21 MARCH 1846, Page 13

LORD ELLENBOROUGH AND THE NAVY.

THE acts of great personages, and particularly of Boards, not tmfrequently astonish people of simple understandings ; and what may be very profound or very useful in official eyes often seems to plain common sense either ridiculous or mischievous, or both. "Full oft we see cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly." A freak of this kind, in the sudden equipment and as sudden dis- mantling of the Bellerophon, has been justly ridiculed by the Times.

"Our naval intelligence of yesterday furnishes a proof of that peculiar kind of ;activity in our dockyards,' which expends its force in doing something for seve- ral days with much vigour, and undoing it all with equal alacrity immediately afterwards. The Bellerophon, 78, had just been got ready for sea by dint of the most persevering energy. She had been rigged, stored, manned, gunned, and steam-tugged off to Spithead, amid a degree of enthusiasm that it is quite delight- fid to read of. The band of the Marines had played Rule Britannia' over her; the inhabitants of the town had rushed to the platform to cheer and gaze at her; Prince Albert had steamed round her; the crews of three other ships had shouted at her; and the officers and men of the Bellerophon herself, who, from the cap- tain down to the humblest individual in the ship, had assisted in the smartest act of seamanship ever performed '—as her preparation for sea is allowed to have been—were justly proud of her. His Royal Highness had graciously expressed his wonder and delight at the remarkably short space of time that had been occu- pied in getting her ready; and the public received the gratifying announcement that the Bellerophon, 78, was fit to sail or to fight at a few hours notice. "After all this energy in accomplishing an object, and enthusiasm over its re- sult, we own we were unprepared for the announcement in our naval report of yesterday= The Bellerophon, 78, has commenced stripping, unrigging, and re- turning stores, in order to resume her former position as a ship in ordinary ' I What tune will the band of Marines play as she returns to her old station? In- stead of Rule Britannia,' we should suggest Oh dear, what can the matter be?' or, perhaps, That's the way the money goes,' would be still more appro- priate. The inhabitants of the town, who rushed to the platform to greet her with cheers as she went proudly away, will, if they take any notice of her at all, receive her probably with jeers as she comes sneaking back again. The crews of the other vessels will look at their now chapfallen fellow seamen on board the Bellerophon with commiseration, for the hoax that has been played off upon the latter may be practised on the former just as easily." • * • "We may be told that it was desirable to ascertain with what alacrity such a ship as the Bellerophon could in a case of emergency be got ready for sea; but we cannot believe the experiment might not have been made in some way in which the labour and energy to be employed could have served some permanently useful The men who willingly gave their utmost zeal in preparing the Belle- on in the short period of about sixty hours, and now have the mortification of finding that their labour has been all in vain, will not be likely to answer any similar demand upon their skill and industry hereafter with the same spirit and alacrity that have in the present instance been wilfully wasted. It is literally making fools of the officers and crew of the Bellerophon to set them working with extraordinary vigour at a task which is to be all undone as soon as it is completed. The naval service above all others is, in the existing state of affairs, a department in which any trifling is impolitic. Our seamen should not be made to feel that the work ordered to be done in a hurry today will probably be all destroyed to- morrow, and that their energies are only required to gratify the whim or caprice of the Admiralty authorities. In these days of utility, even the inmates of the prisons are spared the degradation of labouring for labour's sake, by the perform.. ance of some useless task, imposed, as was formerly the case, only to give work to the Criminall."—Times of Tuesday.- The subject has since been 'blinded to in the House of Lords ; and Lord Ellenborough is stated in some reports of the speeches, to have given as the reason for dismantling the Bellorophon again, that there was "a necessity for the experiment " ; that it was "altogether unusual to try such experiments upon 'advance' ships "; and that "it was of less expense to take materials from the stores, which could be returned, without injury, for the use of ships now in course of construction, than to .try it on a vessel hurriedly prepared for sea." With the utmost deference for the noble Lord's great professional knowledge, it strikes us that these reasons are no reasons at all. If the experiment was to be tried, (and its value and importance are unquestionable,) it might as- suredly have been done on a ship intended to remain in com- mission. How could the expense have been increased by allowing things to continue in the places for which they were destined1 in- stead of returning them to the storehouses for another occasion ! Lord Ellenborough's explanation cannot have been properly un- derstood and the proceeding admits of no justification, unless it were wished to ascertain how quickly a ship could be disman- tled as well as equipped. Turning from this topic we can with pleasure and conscien- tiousness bear favourable testimony to the general conduct of the new First Lord of the Admiralty. Since Lord Ellenborough has been in office, his bearing towards officers of every rank has been the theme of universal praise. Courteous and considerate in his deportment, he listens with attention and sympathy to their wishes and grievances, and inspires confidence m their minds that as much will be done for them as lies in his power. Better still, he has created the opinion that merit and services are the only recommendations to his favour; and there is as yet no instance in which favouritism has prevailed over justice. This, in a service like the Navy, is of very great importance ; and a just and liberal exercise of the patronage of the Admiralty is one of the most essential duties of the First Lord. Lord Ellenborough has publicly pledged himself to this course : be has spontaneously assured the public, that if in the discharge of his duty he is to be controlled by political considerations—in other words, by Treasury recom- mendations—he will not condescend to remain in office. Such a resolution is worthy of a statesman ; and we will endeavour to forget that it sounds somewhat Utopian, and that there is a musty old proverb about "new brooms."

Lord Ellenborough has, however, a still more important duty to perform than even that of distributing his patronage fairly. He has become responsible to the country for producing an effective corps of naval officers. In former numbers of the Spectator we discussed the question of Naval Retirement,* and pointed out what seemed to be the defects of the proposed plan. Our anticipations have been fulfilled, and that plan is abandoned. Another is, it is said, matured, containing more advantageous terms to old officers. If the object be really attained, we shall not quarrel with the dan- gerous precedent it will afford of the Government outbidding its first offer. All we wish to secure is such a retirement of old and incapable officers as will leave a really effective list. But we must repeat our apprehension, and for the reasons we formerly assigned, that unless compulsion to retire form part of the new plan, it will be as abortive as the last. We must likewise again express our conviction, that the retirement of old officers is as ne- cessary for Admirals Commanders, and Lieutenants, if not for all other officers, as Admirals, Captains.

• No. 908, October 18, 1845, page 995; No. 904, October 25, page 1019.