The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-21 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1864.

Mr. MAQUIRE'S speech on the Paper Manufac-
ture was very appropriate, and it is most suitable
that before the House separates attention should
have been given to this subject. Among a certain
cla es of politicians and by many general observers,
it :bas been too much the fashion to laud and extol
all the various provisions of the French Treaty,
without pausing to inquire into the effects it has
produced on some branches of industry in this
country. If some farther-seeing or sharper-witted
persons ventured to suggest that there was a dn.
culty, or there would be found a danger in the
realis‘tion of the plans, they Were peremptorily
told that they were mistaken: or else opposition was
excited against them on the plea of their being
prejudiced. For a time, unfortumately, the specious
serablances of Mr. COBDEN, and the subtle casnis-
tries of Mr. GLADSTONE triumphed over the sober
judgments, and the calm reflections of those Who
interposed their veto against the complete fulfilment
of the projects atibmitted to the How? in 1860.

Time, however, that is the sure test of merit, and
the, unerring judge of the efficacy or failure of a
cherished set ,eme, has pronounced against a great
part of the rr inch vaunted concoction of Mr. COBDEN.
Excellent to 3 was the original object of the design.,
and admirr ,ble the proposal to increase the triede
and comm erce of the various nations, there were
grievous orrors in the arrangements of several por-
tions of tlae Treaty. Had the framers of it been
more eager to make the workings of the measure
convenient to all, rather than to tempt foreigners,
who were unwilling to become disciples of the new
regime, the result would have been much better.
It would have been truer wisdom and sounder policy
thus to endeavour to make English prosperity the
ruling spirit and the chief object of the design,
than to sacrifice native interests at every turn, and
to treat the just complaints of our manufacturers
with a supreme contempt, utter indifference, and
total neglect. This is one of the worst failings
among the new school of politicians that they are
so short-sighted, and run away with one idea.
They get wrapt up in the notion of the spread of
free trade, and the utter extinction of protective
doctrines, and if they are told that native industry
will suffer, they do not exactly say that it will not
matter if it does, bat their acts imply that they
think so. Mr. MAGUIRE performed his task with
considerable tact, and earnestly denounced the
course pursued by the Government in their per-
sistent slighting of home interests. The whole
scheme of the foreign export duty on rags was one
of the greatest blunders and one of the most unfair
concessions that were ever made. It was denounced
at the time, and succeeding experience has not les-
sened the grounds for the reproach. On the con-
trary, it has been seen how unfairly the system has
worked. It was in an un-English and anti-
national spirit that the framers of the plan of the
great Commercial Treaty first devised the arrange-
ments relative to the paper trade, and the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer has been greatly to blame
for so readily acquiescing in the proposal which
made British interests but secondary, and altogether
subservient to the welfare and the prat of the
foreigner. Our manufacturers have been sacrificed
to the meanness of the French and the greediness
of the Belgian trader, and it is a scandal to any
Minister that he should stand forth as the betrayer
of the interests of his countrymen. It is a disgrace
also to the Legislature who sanctions such a
course, and future statesmen and succeeding Par•
liaments will have hard work before them to
remedy some of the serious evils that have been
brought upon the country by the mischievous doc-
trines of the so-called disciples of progress, Looking
at the point in a practical view, there is no shadow
of foundation for the theory that the foreigner
must be tempted to agree to the doctrines of Free
Trade, and that, therefore, it is our duty to make
the sacrifice. It is never desirable to
give people wrong impressions, and it is
very certain thet it will be much more
difficult to put things back on an equitable footing
than to have insisted from the outset that all
should be conducted upon straightforward prin.
ciples. It is very easy for Mr GLADSTONE, now
that he thinks himself safe, to admit that the new
measure has pressed hardly upon some branches of
the trade. He did not say so at first, and he would
not allow a hint to be whispered to that effect with-
out meeting it with vehement contradiction and
indignant remonstrance. A more disastrous and
degrading style of policy than that which our
present Ministers are enunciating it would be im-
possible to conceive, We arb always at the mercy
of foreigners, bound to bend to their caprices, and
expected to merge our interests in the general de-
, sire to promote their objects, totally and altogether
irrespective of the interests and independence of
oueselvea and our country. The idea of making
repeated representations to foreign Governments
is an indignity, and does not gain any end. The
mischief lay in ever allowing such terms to be made
at the outset ; and the House of Commons was very
wrong in not insisting upon some alteration in the
workings of the law relating to the paper trade.
For this they are responsible to the country, and
the injuries inflicted on an important branch of
trade will not be among the lightest charges
brought against them on the day cf reckoning that
will speedily arrive, unwelcome though it be.

The debate on Tuesday night, on the motion of
Sir F. SMITH, for the appointment of a commission
to report upon the system of construction of armour-
plated vessels, was of considerable importance, and
during the discussion some curious revelations were
made. Sir F. SMITH, in an able address, called
attention to the disparity of the armaments in pro-
portion to the tonnage of many of our steam frigates
as compared with others. He showed that there
were hardly two steam ships in the Royal Navy
built upon the same principle, with the same arma,
ment or speed; and he maintained that there must
be something radically wrong in a system
which, though always being changed and expe-
rimented upon, could never give satisfaction.
Lord C. PAGET,
in his endeavour to defend the
conduct of the Admiralty, made about as lame a
defence as a bad case is capable of eliciting. In
answer to certain remarks of Sir F. SMITH on the
defects of the Research, and the notorious failure
of her internal arrangements, he tried to explain
away such trifling oversights as the impossibility
of working the guns except under the most favour..
able circumstances, and to vindicate the appoint-
ment of Mr. REED, as Chief Constructor of the
Navy, mainly on the ground that he had designed
two vessels of 1,000 tons, capable of carrying
complete armour-plating, and drawing but
a moderate depth of water. Lord C. PAGET
seems to say that on the strength of these
designs Mr. REED received his high appoint.
ment, and with what result ? It is true that the
Research and Enterprise have to a certain extent
realised the expectations of their designer; they
are of small tonnage, and draw about 15 feet of
water, but they possess two drawbacks which must
be admitted to be rather serious in men-ofewar—
they can neither sail nor fight. Admiral FEE•
MANTLE, in his report to the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, has stated that—" The space in
the battery is so confined that the men have not
room to work the guns with that facility that is
required. The battery is 33 feet in length by 32
feet in breadth inside; within this space are four
heavy guns, upwards of 80 men, funnel, wheel,
hatchway for supplying powder and shell. There
is a difficulty in traversing the guns from the broad
side to the bow and quarter ports. When the
broadside guns were fired with extreme train, fore.
most ones to thole ft, after ones to the right, the cap-
tains of theta could not stand to direct and fire them.
So much for her fighting qualifications, while the
greatest amount of speed that can be obtained is less
than 10 knots an hour. Lord C. PAGET Candidly
explained that he would not prophecy that these
ships would be found faultless, because in all experi-
ments such as they were improvements in matters
of detail must always be possible. He also wished
the House and the public to remember that the
mere building of
a man of war did not represent
half of what was necessary to make her efficient ;
for equipment, armament, stowage, rigging, maga-
zines, and other points, the judgment and superine
tendenee of a practical sailor were required, This

sort of argument may sound very well in the
House of Commons, but it is practically fallacious,
for it is in the building of a ship that her capacity

for stowage and stability for armament must be con-
sidered, and if it be necessary that a practical sailor
should superintend the details of the armament and
fitting of a man-of-war, would it not be better for the
designer of the vessel to submit his plans to the
said practical sailor before expending the public
money in building ships for the sake of pulling
them to pieces ? We admit that allowance must be
made for many deficiencies in experimental vessels,
such as the Research and Enterprise, but it is curi-
ous to compare the .results of such experiments in
private yards and government dockyards. In the
former case blunders are the exception, in the latter
they are the rule. Sir JOAN PAKINGTON said that
while he did not intend to censure Mr REED,
who deserved the credit o 2 having been the
first to apply armour plating to small vessels,
he could not help contrasting the Research with
the Rolfe Krake :—" These two vessels were as
nearly as possible of the same size, tonnage, and
armoury. They each carried four guns, but while
the Rolfe Krake could use them all on either side,
the Research could only fire two on each side; and
while the Rolfe Krake drew only 10 feet of water,
the Research drew 15. Thole could be no question
as to the superiority of the vessel built in the
Clyde by Messrs. NAPIER to that built for the Ad-
miralty by Mr. REED." We fully coincide with
the right hon, baronet on this point; but is there
any reason why the public official should be so in-
competent to compete with private individuals ? It
is not denied by any one that the present construe.
tor of the Navy is a man of talent, bat the wisest
have their failings, and all men more or less possess
some particular hobby. That of Mr. REED is that
speed is a secondary consideration to invulnera-
bility therefore, to obtain the one object he
sacrifices the other. In this respect the Re-
search and Enterprise are but little superior to
the old floating batteries constructed during the
Crimean War, for although their speed is consider-
ably greater, yet it is not sufficient to enable either
of them to overtake a flying enemy, or to avoid a
pursuing one. Lord C. PAGET was of opinion that
these ships were as good as could be expected when
their tonnage and draught of water were taken into
consideration. Mr. LAIRD, however, stated that it
was possible to build vessels of some 1,200 tons
capable of going at the rate of twelve knots an hour,
and carrying very heavy guns. Mr. LAIRD com-
plained of the unfitness of the rigging of the Royal
Sovereign, which Lord C. PAGET admitted was
merely jury rigged, as that vessel was
only intended for harbour service, and the
hon. member for Birkenhead also observed that
while the Admiralty were demanding fair play for
the Research and Enterprise, they were not doing
justice to Captain COLES' cupola system, by send-
ing the Royal Sovereign to sea without being
properly masted. He considered, also, that her
draught of water was too groat for the harbour
service, and although he did not profess much
knowledge of gunnery, he believed that the only
method of carrying the heavy guns now proposed
was on the plan of Captain COLES, because the
guns could be trained in the simplest and easiest
manner, and worked with fewer hands than in
any other ships. Much had been said of the diffi-
culty of getting effective vessels of a light draught
on the cupola system. Now, having paid some at-
tention to this subject, he was prepared to state
that vessels of 1,000 and 1,200 tons could be built
with a speed of 12 knots au hour, to carry two of
the heaviest guns, two 3004 pounders, and throwing
a broadside of 6001 b., against the 2201 b of the Re.
search, Such a vessel could be completely armour-
plated, fitted on Capt. COLES' plan, masted, rigged,
and arranged, so that she should be available,
not only for harbour and coast defence, but able to
go round Cape Horn or any other part of the world:
The hon. member was, of course, referring to his
c;lebratel rams, the El Toussin and El Monassir,
now being completed for her MAJESTY'S service, and
there can be little doubt that they will realise his
expectations. After an animated discussion the
motion was withdrawn, but the object of the hon.
member for Chatham was accomplished and the
subject faiily ventilated. It is not to be inferred
because the Research and Enterprise are faulty in
many respects they cannot be improved or that their
defects may not be avoided in other vessels. Credit
is due to Mr. REED for his endeavour to supply the
Navy with small armour-plated ships, but we quite
agree with the suggestion of Sir M. PETO, that it is
not proper the Admiralty should be guided by one
mind, but the Contractor should design the vessels
and submit the designs to practical men, eo that any
defects, like those discovered in the Theearch, might
be discovered before the ships were constructed, as
is done in other countries,

LAUNCH OF A STEAMER.—The first of a line of
merchant steamships intended for the Australian
trade, and built and owned by Messrs. Wigram and Sons,
was launched yesterday from Blackwell yard in the pre-
sence of several thousand spectators. The ship ran off the
stocks in admirable style at flood tide, Miss Wyndham,
daughter of Col, Wyndham, of Petersfleld, christening
her " the London." On•breasting the water she was im-
mediately towed up to Greenwich, where she will take het
engines from Penn's yard. The London is of 1,750 tons
register, and she will sail for Melbourne in October next,
under the command of Captain Martin, an experienced
Australian navigator.

DIVORCE COI:MT.—The number of petitions for
dissolution of marriage last year exceeded the number in any
previous year since the Court has been established. There
were 255 such petitions filed in the year 1863, besides 7 for
declaring the marriage null from the first. 43 persons
petitioned for judicial separation, and 12 applied for protec-
tion of property. 237 judgments were given in the year;
1,059 have been given in the last six years. But which way
the judgments went is not told ; strange as it may seem,
the Registrar makes his return to the Secretary of State
year after year of the business done in this court, giving
some details of little interest or importance, but never
states how many marriages are dissolved in the year.
FIRED ON BY THE P.RIISSIANS.—We (Glasgow
Herald) have been favoured with the f,)llowing
extract from a letter from Mr Henry Lamond to our towns-
man, Mr R. P. Lamond, dated on board the Government
mail steamer Vikon, from Christiania to Lubeck, Wednes-
day, July 13, 1864, 10 a.m. :—" We had early this morning
a narrow escape for our liven, having been for nearly 10
minutes under fire of about 60 Prussian riflemen, who, I
suppose, mistook us for a Danish war vessel. It came about
in this way. The whole of Jutland is now in the hands of
the Prussians, Frederikshaven, on the N.B. of the penin-
sula, which was only occupied last night, is on the route of
this steamer, and we went in to within 300 yards at half.
past 5 this morning to land a passenger. No sooner had we
stopped and made signals for a boat to come out to us, than
whiz, whiz, went three or four bullets over our heads, and
presently we see running along the road towards the shore
a largo body of Prussiars with their bayonets flashing in
the sun, and in a moment they discharged a volley at us
without the slightest notice. Down came some pieces of
sail and rigging on our heads, shot through by the bullets.
At this time C--- and I, and some two,,or three other
passengers, are standing on the top of the salobn deck,
from which we move as fast as possible. The engines are
set on full speed, and away we go, the bullets are peppering
like hailstones, till we got beyond range. It is a perfect
miracle some of us were not shot : certainly we should have
been had it not been for the saloon deck, which, as the fire
was from astern, protected us from the bullets. The helms--
man had a bullet through the cuff of his sleeve, and 22 have
been taken out of the hull, but about 150 must have been
discharged. Several struck the funnels, two of which
pierced them and fell down. One trave'esed the saloon the
entire length, entering at, the stem. 2ft. from the helms-
man, and at the other end striking the mirror, which is
quite distinctive, in a neutral steamer calling twice a week
at Frederickshove, so that if the Prussians had made the
* s 6htest inquiry they would have learnt what we were.
Since leaving Frederickshaven we have passed two Danish
men-of-war going northward, and have informed them of
the occupation of the ',lace by the Prussians, and their
treatment of us. They take it
had 4 trawport Phip irktow." quite coolly, One of them

LATEST INTELLIGENCE,

LA EIITER'S TELEGRAMS.]

THE DANO-GERMAN WAR.

RENDSBURG, JULY 21.

Adviees recEived here state that the Danish
Captain, von Hammer, was taken prisoner in a
Creek of the island of Fanoe, after having sunk
seven boats.