The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-01 00:00:00

1' TUE tra

' fleet to the- Dardanelles. When he arrived here many
I A
w
usmonstrations of ahien spontaneousmet
twith no character
encouragementaracter
took
e place in -his' favour,
er at the hands of the Government or the aristocracy.
Nevertheless, there were certain foreign powers whits
took offence at these demonstrations, and they demanded
the expulsion of those exiled politicians who had taken
refuge in this country, justifying their demand by
pointing to a request which the British Government, at
a former period, made upon the President and Republic
of America to discountenance agitation in America
upon the subject of Ireland. There was, however,
no comparison between the two cases, for, at the
time the request was made:upon America, Ireland
was in a state bordering upon rebellion, which was not
the case abroad, and Lord Granville returned an answer
to the demand of Austria, stating that it could not be
complied with. The Austrian Government, however,
declined to accept the refusal, and repeated their previous
demand, or insisted that something should be done to
restrain the violence and restrict the combinations of re•
jngees in this country. To this latter demand a reply was
made on the part of the Foreign-effice that 'be threats of
Austria to throw obstacles in the way of English travel-
lers would not induce the British Government to violate
the legitimate hospitality of the country, and he thought
this was a reply conceived in a proper spirit. It was a
petty course for a foreign po.ver to resort to the trum-
pery annoyance of individuals as a retaliation up; ,n the
British Government for refusing an unjust act,
and he wished to express an opinion to that
effect. It might be said that since the new
Administration had come into office the whole as-
pect of this question had undergone a change, and in a
recant dispa-ch from Austria, the accession of Lord
Derby to power was hailed with joy. Now he inferred
from that circumstance the conetusion that Austria la-
boured under a belief that the- for..igu policy of the
counly was about to be changed, and he wished the
House now emphatically to denounce thkt to be a
mistaken ides.—(Hear, hear.) At all events,
he was confident that neither Parliament nor
the people would sanction any change of policy, and it
was therefore nothing but right that the Austrian Go-
vernment should be undecived in the erroneous impres-
sion under which it appeared to labour.—( Hear.) If
the security of the British traveller was to depend upon
the understanding: that the British nation should truckle
to Austria, far better would it be that British subjects
should abstain from travelling in Austria at all;
but he hoped when Austria came calmly to
reconsider the nature of their demands they would at
once see their impropriety, and consent to withdraw
them.—(Hear, hear.) 'The right to travel was secured
to the British subject by the law of nations; and when
he remembered that few people interfered less with the
internal affairs of the countries which they visited than
the English traveller, he could not help feeling that it was
the duty of the Houss to take care that the right was not
unfairly interfered with. Had there been say excuse
for these demands made by Austria, on the ground that
some British subjects had wantonly and improperly
intermeddled and mixed themselves up with the internal
affairs of Austria, he could have well understood the
admissibility of this demand; but in the absence of any
excuse of this sort, the threatened interference with the
movements of British travellers was, to say the least,
uncalled for, if not unjust.—(Hear.) All English travel-
lers were held out as objects of suspicion to the police
by the Austrian Government. From his knowledge of
the country he knew that no such proceedings would
have taken place but for the suspicion of the Govern-
ment of Austria, for there were not a more kind,
gentle, and amiable a people than the inha-
bitants of Southern Germany. The grievances
which the Austrian Government complained, and
against which they adopted these measures of retalia-
tion and surprise, were nothing more nor less than the
exercise of the right of asylum. This right of asylum
was dear to the hearts of the English people from
its connexion with some of the most important persons.
in history. The edict of Nantes, and the consequent
arrival of refugees in this country, led to the establish..
ment of the silk manufacture in Spitalfields, which had
since become one of our staple commodities. There
were also, perhaps, some of the most eminent men
in the country who had reason to be grateful for the
hospitality of England. Again, the asylum which
we ha.l afforded to refugees at the time of the French
revolution could not soon be forgotten by the people of
France. IL therefore corEeived that every
Englishman would treat with contempt the effort made
by a foreign power to destroy the glorious privilege which
had always been our boast. At present a foreigner
passed unnoticed in the streets of the metropolis, but if
he were fAlowed about sad watched by spies. he would
at : once become an object of interest and notoriety.
He felt convinced that if acme measures were not
taken by the House on this subject, there would be a
general belief that the Government had sanctioned
or approved of the despatches which had been
passed between Prince Schwartsenberg and Lord
Palmerston. If the Government allowed themselves
to be dictated to by Austria there was no reason
why other Powers should not also call for the expulsion
of refugees belonging to their nations. lie solemnly
warned ;he Government against making any pron,i,es
which were against the general wish of the country,
and which, if pressed, would put an end to the inde-
peedence of England. The Noble Lord concluded by
moving his re:..olution.

Lord DUDLEY STUART said he bad great plea-
sure in caucurring with the views of his H'in. Friend.
The Government was confessedly in a minority, and was
afraid to go to the count].) ; and suen a Government
was certainly not fit to conduct the affairs of the
country.—(Laughter from the Ministeri4l benches, and
cries tf " Qtusiou.") Hon. Gentle:nen did not like to
hear this slid; but it was true, and the consultation which
tney had for sot posbessing the confluence of the- coun-
try was that Price Schwar.s,.nburg and the Austrian
Caninet hailed with satisfaction toe advent of Lord
De;rby and his party into power. The notion proniul-
gA. d by the tore ign Government was, that liv.re was a
conspiracy among the refuges who had tuken a.ylum
here, against their thrones, but would dely any man
who calmly rend the papers laid before the
Roue to come to any conclusion of the sort,
but this certainly might be gathered from
these papers, a coretpiracy to force and terrify this
Government, if possible, into wow a law more strict
then any it had yet in force against th,se unfortunate
refugeo*. _ _

Quis tulerit Grgcchos de seditioneguerentes."
It was curious to see the amount of impudence which a
Government like Austria possessed, as was execopiitied
by the dispatches w!iieh Le held in his hand.

yotoN7),l4_;_,

lONIAN ISLANDS.

It may be remembered that when Sir HENRY WARD
last convoked ttie present lonian Parliament, he held
out a promise cf several important reforms, which
seemed to be ardently wished for by the lonians, pro-
vided the spirit of the new Parliament were more con-
ciliatory than that of the preceding one. It appears,
however, that the Lord High Commissioner's wishes
have again been thwarted. In a proclamation addressed
to the lonian people, dated the 18th inst., he says in
conclusion:—

" I have now only to return my thanks to those members
of the majority who have honourably redeemed the pledge
given upon their election, by supporting a plan which they
thought conducive to the true interests of their country.
Their names cempr:se all that is most distinguished in Corfu
and Cephalonia for talent and integrity. They have been
opposed by men whose objects and characters I leave to the
judgment of their fellow-citizens.

- "-For myself, I can only say, that I have exhausted every
means that some political experience could suggest to bring
this matter to a happy isue, and that having been thwarted
in my designs by men whom I could neither satisfy nor lead,
I have not to add to the mortification of failure the belief that
it has been caused by any want on my part of frankness or
conciliation."

A telegraphic dispatch from Trieste states that intel-
livnce had arrived from Corfu that 22 bankruptcies had
taken p!ace at Zlnte, to the amount of about 1,120,000 f.,
and that others were expected.

PREMATURE CONDEMNATION OF IRON
VESSELS FOR WAR PURPOSES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.
Sir,—As an old gunnery officer I cannot allow the re-
marks made by Lord Palmerston. and followed up by
Captain Duncombe, in the House of Commons last
night, to go forth to the world, that " iron mer-
chant steamers are not fitted for the purposes of war,"
without giving my most unqualified dissent. In
the first place, the experiments made and conclusions
come to have not been satisfactory to the public, or made
with due considaration to a large and powerful interest
in this country, via , the iron masters, iron shipbuilders,
and "steam-boat proprietors. The purport of the re-
marksmade, by these gentleman in the British House of
Commons is to inflict a lasting injury to a most im-
portant branch in this country.
By whom have iron vessels been condemned? Not by
artillery officers, or those educated and capable of form-
ing an opinion upon gunnery matters. What have been
the experiments upon which this unjust condemnation
has been made? Why, a couple of one-sided sections,
intended to represent a portion of the side of the Bi-
moom, fired at from the Excellent, until, as the amateur
gunners fancied, an injury was inflicted upon them suffi-
cient in their estimation to condemn iron vessels for war
purposes.
. . . .

- lask this simple question—Was there a section of a
wooden ship placed by its side, and an equal number of
rounds fired at it with similar velocities, and a com-
parison at the time made? How is it possible to arrive
at a conclusion upon a subject of such a manitude un-
less a trial had been made upon wood under similar cir-
cumstances?

Again, admitting the shot break when striking against
iron, this is an argument' in favour of the latter material,
inasmuch that so large whole is not made upon the
opposite side of the ship, as the shot or fragments pass
through—an experiment not yet tried.
In the event of another war, shot will be considered
only a secondary projectile. The percussion shell will
take the lead, and if reports are true, what effect have
these shells upon iron compared with wood? It is stated
by an able authority who witnessed the practice at the
iron butt with these shells that not one exploded, but
only broke, as in the case of shot. Consequently iron
has an advantage over wood.
Again, I contend that less damage to men at their
quarters would be caused by splinters from iron vessels
than from weod. Tbis is an experiment not yet tried,
which could easily be done by placing canvas screens
between decks of the vessels fired at.

I contend also that shot holes in iron can be more
readily stopped than in wooden vessels, having less
thickness of side, and by the assistance of flat iron plates,
lined with thick vulcanised India rubber, and a chain
from centre set up inside.
In conclusion, I maintain that iron has been prema-
turely condemned, through the opinion and influence of
certain amateur artillerymen; and until a vessel of wood
and iron of similar scantling be fired at under equal ad-
vantages, I do assert from my experience in these
matters, and opinions formed from having attended
various practice upon wood and iron, that iron has
most decidedly the advantage over wood—not
only in a naval point of view, but as a com-
mercial question. The Government iron steam-vessels
have been prematurely condemned, and others sold out
of the service—and why? Because the vessels have been
neglected and allowed to rust into holes for want of com-
mon attention and a little paint.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. R. ENGLEDDE,
Late Gunnery Lieutenant and Instructor of Practical
Gunnery on board her Majesty's ship Excellent.
Southampton, March 31, 1852.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND NOLTH•WESTKRN RAn.wAir.--Raturn o:
Traffic for the week ending March 23:
Passengers. parcels, mails, &c. £22,145 7 9
Merchandise
... 18,428 18 0
Cattle ..
... 789 0 8

Total £42,363 6 5
Correspending week last year ... 41,465 15 11
Note.—The returns as published are exclusive of the
traffic of the Huddersfield Canal and Shropshire Union, North
Union, Preston and ‘Vyre, South Junction, Manchester and
Buxton, and Buckinghamshire Railways, and of the propor-
tion of traffic deducted under agreement with the North
Staffordshire Company.
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY. (260 mile°
open.)—Traffic ter week ending Mar. 28 £15,891 10 3
Corresponding week in last year (260
miles open) ..
....£14,770 2 7
THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.— (MileS in work, 241 C
—Return of Traffic for the Week ending March 21, 1852:
Passengers, parcels, carriages,
horses, dogs, and mails £4,631 3 3
Merchandise and minerals ... 6,094 18 2
Cattle ... 141 2 5

Total £10,867 3 10
Correspnnding week, 1851 (236 miles):
Passengers, parcels, &c. x 3,738 11 2
Merchandise, Cattle, &c. 3,503 17 1

Total £7,248 8 3
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTIMN RAILWAY.—Amount of
Traffic tor the week ending March 28:—
Passengers ... £6,724 10 8i
GoOd3 •.„. „.. 2,539 7 8

Total £9,163 18 4i
Corresponding week last year... 8,933 17 6
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. ( Miles open,ll2.)
Return of traffic for the week ending March 21:—
Railway and canal ... £4,780 0 0
Corresponding week last year ... 4,766 0 0
Note. —The above is exclusive of the receipts available
under the agreement with the London and North-Western
Railway Company.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY...-TDUSC for the
week ending March 28 :

MAIN LINE.

Passengers
Parcels, H. C. and D.
Goods, cattle, &c.
Mails ... ...

Total

... £B9O 13 6

... 96 4 4
... 510 8 8
... 575 0 0

... £2,072 6 6
HOLD.

Passengers ... ...
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...
Goods, cattle, &c. ....

Total

1.411 ... ...
STEAM-BOATS.

Passengers
Parcels, H. C. and D. ... ...