NAVAL ADMINISTRATION.
Captain SCOBELL moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the administration of the Navy. His complaint, supported by copious statistics, was, that while some officers having aristocratic and Parliamentary influence rose rapidly to the rank of Post-Captain, numbers who have not that influence remain Lieutenants. There are 100 Admirals on the Active list ; 14 are employed, the remainder too, old for service. There are 389 Captains on the Active list, 112 employed, 277 on half-pay varying from 14s. 6d. to 10s. 64 per day. There are 542 Active Commanders; of whom 398 are on half-pay varying from 10s. to 88. 6d. per day. Of Active Lieutenants there are 1138 ; of whom 343 are on half-pay varying from 7s. to 48. per day. Out of
3880 Admirals, Captains, Commanders, and Lieutenants, 2815 are unemployed. Yet while, since 1842, there have been 1700 naval cadets admitted, only 836 Lieutenants were made from mates. This is not a satisfactory state of things; and if a Committee were appointed,.he would be prepared to propose a remedy.
Sir CHARLES Woo]) in reply, stated the steps that have been taken, based on the recommelidations of the Committees of 1840 and 1848, to check promotion, relieve the Active list, and provide younger Admirals for the service. The number of Lieutenants is not above that prescribed by the Order in Council; the number of cadets is short of that wanted at this moment ; and Sir Charles was of opinion that no better course could be followed than that pointed out by previous Committees.
After scone further discussion, the House divided, and the motion was negatived by 97 to 76.
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