The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

Launch of the Arapiles.

The Arapiles, Spanish iron-clad frigate was launched
yesterday afternoon from the building yard of the Messrs.
Green, at Blackwall. Originally the ship was laid down
for a screw frigate, but the innovation of armour-plating
led to the removal of the upper deck and the bringing of the
stern into harmony with modern notions. ,s_uch, in brief, is
the story of the Arapiles—and if it is thought that the ship
ought to have been in the Pacific Ocean long ago, the
answer must be that the reputation of the Messrs. Green
was not acquired for rapid shipbuilding, but in the slow and
sure manner which the use of timber imperatively enjoined.
Hereafter the Messrs. Green, embarking in iron shipbuild-
ing, will be as active as other people, the use of iron in'posing
no other restraint than that demanded by good workmanship
But the Arapiles, being a wood ship,has not been hastened.
Progress has been made with caution, and the result wilt
be the addition to the Spanish navy of a substantial, pod-
wearing, and long-enduring frigate.
Keeping in remembrance the fact that the Arapiles was
originally laid down as an ordinary wood screw frigate,
that perfection in forni which all naval architects aro
striving after is not to be looked for. The Arapiles as an
iron- clad is much the same thing as the Royal Sovereign is
as a cupola ship. The most has been made of the Arapiles,
and that most is exceedingly flattering to the builders of the
ship. The Arapiles is in proportions the nearest approach
to the famous French Solferino that has yet been launched
from an English shipyard. But the Arapiles is not a Sol-
ferino, and could not reasonably be supposed to be a Solfe-
rino. Whether the Messrs. Green can turn out a Solferino
remains as yet undetermined, The relative proportions of
the Solferino and the Arapiles are as follows :
_ _ _

Solferino—Length between perpendiculars.. 279 feet
Breadth extreme 55.3 „
Arapiles—Length between perpendiculars .. 279 „
Breadth extreme .. . • 54
Thus there is a mere difference in breadth of 1 foot 3
inches, the Solferino being that broader than the Arapiles.
How then is the mass of both ships distributed I) The fors
frame of the Arapiles is very much cut away below, and.
well shaped aloft. The bow is good, so good that the
Solferino would requite to be alongside before judgment
were passed between the two. The Arapiles has a fine
entrance, especially below. The after frame has been
lees skilfully fashioned, particularly above, where the heavi—
ness is unpardonably great. Below the after frame is shapely,
but it is wanting in length to correspond with the fore frame.
The Solferino has no such blemish, the stern frame being
the mere counterpart of the bow. Therefore, as the Solferino
sails well, steers well, and stands up well, there is reason to
doubt the same good qualities in the Arapiles. The middle
body of the Arapiles is well rounded and shapely, so that if
the ship is not fast and does not steer well, good stability
will at least be possessed. The upper stem tumbles home
slightly, and the junction with the lower stem is nicely
rounded. The junction is where the lowest row of armour
plates will be attached. The side is provided with two
armour shelves, one along the wales and the other along
the waist, the armour on the former being 4f inches and
on the latter 4i inches. The sides are pierced for 31 guns,
17 guns aside; and the ports are only large enough for guns
of the old calibre—CS pounders or 110 pounder Armstronge.

LONDON, TUESDAY, OUT. 18, 1864.

Mr Du CANE'S remarks at the Conservative
Apicaltural Club at Castle Hedingham wore very
effective, and it is not to be wondered at that he
was warmly applauded. The first point which he
touched upon was the malt tax, and he very truly
observed that justice had not been rendered in
this respect to the farmer, and that they had not
Elan the fulfilment of the promises held out at
the time of the repeal of the corn laws that the
farmers should be freed from this burden. This
is often the case, people get excited at the pro-
spect of change, and are too apt to declare all
things practicable, but they very soon find it
convenient to forget the illusory expectations that
they were so ready to raise ; at all events, the
time must be drawing near now when this subject
must be dealt with, and although, as Mr Du CANE
remarked, it is far past the eleventh hour justice
may be rendered, He truly said, also, that they
would not arrive at their desideratum, the abolia
tion of the malt task, without plenty of hard
wuTk, they must show that they were really in
Such is generally found to be the case
le most attempts of the kind ; it is very uphill
work, and
too much exertion cannot be used to
arrive at a satisfactory result. Looking at the
general aspect of affairs, Mr Du CANE said that her
I\IAJESTY'S Government might say of themselves
ddringlast session Pretty much what Lord NELSON
had rem irked of himself, that nearly all diseases had
attacked l:im, but that he had not strength for any to
fasten upon him. So of Ministers he would say
the
that they laid been attacked last year by "open
foes" and "candid friends," The weakness
Administration was certainly shown up zs thiofs
de.
ecription. " Government support given to the
perfectly certain
Aiwa of a private member was

eatnbst.