The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-10 00:00:00

THE ALEXANDRA.

The Earl of DERBY wished to ask whether the noble
earl would lay upon the table the correspondence betweei
her Majesty's Government and the Federal Government oil
the subject of alleged depredations on American commerce
by vessels fitted out in British ports, and also with respect
to some rather strange decisions of the American prize
courts.

Earl RUSSELL said that in the present stage of laW
proceedings connected with this subject he deemed it ex.
pedient to withhold the correspondence referred to. On the
first night of the session the noble earl had spoken of a de-.
spatch of Mr. Seward making claims on account of the de.
predations of the Alabama, rnd expressed a hope that he
(Lord Russell) had answered that despatch in a fitting
manner. He could not at the time call to mind any such
despatch, and therefore he had omitted allusion to it in his
reply. He now found, however, that the despatch in ques-
tion was addressed by Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams, but in
the discretion of that gentleman it was not communicated
to him (Earl Russell)—(a laugh)—and that accounted for
hie inability to give to the noble earl an answer on Thurs.
day night. (Hear, hear.)
NAVAL ARTILLERY,

The Earl of HARD WICKE asked the Secretary of;
State for War whether her Majesty's ships were sup.
plied with guns and projectiles which could penetrate
tho side of a ship covered with iron plates 4f inches
thick. The subject was a moat important one. When
the improvement in small arms rendered an improve-
ment in artillery necessary, and Sir William Armstrong's
invention was brought before the notice of Government,
the Administration of which he was a member treated the
subject with great care; and he (Lord Hardwicke) believed
that Sir W. Armstrong had given to the artillery a new,
powerful, and beautiful weapon. Immediately, however,
plan of plating ships with iron sprang up, which defied
the then power of guns. Sir W. Armstrong had produced
guns to pierce in some degree such plates, but no less a suns
than upwards of two millions was expended on these guns.
Another inventor, however, Mr. Whitworth, had produced
guns which never failed in penetrating iron plates, but Mr.
Whitworth's experiments had not received that attention
which they deserved. He (Lord Hardwicke) did not think
the Government had acted quite fairly in the matter. The
experiments at Shoeburyness showed that in almost every
instance iron plates were pierced and destroyed, and under
these circumstances he thought he was entitled to ask how
it was that there was not on board any of her Majesty's
ships a gun capable of penetrating a plated ship's side. The
Armstrong gun on board ship was, to a great extent, un-
workable and inefficient. He thought it therefore time that
the invention of Mr. -Whitworth should be seriously taken,
into consideration.

The Duke of SOMERSET said it would perhaps be
better for him to answer the question. In 1859, they had
received an Armstrong gun—a 100-pounder—which was
sent to sea, It was found excellent. In consequence a num-
ber were ordered. But then came armour-plates, and this
gun failed as against them. The old 63-pounder was at that
time preferred. Then Mr. Whitworth was seen ;he pro-
duced a gun which sent a bolt through the plated sides of
the Trusty. He (the Duke of Somerset) bought the gun, but
some defections were found in it, and on subsequent trials it
burst. He could say that his only object was to get the
best gun, and not to favour any particular inventor. He
saw Mr. Whitworth again, who told him that the real
difficulty was to find a suitable metal for guns. A year
ago he was still anxious to get a really useful gun, but
from that day to this they had not got any gun, although
invited and asked for, from Mr. Whitworth, in order to
try it against Sir W. Armstrong's. Mr. Whitworth's in-
vention was undoubtedly a valuable one, and, as he hira_
self had said, it lay chiefly in the nature of the projectile.
Sir W. Armstrong's guns sent shell as well as shot through
plates; still they had not a good broadside gun for the
navy. He sent a year since for Sir W. Armstrong and
asked him for such a gun, smooth bore. It was sent—
about six tons weight. In September and October last it
was tried, and the practice was satisfactory, and the diffi•
culty of firing, as compared with the 68 -pounder, was
trifling, and it was reported to be the best gun in the
navy
against iron plates, with solid shot going right through.
them. This was therefore a good broadside gun, and a
number of them were at present in course of construction
and delivery, But they wanted also a rifle
gun, in order to
a comparison and final decision. They had now in fact a
rifle gun of this weight, and were only waiting for the
projectiles. At present, although they had only in the
navy the 68-pounder and the 6-ton smooth bore he had
described, they were on the way of obtaining a supply of
the best guns yet invented • and as they were thus increas-
ing the force of their guns, they were also making pro-
gress in increasing the strength of their ships' armour, tho
latest plan of this kind adopted being considerably stronger
than any that had gone before.
The Earl of HARDWICKE said that the noble duke
had said nothing to show that Mr. Whitworth could not
have furnished our ships with sufficiently powerful guns
to penetrate any armour plated ship's side. The noble duke
it seemed had himself turned.

Earl DE GREY and RIPON said the inquiry had been
stopped because Mr. Whitworth had not yet delivered the
guns which the committee desired him to submit for the
purpose of being tested with those of Sir W. Armstrong,
The excuse for the delay on Mr. Whitworth's part was
that he had a difficulty in obtaining materials for the guns,
Their lordships then adjourned.