service, while they obtained the approbation of his own Sovereign, signified to him by Lord Palmerston, then Secretary for Foreign Affairs. The expectations he had formed of the Dutch troops were fulfilled in the event; and how General Chassé redeemed his promise to make the citadel of Antwerp the citadel of Holland, is a world-known story. Sir Howard's exposure of French intrigues proved equally useful; for the resolution of Lord Palmerston compelled the Duke de Nemours to decline the Crown, and thus saved Belgium, which must have been absorbed by France in 1848, if the convulsions of that year had found it ruled by a French prince.

CHAPTER XXXI.

DEFEATS THE GOVERNMENT.

FROM the moment of the expedition to Algiers, the French Government seemed uneasy as to its relations with England, and hence took measures for strengthening its navy. One of its first steps was to introduce Sir Howard's scheme for an organization of gunners, as detailed in his treatise on Naval Gunnery; and the Institute rewarded Marshal Vaillant for his translation of the work by electing him one of its members. The activity displayed at Brest and Toulon did not attract notice in England, where the navy was engaging no attention, and the public thought little of the French armaments till the appearance of a pamphlet on the state of the navy, purporting to be by an "Old Flag Officer." This created a panic; its statements were the general theme of conversation; and the nation trembled for its naval supremacy. Several leaders on the subject appeared in the Times,' and attention was called to the "Flag Officer's " strictures on our naval gunnery, and his advocacy of the scheme of Sir Howard Douglas, which the Times warmly commended. Sir Howard was

at the Hague when the pamphlet reached his hands, and there heard of the sensation it had produced, and the prominence it gave to his plan. The advo

1 Times of 17th, 20th, and 24th May, 1830.

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cacy appeared to him so strong, that he feared it might be imputed to himself, or at least to his inspiration, and this he hastened to disclaim. "Understanding that the author is not yet known," he wrote to Lord Melville, the First Lord of the Admiralty, "I think it necessary to assure your Lordship that I am utterly ignorant from whom the publication proceeds. However I may concur in some of the opinions advanced, and which, indeed, are founded upon my work, yet that is not the way in which it would become me to approach your Lordship." 1

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His consideration for the authorities was the more praiseworthy as he had obtained so little of their attention, and they were now set to work by the pamphlet, not by his representations. The credit of giving this fillip to their movements must be assigned to Admiral Sir W. Bowles, who has long been known as the author of the pamphlet, and could not have rendered a greater service to his profession. A beginning was made with the plan before Sir Howard left Holland, as he had the satisfaction of hearing from Sir S. J. Pechell, one of the Lords of the Admiralty. "The 'Old Flag Officer' has done what even you could not effect," writes that officer, "though not to the extent that either of us could wish, but within these few days an order has been given to establish a gunnery-school on board the 'Excellent' at Portsmouth." The order would appear to have been slowly carried out, for a year passed before the work made any progress, and it is not till November, 1831, that Sir S. Pechell

1 In the same letter to Lord Melville, Sir Howard refers to "other communications he had addressed to his Lordship, and adds, "which I hope have been received,” implying that they had never been acknowledged.

writes about it in good spirits: "We are now likely to do something more. Sir James Graham has approved of the plan, and has appointed the 'Excellent' for this service, and I am sure you will not refuse me your assistance in drawing up a prospectus for our future sea-gunners."

Thus Sir Howard saw his system launched, after he had patiently waited fourteen years, during which time his labours were left unnoticed and his letters unanswered, though he could never be provoked to complain. The system has fulfilled all that he hoped, resting the supremacy of our navy on the surest bottom by supplying it with the most expert gunners. In after years he might feel proud that he had rendered this service to his country, and perhaps the more so as it was not only left without reward, but even without thanks.

The establishment of the Excellent' was first placed under Commander George Smith, but it acquired its repute under the next director, Captain Chads, and this has been extended by its present chief, Captain Hewlett. Never did it assume greater importance than now, when artillery is making such developments, and naval warfare is revolutionised by the introduction of armour-ships. Happily it has had the counsel of Sir Howard up to the last moment, and nothing can be more complete than his programme of drill for the Armstrong gun, which appears in the latest edition of his treatise.

It was now necessary that he should return to New Brunswick, and he was preparing for his departure, when the Government proposed a new arrangement of the timber duties, giving an advantage to produce

from the Baltic by abolishing the protection afforded to colonial timber, which had to meet greater cost of transport. He considered such a measure unjust, and entreated Lord Goderich to recede, declaring the change would ruin New Brunswick, and be very injurious to the sister colonies. But his representations produced no effect, though backed by a report on the condition of the colonies, and a statement of their imports from the United Kingdom and the West Indies, which were shown to depend on the continuance of the duties. The question seemed so linked with his position, that he thought himself called upon to urge it by every means, and even appeal to the public if he could not persuade the Government. He had deemed such a course unbecoming in the case of his gunnery movement, for that had a reference to himself; but here was a question no way personal, but in which he represented interests confided to his care by the Government itself. Those interests would be looking to him as their advocate on the spot, and he considered them as important to the mother country as the colonies. Hence he must speak out, and he could only do so by following the example of the "Old Flag Officer," and publishing a pamphlet. Such productions are now little heeded, but they obtained readers in a day when they strengthened or unseated a minister, and made bishops. An opposition pamphlet could bring no advantage to Sir Howard. On the contrary, it exacted from him the sacrifice of the post he held, and even his hopes of further employment, as far as concerned the existing Government. It is impossible that such considerations should have been overlooked by one who was not rich, and was weighted