The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-25 00:00:00

BOOKS FOR SAILORS.

TO THE EDITOR 07 THE HIPHIDIB.
Sin,—There is one class who are without a vote,
and without the chance of voting, if even they had ; they
make no murmurs, though without them our country
would be poor, and it is they who bring all the riches to
the country. Most of them would be entitled to • vote if
the suffrage was decided by educational merits. Nearly
all can read, many can read well, but they are • neglected
class, and the opportunity for reading is denied them.
Generally they are so situated they cannot buy books—
their wages are often unpaid until they are so situated that
they receive all their pay just when they are likely to lose
it ; and, even if they had their wages paid monthly, they
could not buy even a penny paper daily, if they wished.
How can we help this clam?
They don't want a vote, but they want books, and no
greater act of kindness can be done to them than by pro-
viding them with that which they cannot buy for the
greater part of the year, and which too often their masters
will not or cannot give to them. I allude to sailors. Not
one ship in ten is supplied with books for the crew. Any
odd numbers of periodicals, Chamberes Journal, Honor
hold Words, Good Words, &c., are moat acceptable. We
have been making • collection for distribution among
sailors and emigrants, and in six months have received
above 150 volumes of the Illustrated London News, many
volumes of the Cornlall, Sunday at Home, the British
Workman, Punch, hc.,and have had whole volumes bound
and odd numbers have been given away. We have received
over 2,000 volumes of books besides, and have made up
nearly 50 good libraries for large ships, all supOlied and
taken on board free of charge of any kind. We have also
distributed large numbers of Bibles, Testaments, and
Prayer Books and school books, slates, tic— in emigrant
ships. The railways on both sides of the Thames carry
parcels of books free, when_ directed by goods train from
. .

London to the mission.
Will you, sir, use your influence to get us more books,
more periodicals ? We only ask for such as are put sway.
We shall take care that they are made of real benefit to
those who will most prize them.
We counted upon the underwriters helping us in thus
doing something to improve the tone of those who bad
charge of both ship and cargo in which they had the
greatest interest, but as many decline, we hope still to
carry ou the work if we are but supplied with books to
distribute. The mission is merely s branch work of Holy
Trinity parish here.—l am, &c.,
JOHN SCARTIT, Acting Chaplain.
St. Andrew's Waterside Church Mon,
Gravesend, Oct, 23.

- - -
"In nothing," says the Times, "is the contrast
between Germany and Italy more striking than in the
number of patriots and statesmen by whom the cause of
each of the two countries has been forwarded and its des-
tinies matured. Against the Belho, Gioberti, D'Azeglio,
Manin, Farini, Iticesoli, Garibaldi, Massini, and a hundred
others whose names are household words throughout
Europe, Ormany can only produce that solitary and very
questionable Bismarck."
The Ceurrier de Lyon has the following :—" We
learn on good authority that the painful position to which
the silk weavers of this city have been reduced by the
prolonged industrial crisis is the object of lively solicitude
in a high quarter, and there is every reason to hope that
good results will follow. M. Brosset, President of the
Chamber of Commerce, and M. Arles Dufour, of the same
body, who have gone to Paris on a mission connected with
the condition of the silk manufacture, are expected back
immediately, and will doubtless render an account of what
has passed."
A St. Petersburg letter says :—" Different net-
works of railways have been constricted either by the
government or by private companies, and the lines already
in working are the following :-1. St. Petersburg to Mos-
cow. 2. Moscow to Nigni-Novgorod. 3. St. Petersburg to
TsartkoeSelo. 4. St. Petersburg to Peterhoff. 5. St. Peters-
burg to Warsaw. G. Wilna to the Prussian frontier. 7. Riga
to Dunaburg. 8. Moscow to Riasan. 9. Moscow to
Jaroslaw. 10. Odessa to Balta. The government is,
besides, forming a line from Moscow to Orel and Kourak,
and has granted to some foreign capitalists concessions
to
continue the Dunaburg network so Vitebsk, and thence to
Oral. The state has also undertaken the works for a line
to unite Poti, Tiflis, and Bakon, and is making surveys for
other collateral branches."
COMMERCIAL TRAVZLLERS' SCHOOLS, PINNER.
—A meeting of the friends of this useful institution was
held last evening at the London Tavern to commemorate
the anniversary of the opening of the schools in 1855 by
his Royal Highness the late Prince Consort. Mr. George
Rockdale occupied the chair, and in the observations ad-
dressed to the meeting said that was the day set apart to
celebrate the opening of the institution. It was called the
" Orphans' Day," and had for some years been selected for
the 'impose of making a simultaneous collection at the
commercial hotels throughout the United Kingdom in sup-
port of the funds of the schools. He was happy to say that
the system had been highly successful, and he trusted that
every exertion would continue to be made to maintain the
institution in an efficient state. A circular was read which
bad been addressed by the chairman to town travellers,
calling attention to the advantages offered by the institu-
tion, and soliciting their support and co-operation in car-
rying out the objects for which it was established. At
present there are 182 children educated and maintained in
the schools, and the receipts during the year amounted to
8,9321., of which his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
who is the patron of the institution, contributed fifty
guineas. At the meeting last evening the usual collection
was made, and a handsome sum was subscribed. A vote
of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.
GUNNERY EXPRRIMSNIS. —Yesterday another I
important series of experiments took place upon the
Palliser chilled shot and shell, and Firth steel ellen. The I
Palliser shells were made of Pontypool iron, with thinner
bodies to allow of larger bursting charges ; and they pene-
trated with ease the thick 8-inch armour plates, the
18-inch teak backing, and the double akin of two 9-16th
inch plates, causing more terrible destruction at the back
of the target than anything witnessed on the last trial
some few weeks ago. One 9-inch Palliser shell was fired
at the Warrior target under circumstances intended to
represent a distance of 2,000 yards, bet probably in
reality equalling some greater distance between that
range and 3,000 yards • the penetration was com-
plete. and the teak baking was set on Ire, the flames
quickly coming through the shot-hole. The 7-inch
Palliser shells also did great work. Mr. Firth's 7-inch steel
shells had heads formed of the peculiar curve designed by
Major Palliser, an ogivel, of I's diameter, and had been
tempered to a marvellous degree. The new Warrior
target No. 28 was completely penetrated by them ; the
fore parts of the shells, perfect in form even to their
extreme points, coming through memo distance to the rear.
The result of these experiments is briefly stated to be that
the Palliser shot and shell, doing week of the vary best
quality at ler than half the east of steel, are decided upon
for the national ammunition, while the manner in which
the 'teal has been brought up to the requirenseuts of the
time will justify the liestien of the steel suggiied under
previous contracts.