The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 3, 1864.

cestle. Sir W. ARMSTRONG'S coil system of cone
s:ructing guns has proved a susses, and without
disparaging Mr. WrsiTwoßnt's plan of construct-
ing guns, by a succession of hoops, the former plan
seems to be the one, as yet, in greatest favour, and
might be safely adopted. All of the most success-
ful guns as yet constructed is that known as the
"Somerset" gun, an account of its construction
having been requested by the First Lord
of the Admiralty. It is a light nine-inch gun, not
weighing more than six tons, we believe, and
capable, when rifled, of throwing a 2201 b. cylin-
drical or a 1151 b. spherical shot. Why, let us ask,
are not many of these provided ? Is it necessary to
wait until the one at present at Shoeburyness has
been destroyed to prove its cspebilities ? The plan
of proving all geeis to destruction, which seems to
be the fashion at present, reminds us of the old
ordeal for witchcraft, by drowning the suspected
individual to show that he had no compact with
the Dcvii. Even when ships have been supplied
with heavy guns, it seems to have been
the object as much as possible to render
them as useless as they could. Why, for
instance, has the Royal Sovereign been armed
with smooth-bore guns—which, although ten and
a half inch gauge, and weighing 12 tons, are only
capable of throwing 150 pound shot, surely if the
ship carries a twelve ton gun, it oaght to be a
rifled one, and throw a 300 pound shot. Three
hundred pounders are in all probability the heaviest
guns that can be conveniently carried at sea,
although perhaps in exceptional cases even a 600•
pounder might be used, but as rifled 300-pounders
are proved capable of penetrating any armour
plates that ships can carry, a large supply
should be forthwith constructed, irrespective
of the rival claims of any maker. So long
as a gun is good enough for the purpose
it is wanted for, it is no reason it should be rejected
until it is proved to be the best that can be con-
structed, for as improvements are always being
made, we might wait for ever in a state of inde-
cision. Every other nation is content to take the
best guns that are to be procured promptly. Cap-
tain BLAKELY has supplied the Prussian Govern-
ment with whole batteries, while we are debating.
France is well provided for, as are also Austria and
Prussia, while, on the other side of the Atlantic,
eleven and thirteen inch guns are quite common, and
we believe that the Americans have more than one
fifteen inch gun, and are actually constructing a
twenty inch one, capable of throwing a
shot weighing 1,600 pounds. It is, of course,
a matter of speculation how such a monster will
succeed ; but whatever the results of the exper',.
meat, it warns us that we must not be idle, Let
the experiments at Shoeburyness be carried on with
vigour. Let us gain all the information possible for
our future guidance, but in the meantime it behoves
us to turn the knowledge we already possess to
practical account.

Again has the Mayor of Cork deemed it expedient
to direct public attention to the dangers of Daunt's
Rock, as yet unmodified or unprovided against by
any official arrangements. It will be remembered
that come months ago, on the occasion of the lamen-
table disaster which took place on that rb;;E,
Mr. MAGUIRE was active in his efforts to gP.,i some-
thiog done at once to, protect the shipping from the
danger caused '4,this obstruction. Bat, although
his entreaties and observations were supported by
painful -dnd incontrovertible evidence, for the good
ship City of New York still lies embedded in the
rock, the beat months of the year are being sof-
4:ered to slip away while nothing is done. We heard
f before of many difficulties being in the way—of
disputes as to authority, of differences as to expense,
of local antagonisms, official delays, and other
obstacles. But many of these impediments aro
now, according to Mr. AIAGUIRE, removed. Gene-
rally speaking, too, it is a very slow process to con.
vince officials of the necessity of improvement or
altere,ion, but, thanks possibly to the wreck, there
cis be no dispute as to the dangers and inconve.
niences of Daunt's Rock. Mr. MAGUIRE says that

" each department appears most anxious that
something should be done," but nevertheless
nothing is done. Again he says, " Letters have
been written, correspondence has multiplied, dif-
ficulties have been got rid of, misunders-
tandings have been explained away, a common
accord has ever been established, but still there
remains the damning fact that Daunt's Rock is, up
to this Ist of August, without beacon or protection
of any kind." The real difficulty probably lies in
the triple government—the Board of Trade, the
Trinity Board, end the Irish Ballast Board—for we
know that if in the multitude of councillors there is
wisdom, in the multitude of rulers there is certainly
hesitation and delay. All parties, however, are
agreed not only as to the expediency but the neces-
sity of something being done before winter sets in,
but the fear is that with the best intention this
apparently interminable procrastination will be pro-
Longed until the precious summer months are past,
and the storms of autumn renew the terrors of last
year, greatly increased, as Mr. MAGUIRE reminds
us, by the position of the wreck. Mr. TURNER, of
the City of Washington, states that that vessel nar-
rowly escaped destruction last April, having almost
gone bodily on the wreck. Had she done so with
her 50') souls on board, there would have been a
terrible addition to the legends of Daunt's Rock.
The best way to get rid of it would of course be to
blow it up, but in waiting for that more tedious and
expensive process, it is proposed to place a bell
beacon on the rock ; and the three Boards have
agreed in approving of the bell beacon of Mr. HER•
BERT, similar to that found useful in the Mersey.
They are also unanimous in wishing the beacon to
be of the largest dimensions to mark the dangerous
locality. But although they have advanced so far,
no one seems disposed to take the necessary steps.
This state of things has really gene on quite long
enough, and it is time that a little more energy
were infused into these several departments. Now
that the construction of a dock in Cork harbour is
seriously 'contemplated, it is useless to attempt to
underrate the importance of that port; but it is
quite in keeping with the zeal of our nautical
administration that we should spend thousands on
costly experiments, and failures like the Mersa
Dock at Malta, while we cannot find means or
energy or opportunity to remove a real danger out
of the way of our shipping within our waters.

THE Charivart, according to the French Corm*
pendent or the herald and Standard, publishes a
version of Lord Paltnerston's farewell speech to the House
of Commons, such as, it declares, his lordship either de-
livered on the last day of the session, or ought to have done.
The usual recapitulation of the labours of the session was
this year, it makes the noble lord declare, exceedingly easy,
since the Government could sum up all in the single
word " Nothing ;" the Cabinet remained in office,
not because it possessed the confidence of the country,
tut because many members voted for it to avoid
the annoyance attendant on a dissolution ; lastly, as the
Ministry had preserved their places, the Polish question,
the Danish dispute, and the various reforms which the
country looked for, were not of the slightest; importance;
the essential was to get away from these endless interpella-
tions, harrassing questions, and uncomfortable critiques,
which rendered the position of. the Ministry so little desir-
able towards the end of the session ; the house might de-
pend on being summoned together at the most distant rno-
..ment possible.

STAMP DUTIES ON PROBATES.—Under the new
act (27th and 28th Viet., c. 56), probate and letters of ad
ministration are exempted from stamp duty where the
effects do La exceed £lOO in value.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[EEUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

AMERICA.

SOUrHAMP'EON, AUG. 3.

The Hamburg and American Company's steamer
Germania, from New York, on the 231 ult., has
arrived off Cowes. She brings 129 passengers for
this port, Havre, and Hamburgt. 69,500 dollars
for England and 4,000 dollars for France.

Oa the 231 ult. ehe spoke the British steamers
North American and York, off Sandy Hook, on the,
25th the steamer Scotia, and on the 31st the steamer

Saxonia.

From lat. 48 40 N., long. 40 18 VT., to lat. 49 18
N., long. 41 W., the Germania passed several large

icebergs.

Her news has been anticipated by the Peruvian
which brought intelligence from New York to the
231 (evening).

NEW YORK, :ULY 23, 11 A.M.

Nothing further from Grant, except that he has
dispatched General Sheridan upon another raid on
the railway communication with Richmond.

No official confirmation of the evacuation of
Atlanta has yet been published, but the authorities
at Washington report, non-officially, that on the
18th instant the Federals occupied Decatur, six
miles east of Atlanta ; thlt on the 20th instant
General Hood, who has superseded Johnston, at;
tempted to dislodge the Federals from Decatur,
but was repulsed; and that on the 21st instant
a general engagement was fought in front of
Atlanta, which resulted in the defeat of the Con-
federates, their abandonment of that city, and
their retreat to Macon. These statements do nut
obtain general credence, and counter reports, from
Confederate sources, assert that Hood will hold
Atlanta until reinforcements from Lee arrive, and
Forrest cuts off the retreat to Chattanooga, when a
combined effort will be made for the overthrow or

ovingdgthutoPbenihri:le
capture of Sherman's entire army.
The Confederates are again operating in force in
Missouri, under the command of Gen. Thornton.
They hove captured Marvin, in the western pores
artetospi
tion of the State, and are m
rapidly augmenting their strength
conscripts. They also threaten F-.ot scoff.
Gen. Rosecrans has appr to
unite with the Federal :400p, in rescuing the State.
Gold, 254 .

.aulta and

SOUTHAMPTON, AUG, 3,

The North German Lloyds Company's steamship
Hansa, sailing hence to-day for New York, takes
out 150 saloon passengers and a largo cargo, ins
chiding French jewellery valued at 120,600 frs.

FOUTHANIPTON, AUG, 3.

A telegram has been received from Hurst Castle,
stating that a small screw steamer, which looked
like a Government despatch vessel, was on the
North East Shingles, having gone ashore during
high water. The name was unknown.

The Southampton Steam Towing Company has
scat out their tug Aid to render assistance.

ITALY.

A Turin letter of the 31st ult. contains the fol-
lowing :—" What is considered here most important
at present is the dissolution of the Chamber, which
is a Vapic discussed by all the organs of the press,
0.-nd which may become necessary for the simple
reason that every one is speaking of it. When the
existence of an assembly which has only a year to
live is thus called into question every day, its
authority becomes difficult to maintain. The Council
of Ministers will probably decide to-morrow whether
the dissolution shall take plti.oe iramecliately, or
whether a few urgent laws shall be first voted. Ia
the latter case the elections would only take place
in December or January. The Left has already
constituted its electoral committee, composed of the
most kfluential deputies of the party, among
others being MM. Mordini and Crisp. The Par-
liamentary element predominates. The clerical
party is said to be labouring in secret. Up to the
present time that body had held aloof, but it now
appears to have decided on taking part openly in
the struggle, which would be better than voting in
sulky manner for the candidates the most likely to
disorganise the political machine. There is a gene■
ral belief that in the next Chamber tt ere will be a
Conservative party. If I had a counsel to give to
the partisans of such opinions, it would be to go to
the elections, as abstention is the worst of all poiiti-
cal proceedings. Whatever may happen, the Mode-
rate Liberal party will have the majority, because
it is the most numerous in the country, and also be•
cause it has right and good sense in its favour. The
new Chamber will have a very different appearance
from the present one. The groups will be modified,
and the influences may be also more or less dis-
placed. My opinion is that it is the present Minis
try, as it is now composed, which will hav© to order
the elections."

Denmark, what will be the policy of the three Powers
whose accord has so much occupied the attention of
statesmen for some weeks past ? What are the
!,.ntentions of Prussia, of Russia, and of Austria ?
And in presence of the eastern alliance, or at least
good understanding, what will the two Western
Powers do ? One thing already appears evident,
which is, that Russia has recovered all her former
influence over Germany, and that her policy agat,
weighs on Europe as before the Crime,,,n War.
E eery time that Poland is obliged vgain to lie quiet
in her tomb, Russia becomes 4 menace for Europe;
this threatening attituite of Russia dates from 1772;
after 1830, the ctr.ehing of Poland rendered Nicholas
the arbiter of the situation ; afer 1863, Russia again
advances over the ruins of Poland to weigh on the
Wes• Prussia cares little for this state of things;
j'atoxicated with her recent successes, on the eve of
I attaining the end at which her ambition has so long
aimed, she is indifferent to the future which Russian
influence is preparing for Germany; all sh© now
asks is, that Russia will leave her free to act at the
present moment; and in order to obtain that result,
she leaves Russia full liberty to carry out her own
schemes."

BOURSE, August 2.—The market remains the
same as yesterday, with very little burliness doing,
owing to speculators being engaged in the monthly
settlement, which has been easier for railway's send
miscellaneous securities than for Reute, The
market closed as follows:

41 per Cents O4 25
Do. end month —
3 per Cents
Do. end month 66 45
Credit Mobilier 1010
Do. end month 1005
Bank Shares 3360
Credit Voncier 1205 —l,toman

Italian Loan 6B 20
Do. end month 63 10
Ditto Threes —
New Mexican
Russian
Austrian
Spani,,h Threes.„ —
Home Debt
Deferrel

Alai.
Cash. Aeoouut.
°Humid - 877 50 .. 875
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean, 900 .. 905
New ditto
Southern -
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
.. 429 25
Lombard
North of Spain
~ 437 50
Saragossa.. .. 523 75 .. 522 50
Ditto to Barceloua .... 246 25 .% 247 0

RA IL

E G ART.
ALEXANDRIA, July 23.