The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-08-27 00:00:00

TH E LIV E .POOL STAN DAR D.

THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH NAVIES.

There appears to be no end to the vain-glorious boast-
ng of the war party of France, who, forgetful of Trafal-
gar and the Nile, continue, through their organs of the
press, incessantly to fan the flame of that furor pupnandi
recently resuscitated by the young Bombastes Furioso of
the " grande nation"—the Prince de Joinville—from the
still warm embers of repeated defeat at sea and on shore,
which she sustained at our hands during the last war, and
i❑ the full conflagration of which (should it unhappily for
themselves attain such a height) they hope to beard and
overpower the naval armaments of England, against which
their Bobadil propensities are mainly directed.

One journal, more foolish and adventurous than the
rest, goes even to the length of indulging in an aspiration
that if France only gets up her steam, Great Britain will
be " reduced to a mere third-rate naval power." We
can afford to laugh in our sleeves at such puerile rho-
d montade„ well knowing that this new warlike hobby-
horse of our volatile neighbours would, in the event of
actual warfare, speedily be resolved into vapour. But,
inasmuch as it evinces the amount of hostile and jealous
animus entertained towards us, it behoves us to prepare
ourselves for the threatened attack, at the least possible
expenditure. In other words, we must not permit the
French to go on increasing their steam navy ad libitum,
until they compel us to provide and preserve, in time of
peace, the adequate materiel wherewith successfully to
cope with it. If they will listen to no remonstrance on
their recent pranks in Tahiti and elsewhere, and if it ap-
pear that, with all their cabinet professions of amity and
concord, their real " voice is still for war," we must at
once buckle on the armour of resistance, and crush the
hydra ere it reach a more dangerous maturity. We
would fain, in the general cause of humanity, maintain
peaceful relations, consistently with the honour and safety
of the country ; but there is a point beyond which it were
at once dastardly and impolitic to stretch our forbear-
ance; and we think we can point out a plan—if we be
driven to the alternative—by which France may be
taught, without any great or enduring expenditure on our
part, that she labours under a great mistake—to say the
least of it—as to the respecti'e maritime position and re-
sources of the two countries ; and th-t she would evince
that "discretion" which is " the better part of valour" if
she withdrew from her counsels the tyro of Tangier—
their embryo " Nelson "—and ceased to provoke the
couchant Lion of England to a rampant and offensive
attitude.

It would be in vain for us, within our narrow limits, to
attempt even a synopsis of the numerous goose-quill
achievements that for the last few weeks have developed
themselves in: the Paris newspapers. From the mass we
need but select one, and that of the most moderate cast,
as affording (bating other extravagancies) a pretty fair
estimate of the whole delusion. The article we allude to
appeared in La Presse last week, and the writer endea-
vours to prove that in the quality of its ships, seamen,
marines, and officers, the French navy is infinitely supe-
rior to that of England ! He states that France is "solid
in credit"; has abundance of money, metal, and coal;
skilful engineers, and all that is necessary to bring these
into operation; that she might create a steam navy that
" would sustain an honourable comparison, and in case
of need a contest, with that of England." The latter
power, he continues, possesses a steam force of but
15,000 horse power, while France would, if she carried
out the ordinance of 1842, reckon 18,000 horse power.
Then they have mariners enow, for " a steam-ship re-
quires only a limited number of seamen," and their
" maritime population will be sufficient for every contin-
gency." He admits that it were as vain for France to
endeavour to cope with our sailing navy, as it was in the
frog to blow himself out to the dimensions of the ox ;
and concludes by a further invidious admission, that we
have " a numerous maritime population," and that the
physical resources of our soil, and the genius of our peo-
ple, have become so developed in maritime, manufactu-
ring, and commercial pursuits, that we " succeed in
crushing all competition and in engrossing all markets,"
and this because we possess combustibles and metal,
the two principal ingredients."
The writer of this notable article appears to us to be
most inconsistent in his argument. He starts by assu-
ming that France is the richer country of the two, in
money, metal, and fuel ; though he must well know that
capital is so abundant in England, that money is abso-
lutely going a-begging—that we have quite as much
" metal " (of both kinds) as we can work up or desire—
and that our coal. fields are inexhaustible. Yet he grants
us a more numerous maritime population, an invulnerable
ascendancy in sailing ships, and the priority in all mar-
kets! Whence are these our advantages, but from capi-
tal, material, and enterprise? And how can be make it
out that we cannot build steamer for steamer with him,
or, if need be, two for his one ?
No ! we shall not build many additional war-steamers,
to increase our national burdens, nor, if we augur right of
our rulers, will we permit him to carry out his scheme of
" multiplying his steam navy." We have a vast steam
fleet at our command at any moment, of which he has
taken no account. He calculates our Admiralty steam-
ships only, and them under the mark:; he has totally
overlooked our prodigious mercantile steam-marine, nearly
the whole of which could, on a few days' notice, be con-
verted into vessels of war, by charter of our government,
who will assuredly employ them should the necessity arise.
Since the Ist of April, 1839, our steam navy alone has, in
addition to previous vessels, been increased by forty-eight
vessels, of a burthen of 43,473 tons, and nearly 16,000
horse-power; and we have others in preparation, both of
wood and iron, including, amongst the latter, a splendid
first-class frigate, now being constricted on the opposite
side of our river, and others of from 420 to 650 horse-
power, at Pembroke, Devonport, &c., making probably,
in ail, upwards of 20,000 horses power in the "navy" alone.
But this is as nothing compared with the additional steam
fleet that might be despatched from our several large
ports—all substantial sea-going vessels, suitable for war-
fare as frigates, sloops, or (the smaller of them) as gun-
beats. The following is a
LIST OF STEAM VESSELS REPORTED AT LI
SINCE IST JANUARY, 1844

Vessels' Names.

Port
belonging to,

Horse
Power.

To these add, say 12 West India Mail Steam Ships
(averagug) .. 1000 „ 12,000
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company's
Vessels Lady Mary Wood, Great Liverpool,
Bentinck, Oriental, Hindostan, and Precur-
sor (six), averaging ~ 6,000
The North American Mail Steam Ships (six), a, er-
aging „ 6,000
The Royal Mail Steamers Medusa, &c say four,
700 2,800

167,400
The present Steam " Navy," built and being built, say 20,000

127,4°°

Allowing for other steamers now being built, and -not
above enumerated, we should say that, at a moderate
calculation, we could turn out a steam fleet of neatly
150,000 tons burthen ; and if even one-half of these were
put in commission, how would the Prince de Joinville
be astonished ! Why, to use the emphatic words of a
nautical and intelligent friend, we could so infest the coast
of France that " no native would dare even to bathe in the
waters that wash it" !
'the truth is, the French are a very lively and clever but
restless people. With a strong penchant for the field, no
matter in what cause, they hale evinced themselves good
soldiers. We should but rob our own brows of their well-
earned laurels did we deny this fact. They seem to be
strongly inclined to have a brush with us, or anybody else,
as if their martial prowess were doubted, and it was ne-
cessary, every now-and-then, to re-convince the world of
the fact. If they be determined to fight, let them e'en
flesh their swords in the bodies of some of their more im-
mediate continental neighbours ; or, if they prefer it, they
may fight away amongst themselves. But they must not
be allowed to blow off their " was(e steam" upon us, lest
what might at first be deemed mere badinage be, in the
effervescence of their national feeling, worked into woful
alittyThey never were nationally sailors, and never,
from
physical and geographical position, can become
relieir
so. England must, and shall, remain mistress of the
ocean, despite all the taunts and depreciations of the new-
fledged amateur Admiral " Joinville", who, by the way,
made but a sorry display of his nautical and engineering
tactics at Tangier. One of our most amiable poets forci-
bly remarks, that
o War is a game, which, were their SUBJECTS wise,
Kings would not play at"—
And we would strongly recommend Louis Philippe to take
his hopeful son back to school. Should he venture upon
a steam-war against our sea-girt " tight little Island," he
will assuredly experience " a blowing-up", to which we
shall be compelled to resort as the only means of pre-
serving the peace of Europe, and the amicable and com-
mercial intercourse of mankind throughout the world.

We may add, that the time required to build and equip
a first-rate steam-ship is, in this country, on ordinary oc-
casions, allowed to occupy about six months, but that on
emergencies the work may be reduced to one-half that
period. Thus we may soon turn out an immense fleet,
additional to our present navy, if such a course be deemed
necessary ; but as we are informed that the French steam-
ships have recently been well attended to, it would be im-
prudent in us to incur the expense, as we can help our-
selves to a good few of those on the other side the channel
by the means proposed ; and as they are finely modelled
by them, they will be well-sailed, or steamed, by us. If
we cannot manage the matter on this system of friendly
reciprocity of talent, we must even, as a dernier resort,
engage the services of Captain Warner !

LIVERPOOL ASSlZES.—(Continued from page 3.)

CROWN COURT. -YESTERDAY. - _ ESTERDAY.

His lordship entered the court shortly after nine o'clock.
The following prisoners were brought up to receive
sentence :
Thomas TVilson, who pleaded guilty to an indictment
against him for throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to
injure Phoebe Cockup, at Manchester, was sentenced to
fifteen years' transportation. His Lordship remarked on
the serious nature of the offence, it being one which
was fraught with the greatest danger to the lives and
safety of her Majesty's subjects, whether in this part of
the country or elsewhere, and could hardly be expiated
merely by imprisonment.
Thomas Jennings, Alfred Locke and Ellen Leech, con-
victed of a burglary at Manchester, were sentenced—Jen-
nings to fifteen years' transportation, Locke ten years,
and Leech three years imprisonment.
Thomas Dutton, convicted of a rape on Jane Hyde—
transportation for life. His Lordship observed, that
crimes of such a nature as that charged upon the prisoner
were the most serious and dreadful of any that could be
contemplated, and must be visited by the severest punish-
ment of the law. _ _

John Johnson, found guilty of stabbing his wife at
North Meols, was placed at the bar. The learned JUDGE
said it was one of the worst of those crimes leading to
death and destruction of health or limb, of which the ca-
lendar is full. It was impossible to read the offences
with which the prisoners were charged at those assizes
without seeing that there was a wanton and wicked disre-
gard of life and personal safety, which was far more neces-
sary to be suppressed in a civilized country than those af-
fecting property, and which were in some cases occasioned
by poverty and distress. Whatever suffering the punish-
ment of the prisoner might inflict on his unfortunate wife
ought to have been matter of consideration before the
commission of the act. The crime was one that called for
nunishrnent beyond imprisonment, and he could not pass
a less severe sentence than 15 years transportation, but at
the same time he intimated his intention, in consequence
ofsome circumstances in the case, of obtaining for the pri-
soner a mitigation of the term to ten years.
William Swanton, found guilty of the manslaughter of
his wife at Wigan, was brought up to receive sentence.
The Judge observed that there were points in the offence,
of which he had been guilty, calling for the strongest and
severest reprehension, as be Must have meditated personal
violence and mischief, for which, though not responsible
for the crime of murder, he was so for having committed
a most grievous and aggravated manslaughter ; whatever
circumstances there were in the case relating to the good
character and conduct of the prisoner, it left him from
the present state of the calendars as regarded such offences,
no other course than to award considerable severity of
punishment ; he regretted that by his violence he had de-
prived his children of one parent, and the severity of the
law would deprive them of the other; that ought to have
been matter for consideration in regulating his conduct to
the unfortunate woman whose life he had been the means
of taking away, and under all the circumstances he could
not pass a less severe sentence than ten years' transpor-
tation.
James Wade, John Kenyon, and Thomas Leigh, were
sentenced under a conviction for burglary—Leigh 18
months, Wade 12 months, and Kenyon 9 months.
Samuel Miller, who pleaded guilty to a charge of ut-
tering a forged order for the delivery of goods, was sen-
tenced to 7 years' transportation. He had been previously
convicted of similar offences.
James Brittain, found guilty of maliciously wounding
Henry Cotterall, at Wigan-6 months' imprisonment in
the House of Correction.

Richard Ni, oodhouse, convicted on a charge of throwing
aquafortis-3 months' imprisonment.

BURGLARY AT LIVERPOOL.

Robert Leyland, (20), Robert Quick (20), and Robert
Webster (21), (could read awl write imperfectly,) were
charged with entering and robbing the house of John
M'Cutcheon, Woolfe-street, Liverpool. About the latter
end of April last, the prosecutor's house was broken open,
and a piece of calico, a dress, a brass candlestick, and
other articles taken away. The fo.low ng morning the
prisoners were seen coming as if from the direction of the
prosecutor's house, and two of them—Leyland and
Quick—were apprehended with some of the stolen pro-
perty about them. Webster was taken shortly afterwards.
Quick and Leyland were found guilty ; Webster was ac-
quitted. The two former were sentenced to 10 years'
transportation.