SECTION XII.

The EARL of MINTO.

Sept. 19, 1835-May 22, 1841.

Admiral Sir CHARLES ADAM

.First Naval Lord.

CHAS. WOOD (now Rt. Hon. Sir C. WooD). First Secretary.

In the same year (1835) in which Lord Auckland's second administration of the affairs of the Admiralty commenced, and terminated, the Earl of Minto became First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir P. Malcolm and Sir William Parker being appointed the two chief Naval Lords; but Sir P. Malcolm never took his seat, and the other eventually was replaced by Sir Charles Adam, and Mr. Charles Wood was Secretary

-an able and active man, and no mean debater in the House of Commons. Notwithstanding the frequent changes and the short reigns of the last three or four First Lords of the Admiralty, the affairs of the Navy, under the new arrangement made and completed by Sir James Graham, went on so smoothly and with such regularity that the short-lived Boards had no occasion to trouble themselves with studying the details of the civil departments, or of making any new ones. No alteration whatever had been made or proposed; but, before Lord Minto had been long in office, a Committee of the House of Commons was appointed to inquire into

the working of the consolidation of the civil departments of the Navy, according to the new plan, with the view, as I understood, of seeing how far such a plan could be applied to the consolidation of the civil affairs of the Army.

The Committee consisted of Lord Howick, Sir Henry Hardinge, Lord Palmerston, and three or four others. I believe that I was the only person examined, and the examination was rather long and particular. Not a point in the plan of arrangement was omitted to be called in question; but, having drawn it up myself and witnessed its execution, and two years only having expired, I was prepared to give full information on every point, and I believe they were perfectly satisfied. As Lord Grey had suggested the measure, and during its progress a considerable opposition in the House of Commons was exhibited by certain Conservative members; and, moreover, as Lord Howick took an active share in the examination, it struck me, at the time, that Lord Grey was desirous the success of the measure should be made more public than it had hitherto been; it was, in fact, his Lordship's own measure-at least, it originated with him.

Another Committee, about the same time, was appointed to examine into the several sinecure places, with the view of abolishing them; and I was also examined on this subject, as far as the naval service was concerned. I told them I was not aware of the existence of any sinecures in the Navy, except they might be disposed to consider the two appointments, of ancient date, the Vice-Admiral and the Rear-Admiral of England, to come under that denomination; strictly speaking, they might, perhaps, fall within that description; but

I would beg leave to observe, that they had efficient duties to perform, when first created, and might be again called upon to carry them into execution. Even in our time, it might have happened that their services were required. These two officers were originally intended to be the Lieutenants of the Lord High Admiral; and if anything had happened to deprive the nation of the late Lord High Admiral, while holding that office, or that had disqualified him from performing certain duties of it, one or both of these officers would immediately have been summoned to perform such duties, to prevent the office of Admiralty from becoming useless; for the Council would then have been reduced to such an emergency, that they could neither order a ship to be built, to be commissioned, or to proceed to sea; they could not attach their names to any public document.

It may also be looked on as a circumstance in favour of their continuance, that these appointments are considered as honorary distinctions, that have always been given to Admirals of high rank and good service; and the saving to be effected, by depriving them of the pittance of day-pay they receive is too paltry to be regarded. The Committee would appear to have been satisfied with this statement, as the Vice and RearAdmirals of England still remain to be voted on the Estimate of the Navy.

During Lord Minto's administration a great clamour was raised, mostly by naval partisans, about the inefficient state of the Navy, particularly on the want of naval stores in the Dock-Yards: and, as usual, the flourishing state of the continental navies was contrasted with the declining condition of ours; and,

among other matters, the mode of manning the Navy was, perhaps not undeservedly, reproved; and it was stated also that the men were dissatisfied by being put to unnecessary and degrading work. An instance was related, that the Duke of Wellington, "on his being shown over a man-of-war, in which the polishing system was established in full force, his Grace observed, that it was pretty to look at, but that it was probably the cause of discontent, as he had not seen a smile on the countenance of any one man in the ship."

Satisfied of the falsehood of the story, but being stated in a publication generally read, I took the liberty of asking the question of his Grace, who immediately returned the following reply:

“My dear Sir,

"Walmer Castle, September 29th.

"I have received your letter of the 27th. I have no recollection of having used the expression to which you refer. I have sailed in many ships of war, of all sizes and descriptions-probably more than some officers of the Navy of my time of life, certainly more than any officer of the Army. The Captains of all these ships were the most distinguished men of their rank at the time. I do not recollect to have had occasion to make such a remark upon any of them, or on the discipline maintained by any of them.

"That which I always felt was, admiration for the professional science and seamanship displayed by all the officers, without exception, in every ship in which I ever sailed. I firmly believe, and I have frequently stated my conviction, that I had not seen one who could not, at any time, lay his ship in any situation which he might be ordered to take, in relation

to any other ships, be the strength of the wind or the violence of the sea what it might; and I have founded upon this superior knowledge and seamanship of our officers, the confidence that the naval superiority of this country would be permanent.

Entertaining this opinion, I might have made remarks upon other matters; but I certainly do not recollect that I ever had occasion to make such a remark on the discipline of any ship in which I have sailed.

"Believe me, &c., &c.,

(Signed)

"WELLINGTON."

This high compliment, from such authority, settles that part which relates to the science and seamanship of the officers, and negatives the other charge; and Lord Minto in the Lords, and Mr. Wood in the Commons, proved the charge of a scarcity of stores to be utterly unfounded. The charge originated, as regarded the want of timber, on a most ridiculous basis; a certain gentleman-yachtsman could not procure, in our first dock-yard, a spar of Riga timber for a mast to his yacht!

Lord Minto was a nobleman of first-rate abilities ; and, among other qualifications, he had a competent knowledge of the mechanical powers and of the various modes of their application, which, in these days of inventions, is no mean acquirement in a First Lord of the Admiralty, beset, as he is sure to be, by a host of speculative inventors, whom it is not easy to satisfy or to get rid of, especially when they happen to be naval officers of high rank, who may fancy themselves capable of making improvements in naval constructions, principally in steamers, of which they can have but a very imperfect knowledge. Two or three of this kind