GUNNERY v. PAINT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sri,—In the Spectator of January 3rd Mr. White takes exception to my former letter to you. In that letter I expressed my opinion that the comparison made by him between ships of the Home Squadron and ships belong- ing to our Channel Fleet or our foreign squadrons, whether flagships or private ships, was a misleading and unfair com- parison, the former being but a training squadron and never keeping their crews, as a whole, for more than a year, while the latter are manned by our best and for a full com- mission. I have no doubt Mr. White's quotations from the Navy List are correct. But the facts remain as I stated, I believe, with absolute truth,—that the 'Empress of India' went through her prize-firing as a private ship, and did not become the flagship of the Second in Command of the Home Squadron until October 1st, so that it is not a case to help to prove that our Admirals neglect gunnery.—I am, Sir, &c., H. H. MOLTNEUX, Retired Captain, Royal Navy.
We cannot continue this correspondence.—ED. Spectator.]
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