New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-28
BRITISH TOPICS.
OFFICIAL FAYORITIsM.


Iovp,>. Oct. 13-At last we have the decision OF
,he Admiralty upon the proceedings OF the VAN
o,,nrd cour;-martial II has beon rather anxiousiy
awaited for strange rumors have been flying about,
and nobody profes>el 10 understand the deiay In
ordering a conrt-martial upon Vice-Admiral larie-
ton. who commanded the squadron, and Capt. hicA-
lev who commanded the Iron Duke The ruIOiS
arc more than justified by the extraordinary minute
pubshed this morning and the delay IN ordering
martial is explained Ivy the fact that none is
IN No held Another blunder has been made, and IL
matters go on at this rate people viii begin 10 say
this Government makes nothing but blnhderS.
Something more than a professional question Is AT
issue The leading points III the Vanguard case are
such as men of ordinary intelligence wlthoht
professional knowledge are capable of forming
An opinion upon They did form very clear and
decided opinion upon them; substantially in accord
nnce with the Judgment of the court-martiai upon
Copt. Dawkins They will not abandon it at the
bidding of the Lords of the Admiralty. The sinking
NJ the Vanguard disclosed degree of incfhciency
and clumsy Seamanshp which amazed and alarmed
the British nation which had cung with touching
confidence 10 ITS faith IN the British navy. The us
eoyery that this faith was IN some measure I'M
founded reused people TO Indignation, and inns III
dicnation was freely expressed. To some extent IL
was appeased by the Vrdict and sentence OF the
onr-lnartial because that sentence seemed 10 snow
that the defects which caused the loss of the VAN
snarI were not common 10 the service; that officers
in high station were not less shocked by the reveal
lions tan the public, and that they were ready To
condemn them and TO punish those guilty OF them'
All this is upset in a minnie by finding the adhorllS
Of last resort animated by spit 80 diherent-Seeh-
NO 10 shield the highest offender Of all, and laying
down principles which are certain to iead 10
Disaster
A. 70 yiee-Admiral Tarleton the facts were in no
lispuie. The court-martial found the primary cause
IF the collision TO have been the high rate of speed
# the squadron in the fog: rate for which the Adj
airal commanding it, and nobody else, was reSpon-
uble. The ships were going seven OF eight knots
zach no ii cnal was made to reduce speed, nor any
timely signal for any purpose, and in the absence OF
srtlers each captain did as he liked; the Vanguard
reducing and the Iron Duke just asern OF her, IN
ereasing her speed: with the result known. But
the Lords Of the Admiralty now uphold Admiral
Tarleion in maintaining tho speed he did, though
their own orders are to the effect that speed in fog
shall not exceed three or four knots. Further the
Admiral stated before the court-martial that he con-
sidered his captains should act in fog without
orders: an opinion from which the Lords OF the Adj
miralty dissent. very properly. Now TINS opinion
held by him and acted by him al the time of the
collision was the plain cause OF his not giving those
orders which would have prevented the collision.
BY what process of reasoning, then, did these ant
seaIords arrive at The conclusion that this mistake
had nothing to do with the coSionf They tell him
also he gave the wrong order before the fog, and tell
him what order he ought to have given instead. If
he had given the tht onc-which would have made
the disposition of his squadron different from what
it actually was at the moment OF the collision, tho
collision in all probability would not have occurred
Yet My Lords have persuaded themselves that this
mistake also contributed nothing to the Disaster
and Tarlcton goes scot free.
They certainly will not persuade the public. The
papers Of this morning turn on them almost saw
agey. Inc Times says, with kind of grave irony
which is Characteristic of that journal:
The Vice-Admrsl must certainly be congratulated on
GUS Impression respecting thc duties OF The captains
under his CON maDd, and ne made an inJncifouS sish
and uoWif standing these two disnd NahLtgfs ne IS
c@red cont, iln'ing IN any way 10 disaster which was
Incurred in tic course Of the execution Of his orders
And il concludes q wcighty criticism with the re-
mark that the memorable rule Of the service which
sends incompetent officers into retirement must he
upheld without favor or distinctions; "and it a not
clear that in the present Minute this rule is fully OBJ
served" That amounts to charge against the
Lords of Admiralty OF intentional partaiy in favor
of Vice Admiral TaretoE; most grave and unusual
accusation to be brought by such an authority
against great officers of State.
n is pcrhaps even more remarkable that the party
organ throws over its party chiefs-throws them
over most contemptuously. 1--WE apprehend," says
The Siaadard that this last deliycrance Of tLcir
Iordships will not secure much more approval from
the public than the notorious circular which the
Government found IL necessary to suspend last
week. This Tory writer describes tho decision as
an invitation TO merchant ships to proceed nj any
speed they Ike during fog. lie points out that
Lieut.. Evans of tho Iron Duke is dismissed without
"a hearing or opportunity Of defense, aud comes to
IN, conclusion that while everybody viii recOg-
ME the good intentions Of their Lorlships, great
many people will question The justice end policy of
their resolutions, and that most of those who read
their Minute with care vill condemn its form and
language"
Really. il begins 10 look as if MIR. Disraeli might
have to dispense with the valuable services of Mr..
Ward Hunt. Nobody, to be sure, accuses Mr.. Ward
HINT If knowing much abOut naval affairs. and
tls decision is undoubtedly the decision of Admiral
Milne and Vice Admiral Hornby, his naval colleagues
on the Admiralty Board. Bot that makes no differ
ence II is Mr. Ward Hunt who is solely responsible
g. Parliament and who solely is held responsible by
the country for whatever is done in his department.
and rightly 80. 1t is impossible to say what might
not happen were Parliament sitting and were he to
b. called on-as he inevitably and instantly would
be-for an account Of the Fugitive Slave Circular,
and Of this Vanguard business. Governments have
gone out before now for less reasons than either of
the two
The Prince is fairly off on his tour. lie went on
Monday night, the Princess accompanying bin az
far ~ Calais. There WAS the usual crowd at the
station to see him off, and another unusual one,
composed of Dukes and Earls and Cabinet Minister'S
and great people of every kind, who came down TO
give him.a last goodbye. These and other personal
acquaintance of his were admitted to the PLATFORM
from which the loyal mob was excluded. At Dover
Enough his arrival there timed for about 10 in
the evening some 1000 persons were on the pier
He was not allowed 10 escape without an address