The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-19 00:00:00

ANOTHER NEW GUN.

The Earl of DERBY called the attention of the Secre-
tary of War to a description, which had appeared in the
Liverpool papers, of soma experiments that had been made
with a gun invented by a gentleman of the name
of Mackay. The shot sent from the gun had
passed through one of the massive targets, drilling out a
piece of iron from the plate outside, and carrying it through
and casting it many yards beyond the target. The sand
upon which the shot fell showed that the spiral motion was
kept up to the last.

The Earl DE GREY and RIPON said he had sent an
officer down to Liverpool to witness the effects of the gun
in question, and a report had been received which confirmed
the principal points mentioned in the public newspapers.
The rest of the experiments made were curious and in-
teresting, and it would be advisable to make further in-
quiries as to the value of the invention. No decision had
been come to with respect to the gun, as the distance at
which the target was placed was short, but the effect of the
shot fired from the new gun had been such that further ex-
periments and trials would become necessary before he ex-
pressed a decided opinion upon it.
The Earl of HARD WICKE condemned the Armstrong
guns on board some of the ships in the royal navy, and he
considered the proceedings at Kagosima showed that these
guns were worse than useless. He advised the noble duke
the First Lord of the Admiralty to remove them, and
replace them with guns similar to those of which he was
the inventor.

The Duke of SOMERSET said he was not the inventor
of a gun. He had offered certain suggestions, and a gun
had been constructed in conformity with those suggestions.
In a short time he hoped to be able to communicate to their
lordships which was the best gun for the service, the rifled
or smooth-Lore. The ships would be armed with which-
ever gun proved to be the best.
After some further conversation the subject dropped.
'THE STEAM RAMS.

The Earl of DERBY gave notice that on Tuesday, the
26th inst., he should call attention to the correspondence
between her Majesty's Government and Messrs. Laird of
Birkenhead, in reference to the steam rams in the Mersey.
THE RESIGNATION OF MR. LOW.

Earl GRANVILLE announced that in consequence of
the vote in the House of Commons on Lord R. Cecil's mo-
tion on Tuesday last the Right Hon. R. Lowe had resigned
the office of Vice-President of the Council of Education.
The noble earl highly eulogised the ability of the late Minis-
ter, and observed that the educational department of the
Government had made enormous progress under his
auspices. He also remarked that the right hon. gentleman
had not been guilty of any undue interference with the
reports of the inspectors of schools.

The Earl of DERBY said he understood that a commit-
tee of the House of Commons was to be appointed to inquire
into the subject, and this appeared to him the most expedi-
ent course to be adopted.
The Union Relief Aid Acts Continuance Bill and the
Land Drainage (Provisional Orders) Bill were read a second
time.

The Vestry Cess Abolition (Ireland) Bill was read a
third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.

Mr. BREMRIDGE took the oaths and his seat for Barn•
staple, the committee having decided that his opponent,
Mr. Thomas Lloyd, had been guilty of bribery through
his agents, and therefore that his election was void.