Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-02-28
DAILY \IRGINIAN.
Attack on the Biitish Government by Admit
raj Napier

In London, recently, Admiral Napier and the
Earl of, Cardigan, having been toasted at the
Lord Mayors dinner, made interesting speeches.
The speech of Admiral Napier makes some ext,n-
ordinary developments:
The health of the gallant admiral having been
cordially toasted.
Sir G.. Napier. in replying To the toast, snid
My lords. Indies and gentlemen, If an officer, hav
ing returned from foreign service, like my no
bile friend near me--ifhc will allow me to call him
81 (tho Earl of Cardigan - niter having perform
ed prodgies Of yalor has been received IN the
manner he hns been received this day, how much
more proud must feel who hive returned from
my command. having hardly performed any
vico at all, and been censnred by the Govern
ment and dismissed from my command. Cries
Of "no no repeat it, = dismissed from my
command" have no doubt thnt il will be cx-
pcctod by the present company that some nc
count should be glvcr oi the very small services
performed III tho Baltic by that magnificent fleet
which was SEM out from this country (cheers.)
That fleet was certainly magnificent to II degree,
but IT was very badly manned and worse disoi
pinned; bat, however, we managed to take IL In
the Baltic without pilots, without charts nil the
officers being perfectly unnequaintcd with TINT
sen aud the difficulties of its navigation, nnd we
succeeded III getting there in perfect safety.
Now, the first object had III view was 10 en-
dcnvor it possible, to satisfy the wishes oi the
people of this country wns quite aware when
! went there that not ono tenth part of whni was
expected could be performed; but, nevertheless,
| was determined to do the est possibly could
When we hrst went mp my 'l"w was Ia give
Russ every chance of putting TO sea with her
ie,is. | dyidedmy fleet into two squndrons. |
left ono in the Gulf of Finland md thr other not
very far oti-at the Island ot Gothlaud. How
ever, the nnssinns did not think proper 10 come
out of their harbors Our next object was to 90
10 tronstndt, aud see what To be done thele.
We went there, with the assistance of "A French
squadron, To do all we possibly could TO nttack
the place, should the emergency nri-e. We
found the thing totally imprnctcablo. In the
first plnce there was not wnter for the ships in
the noXtt batteries were of such strength tint
10 attempt To attack the place would he In risk
the fleet with The almost certainty of its destruc-
ton. | therefore think acted prudent part in
the course pursued.
The French admiral entirely concurrcd in this
opinion; and we returned thence to our former
anchorage aud proceeded To BomarSund. had
written before 10 the English Government, pro-
posing to attack Bomnrsnnd. | wanted no other
troops to go there. had troops enough, "a
laugh and cheers but the French admiral
thought il more proper to have some. The French
Government sent out 10000 troops did not
want them. They had much better have been rm.
played at Schastopol. only asked for one or
two thousand men to make the thnE more sure;
but could have done the thine withuut them u
hugh, and wrote home Ia that effect How
ever the Government sent out 10000. Il - need
less for me To say how quickly tbe thing was done.
y laugh. Bonarsund was taken III no time
renewed laughter with little LOSS; great for
tcntion WIS destroyed d-n scTle- ot turtlhcations,
which extended u considerable Il stance over tho
Baltic. ! now como to subject of greater con
sequence, and think il my duty to make II
known ms much as can do here, bccuu-e | have
not seat in Parliament, have been very much
censured by the Governments GreHt Clnmor hns
been raised against nae, and instead of the Coy.
ernmcnt diseounlenaucing that elamor ihey have
actually supported it.
The moment ii was known in England and
France TINT the French army intended Ia return
home seeing that it was perfectly impossible
nt that season of the year Ia perform any further
service without risklng her Mnjosty's fleet, the
Government brenmc dissatisfied, aud ordered
council of war 10 lac held. | dare say nobody
ever hcnrd yet ola council of war fighting llangh
icrD However, we did not wimt that To drive
as ON. But the whole subject carefully aud
Thoroughly considered by marslnl of France
"A French admiral. II general Of French engineers,
aud by no less thnn three British udmrals, and
they UNANIMOUSLY decided TINT il was perfectly i'm
possible To proceed further. and had done SO
we should have encountered the risk Of almost
certain defeat and loss. The British admiralty
was not satisfied with that but they listened to
the advice of an officer oi the engineers and
was ordered to ascertain whcather French gene
raIs and English admirrls would abandon their
own opinion aud adopt that OF the admiralty
The French generals felt nsnltrd at the pro
posal. Had been desrous to consult the
opinion of brigadior-general of English engin-
Gers and To give up my own opinion, still when the
other members of the council had once given
their opinion, they thought 1t wns unnecessary
10 hold another council. and the French Admiral
also very properly refused TO Join such step
He said. Il have already given my opinion, and
it is not the sentiments of any general of engi-
ncers, whether he be English. French, German,
or of any other country, which will make me
change that opinion. on the subject of an attack
purely naval in its character The Govern
mcnt at home was not satisfied with that. The
French General of engineers sent another report
home, still more bare than the first, and ii is
unnecessary for me to say that we all coneurred
in condcmnng that opinion also, and the French
army returned home, and believe, and have
hesitation in saying, that had they gone up the
Gulf of Finland again, instead of returning home
our fleet would have been totally lost.
Not satisfied with this, however, went up to
have another survey Mt that fertilization, which
i one of the strongest in Europe. This was IN
the month of September, and that month in the
Baltic is equal in severity to the month of No
vember here and among the Channel islands.
sent home report on the survey | had made,
after great care and deIberation, and with the in.
tentlon of doing all that man could do if possible,
to satisfy the expectations 0f the people Of Eng
land At the momentit was reported that Sc
bastopol was taken; it was also asked. why does
not Admiral Napier take St, Petersburg and
Crcnstadt!" and in fact it was asked, "Why do
you not go and take Moscow!' Uaughter.) Now
did not expect that the Admiralty could join in
that cIamor. say, | certainly never expected