The subjoined paragraph on the same important subject, is taken from the “Hampshire Telegraph.”
“In announcing the arrival of H.M.S. Sybille, Captain Sir S. John Pechell, Bart, from the Mediterranean, we have much satisfaction in alluding to the high state of perfection to which naval gunnery has been carried, both in that ship and in his Majesty’s ship Naiad, Capt. the Hon. R. C. Spencer, lately from the same station, between which two vessels there has always existed an honorable rivalry, highly creditable to the officers of both ships; and it is with great satisfaction we learn, that during the trials of skill which they have had together, under very competent judges, no artillery on shore could exceed their accuracy and precision. It must be gratifying to the lovers of our country and of our country’s bulwarks to know, that in these ‘piping times of peace,’ zealous and scientific officers are found, who, during a short period of command, and with scarcely the possibility of ever bringing their superior gunnery into play against an enemy, or of its ever being known beyond the limits of their ships, spare no pains nor exertions to excel in a department of such vital importance, which has hitherto been much neglected, and which still appears to many in command, not worth the trouble, if it could be attained, during a triennial service. Probably we may be permitted to recommend young officers to make themselves familiar with the detail of discipline and internal economy, as well as gunnery, of these two well-organized ships, which we can safely say, from every thing that has come to our knowledge, have never been exceeded in the best periods of our naval annals; and this too has been attained by a system of leniency and indulgence to the men, which is usually considered incompatible with the high condition in which those best acquainted with their order allow them to excel.”
Previous to the Sybille being paid off, in Nov. 1826, she was inspected by Sir George Martin, then commander-in-chief at Portsmouth, attended by several officers; and her men were practised at firing with shot, at a target placed 350 yards from the ship, of the size of 8 feet by 6 feet; when, of 28 long guns, 7 shot went through the mark, and of 19 carronades, 6 of them struck; all the other shot were quite close, and must have hit the hull of a ship. The elevation of the long guns was one degree, and of the carronades 1¼ degrees. We mention this in proof of the perfection in naval gunnery which the crew of the Sybille had attained by the system of training adopted by their skilful captain.
Captain George Richard Pechell, brother to the subject of this memoir, obtained post rank in Dec. 1822.
Agent.– Sir Francis M. Ommanney.
