The Express.
London, England, 1865-03-03 00:00:00

THE ROYAL SOVEREIGN.

Mr. LAIRD asked tho Rearttery to the Admiralty if ho
bad any objertme to lay upft the table copies of any reports
mad* by Captain Sherard (tabors, R.N., oo the various
idols of tho Royal Sovaroigo daring the time she was is
gemination ; and, of any reports from the shipwright or
segiasering department' at Portsmouth dockyard a. to tits
isowditioe of the ship and turrets after the trials atom re-
ferred to had taken *on
Lard C. PAGET said the Admiralty had a dash* to
sensual any informatios cotsearoiog the results of tits trials
Isiah nerd to the Royal Pareasiga. He should be extremely
*wry to tartish tht hoe. sietalier, dans, the dietaries whit
be ottinatte, with all hot balm es tho lab** Whit
be bow was tevoaratila het the Braes° at laying ea the
bide main ham Alms would he meet eirjestitmshb ho

the department. He mast, therefore, detains laying es
the table the repotto eked for.

THE GALATEA.
Sir J. PAELNGTON said he bed ems with great ems-
sets a report in the publics papas of the lom cm the mast
of North America of her Noyeity's ship Galata, and of •
eonsidererls portion of the mew. He wished to ask who-
thee any authentic informatioa bad reached the Admismity
as the subject.
Lord C. PAGET said the Admiralty had received pester-
, day a telegram stotiog that there was a report at New York
of the loud the Gitsa, but they considered the report
as value that it would be giving tmneoessary pain to mail,
families if it wore published. That day they had jest re-
calved • report which he would reed to the house, sad
which was so far satisfeatcey that it stated the
Galatea was not lost, but there was • melancholy se-
must of loss of life. The telegram was as Mows:
The reported loss of her Majesty's ship Galatea is, doubt-
less. unfounded, since primes !Atm from Norfolk, of the
llsk and 12th ult., say mho was still is the roads, where she
would be perfectly secure. Peres stets, however, that two
barges filled with men Winging to the Galatea were mot
en the 12th ult. to rescue • boat which had broken adrift
from the frigate, with one man in it rho barges were
serried by • storm on to the beach at Caps Hoary, and
it is supposed that &Shand. perished. A steam tug wee mot
to their ISlliltaalle but was compelled to put beak by the
storm. This, doubtless, sooossis for the rumoured leis of
the frigate."
NAVAL A RILUIENTS.

On the order of the day for going into committee of supply
co the Navy Estimates,
Mr. BaILLIE moved that a select committee be ap-
pointed to inquire whether her Majesty's ships are at
present armed in a marina suited to the necessities sad
requirements of modern warfare. After noticing the
igainame which appeared to prevail among even proles-
snail men is this oesatry el the negotiate of other coun-
tries. he stated the armament of British lint, which had
not materially changed, he mkt, since the introduction of
iron-clad ships. The old 68.pouader was useless against
ironclads, and he gees a history of the 110-pounder
Armstrong guns, which wen issued to the navy, in the
tel instance in a defective state, and be read reports,
official as well as private, of the unsatisfactory
rendition and performances of these guns in actual
service. B. naked who was responsible in thie
matter. The different departments appeared to shift
off responsibility, and, in fact, he said, then was
no impossibility at all. While we ware usable to obtain
'Saint gins from oar own establishments, foreign govern-
ments rare largely supplied with gum from private esta-
blishments in this country. Inventors had complained of
the obstructions pat in their way to prevent improvements
in ordnance being conaidered by the government. While
the Americans had gum that would penetrate iron-plated
ships, we had not ; the armament of the French awn
though not equal to the American, yea superior to ~an ;
and the Russian navy was armed with guns of 180-pounder
calibre; so that Englasd, instead of being in advance of
other teatime in this imporMat particular, was follow's'
in their wake.

The motion was ascended by Blr J. HAY, who did not
quite concur in the histariesl narraties of Mr. BiWw
The Marquis of HARTINGTON observed tbat Mr.
BMWs bad ranged over the history of our naval oedema
for the last five years. Most of the questions be bad ed.
varied to had been inynnigated with alt their minute deesUs
by a committee, and it would be wasting time to appoint
another committee to re-examine questions mainly of scion.
tide character, which hod been dies discussed sod often
decided. With respect to this 110-pounder gun, which
was not intended to act against iron-plates, and was
got up at tint is too much buts, though be did net
stand up for it as a Peal gnu, it must be remembered that
it was the earliest manufacture, and very great improve-
ment, in it bad been winos made. Experiments were going
on to obtain a heavier naval gee, and it was hard upon
the government—find, to reproach them with too mu oh
baste, and then with delay in action, before they had se-
quired sufficient mouse of practised knowledge. The
adoption of a principle for naval guns involved serious con-
sequences, and it was impossible to proceed too plurally
and cautiously. Reforming had bees made to the arms.
meet of other nations. He doubted whether the American
guns were much better than our own ; the French, he be-
lieved, had not yet made up their mind as to what was the
proper tam for their navy. and some of the Russian guns,
which were dangerous, had burst and destroyed life. Other
Dation', therefore, were even now not so much ahead of us
as Mr. Bailin supposed, sad we were improving the con.
etruction of our kip sues from day to day. He hoped the
house would not assent to the appointment of a committee,
which could not have any practical effect, and would hang
up the whole question for another year.
General PEEL likewies opposed the motion. He did not
think members of tbat house wen competent to decide upon
this quahog.
. . .

Mr.. BENTINCK supported the motion. Our battles
would be fought at sea, and he believed that upon an
emergency our teary was sot in a state to contend with ■
strong naval power.
Sir F. SMITH doubted whether in the event of a sudden
war our ships were properly armed, and no time was to be
lest.

Mr. PEACOCKE was of opinion it had been proved that
our navy was not properly armed ; if so, it was the duty of
W hour he said, to institate a most rigid ireiry.
Lord C. PAGET said that he should go into the mine
lobby with the bon. gentleman if he thought that a com-
mittee of the hoar would mist them in getting the beet
gnu for the may. But he had IMO enough of remitter
to know that, with the best intsutioaa, they retarded rather
than assisted in carrying out thievery important matter. As
to the responsibility of the Firm Lord of the Admiralty with
regardto the arming of the navy, the matter stood thus.
ii the War-office was carrying on certain experiments,
they 000ld ooly be carried out Derr the authority of the
War-offlos, and, therefore, the Fint Lord of the Adinkalty
was dependent on the War-o Moe for the carrying out of
those experiments, but whir a gun was once approved of,
then the demand for that gnu depended on the Fast Lord
of the Admiralty, and the Secretary of War supplied any
number of guns that the navy asked for. He would not go
into the controversy of the Armstrong and Whitworth guns
again, but be thought it would be interesting to the house
to know whet the government wee doing now. With re-
, gaud to the 12 ton guns he demurred to the opinion of
the committee that nothing less than a 12 toe gun would
be available against plated ships. Relent experi-
ments had proved conclusively that sixand-mhalf
toa guns, of which they were now making 200, had
pierced the Warrior target through and through at 200
Tads. That gun they confidently afiirmed they could tarry
in their broadside. They had not come to the time when
they could carry 12 ton guns, arid therefore they thought it
would be inadvisable to make • great number. Bus he
had no doubt the tier would corns whim they would carry
them all round the ship A requisition had been made to
the War-offir for so many 12-tou guns, bet he did not
think it would be advisable to say how many. They were
preparing 12-too goon for the Royal Sovereign, the Prince
Albert, the Minotaur, the Agincourt, the Northumberland,
Bellerophon, the; Scorpion, the Wy vete alto for
Um Warrior. If he were asked whetter be considered that
the armament for the navy was in a satisfactory star he
should not hesitate to say that it was not. (Hear.) But •
committee was now inquiring into the question of rifling. He
admitted that the Firth system had great adveatageo,
but he was sot aware of any tract which showed re-
clusively that the French gun was superior to the shunt
Armstrong. The question was whether it would be wise
to order the whole of these rifled guns at once, erenially
as rifling was • rapid process when the system was ones
settled. At preset limy were manufactming 6j, 12, and
intermediate guns of 9 tor, but they thought it better to
wait for the report of the committee before they rifled
them. He would not go into the relative omits of turret
and broadside on that cockatoo. He hoped his hoc, friend
would not press his motion, for hebefired instead of accele-
rating, a committee would only retard the settlement of the
question.
The house thou divided.
For going into committee of supply 57
Against 22-35
The amendment wee therefore lost.
CHAPLAIN-GENERAL OF THE NAVY.

Sir H. VERNEY next called attention to the evidence
given by the committee on naval promotion and retirement
in the session of 1863, on the subject of reappointing a
chaplain-general of the navy. The hon. baronet argued in
favour al the revival of the office. mod quoted the opinion
of the Bishop of Loudon in favour of the proposition.
HANDeIa Ta►cY and Sir J. HAT supported the
view takes by Sir H. Verney.