The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-21 00:00:00

WOODEN ARMOUR PLATED SHIPS.

This morning was issued a return giving a variety
of interesting particulars respecting the iron :lad ships
which are built of wood. It seems that the ships designed as
wooden nearmouredliee d battleships by the late contaroller
and the late thief constructor, and converted into armour-
clad ships by the present controller, Admiral Robinson, and
the present chief constructor, Mr. Watts, are the Cale-
donia, the Orman, the Prince Cocrirt, Royal Oak, Royal
Alfred, and Royal Soverelp. The expenses incurred
on the hull of the Caledonia amount M 2i2,6771. and sub-
sequent alterations up to the end of last year,
have cost 16,1991. The Ocean, which is not yet completed,
has cost 267,0551. The hull of the Prince Consort cost
196,4221., and there are subsequent expense of 9,4501.
214,0801, was spent on the hull of the Royal
Oak, sad 11,5341. has been Waco incurred. The
conversion of the Royal Sovereign cost an u-
rines in the first instance of 148,060/. and 9,1341. has
since bests spent. The wooden srmour.plated ships de-
signed by the present controller and the present chief
constructor are not yet completed. They are the Lord Clyde,
which has cost already 267,065/. ; the Lord Warden,
242,1301. ; and the Pallas, 184,4341. The following
ships were also designed as wooden ships by the late con-
troller and chief constructor, and converted into armour-
plated vessels during the present controller of the navy's,
and the late chief constructor's tenure of office by Mr. E.
3. Reed. They are not yet completed. They are the
Favourite, whose hull bas cost up to the present
time 152,7971., end the Zealous, 189,3331. There
are also in the tame category the Research,
which caused an expense in the first instance of 65,0501.,
end a subsequent expense of 4,307/. ; and the Enterprise,
which met at first 59,6661., and 1,904!. sifts. The Lord
Warden has been launched, but has not yet been tried.
The cost of the Royal Sovereign prior to conversion was
228,0001. for the hull. This sum has not been included in
the cost of conversion to a turret ship.

The DeoLosuss COMMUIBION.—The annual re-
port of this bcdy was issued to-day. The number of cases
during the year is 278, the average of inclosnres confi-med
is 474,939, and of those in progress 188,498. The commis-
sioners have received the necessary consent to 14 further
inolonires, sod they append the grounds oo which they
approve of the proceeding. None of the lands proposed to
be inclosed are withis 15 miles of Louden, but orsemore-
Ham is within three miles of the city of Gloucester, and part
of Balliford-hill and Warleigb-commou may be within the
urns distasee of the city of Bath. In the former ease no
public allotments have been reqieral, there being a large
tract of land immediately adjoining the perish, which lies
open, and is used by the public, for exeroise and recreation ;
in the latter allotments for exercise and recreation, and for
the labouring poor, are set out by the provisional order.
On the 17th of April Mr. Henry Selwin will
move that " io the opinion of this house an early redac-
tion should be made in the duty upon malt."
On Friday Mr. Darby Griffith will ask the Under
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. "whether the atten-
tion of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been
directed to the critical state of the mistime between
Prussia and Austria, and with what result r
The Owl states that Mr. Julian Goldsmid is
shoat to offer himself as a candidate foe the seat at Hoot-
tonl valiant by the death of Mr. F. D. Goldemid.
A parliamentary return shows that the total
amount of the fund for the military savings banks up to the
12tk inst. was 321,8341. 13s. 4d.
At the Agricultural Hall on Easter Monday, a
great tonic sol-fa choral festival of 1,000 voices will be
held, in aid of the sick fend of the drivers and conductor
el the Favorite omnibuses.
A Cherbourg paper states that it has bees re-
solved that the Poole and Cherbourg steamers are to make
day passages henrys* the two ports in future.
At the meeting of the National Association,
Deblia, yesterday, Mr. Ilagolre's Lad Bill was ander con-
sideratios. A letter from The ODnioghne declared the
bill to be utterly worthless. The amee;atioe, however,
adopted it as the minimum that should be accepted.