CONVEYANCE OF TROOPS TO INDIA AND CHINA. (Hansard, 24 July 1857)

§ SIR CHARLES NAPIER

said, the affairs of India had caused great excitement; and he wished to make some observations in reference to the conveyance of troops to that country and to China, for grave doubts had been entertained whether the Board of Admiralty had taken the best measures for that purpose. He, therefore, thought it desirable to draw their attention to the advantages which would attend the 360 employment of steam vessels instead of sailing ships. The first Lord of the Admiralty stated some time ago that the passage of a sailing vessel to India occupied on the average 130 days, but he had subsequently given from 90 to 100 days as the ordinary time for the voyage. It appeared, however, that the vessels of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company made the passage in periods varying from 64½ to 88 days. These vessels took in coals sufficient for the voyage—about 900 tons—they depended on their sails in favourable weather; they did not touch at any port, because they used their steam power, because they used coal only during light winds and calms. He would suppose two vessels sailed, one a screw and one only a sailing vessel, and it must be evident to every hon. Gentleman in the House that the sailing vessel must meet with delays from light winds and calms, whilst the screw vessel might be advancing at the ordinary rate. There was a material discrepancy in the statements of the First Lord of the Admiralty, but the vessels to which he referred as having made the passage in from 90 to 100 days were no doubt clippers. If sailing ships were now sent out with troops, they would get into the Bay of Bengal in October, when the north-east monsoon would prevail, and they would consequently have 8,000 or 10,000 men beating about in the Bay of Bengal for a long time, if they were sent in sailing vessels. He had seen in the newspapers to-day that six steam vessels had been taken up; and he was extremely glad that the First Lord of the Admiralty, or whoever had the management of the business, had done so. Those steamers would take 4,000 men, but the cost of landing each man in India, by two of the vessels would be £49, and in the others £43 15s. From the enormous price of these vessels, it must be very clear that had the Channel fleet been kept up, and the ships taken troops, they would not have cost so much as they would when conveyed by merchant ships. There might be some reason which he had no knowledge of for paying off the Channel fleet; but after that they had still in port nine vessels of the line, including four screw vessels, and if instead of paying off screw ships we had paid off sailing ships, we should then have had ships in which to send troops to India. He thought that this would be a lesson to the Government not to leave the country without a provision for such emergencies. He had no hesita- 361 tion in saying, that with the fleet and with Aldershot, in forty-eight hours—as was done in Mr. Canning's time—we could have sent 4,000 or 5,000 men off for India. If these ships had been at Portsmouth, with assistance from the coast-guard service, we could still have sent 5,000 men to India, even though the Channel fleet had been paid off. We had eight block-ships, and if proper attention had been paid to them by fitting mast and yards, and with the means of raising their screws, they might have gone to India, and have carried 4,000 or 5,000 men. If we had had the foresight to be prepared at all times, we might have had the means at this moment of sending out to India in those block-ships and some other vessels 10,000 men, without going into the market to get vessels at all. The sailors who had been discharged had probably found their way to America, and they were now asked to vote 2,000 more. Sailors, like other persons, did not like being called upon to serve one day and turned adrift soon after. He admitted, that in the case to which he referred the men went away of their own accord; but they all knew what was the character of sailors, and that if they could not get employment in one place they would go elsewhere, and he doubted whether the Government would be able to find the small number of men that they required. The right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty had said the other evening, that the principal reason why steamers were not the best fitted for the rapid conveyance of troops to India was, that they could not meet with a sufficient supply of coals for the voyage. But it appeared to him (Sir C. Napier), that the Government ought to have taken care that a sufficient quantity of coals was laid in at all the great stations on the ocean, to meet any emergency that might arise. He was, however, happy to perceive that the Admiralty had at last taken up a number of steam-vessels, and were now endeavouring to meet the necessities of the case; and he trusted that, in order to pacify the public mind, and especially the minds of those who had friends in India, the right honourable Baronet would answer the following questions:—How many ships have sailed for India or China, the date of sailing, their names, tonnage, how many troops they took, the number of days stipulated for the passage, and what forfeit if they fail; their cost, and whether steamers or sailing ships? How many more vessels are 362 taken up for troops, their names and tonnage, the number of troops each are to carry, the length of voyage stipulated for, the forfeit for non-performance, and the cost, and whether steam or sailing vessels? If any Ships of War are commissioned for carrying troops, their names and rate, when they will be ready, and how many troops they will carry, and whether steamers or sailing ships; what number of troops of all arms will be left in Great Britain and Ireland? Whether steamers have been engaged to tow the vessels into the trades, and their cost?