Admiralty Administration, Its Faults and Defaults

Front Cover
Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts, 1861 - Great Britain - 151 pages

From inside the book

Selected pages

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 39 - ... far inferior to what it ought to be with reference to that of other powers and especially of France, and that increased efforts and increased expenditure were imperatively called for to place ¡ton a proper footing.
Page 39 - Report of a Committee appointed by the Treasury to inquire into the Navy Estimates from 1852 to 1858, and into the comparative state of the Navies of England and France :' printed by order of Parliament 4th April, 1859.
Page 43 - ... French are not building any. France will also have four iron-sided ships, with engines of 800 or 900 horse-poiver. It is stated, that these iron-sided ships, of which two are more than half completed, will be substituted for line-of-battle ships; their timbers are of the scantling of a three-decker; they are to have thirty-six heavy guns, most of them rifled 50-pounders, which will throw an 80 Ib. hollow percussion shot ; they will be cased with iron ; and so convinced do naval men seem to be...
Page 43 - It is, however, to be observed, that of the ten English ships building, three are three-deckers, of which class the French are not building any. France will also have four iron-sided ships, with engines of 800 or 900 horse-power. It is stated, that these iron-sided ships, of which two are more than half completed, will be substituted for line-of-battle ships; their timbers are of the scantling of a three-decker; they are to have thirty-six heavy guns, most of them, rifled 50-pounders, which will...
Page 102 - ... labouring under that delusion. I have been asked over and over again by directors of the great shipping companies, and by men of importance in these commercial ports, for some assurance on the part of the Government, that the men will not be called out until war is declared. I told them I could not give that assurance ; but I also told them that it was perfectly certain there was no intention to call them out except in the event of a critical emergency; that the threat of immediate hostilities,...
Page 60 - Portsmouth, on the other hand, comprise nine and a half acres, or less than one fifth part of the area of the basins at Cherbourg, but their value in comparison, is far less than a fifth, for from their shallowness they cannot be opened except during spring tides, and are even then only to be entered by our largest ships after they have been lightened of coals, stores, and a considerable part of their armaments; supposing them to be available during one half of each tide, or in other words, for one...
Page 44 - Jemappes," are supposed to be in a fit state for conversion, but it is doubtful whether they are to be converted as line-of-battle ships, or to be cut down and plated with iron. Two more iron-sided ships are to be built, as we are informed.
Page 103 - I know what seamen are. They are fine, noble, hearty creatures, but men of remarkably suspicious character, and if there are any people they are suspicious of it is the Admiralty.
Page xii - England must be divided amongst a great number of remote objects, all alike dependent on naval defence, as well as the shores of the United Kingdom. That France has by comparison scarcely any remote interests to defend, and may therefore concentrate her force on any object she may select for attack. That by the power of putting forth her whole strength at once, to be obtained by the perfect organisation of her navy, France may assure to herself an actual superiority in the Channel at the outbreak...
Page 57 - BASINS AND DOCKS. THE power of sustaining our ships in activity and efficiency during a great naval struggle, must entirely depend upon the means previously organised and prepared, for supplying and repairing them.

Bibliographic information