The New York herald., 1869-03-27
ENGLAND.

State of Pnbic Opinion-Reduction in the
Naval Estimates-Its Probable EGect-The
Alabama Question-How Ii will be Set.
tled-Russinn Advances in the East a Cause
Of Alnrm-liismanagement OF a Public In
stiturion.
LONDON, March IL 1869.
Public opinion in England is not unlike a weather
COCK, which sometimes points due north and few
hours anerward may point direct south. This fact
was never demonstrated more clearly than the night
before last when Mr. Childers the First Lord OF the
Admraty-or, as he would be called in America
the Secretary OF the Navy-brought forward the
naval estimates for the next twelve months. A very
few years ago the universal cry was for efficiency in
every department connected with the eets OF Great
Britain. eve don't care what we pay,u was the
text OF every newspaper and every public speaker,
so long as we have our moneys worth. Let
US have the best ships the most SCI
enuhc gunnery, the best educated naval
oncers, the most numerous crews and everything
belonging 10 tie naval service In the bes, possible
order, and we viii pay the bill cheerfully.p But now
q complete change seems 10 have come over the na
ton. Economy OF the most rigid klnd-and by no
means a very Judicious savings the order of the
day. ] was In the House on Monday when Mr. Chi.
ders explained the various savings which he pro.
poses, and which win, when oil Is done, econo.
uhc nut LHoIt tHau tO tnl5 nation. am
an adrnIrer OF Mr.. Gladstone's general policy and
In many things believe that he win do more to ad-
vance the real interests OF England thaa any Pre-.
mier we have had since Sir Robert Peel died. But
in common with every naval oficer I have spoken to
on the subject, cannot help thinking that II the
clipping down policy In the navy Is adhered 10 Eng.
land viii In ten years more become a third rate
Power on the high seas. OF the six great national
dockyards two-Depford and woowich-are hence.
forth TO be shut up; and at the other four hundred
artisans. skilled in shipbudng, are TO be dis
missed. am told that between this and the end OF
June there will be some 1000 or more shipwrights
who win leave England emigrants, the greater
part OF them having determined to seek home In
the United States.
We mad just got our navy up to point OF great
efficiency after laboring since the commencement OF
the Crimean war, In 1854, TO do SO. And now this
mania for economy has come upon us and we are
about to undo all that has been done. This too, at
time when every civilized nation In the world has
greatly increased her marine both as to ships and
men. II we drift into another war we shall fnd
ourselves Infinitely less prepared than we were when
Sir Charles Napier took to the Baltic feet three
fourths manned BY men who had never seen blue
water. And this happens at a period when every
navy in Europe has pronted by years OF peace 70
m axe her seamen and her ships as efficient as pos
sble. But there 10 use saying word on the sub.
ject. To-Day the English weahercock points towards
ECONOMY" couple OF years hence, when perhaps
we nave got quarrel on our hands, or for want OF
strength viii be obliged 10 put up with snub, we
shall be glad 10 buy back, at ten times its actual
value, what we are now discarding as useless. The
weathercock win then veer round and point at
s'eficiency,n and we shall have to pay hundred
fold for it, simply because we foolish enough to
throw away our weapons when we have no lmmedi-
ate use Tor them.
The mention OF quarrel leads naturally TO the
consideration OF the Alabama question. My own
opinion is that England will eventually have 20 eat
humble pie and submit TO whatever terms America
chooses TO dictate In this matter II Is all very well
for certain newspapers 10 talk Big and declare that
there IL A limit 10 the patience Of great people
Depend upon It, no matter what happens, we never
Ull pguL The oio.fasAlVGed JVDn Bull pluck