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    SfeHMfiiiB&R 9 , 1854 . ] THE LEAD E IC 851

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    and With the pedple , we speak for the people in what tve are about to Say . Trom the first we had our misgivings . We Could ndtbring ourselves to hope that'the aggressions of Eussia were really to'be Chastised when we saw ait the head of affairs Such -a man scs Lord Aberdeen , who , however he may have been influenced by stronger mind to yield on some minor points connected -with domestic affairs , isstill , with regard to 'foreign policy , -but a miserable relic of the ' old ultra-Tory flays-of Castlereagh / andSidmouih , as a statesman , far below mediocrity ; in place , and iept in place , by Court iriflueace ; and , as a mari without a single noble aspiration for his fellow man , an opponent df liberty , an enemy of

    nationalities and people , ii ' wretchea'worshipper'of dynasties and despotisms . ! &e justified our measttretof him , and , trtte to his fame and-character , battled for his friend Nicholas to the last extremity . But when the voice of honour and of public opinion had prevailed , and war was positively declared against the dangerous tyrant of tlie North , we did think that in very decency and ^ delicacy &oi ? d Aberdeen would have retired . Unhappily , he chose otherwise . Our , next anticipation . Was thatj at all events , * by'the ' vigouir Avith which the war would becarriedon' under ' his auspices , all former suspicions " would be blotted out . OSut once more we were doomed to tu 3 disappointed . 'Our warriors went forth amidst iriudh

    eaeeririg and . wariri Ropes . ' Tlfeir chiefs proceeded to the fieldrafter the fashion of ^ aballet " ontheiJaaTds of thetlieatf e ; they danced : in Xoridon , they danced in Parity 'th 6 y , datiCeQt dn'Vienha , they danced in ConstaneittQJile , they danced -at every stjage upon the road > as iffiiUy gympatHiSiiig wifeh the bladk lady at the *' dignity-ball" in ^^ ^ arbadoes , wliothus rebu 1 j ; ea the talkative midshipman who was : her partner , " Sate ^ me epme ' dfor dance ,-nptfotichaeter / At last Varriawas reached , - .. and we did"begin tohope'that ballets were . now really to be chaqgedripr -Ziuffito . J 3 ut nothing Was done . Bays grew into veek ' s , and still it w " as nothing . 'Wee'ks were extended into -montlis , and " still mail after ' mailarri ved ~ withnotliingnothing

    , , nothing to tell . The Turks had won . ' laurels on the bloody tfleld of Qfctenitza . They -had gained -victory after victory ' infront ofTIalafat . Citate told of Eussian defeat and flight . They had driven back their ^ baffled foes frotn the walls of Sitfstria , arid rolled back the tifie of war "beyond the Danube . But , all tljis'time , our gallant fleets and armies were doing ndthhig . And then came the cholera to decimate their ranks , and mow down the high and the noble , and the brave , with the 'unsparing and impartia ^ soy the of pestilence . "Can we wonder , then , that public irripatience and indignation are beginning to find a voice ? Bather ye may wonder if the whisper heard at Newcastle does not . oresentlv crow into a

    thunderclap to fill and echo through the land from one extremity to the other . And why is this delay r Why this seeming fear and real hesitation ? ProJi Ptidor ! because our statesmen either sympathise with or tremble before the young despot of Vienna . By some strange alchemy , the war undertaken to protect Turkey and clip the wings of Russia , has been transmuted into an unholy alliance to guard G erman dynasties , and Austria in , particular , against the wishes of their enslaved people to be free . And what are avc to gain "by this degradation ? As we see and read it , Austria is to do the police work of Russia in tho "Dftniibian provinces , and b y thrusting her armies ' between tho flying enemy and the alliesnot only cover

    , his retreat , but also secure his frontier for hundreds of miles against the very danger of attack . The whole Russian forco will thus be enabled to concentrate on any point , and the interference of their friend , our ally , ¦ will thus give thom the opportunity of meeting , and , . perhaps , checkmating us wherever , if \ vo do ever act at all , we may make our attack . No true Englishman can have any faith in an Austrian alliance . It will surely turn out in tho end to bo all false and hollow . Wo have now an additional causo for apprehension and anxiety . Either wo ore about

    to bo betrayed by these horrid friends , or what would ¦ fco worse , our Ministers must haro plodged themselves against freedom and liberty throughout Europe . y Js it ? What tu'o wo to say , what , to think ? Whom aro we to accuse , in -whom to trust , whom to \ lml ° 2 * We have long abandoned all confidence in Lord John Russell , as a moro lover of phico and glutton ; nftcr patronage ? But wo confess to having naa a persevering liojpo in Lord rulmorston . Is that also to go ? Has ho also become AustrianisocI ? Will no too , politically "die and mnko no sign" to cheer , and ro-asBuro us ?

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    introducing reforms into its sacred ^ precincts . It fe equally easy to annihilate church-rates , and putt tTSe Dissenters on fhe same footing with church people . But the Navy must exist , while Erance , Russia , and America > are alive . ; and without her wooden wallB England would be . powerless . However necessary tliis Navy is to the welfare Of EngkmQ , it is hardly probable that it can exidt mttfih longer in its ' present form . Eacts are daily -coming to light -about both the Services , that make spetfple 'think Cwiee before committing themselves or 'their isansto the mercy of battle-ndlds and waves . The 'present is ^ n age of great changes , and the range df teform may well be extended even more widely .

    The Navy is now-in a state-of transition , touching at one end ^ dn . 4 he civilised Chores , > on the other , extending to I ^ ee- 'Belibowlte roug-hness . In most niesses , . 'these "two elements "tneet together like / two adveuBe tides , one &suby of oldsters being cwSliaetl ; the other 'biSiag -ia -a Estate -of jpfimitive baubarity Hereupon 'both . 'fadtipnis suflfer , and between them tlie * mfortunate youngsters manage to Tallin for a share -of bullyiftg thdt is imueh greater thari-the ordinary ^ xperienceof'mea ? aishore Gan « have-aE ! ty conception , of . "But we m ^ ust hot 'be ^ in ^ ur series'by enlarging ' -on » thesufieriiigsof"theyoungestjpartof the Qommunity , Setiiords priores -is 'the established -rule , to 'which < ve "ought to 1 conform , and commence by a glance at | the Governing Glasses , arid the influence they havener the N&vy .

    ^ In itheiflrst > pl ae e , ihovr'i 8 the : NaYjrvgoverned ? ; By the Admiralty . / Vho da turn are governed by public opinion , arid -the sprrvate- eorisidera'tioris- of -votes > arid political , partie 3 . OEt ^ seems ? to 'be an . established ' Jute that « the'Tipst / Iiordof * lte > Admiralty ^ ehpuld always be ^ profoundly ignorant of naval . mattGrs . W ^ e can r-ecpllect bufc one case during several-years when i-a naval -mari 'was 'appointed iFirst Lordi , and ilien . the tatentiori was better 4 han the result . We allade'to the 'P uke of Northumlieiland , a / captain in . the STiayy , and the man w / lip , as is almost unnecessary to relate , was Bprd 'Derby ' s j First liord of the Admiralty . Sir 3 ames - © raham ihas rmany years ago held the same post that lias fallen to his share in the Coalition , yet !

    we ^ Cannot remember lany regulations < introdue-eflby lain ithat ha-ye met with satisfaction , in theiprofessiOU lie is supposed to govern . To him . we owe iiitiill on ihe subject of « merchaait seamenj that has caused immense trouble < to ibreigrL 'consuls and metfdhdnt captains . Howeveii , > if he is ipersorially ignorant of qfche Navy , he has a-brother afloat who can give him some information . Certainly the . Navy generally would not be * surpri 8 ed at Sir James ' s appointment . But what , in the name of every thing strange , coxild liaye led to the appointmont of JMr . Bernal Osborne to the post of Secretary to the Admiralty , under the very Sir James Graham he quizzed in Parliament such a short time ago ? It is always supposed that

    the secretary is the teal head of the 'Admiralty , arid this supposition , which may not be true as regards the present Board , was certainly correct in the case of John Wilson Croltey . We have heard that the eminent Quarterly reviewer , ' wheh-secretary , did not only aspire to control the " iLordfc , " biit'endeavoured also 'to emulate Julius C ^ SSr , im < l dictate two or ¦ three despatches to cliiTererit admirals at the same time . There 'is little fear of Mr . Bdrrfal Qabofno iniita'ting his predocessor in this respecft . The post lie has gttihedims so srflbtired him down tts to deprive him df thfe power of ttiniking jokes in Parliament , and his oratorical efforts there ate confined to snubbing 'members who as ( k questions about certain

    promotions , and informing the country that political interest is altogether disregarded by tho Admiralty , and that " certain families" canno't , ag befoxe , be otnnipdtent . Whatever may be Klv . BornnVOabotne ' s seiitinientp as regards these" certain 'families" ( and -dtiroly as "Sedrtstary to tho Admiralty ho ought to know nothing about the Navy ) , we must beg leave to dissent ' ( roth his propositions ribout ' political influence . As wo stated in ii letter 'published in tho Lender of tho 19 th of August , -some ' people are suilercd in'tho Navy to do what they like , merely because of 'their political connexions . Infact , political induencc , in which avo inchide'tho influence ( liflt'naturally belongs to ei great house , or to'nhy member Of the Governing Classes , Is tho ?• be sill and end till" ns regards naval

    nppoint-OFFIOEliS AND GENTLEMEN . I . Tins covEriNiNa ci-ahshs and the navv . ( To thu Editor qflho / . aider . ) 8 in ,-- / En £ lnnd cannot do without n Navy . When wo consider tho dlflToron-t inatittitions that nood reform , it is u « woU to reflect" boforohnud whotlioi- wo could not ftltogothar diaponee wifih -thorn ivt oUcg . It is I > 08 te » ble to abolialj tho Houac of JwrdB , indtoad of

    monta . "Wo quote those words from tho letter mentioned , and v'ill proceed to substantiate their assertions by indisputable facts . " At this stngo 1 shall Imvo a greait outcry raised , and I slmll bo told tliat Captain Cuvcmdiah hlis ulwn ^ 's thought tho Navy ono of tho beat professions that could bo chosen . Captain Cavendish bolng of a certain family , has always served with certain captains , and has always met with tho speediest promotion . Ilin messmates knew better than to bully him , and tho Admiralty knew bettor tlumto'Bond him to disagreeable stations , or to mnko him eorve unfltfr obnoxious captains . If he did anything tluvtrcquh'ed notice , hJs conduct whb extenuntcll ; if ho yrm to bo'triod by a court-rnai'tlnJ , a picked selection of onrltuinB wua aont out to try him .

    He has walked through the service on velvet , and if he likes it , no oae can wonder at his -taste . " As a fancy sketch of Captain Cavendish , or any other gentleman . possessed of a name that would have delighted Peter Simple's boatswain , a man clinging to the bottom of his family-tree as oysters and limpets cling to trees in . marshy , often deluged , tracts , this extract would excite little attention , and be passed over as a . pure fiction . But when we inform the public that * a young captain , bearing a name that hast now , as it always had , an undue influence in the Navy , flogged a midshipman on board bis ship , when such an action could not be passed by , by the most indulgent admiral , or Lords-of the Admiralty ; -anci

    when we . proceed to infornx-them that-a court-martial was demanded and found indispensable ( though we confess that this portion of the ^ tale is rather -improbable , even -though it is true ) , -that a piaked assortment of captains was actually sent out to try this captain , and that they indeed acquitted him most honourably , -we feel that -we are stating facts we should * not dare-to bwng-forwarcl'if they yrexe not as true as the most well-known > circumstances in fhe world . We wiM not enter into the details of-this one case , nor do \ te attribute t 3 ie least blame to the . rCaptaiii who figured . ; asthe chief -in an occurrence disgoraceful to -officers ; and gentlemen , arid : 3 oubly disgraceful to the liighjpotentates whp rule the Navy , and imagine they have a light -divide because they

    govern wrong . - Let us next glance at the . promotion that falls to the lot of these happy seiocis of the ^ ariBtocracy . Sdine of the examinations they have to $ ass are merely gone through under the 3 yes " of tiaptiairis , and the dullest titled youth cah frequently get through ati examination when the cleverest 'UntHled in the fleet is rejected . A person ha the STavy Tiais to pas ' 3 four gr ^ nd examinations . The' first one is v'hen lie enters the service as naval cade't , Wheii heis examined in ¦ - " tlie three r ' s—reading , rlting , and " rithfnetlc . " To speak OflleiaUy , "these' ^ ire the 4 walifications for a naval cadet , and they inay be found enclosed in every letter that calls youths from their homes to serve iheir countries .

    "A naval cadet must not be under twelve years of , age , arid Must pioduce a sufficierit certificate , or other proof thereof , properly attested . Tie must be in good ; health , and fiffor service , that is , free "ftotn impediment of speech , defect of vision , rupture , or other physical ineflic 5 enc 3 r . He must be able to write English'from dictation , and must be acquainted with , the rules of common arithmetic , including the rule of three . " Slight as this examination might seem to ragged

    schoolboys , it frequently proves an irisurmouutable barrier . Many youths have been turned back for not spelling , and many , high in rank in tne " nav 3 > y if now subjected to that examination , would fare no better . Tlie next examination is that touching & cadet ' s qualifications to serve as midshipman , when he is expected to produce logs and certificates of good conduct for two years , and to have a due knowledge of arithmetic , geometry , and trigonometry , besides a number of technicalities which we will nofc

    inflict on our readers . Over this examination again presides one captain , who can soften the process to the elite of the service . The grand examination , however , is that for a lieutenancy , and this can be shirlced by no one . It is a stiff examination , too , and has proved an obstacle to numbers . The only way for the titled dunces to avoid it , nor can they even then keep it off altogether , is to pass out on some foreign station , and remain for a long time in tho position of acting-mates or acting-lieutenants . We remember distinctly how midshipmen used to pass for lieutenants in th « Mediterranean while we wore there . Three captains were appointed to examine a number of candidates , one of whom \ i as a nopliew of the First Lori ] , while tho others were mercniidshipmen , without political connexion . Ono of tl » o examining captains wits notorious throughout tho fleet , and in fact throughout the whole service

    as a martinet ( thoro aro two or three captains of this sort , who are Icnown by report , and hated by every naval man , whether they aro known to him personally or not ) . On the present occasion , the martinet proved equal to all expectations . Ho bothered tlie midshipmen by cross questions ; nslced them impossible questions , which no man in tho world could answer ; and turned tlionrt back by shoals . Ho was tho sort of man who would place you in the position of Noah whoa tho ark ix > stetl on Mount Ai « nit > and ask you how you would get hor down , Ono midshipman was turned back because tho nwrlmofc , hi asking him n question ol ' venerable antiquifcy , one that hua boon asked nfc ovoiy examination , ami is known to every midshipman ns huiug a ciucli , forpfot half tho question , jilteral tlio purport « i it , and then turned the youth back beoauBO ho dul not

    glvo tho prociHO answer ho would huvo done » f tho question hud been complete . After a number Imvo thus beon put back ior i > ix month * , enter the nophow to the First Lord , a yoiy undeoi . lcd youtli , nil whoso knowledge was conllncd to the fiininlo ^»< - 't of liiw existence nn nephew to the First Lord . Ho might w ! l bo frightened on lioaring what his predecessors had gono thtough , JJnt to

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 9, 1854, page 851, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2055/page/11/