The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-09 00:00:00

past ; while the French plate, manuctu
Messrs. Beale and Co., for some considfaerablreedtintb;
Messrs, Petin and Co., was much above the average
standard of the French plates tested in England_
bolt
Eight inches from the plate's lower edge and in lto
centre it was struck by the fourth and fifth ghOtifit
fired full on a bolt. The second shot drove tike
clear out of the plate into the ship's side, and left the
indent in the plate from this double shot 4in. Oct
7-10ths, a crack being opened up through the iot;
dent. Eeight inches to the right of these tiVO 9110
(measuring in each instance from the centre of
each
blow), and at the same distance from the lower edge
of the plate two other shots took effect. Thep
drove that piece on which they immediatelle
struck 14in. into the ship's side (from th
outer surface of the plate), and detached2ft. 6hl Pie°
of the plate from the moih body
in length by Bin. is depth. The fractur,r
e
ran through the centre of the in dents. The plait)
had undoubtedly been much shake.q by two othe
shots, which struck immediately abo ye the fracture!
although they did not impinge upon the other 00!
marks. The side of the ship was driven in three
inches from its plane at the back of the piette, on!
the plate itself at its right end was started Ore°
inches oat from the ship's side. It was a proof
the excellent quality of the metal, however, that
subsequent shot fired at this end of the plate had
merely the effect of bedding it back into its formeb°
position without increasing the damage to ,
plate's lower centre. The French p late was bolted
on the target ship's side by 2-inch ordinary
bolts which started under the blows of the shots, ala
they usually do. The English plate was attache
with Acadian iron bolts, which started in 130 ja.
stance. Messrs. Petin, Gaudet, and Co. are ackh°ll:
!edged the best makers of rolled armour plates 1:
France, but the trial of yesterday will furnish lir
comparative degree of merit between them and °llt
best English makers. Let our acknowledged hea
makers of rol ed iron plates, Messrs. John Brofill,
and Co., of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, be 81101
to enter the lists against Messrs. Petin, Gaudet,
Co., both being under precisely equal conditions
id
manufacture, and results of a competitive trial Woll'l
then be obtained which would really be of ratio°
interest. Meanwhile the history of the introductil
(so far as is known to the pub)ic) of French platen
into this country and their subsequent career:d
somewhat interesting. The first two were sughea
by Messrs. Petin, Gaudet, and Co. as " sample," efi
passed their test in the most successful manner;
really deserving all the praise they got. The succead
of these two plates obtained for Petin, Gaudet, o°
ba
Co., an order from our Admiralty for plates to
t d
value of about £9,500 sterling, half being of 4i111) 4,
the remainder stin. When delivered at Porteuiot''
yard they were seen to be of a very inferior Maya;
facture to the " sample" plates, the successful tes
of which had procured the order. A certain 0113;
ber were, therefore, selected for testing, but not °cif
passed the teat laid down by the Admiralty ill they
contracts, and the whole were reshipped to Fray a
with the exception of some three or four which be
pieces of their metal cut out as samp
4les for the ir°,,-;
plate Committee, and for which, therefore, 1"45
makers must be paid at their contract price'
and £5O per ton. The two plates tested yesterda'i
and two others on the 23d ult., all of which /ter
from the same plates, have again raised the 010;
dard of French manufactured armour-plates Ot a
time until some fartiter failure of theirs or %orb:0
superiority of some English maker again bpith'
them down.
The following appointments were made ye'tat;
day at the Admiralty : —Dr. Thomas Stratton, stan
surgeon, to the Canopus ; John E. C. Sollil2a:i
assistant-paymaster, to be secretary to Adrror.4
Superintendent Austin ; Thomas Hadley, iticbiatio
H. Solly, and John H. Galloway, nominated
naval cadetships.

THE ARMY. fp Of
The funeral of Major C. Wollaston Clerke,ia'-
her Majesty's 26th (Cameronians) Regiment, 1
'th milit4r#

place yesterday at Portsmouth, wit, ta..
honours. A large number of military and 08.1:if
officers followed the remains of the deceased 00c
to the grave, among the former being major-01

Lord W. Paulet, C. 8., and staff. ool'
By a garrison order issued on Thursday at
with, Gen. Sir Richard Dacres announced Ora
tention of assembling the whole of the garrill-r
troops at Woolwich-common yesterday, for the IA
pose of holding a brigade field day. In conseque°:
however, of the death of Col. Charles Bingll6,y:;
Deputy-Adjt.-Gen. of the Royal Artillery,
Richard cancelled the order for the field OP! 0
the Royal ensign was hoisted at half mast
4y
sunrise to sunset. This will be repeated each dl;,
until the funeral. The body will be conveyed
Pr e•
from Brighton to h:s late residence at
v°e,
with, and will be interred thence, according OP

sent orders, on Tuesday next.
Deputy-Inspector-General J. Fraser, M.D.,
has been appointed principal medical officero
Chatham garrison, succeeding Deputy-InsPeet
General W. Dick, M.D.