The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-07 00:00:00

power of penetration, and are far less expensive.
Experience will no doubt enable engineers to com-
bine the advantages of both. While the Board of
Ordnance were despairing of being able to rifle the
smooth bores on hand, and ARMSTRONG, WHIT-
woRTIT, and others were endeavouring to reduce
the windage of their guns as much as possible,
Messrs. MACKAY have produced a rifled cannon in
which the projectile does not fit the grooves, but
the gas of the explosion passing through the grooves
as it passes out, gives a far greater rotatory motion
to the projectile than any yet attained by the old
system. The shot so propelled passed through a
plate of iron five and a half inches thick en Crosby
Sands not long ago. Might not this plan be tried
with advantage with the old GB pounders, for by
this contrivance the strain on t!we gun would not
be much increased. Naver again should the Go-
vernment bind itself down by contraut to one gun
or one individual. One would have thought we
had had enough of the old enchor contract, which
bound the Admiralty to furnish the navy with old
fashioned anchors, contracted for at a high price
for many years, because their predecessors, in bye-
gone times, had stipulated with one firm for the
supply, when they might have been furnished with
TROTMAN or PORTER'S superior articles at a less
Coat. If experience is thrown away upon fools, it
is equally wasted upon those who have the ability
but not the wish to profit by it.

The absence of Lord DERBY at this critical
uncture is very much to be regretted. It is one

of those inopportune events which so often cotne in
to subvert the plans and hinder the prjects of
those who have sedulously endeavoured to carry

,heir point. On this occasion, however, there are

many attendant circumstances which, in some
degree,atono for the disappointment created by the

absence of the noble earl. In the first place the

ug of war dces not take place in the House o

Lords, and it is not there that the momentous de-
cision will be made which settles the fate of 01E,

Ministry. Besides, the followers of the Conserva,
;ire chief are about to engage in a struggle to 1" in

dicate their party from any collusion with

.ors in their present policy, which at the same time
eopardises the preservation of peace, exhibits a

dastardly fear of war, and compromises the cha

ratter of the couwry in the most serious manner,
Lord MALMESBURY has uadertiken the task oi

bringing the subject forward in the Upper House.
His lordship explained his purposa at the meeting
which the Conservatives held the other day. He
then stated that, in the unavoidable absence of Lord

DEBBY, he would inform them of the noble earl's
wish that the resolution moved in the House of

Lords shoud b 3 submitted on a day that might
render the decision of th 9 two liaues as nearly as

possible simultaneous. This is a wise suggestion

and all sides mutt concur iu the desirability of eueh

an arrangement. In pursuance of this plan, the
noble lord gave notice that on Friday be would
move a resolution that,in the opinion of that House,

the course pursued by h,-_r AIAJESTY'S Governmim

n the Dano•Germau conflict, irsteed of maintain

ing its avowed policy of upholding the indepen-
dence and integrity of Denmark, had lowered the
just influence of this country in Europe, and
thereby diminished the prospects of peace. The
terms are nearly the same as in the resolutions
moved in the Commons. It is very desirable that
the opinion of thp Peers should be taken in a case of

such magnitude us this before us now. It is well
that the contending parties should kiaow that this

is considered an affair of such magnitude that both
houses of the Legislature deliberate upon its phases
and speculate upon its bearings. Ir, with the intel-

lifzence that these &bites have falser] place, it can
(io forth to the world that in both the assemblies
vote of censure has been psesed on the pusillani-
mous and insulting course pursued by her Muje,ty's
Ministers, the effect will be electrical in the Coun-

oils of Europe. Not only will the report ba of
weight where armies congregate, " where foe meets
foe, and trumpets rend the skies," but in
cities and Cabinets the momentous tidings
will be of great import. It is certain that
Lord MALMESBURY is a very fitting substitute for
Lord IJEREY, because he has for come time past

devoted his attention to foreign affairs, and on both
occasions when his party was in power he bald the
responsible cifice of Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs. In both instances he was eminently suc-
cessful in the discharge of his onerous duties, and
especially on the latter occasion when he took office
in the face of overwhelming difficulties. Lord PAL-
MERSTON and his friends had left behind them a fear
ful heritage for their successors ; and because these
latter had the wit and wisdom to extricate them-

selves, they were told that they only trod in the
footsteps of their predeceesors. Competent jildges
were aware, however, that
NT/3 Were in imminent risk
of a war with France. This evil, which is one of

:he greateet that can befall the interests of civ

sation and the balance of power in Europe,
w s pre-
by Lord
vented by the wise moderation displayed a
MALNIESBURT ; while by the ezereise of judicious
firmness he at the same time maintained the
honour of the country whose maksty ho was called
upon to represent before the nations of the world.
It is not, then, a- s
a novice that the noble lord

now comes forward to take
part in a debate
which treats of matters in which unfor • '
tunately our Cabinet has complicated the
interests and compromised the honour of
the country once again. May it prove now,
as heretofore, that they are checked in their
course and frustrated in their attempts. It is when
an assembly or a hous,) of
fulfils a solemn trust, representatives honestly
and honourably acquits itself of a grave duty, and
try. Home questions may be
the respect, the reverence, and the love of the conn-
extent, with impunity- trifled with, to a great
that it can best lay claim to
comparatively of little
consequence if a change is made this year or next
on most of the
incumbent topics which come under considera.
tion ; but when foreign Eiffairs are put forward—
when war matnal",„3 and peace policy are in the
and throw away
balance, it is upon all who hold a se-
sponsiblo position it is
time,
of expression
no opportunity of exercising
and affording the etalnaoeloofttdhimeecisive action. It is
to be trusted that if the debate close on Friday in
the House of Lords, that the absence of their chief
will not impede the progress of the Conservatives,
and prevent their carrying on their motion to a
triumphant issue. They have now a grand oppor-
tunity of vindicating their country's honour and
doing credit to their own house. There have not
been wanting critics and cavillers to deny the ser-
vices and question the
value of the hereditary branch
of the Legislature. Let the Peers of England now
prove that they are as faithful and fervent to de-
fend the interests and protect the honour of the
land from injury or mal-administration as their
forefathers were to march under the banners of their
Sovereign to the battlefields, which made famoas
some of the noblest names in the aristocracy of
Great Britain. It will be a loss to the assembly
if the RUPERT of debate cannot appear to advocate
with his matchless eloquence the cause so dear to
the heart of the country as its honour and its in-
fluence, but it is to be hoped that his earnest ex-

presion of Opin;o❑ so receutl) m.de on the bubjeci
of our policy with Denmark will be borne in mind
and impreso Om who msy waTer, and animate