The Express.
London, England, 1860-09-22 00:00:00

FRENCH IRON-CARED RHIPS.

We do not anticipate a much longer popularity
for these French iron-tamed ships than for their farness or
infamous predecessors the floating batteries, several of
which may be sees rotting on the muddy waters of the
Medway. Our authorities were polite enough, and, they
must allow us to say, stupid enough to accept the French
designs in Aegean* Is all their integrity and we may esteem
it • piece of great good fortune that they not fright-
ened into a woad servile imitation. is Ls Glows ?
A huge wooden frigate, covered from stem to stern with
thick inns plates, as • protection to a battery of 36 guns,
and propelled by engines of 900 nominal horse power (Eng-
lish), at II 11 average rate of between twelve and thirteen
know English shipbuilder have predicted that, with such
encessousweights at the extremities, she would behave badly
is •ow Nothing corroborative of this has reached us at
present; time will, however, we are disposed to think,
prove the correctness of their view. It was partly on ac-
count of this suspicion that Mr. Scott Russells idea of
=skimp the ship of iron, and covering only the neutral part
with armour, was viewed with such favour in Busload.
Our Boa ships will, however, possess this great advantage
over the French, via, that the permanence of our eaW
structure will not depend on the duration of perihaW
timber materials, but, excepting the socideste at storm
and battle, will be ea durable as iron ANIL
But is it true that such a ship as this could
"of itself confront • whole steam fleet?" In the
first place, the most vital part of all steam
ship-the propeller—is as vulnerable in the Gloire as in
any other ship ; this disabled, her armour could only em-
barrass without defending her. And further, in what re-
spect would the armour tend to prevent her being carried
by boarding—by storm, as it were ! Evidently in no re-
'peel ; the necessity for making the spar-deck shell-prod,
and therefore for reducing the hatchways as much as pos-
sible, together with the want of accommodation for marks-
men on the decks or in the rigt, would render her cap-
ture !fhthis means comperativ easy, so loeg as escape
by t were impactive b defect in sped,
want fuel, or injury to the propeller. Without high
speed this class of _ship mat and it is not diffi-
cult to foresee that the smaller class of iron-cased ships
beading for oar government will oome to grief on this se-
em* It is plein, thee, that these ships are far more vul-
nerable than the French people allow themselves to believe •
and we strongly ampset that, when they come to count the;
cosi, they will lad thee iron-cased ship, and ly
voodoo saes, are ace is any-seam the most emnom ma-
chines of war. We ere, however, very pleased as dad that
the surplus sad revenues of the French govern-
ment are ex= is making experiments which will be
m useful to us an to them. They have not only set
themselves to work out the problem
hat ens
of which are embodied in La Glare, but they
are making an attempt to dissever a better form for a
"boating battery," i. an iron-cased vessel with • shallow
draught of water, sad of low sped, calcalated for attack
the ma front of fortemase. These vessels, three or low of
which must now be ass* esesplets, are shorter sad abet-
lower, but broader, than the original &atm lotteries, that
the tottery platens may be steadier. They have, noes-
over twice the engine power, and may therefore be ex-
po-4d to have a speed of
was
six knots issued of four
sad • half, which was all that could ever be got
cut of the batteries of the Glatton and Trusty
models. One remarkable feature in their oon-
straction is, that although they carry • battery I
of twenty-four heavy guns under shell-proof cover, they do
act show more than eight feet out of water. These VC11•911,
and ethers for treasport service, of an entirely *oval eon-
elesthion, are being built with considerable seersey, sad
logs: solYnewune shahalippnyevniepturer know
wi tractltheiry owsrtstabt:Ferero, eyelike;
liberty to mamas them at pismire. We however,
harm enough of their nature and qualities from isewspaper"
and other sources to enable us to see what to choose and
what to avoid of the different varieties of maritime con-
strostioas with which if is the Imperial pleasure to indulge
lisall.—Nerhessice itepuine.

Tan aticosl,ll OF RI FL/ PRACTICK. —Whilst
lady, residing at No. 9, Tottenham-place, Clifton, was
sitting in her dnitring-room, on Tuesday morning, a ride
ballet aims whistling through the window, carrying a pane
with it, and lodging in the woodwork on the to side
of the room. Fortunately the lad unhurt,
although the bullet almost prod bar INS& It is supposed
that the shot wen Arad boa Biaadca MIL— Wagers
Norse Nem.

Mr. Donnelly, the Registrar General, has loaned
his anneal report on the agricultural statiatius of Irelaad,
which is full of valuable and interesting matter. The
inquiries commenced on the Ist of June, and terminated
about the middle of July; the results are very interesting,
and exhibit the effect of the great deficiency of the hay and
other crops of 1869 on the number of live stock. It is,
however, satisfactory to find that the decrease in cattle and
sheep is not so great se might bo expected, when the ex-
Unordinary prices of bay and all (wan for farm stock are
taken into account. Abstract of Cereal Crops, 1860.—Whilst,
409,642 acres ; hicrease of 5,467. Oats, 1,961,384 acme •
decrease of 21,278. Barley, 180,964 acres ; inmate' of
3,070. Bare and rye, 12,8= acres; decrease of 376.
Beene sad peas, 12,746 acres ; decrease of 2,106. Total,
2,637,567 acres ; increase of 8,537 ; decrease of 23,r60.
Decrease of cereal crops in 60, 15273 acres. Abstract
of green crisps. Potatoes, 1,171,837 acres ; decrease of
26,510. Turnips, 318,691 acres ; decrease of 3,446 acres.
wursel and beet root, 32,1160 acres ; increase
of 5,080. Cabbage, 22,749 acres; decrease of 6,931.
Carrots', parsnips, and other green crops, 21,613 acres ;
decrease of :763. Vetches and rape, 40,573 acres ,•
increase of 7,290. Total. 1,607,483 scree ; increase of
12,290 ; decrease of 41,244. Decrease on green crops
in 1860, 28,949 acres. General Summary—lnereage
meadow and clover in 1860, 157,375 acres. Decrease
in cereal crops, 15,223 ; ditto peon crops, 28,946 ; ditto,
flax, 7,838-52,010 acres. Total increase in the extent
of land under crops in 1860, 106,365 acres. The
changes in the number el live stock between the
r 1859 ail 1860 were as under : Horses
1n869, 629,075 ; in 1860, 620,939 ; *hewing a decrease of
8,137. Cattle in 1859, 3,815,598 ; in 1860, 3,509,23.5 ;
show*3 a decrease of 216,363. Sheep in 1859, ,69'2,804;
is 1890, 3,637,846 ; showing a dewier, of 54,958. Pigs in
1869, 1,265,751; in 1080, 1,268,590; showing an Menace of
2839. I have ventured to call attention to the state of
the dwellings of the labouring Nimes, and have given a table
showing the number of mud edam having only one room, in
each county, at the period of the anus in 1851. On the
subject of those vegetable poste of the farm-7wlsds-6
few observations have been made, and, as the muipation
from Ireland continues to attract much attention,
table is given showing the number of emi4rsuts from es&
'province during the first eight month, of 1859 and 1860.
They amounted in 1869 to 59,409 ; in 1860 to 62,1 N.
The total number of live stork in Ireland in 1850 was
—Hone*, 620,938; cattle, 3,699,736 t. sheep, 3,637,846•
pigs, 1,286,594. The different* in numbers between 1839
end 1860 was in horses, decrease ol 8,137 ; cattle, decrease
of 216,363 ; sheep, decrease of 114008.; pig, inertial* of
2,839. Total value of live stock in Inland ID each year,
Men 1856 to 1860, calculated according to the rates assumed
by the Census Commissioners of 1841, via. :—For lioness
81. each ; cattle, 6/. 10s.: sheep, 225. ; and raga, 2:s. each.
is. 1863 the total value was 33,058,4781.-; in 1886,
33,120,2101. ; in 1867, 33,700,9164 • in 1856, 34,734,8 A
in 1859, 83,368,2594. ; and in 1860, t 0839,899/. The differ.
epee in value between 1869 and 1 showed a deetease
of 1,528,300/. With regard to the impiesrement in the
condition end dwellings of the agricultural labourers of the
country, to facilitete this most un t objett, an act-
-23 :fin, c. 19—was passed last n. This act costal= a
Iralesble provieiou, by which loans from the treasury may
be °Wined for providing improved house accommodltion
for the labouring classes. The Royel Agricultural Society
has cousklered this subject of so much importance as to
have recently made it one of its ' primary objpete," To
Promote Improvement in the Dwellings and Domestic
Oendition of the Agricultural Population of Ireland ' and
have passed a resolution to the effect that when 57. ate
contributed from any county, the society will add N. A
gold medal is then offered as a prise to the individual
who has done most within the year to carry this ' primary
object' in the *aunty Already several ladies have honoured
• the society by becoming ' associates,' for the special object
above referred to ; andiowards this great national work the
peer will, ne doubt, lend its powerful and generous aid.
The nemesity for improving the dwellinp of the 'labouring
• choose' will beapparent when it s dated that at the period
sot the ceases, in 1831, there ware in blend 133,589 fourth-
clam homes, or mud sabins, having only one room for all
the members of the family, of every age and seg. Of these
the number in Lender was 30,206 ; in Munster, 50,187 ; in
Ulster, 23,613; and in Oennanght, 31,588.

Airlncite MAIIB-4tAila for Madeira, Tenerfffe,
and the West GoaM of Attica, will he despatched from
Liverpool= the alitle iriat4 br the African Mail Cotneeny's
Orrarear Aibeniaa. Leiters will be received at the Liver-
crniost.7ofike on that day until • 1.15 p.m., and on the
slaps with a Weft* 4d., until 2p.m.
MAILS TO AND MON IRRL/o.ND.--On the Lt of
October, and thenceforward, • day mail will be despatched
to based, Sundays excepted, by • train leaving Euston
station at 7.30 a.m., and will be due in Dublin in time for a
late delivery the arm evening, and in time to admit of
correspoodence for the provincial towns in Ireland being
forwarded by the night mails out of Dublin the same even-
ing. This mail will be in lien of that now forwarded by the
5 p.m. train from Easton station. A day mail will leave
Dublin at 6.30 a.m., and will be due in London, Sundays
rfiorxce&ted, initime for
mails th.; last view. mild:it:3, awnd time
hich w
leayeiieDv. Lublin at will be discontinued. The nightr
mall to Ireland will he despatched from the Euston station
by a twain at 8.30 p.m., and will be due in Dublin in tune
far an early morning delivery instead of for a mid-day de-
' limey as at present, and in time also for the day mails out
of Dublin. The evening mall which haves Dublin at 7.0
p.m., will also be accelerated so as to be due in London in
time for an earlier delivery on the following morning, and
in time for the day mail out of London. The following
will be the hours for posting letters, newspapers, Ice., for
the day mail to Ireland :—At any of the ordinary town re-
ceiving offices, up to 9 o'clock the previous evening ; at the
district offices and at the branch offices at Charing-cross sad
Lombard-street, as well as at the pillar letter boxes in the
town districts, up to 5 o'clock on the morning of despatch ;
at the chief 0(1100, St. Martin's-le-Grand, up to 6.30 a.m; at
the Post-office in the London and North Western Railway
station, Emden-square, up to 7.0 a.m. There will be no
alteration in the present time of posting for the night mail,
except that the box at Euston station for the receipt of late
letters and newspapers (with ea additional fee of tit. paid in
stamps), will be closed at &15 p.m.—By command of the
Postniaster-GeoeraL Holmium HILL, Seeretary.--General
Post-office, September, 1880.
MONEY-ORDZR OFFICIII-011 the let October the
following alterations will be made, viz.:—England—Mona)
order offices will be opened in London and the suburbs at the
Haymarket ; Warwick-road, Paddingtoe • and Tulse-hill.
The nioney-orckr office in Coventry-street, W., has been
abolished. Money-order offices will be opened in the country
at Billingshuret, county of Sussex, had office, Horsham ;
Brancester, Norfolk, L ; Clifton-aa-Tame, Worosster,
Wareester ; Fara -road, Hants, Farnborough Sta-
tion ; Glanton, Northumberland, Alawiek ; Rartland, De-
von, Mead ; Holt, Wilts, Trend/ Penmen, Wor.
ouster, Dudley ; Puckeridge, Hertfo Ware ; Whaley-
bridge, Chester, Stockport. The n et-mentioned sub-
offices are now served as follows :—Betley from (Avers,
instead of from Newcastle, Staffordshire; Weobly from
Leominster, instead of from Hereford.—Sootlaod— Money-
order offices will be opened at Bannockburn, county of Stir-
ling, heed-office, Stirling ; Gnat= Pier, Mid-Lethian,
Edinburgh.—ireland—Moosy-order offices will be opened at
Colon, county Louth, had office, Drogheda ; Drumcol-
ligher, Limerick, Charleville ; Hilltown Dow*, Newry.
Milygawley has been reduced to • sub-office to Augheacloy.
—By commead of Postmaator-GeneraL Bowtain Una.,
Secretary.—General Post-office, Sept. 21.
Maleonalerwa, PAUPERlale.—Pauperism has de-
creased to such an extent in Manchester that the baud of
guardians have determined upon reducing the relief and
medical districts from seven to live. Two of the surgeon.
having reigned, they are coesequestly sot going to fill up
the vacancies. The sew workhouse at Crummall, almost
like • palace, built to accommodate between 2,000 and
3,000 persons, has only 400 inmate'. The decrease of pau-
perism se compared with what it wee two or three years
ago is something extraordinary, and is no doubt enacipall)
owing to the great prosperity of manufactures, but consi-
dering the narrow escape we have bad of • bad harvest,
and how liable the trade of the district is to fluctuations,
it may be doubted whether the guardians will act more
wisely in reducing their staff of officers than they would in
lett, off • portion of the new workhouse. This reduction
willplace the staff at the same strength it was cistern
years ago. The fact that such a reduction is in contempla-
tion, however, taken with the causes which have led to it,
is of • highly satisfeetoey character to the public.
Ornetrito OF THR Naw Fees LIBRARY AND
Museum re Lrvaaroot..—The committee held a meeting in
the Mayor's parlour, Town-hall, yesterday ; but the scheme
proposed by a previous arrangement committee was not
materielly altered. There will be a meeting on the night
of the 17th October in the amphitheatre, at which distui-
gaished visitors will be invited to address the working
okras. Os the 10th there will be • procession from the
Town-hall to the library, where Mr. Brown will formally
hand over the balkhoss to the mayor, after which a banquet
hejeives in fit. George's-bell.
Tax Flan SUBWAY FOR WAY= AND GAS PIPLa
In Lc:emote—Our readers are aware that the Metropolitan
Board of Works, with a view to obviating the expense and
inconvenience attending the Making up of the pavement
far the repair of mains aced pipes, sewers, and other under-
ground works, determined, in making the new Covent-
, garden approach, to form a subway under the street for the
reception of gas and water mains, electric tele^ra ph con-
ductors, and other matters. The construction or this sub-
way is the street cm/unending at the corner of Long-acre,
opposite the end of eranboursedreet, and :116 feet in length,
is proceedinimrampeidly. The arch of the subway is 12 feet in
and 1 brick thick ; the headway in centre is 6 feet
6 tacker are side to admit of °noncom
with homes. The sewer, 3 fest Y Whits by 2feet 6 inches,
is below the read level of the enberay. Os either side of
lb* eeleer, at a abort theism, free' it, the vaults for in.
Ueda" buena see bag fersted.--aeadler.