an account of the same to the Government, as
well as the wages of shipwrights, labourers, soldiers,
and sailors employed, at the actual cost, and a-half
per cent. commission thereon. They mill establish,
on account of the Government, wherever it may
please, a manufactory of naval steam-engines ; furnish
the oyal docks and workshops with the newest
models and most approved machinery ; and instruct
the pupils whom the Government may wish to em-
ploy in the maritime steam service. During the
first and second years, the Company will furnish the
Royal arsenals with sufficient timber to provide mate-
rials for construction in futureyears ; and at the same time
engage to furnish 14 vessel.s of war (in fulfilment of the
strict terms of the contract), to be fitted up in British
ports. They demand the exclusive right of cutting
in the Royal forests ; also of cutting timber fit for
ship-building in forests appertaining to the pueblos of
Spain—paying, of course, according to valuation ; to 1
be guaranteed and protected in all things by the State,
which shall furnish soldiers to the Company for all de-
fensive purposes. The Company offer to employ these
troops in their productive work, and pay, feed, and
clothe them, while so occupied ; guarantees to be ex-
changed ; accounts to be settled once a year, and ail
misunderstanding to be arranged by arbitration.
Such is the project for raising Spain once more to
the rank of a naval Power in Europe. It is already
taken up and warmly defended against the narrow
envious spirit of _Espanotisme, which would crash it
as a " foreign invention," and if the matters of " the
guarantees" can be satisfactorily arranged, we may
expect to see Spain again in possession of an
Armada on the waters. The royal oak woods
in Galicia, which furnished the unfortunate
" Invincible," in the days of Philip 11.,
are now inaccessible only for want of a road,
and this the Government has not resources to make !
In fact, without the help of foreigners the oaks of
Spain might rot from age to age on their mountains.
In the forest of Liebana alone, it is stated that from
22 to 24 millions of cubic feet of oak fit for ship-
building exist. In the Sierras de Segurd alone 48
millions are reckoned on ; and throughout Spain it is
calculated that there are fully 200 millions of cubic
feet suitable for naval purposes.

The Bishop of London is at present in Edinburgh,
and in company with the Rev. M. Buchanan of the
High Church, the Rev. Mr. Bennie, of Lady Yester's,
and the Rev. Mr. Sinclair, late of St. Paul's (Episco-
pal) Chapel, has been visiting several public institu-
tions. His Lordship preached in St. Paul's Chapel,
York-place, on Sunday forenoon, and in the afternoon
in St. John's Chapel, Princes-street.
During the dinner given by the King of Prussia
at Bruhl, after the grand review, his Majesty pro-
posed five toasts. The first was to the Kings of Wur-
temburg and the Netherlands, to which the King of
Wurtemburg replied. The second was to the House
of Austria, whose representative at the feast, the Arch-
duke John, replied by a few words, intimating a wish
that there should be no longer any distinction between
Austrian and Prussian, but that there should be only
one German people, united and grand and firm as their
mountains. The third toast was the Prince and other
high personages present; the fourth to the foreign of-
ficers, and the fifth to the Prussian army.
BONAPARTE'S BROTHER A TRUE PROPHET.-Of all
Napoleon's relations, his brother Lucien proved him-
self the most determined opposer of his views and
plans. One day, while they were disputing warmly
on some subject, Lucien drew out his watch, and
dashing it violently on the ground, addressed to his
brother these remarkable words :—" You will destroy
yourself, as I have destroyed that watch ; and the time
will conic, when your family will not know where to
shelter their heals."—Rapp's Memoirs.