The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-18 00:00:00

THE REFORM RILL AND THE GO'

The Tina continues to dismiss from the range of pos-
sible things the passage of a reform bill this session,
and represents the committee as simply choosing the mate-
rials for a reform act in a future year. In such a case the
failure of amendments are of little importance ; for it
must happen that improvements in the government scheme
rejected this session by narrow majorities will be quietly
introduced in the amended measure when again brought
forward, because the government will have arrived at the
sound conclusion that they are approved in fact, though
not in form, by a majority of the House of Commons.
Sympathising with Lord Dunkellin's motion to-night,
the Timea protests against treating the debate
upon the matter as one upon which the existence
of the ministry depends. The probability is that the
point was scarcely considered in the cabinet, and there can
be no humiliation in acknowledging the force of the argu•
meats against their first proposaL
The Daily News assumes that the tones are not strong
enough to carry Mr. Bovill's amendment for an 81. qualifi-
cation, and looks upon Lord Dunkellin's proposal for a
rating qualification as the one which will unite most corn.
pletely the opponents of reform. It is obvious, however,
that the government must treat any attempt to raise the
proposed borough qualification as an attack upon a vital
portion of their bill. The franchise qualification is plainly
a matter on which no concession is possible, and those who
may vote with Lord Dunkellin will do so as intending to
destroy at once the Reform Bill and the government.
The Telegraph says those who wish that, in the present
state of affairs abroad and at home a thoroughly efficient
and trusted ministry should remain at the helm of affairs,
must vote against the Dunkellin amendment and all
other hostile amendments ; for Lord Russell's cabinet will
not condescend to survive its word of honour that justice
should be dispensed to the working classes.
The Star also remarks that those who press such
amendments as Mr. Deirdre and Lord Dunkellin's will do
so in the full knowledge that the fate of the government
is in the balance.

WISCILLANIVICB TOPICS.
Deecribiug the late experiment upon the Royel Sc

aid assuming it as decisively proved that a turret built on
Captain Coles's principle will sustain u many shot. as it
would be likely to receive in a smut action without suf-
fering any derangement of it. working machinery, the
riflit4 trusts that the turret system may now be developed
to good purpose and without further delay.
The Telegrsph thinks that in regard to the vital problem
which lies at the root of the system, we are as far from it.
solution as ever. That problem is embodied in the ques-
tion, how we are to guard against the passing of a shot
through the ship's aide, so that no injury shall be sus-
tained by the wheel part of the machinery, which lips
underneath the turret, and which is so large as to admit
of being 'Meek without difficulty. The Americans be-
lieve that they render the machinery invulnerable
by exposing not more than from 18 to 20 inches
of the ship's side above water, and by plating the
narrow strip of surface with 10 inches of iron. In Eng-
land we have always ridiculed the idea of calling one of
these submerged trays a seaworthy vessel. The cruise of
' the Mona Inc ok from New York to San Francisco, and the
mileage of the Miantonomoh across the Atlantic, if mc-
oesdully accomplished, will open our eyes.
Assenting to the remarks of one or two opeakers in the
House of Commons that it would be inconvenient' to the
house to accept, as a general rule, from private admira-
tion, monument tributes to its departed members, the
Daily New adds if ever there was a " parliament man"
whom it concerned the House of Commons to remember
with honour, it was Joseph Hume. Hie parliamentary