The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-19 00:00:00

St rll, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 19, 1864.

SHARE MARKETS,---This day,

ORDINARY SHARES AND STOW IS.

Share Railways. paid.; Closing 1 Business
I Price. , done.
13.14. Bir., Wol., and Str. Val. all 8 84
25 Blythe and Tyne.
10 Ilost.,Sleat,andMid.Co all 51 9
st Bristol and Exeter
at Caledonian lOO 1181 1191
50 Cork and Bandon all
20 Cornwall all 6 7
10 Do A
10 Do. B A trots no div ,all —
till 6p c.p an.has t ~" _
bee paio B.!)
50 Dublin & Belfast Juno.' all 35 37
25 Dun.,Perth,&Ab. June.' all 16 17
at 'Edinburgh & Glasgow. 100 91 93
at !Glasg. and S. Western.' lOO 101 1( 6
at IGreatEastern, Ord. titk , 100 47 8 474 f
st Ditto A stock i 100 --
et Ditto Eastanglian st,l 100 61 71
at GreatNorthot Scotland LI 100
st (Great Northern... I 100 127 128
at Do A stock
at Do Bdo
st Gt. S. an IW. of Irelan i 100 93 95
st Great Western .... . .
at Do Str Val gua. stook 100
at Lancashae & Yorkshire 160 1, 95 110
at London and Blackwall 100 68 70
at Lon., Bright.,& S. Coast, 100 , 103 101 104 4
at Lon., Chat., and Dover 100 424 4.-l1
st Lon. & Norib Western 100 , 1084 1081 1081 4
at Lon. & Str.th Western 100 ' 98 100 98
at !Man., Shef., & Lincoln. 100 52 63 531 2f
50 ;Maryport and Carlisle. all
121 Dot shares... . all
et Metropolitan all 1111 1121 1121 1
at Midland
Do New
at Do Firming. & Derby 100 96 98 981
50 Mild. Gt. W. of Ireland all
25 Do. 1 shares
25 Mid Kent ... all
10 Do Cray Line
at North British
at Edin., Perth, & Dundee 100 24 26
at Nth. Eastern—Berwick 100 1001 1011 101
25 Do, G.N.E. purchase 16.13.4 a
at Do Leeds lOO 55i SVI
at Do York
at Do Carlisle..
at 'North London
10 I Do New 5 1 2 p
,9.16.4 North Staffordshire
10 'N. and S. W. Junction all 111 111
at Scottish Central
at Scot N. E., Aber. stock 100 4,, 44
at Do Scot. Mid. stock lOO 98 100
10 Shrews. and Welchpoo; all
at 'Shropshire Union
st South Devon lOO 34 86
at South Eastern
at South Wales
at S. York. and River Dun 100 98 101
20 Staines,Wok.,andWok all di 91
25 Stockton & Darlington all 37 38
25 Do l7 91 10 0
25 Do New, 1866 lO 7 8 i,
at Taff Vale..
10 Do B 8 5 7
10 Do C 3 3 t p
30 Ulster
20 Do
12.10 , Do 54
at Vale of Neath
,t Victoria stn. and Pim lOO I
at Waterford & Kilkenny 100
at West Cornwall lOO 22 24
st W. Hartlepool liar,&R lOO
at West Midland -Oxford 100
at I Do Newport 100 -,... ..
at Do Ileretordl 100

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE,
(This Day, )

The never-ceasing wheel of time has brought round
another University Boat Race, and we believe there never
has been one that has created more excitement than the
present, nor in which there has been either a greater
amount of money speculated, or the odds have
more fluctuated. The love of the English for aquatic
sports in this our seagirt isle is a striking trait in their
character, and the penchant has been fostered by the esta-
blishment awl wide increase of rowing clubs amongst the
'people of every position and denomination.

When the University race first commenced, rowing at
the Universities was in its infancy compared with its present
maturity; it was not then as it is now. It was considered
enough to bring them into competition now and then, but
not yearly. There was a gap of seven years between the
first and second matches, and three more before they again
entered the lists, and a corresponding time afterwards, but
for the last 10 years it has been annual. Its attractions
were at first insignificant, but the most cursory reference
to the contests of later years must show the interest and
importance that have gradually grown with its growth and
strengthened with its strength. To not only the old
University men and the public at large is this peculiarly a
matter of excitement and interest, but it is anticipated with
mingled feelings of anxiety and pleasure by the crews
themselves—notwithstanding the severe training and
enormous self-denial to which they are subjected, and
talked of with pride and admiration in after life, to the
latest period, by its heroes.

In the revolutions of time there have been exactly 20
contests between the sister universities, In the first 9 of
these, extending over a period of 20 years from 1829 to
1849, Cambridge won 7, but latterly fortune has smiled upon
their opponents, and in the last 11 years, including the three
last, Oxford has achieved 8 victories to 3 of Cambridge ; so
it will be seen that the present race was to determine out of
the whole which was the winner, and the anxiety which
has been manifested during the past week, and the larg e
attendance at Putney, conclusively attest the interes t
which was taken in the result.

The following were the gentlemen composing
crews :

OXFORD.

st lb
C. P. Roberts, Trinity
W. Awdry, B
F. H. Kelley, University
J. C. Parson, Trinity
W. B. Jacobson, Christ Church l2 4
A. E. Seymour, Tlniversity ...
M. Brown, Trinity
D. Pocklington,•Brasenose
C. R. Tottenham, Christ Church (cox)

EXPERIMENTS AT SUOEBURYNESS,

Another theoretical novelty in the way of targets
was tested at this practice-ground on Wednesday,
and, like most of the extraordinary novelties that
are brought there, was proved to be utterly worth-
less in two shots. The target was one composed
of compressed wool, made after Mr. Nasmyth's
plan, that gentleman, and a very large number of
others also, entertaining a confident opinion that a
good thickness of wool when pressed tight would
offer an amount of resistance to shot which, if not
sufficient to keep it out altogether, was, at least,
certain to be enough to-justify the Government in
making experimental inquiries on the subject. We
do not know, even if the discovery had been success-
ful, how it was proposed to utilise it—how, for in-
stance, to recolt onr ironsides with 10 or 12 feet of
pressed wool, or how to apply so bulky end cum-
brous an appliance in any way. Fortun t.cly there is
no necessity for considering such embarrassing
speculation now, inasmuch as the experiment of
Wednesday proved the wool to be rather more per-
meable to shot than almost any other novelty that
has yet been fired at. A very few words is suffi•
cient to tell the result. The target, if we may so
call it, was a wrought iron tube, like a boiler or iron
funnel, open at both ends,loft. in diameter and about
11ft• long. The wool part of the target was con-
structed by tilting this on end and filling it with wool
as tightly as men could trample it down till the cylin-
der was full. It was then laid on its side fronting
the gun, so as to present the appearance of a large
white circular target or drum, 10ft. in diameter and
lift. thick of solid wool. The first shot was fired
from the Armstrong 100.poun der:with a 101 b charge,
and this not only passed through the target from
end to end, but buried itself i❑ the earth behind.
A second shot was fired from the 68-pounder, with
the usual service charge, and this also went through,
burying itself in the bank, and as a means of re-
sistance the target was such a palpable and utter
failure that even Mr. Nasmyth was satisfied with
these two shots, and concurred in the uselessness of
firing any more. The result exactly fulfilled the
anticipations of the Iron-plate and Ordnance Com.
mittees, who, however, concurred in the propriety
of trying the experiment, for the sake of exploding
and putting an end to the theory for ever. One
would think, however, that the extensive and ex-
pensive experience the Government have had of the
value of these new theories would by this time have
given them sufficient confidence to say " No" to
experiments with any further crotchets except at
the inventor's own expense.
An infinitely more curious and important ex-
periment took place at Shoeburyness last week, to
test the powers of the greatest gun yet forged
by Sir William Armstrong against oue of the
thickest plates which Messrs. John Brown and Co.'s
eminent firm have yet produced for actual armour
plating. The gun was the celebrated Big Will, the
600 pounder, about which so many canards have
been in circulation as to its having given way at the
breech, &c., for all of which there has not been the
slightest foundation. This magnificent piece of ord-
nance has only been fired 20 times, each time with
the most prodigious result, and after the great ex-
periment of Thursday it was as perfect inside
and out as the day it left the factory at Elswick.
The mass of iron, for it can hardly be called
a plate, against which it was tried on Thurs.
day, was no less than eleven inches in thickness—
a sample of one of the many of the same enormous
strength made by Messrs. Brown and Co. for the
Russian Government to plate the sea faces of some
of the most important and most exposed of the
Crenstadt forts. According to the theory of the
Iron-plate Committee, that the strength of an iron
plate increases as the square of its thickness, the
11-inch mass tried on Thursday was equal in
strength to no less than six plates of the famous
Warrior target ; yet, before the experiment com-
menced not the slightest doubt was entertained
that the 6JO-pounder would utterly smash if the
fired with a 6001 b. shot. The real interest of the
experiment consisted in ascertaining—first, whe-
ther the same destructive result would be gained
by using the gun as a smooth-bore with a steel
shot of half the weight; secondly, how the gun

would stand the tremendous charge of 901bs. of
powder ; and, thirdly, whether the fracture of the
plate would show that even Messrs. Brown could
manufacture one of 11 inches in thickness perfect
throbghout. These were the three points really at

issue, and the solution of these was looked forward
to with keen interest by all the officers on the ground.
The first and only shot, we are happy to say, settled
them a 11 in the most satisfactory manner, and proved

the enormous advantage of steel shot, the strength
of the gun, and the excellent manufacture of the
plate. The plate or slab of iron was four feet long by
three and a half wide, and was unimpaired in its
strength by a single bolt hole or fastening. It was
held up vertically against two 12 inch beams of solid
oak, to which it was fastened by railway iron passing
up its face on either side. Behind it, and in support
of the oak beams, was the Fairbairn target of 5
inch plates and a 1 inch inner skin, with the usual

massive framework of iron rib beams. This target,
however, did not support the plate to be fired
at, but only the beams of olk which held it in
its position. There was an interval of 12 inches be-

twe en the plate and the Fairbairn target, which was
left purposely that the former might do its own
work if it could unaided. The proceedings were
commenced by firing two cast iron round shot of
300 lb. weight, levelled at 200 yards' range, against
a " dummy" target placed close alongside the 11
inch plate, for the purpose of determining Vie exact
degree of elevation to be given to the gun. Both
these were fired with the enormous charge of 901 b.

of powder. Such charges even with 600 pounders
would not be used in actual warfare, and for
experimental purposes like that of Thursday were
objectionable, as it seemed to make it almost as
much an effort to destroy the gun as the target.
To load " Big Will" with a sack of powder, such as
two men could scarcely lift into the muazle—sach

a sackful as it was never built to withstand,

and such as it would not be loaded with in

service—seemed, as an experiment, almost childish.
The gun stood it perfectly to all outward seem•
ing ; but those conversant with the nature of
wrought iron know very well that the piece is so

much the worse for the ordeal through which it
has now been forced, and that they have, if any-

thing, less confidence in " Big Will" after such a
straining than they had before it was tested at all.
Our system of testing wrought•iron guns is con-
demned without an exception by the Artillery
officers of all other nations in the world. The pre-

cise range having been ascertained" Big Will" was
again stuffed with a sackful of powder, but, instead
of a cast-iron projectile, was loaded with a steel
round shot of 3441 b. weight, and levelled against
the target. This shot struck the very centre of the
plate with a terrible crash, at a velocity of 1,560
feet, and at one blow closed the experiments of the

day. Nothing further remained to be accomplished,
for the target was gone. Never, probably has a more
tremendous blow been struck by human agency.
The mass of steel driN en by the tremendous charge

of powder must have struck the target with a power
inconceivable, for everything went down before it.

The solid oak beams behind the plate were crushed
into splinters, and the plate itself hurled bodily back
against the Fairbairn target and split into two
pieces, one huge piece being flung away to the right
and the other to the left, and all this before the shot

had time to penetrate to a greater depth than 41
inches. The 11-inch plate, i❑ fact, had not snffi-

cient stability even to receive the blow aimed at it;
it was torn apart by the tremendous force with
which it was jammed against the Fdirbairn target

behind, and an examination of the fracture showed

hat its manufacture was admirable. Fourteen feet

in front of the target lay the ateel shot, much

flattened and cracked, bt►t evidently as good meta!

of its kind as Mr. Brown's plate itself. A close
examination of the gun was next made by
the Inspector of Artillery, and it was found

:0 ba wholly uninjured. Notwithstanding
he use of steel round shot in a rifled

gun, the grooves of the rifling remained as
Sharp and fine as ever, and only one feeling seemed
to be entertained on the ground as to the strength

of the gun and the excellence of the plates.
Our readers may, perhaps, ask what further moth-
ficatins or htinges are denoted by this_experiment,

I either in our ironclads or our artillery. We fear that,
BS far as a pratical result is concerned, the experiment
is absolutely worthless, except as showing that
Messrs. Brown and Co. can make an 11-inch plate
as perfect as their 52-inch plates, and that the 600
pounder will utterly destroy the most perfect 11 inch
plate that can be made. Unfortunately, however,
11-inch plates are not wanted for our ironclads, be-
cause they cannot carry them, and still more unfor-
tunately, the 600 pounder which can destroy them
is not in our service. The 600 pounder at Shoe-
buryness is only an "experimental" gun—so called,
we presume, from the fact that no experiments
worth speaking of have been undertaken with it,
and that, though it has been rustint,: on the beach
at Shoeburyness since last April, only '4.'o rounds have
been fired from it in a year. What the iivari will de-
stroy is pretty well known, but what the gun will
endure before it is itaelf destroyed no one seems
to know, cr care about knowing. And it is this very
question of the life of these large guns--that is, the
number of effective rounds they will fire, not the
number of destructive charges which they can be
made to take before breaking, which the country
ought to see solved. The stereotyped answer of the
Government to all complaints about the want of effi-
cient artillery is that more of these great guns can-
not be ordered till their powers of endurance are
known. Yet this 600 pounder—their best gun—has
beer now a whole year at Shoeburyness without
even an attempt to ascertain the number of rounds
it will stand. It is the same with the 300 pounders.
Where are the big guns which have alone proved
really efficient against thick iron plates? Where
are these 300 pounders, one shot from which has
never failed to smash the strongest experimental
naval target at Shoeburyness, against which even
salvoes of 68 pounders and 110 pounders were fired
in vain ? There are two on board the i4unnery•ship
Excellent at Portsmouth, one or two at Shoebury-
ness, another on board the Royal Sovereign cupola
ship,and about eight unrifled, and without even car-
riages, in store at the Arsenal. It cannet be ima-
gined that the Admiralty really believe in the po-
tency of their old guns, or even in the Duke of
Somerset's 100 pounder Armstrong smooth bores,
for the successful attack of iron-plated vessels such
as now exist. Oae 300 pounder is to be preferred
to a whole broadside of such guns, and one 600
pounder is vastly superior in destructive Effect io
many 300 pounders. Those powerful guns are good
for something or good for nothing. The public
urgently desire to know the truth with respect to
them, and very properly complain of spending large
sums of money upon experimental machines which
hitherto have been merely employed as bugbears to
frighten our enemies and lull the British nation into
false notions of security. We have monster iron.
clads, and so have other Powers; but what are they
good for without suitable guns ?
It is important that the public should know that,
in the event of the necessity arising for large ord-
nance like 300 and 600 /minders, a considerable
period must elapse before they can be supplied. If
the powers of endurance of the big guns are sti

doubtful, who is responsible for the delay in the
decision of this question ? It can hardly be attri-
buted to the responsible advisers of the War office
in the matter of artillery—the Ordnance Select
Committee, for they must clearly have reported
in favour, at least, of the 300 pounder, as otherwise
these guns would not have been formally intro-

duced into the service. Is economy the cause ? I
so, we may venture to suggest that, as the price o
iron has risen considerably of late, the acres of ob.

solete cast-iron guns at the Arsenal might now be
disposed of with advantage. The uninstructed
Englishman, in surveying this endless array of old
and useless guns, may, perhaps, consider the scene
as peculiarly impressive, and felicitate himself that

his country possesses such inexhaustible stores of
ordnance. No greater or more serious delusion can
well be entertained. With the exception of the
Armstrong field artillery, we are now without any
recognised gun, and have none whatever of large
calibre for army or navy. The experiments at
Shoeburyness are very interesting, and would be
valuable if they were anything but experiments.
Bnt the important results which have been elimina-
ted there have been ignored in turn by both Admi-

ralty and War-office, and at the end of four years'
experimenting, and nearly two millions of money,
we are still dawdling on at trials like that of Thurs

day, when it is the plates which are tested, and not
the gun which knocks them to pieces, and then rusts

till John Brown sends up a stronger and a thicker

plate, A plate sent up to Shosburiness one week is
tried the next. The 300 pounders were sent there

in May, 1862; the 600 pounder in April, 1863;
and here in March, 1864, the Government state
that they are not yet acquainted with their powers

of endurance. Experiments at Shoeburyuess are
very costly ; as far as acting upon their results are
concerned, either in targets or guns, they seem ut-

_
terly wort'hless. Both the Ordnance and the Iron-
plate Committee know this well, and, what is worse,
know that they are powerless to remedy the evil.

The Yankees' Tribute to Mr. Bright !

(From the Alta California, San Francisco, lan. 27.)

The following was received by the United States
Marshal yesterday, and the conditions were shortly
afterwards communicated to Rubery, who signified
his intention of proceeding by the first steamer to
England, at the same time thanking the MArshal
for ,his uniformly courteous demeanour towards
him. He was then released :

" Abraham Lincoln, President of the United
States of America, to all to whom these presents
may come, greeting : Whereas one Alfred Rubery
was convicted on or about the 12th day of October,
1863, in the circuit court of the United States for
the district of California, of engaging in and
giving aid and comfort to the existing rebel-
lion against the Government of this country,
and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, and
to pay a fine of 10,000 dollars; and where•
as the said Alfred Rubery is of the immature
age of twenty years, and of highly respectable
parentage; and whereas the said Alfred Rubery is a
subject of Great Britain, and his pardon is desired
by John Bright of England :

"Now, therefore be it known that I, Abraham
Lincoln, President of the United States of America,
these and divers other considerations me thereunto
moving, and especially as a public mark of the es-
teem held by the United States of America for the
high character and steady friendship of the said
John Bright, do hereby grant a pardon to the said
Alfred Rubery, the same to begin and take effect on
the 20th day of January, 1864, on condition that he
leave the country within thirty days from and after
that date. In testimony whereof I have hereunto
signed my name, and caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed.

" Dane at the City of Washington, this
seventeenth day of December, A.D. 1863, and of the
independence of the United States the eight•eighth.
"By the President.
" ABRAHAM LINCOLN. [L. a.]
" Wm, H. SEWARD."

Exeter Assizes.—A Scene in Court,

-11 - - -
(From the Law Times of to-day, just published.)

A " scene" occurred at the Exeter assizes on
Friday. During the hearing of a case Mr. Carter,
a barrister, made an observation which Mr. Baron
Bramwell said the learned gentleman had no
right to make.
Carter—You have no right to interrupt in this
way.
His Lordship—l have the right, for yon are
stating that which is incorrect.
Carter--I have it on my notes:
His Lordship—Hear me out, sir, You, sir, know
that the only binding record of what a witness says
is what appears on the judges notes, and 1 have
not got it down.
Carter (sharply)—Then you ought to have it
down.
His Lordship—lf you repeat that expression to
ety
yourself to
d de
tee send you out of court, sir.
ICTairstie
Lordship
—rdYshoiup_areßeebtalvibe
o it.contly, or you
shall be sent out.
Carter—Your Lurdshi
p bas no right to address
me in this way.

His Lordship—I have VA right and shall exer-
nig° it, very unpleasantly for you, perhaps.
Carter—You may exercise the power ; but I don't
know whether you have the right or not. I protest
against being interrupted and addressed in this
manner.

His Lordship—Go on with your address, and
conduct yoursalf properly.
Carter then continued his address to the jury.

'TIM CITY MERCANTILE CLUB al
11 DINING HALL COMPANY (Limited).
(Incorporated under the Companies Act, 1562.)
Capital, £BO,OOO, in 8000 shares of £lO each.
Deposit, per Share on application, and £1 on allotmer
Should no allotment be made the deposit will be returnee.
in full.
BANKERS.
The London and County Bank, Lombard-street Cite
and Hanover-square.
Messrs. Cousins, Allen, and Co., Leeds.
SECRETARY (pro. tem.)—Mr. J. W. Tempest.
Temporary Offices-24, Bucklersbury (two doors from tl
Mansion House.)
Holders of £lO shares and upwards will (subject to t 7
ballot) be admitted to the membership of the club, withol
entrance fee.
The Directors have scoured the noble pile of Pill' dings, xr
107 and i Cheapside. immediately opposite to Bow chtlr
and extending to Ilcney- ane in the rear, erected two ye,
since, from the designs, and under the superintendence, of
J. Knowtt s, Esq., F. I. B.A.

CITY MERCANTILE CLUB and DININ
HALL COMPANY Limited .
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That THURSDAY ne:
the 24th March inst., is the LAST D..-Y on which Apphc
tions for Shares wil be received.

By 2-1, Bucklersbury, 19th March, IE9I Order of the Beard.

SECOND EDITION

bUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK.

LREUTER'S TELEGRAM.] -
RELEASE OF GERMAN SHIPS.

HANOVER, INIAEcu 19.

The Danish G3vernment has decreed the releal
of the Hanoverian ships under embargo in Dania,
ports.

THIRD EDITION

SUN OFFICE, SIX O'CLOCK.

SPAIN.

MADRID, March 18.—The Minister of Finan(
is preparing a measure for discounting the bil
given in payment of the national property. Ti
money will be advanced by the Bank of Spain i
co-operation with an English house.