The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-04-08 00:00:00

;imperial Parliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MONDIT.—The sitting was brief, and the business
of no general importance. Reid Russell tabled some
papers rolating to the Olive trade ; the Mar ii of
Clanricarde pi-emoted a petition from the grand jury of
the county of Galway about the better regulation of
the waters of the Shannon ; the Mutiny Bill priss&l
through committee ; the Charitable Uses (IMO Bill
was read a third time all passed ; an a bill to amend
the Government Act of Australia received a second
rending. All this work wits accomplinhod in thirty
minutes.

TueSDAT.—Lord Ilardwieke gave notice of • question
respecting iron-plated eh» s. The Bleachfielde Bill, tbe
object of which is to bring bloachiug works under
Government inspection, was read a second time. The
sitting lasted only twenty minutes.
THURSDAY .—Tho Duke of Somerset, in reply to
Lord Hardwick, stated what stepn bad been taken by
the present Govtroment to build iron vessels since
1859. The 1 he Government had proposed to build two
iron plated vessels, but from infernwtion subsequently
received he bed advised these two to be increased to roar
—viz., the Warrior, the Black Prince, the Defence, and
the Resistance. Not being contented with these vessels,
the Government had ordered the Veliant to be built on
improved principles, for, as the whole system was in a
state of oncertainty, there wt re necessarily defects in
the first experitneets. At the present moment we bad
four iron sltipe Afloat, another to be launched inn August,
and five wooden ships in course of 'dating, two of which
will be launched in the autumn and three in the ensuing
opting. Not satisfied with this, he had caused expt ri-
merits to be made with Captain Coleus cupola, the
results of which, both in regard to the revolving of the
cupola end its power of resistance to very heavy firing
were entirely successful. A vessel of this class of 2,000
tons, and drawing only 20 feet water, would be shortly
laid, as money had been taken for the purpose in tie
Estimates. At the same time it was intended to apply
the principle of the cupola to wooden vessels, and these
lie believed, would be the best vessels we could have for
the defence of our coasts. Titers wt re now building six
different kinds of iron-plated ships, but Inc was not
satisfied with any of these, As the meat,' had not yet
been discovered of making the iron plating contribute to
the strength of the vessels. We hal the frames of five
Intro-of-battle ultijes, seven frigates, and eight large
corvettes in progress, and these frames eoul I be eesily
adapted to beer iron plates. Of our present wooden
vessels we CUIII I easily cut down 20 line-of-battle stripe,
and by fitting them with iron plates adapt them for the
defence of our coasts anti the Channel, stiil retaining •
fleet of 40 ships to oppose to any wooden fleet which
might be sent to attack us ; and if it were necessary to
fight iron ships against iron ships we were able to meet
ally »Avy in thet arm. In regard to the question of
expense, be did not think it would be so greet as
Anticipated, neither did he think the inferences drewit
from a recent engagements as to the invulnerability of
iron ships, especially in the face of the very great
improveinent being made in the speed of Inils and the
force of artillery, correet. He then entered at great
length into the Imerits and defecte of the Merrimac and
Monitor, pointed out the alterations which tbe new
system of iron-plating would introduce inn our Navy,
dei reclated undue preeipitation in building vessels of
iron, confessed that we ought to refrain horn building
more wooden ships, and concluded by slightly touching
on the propriety of our not discontinuing to build forts.
FRIDAIL—The Marquis of Normanby once more
bored his fellow peers in reference to the military
proclamations in the Neapolitan province& He wonted
the correspondence about them, but he was ultimately
put down by Lord Russell.