The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-08 00:00:00

happily gained by those who deserved success, and
who commanded the sympathies of the great ma-
jority of the community. We have at the same
time beheld the spectacle of the defeat of the Minis-
try in a manner that is alike hurtful to their pride
and disastrous to their popularity. Any one m y
make a mistake, but theirs has been the commissi n
of a wilful error, steadily persisted in.

Wednesday sittings aro usually uneventful, but
often they are the occasions of the completion of
those necessary Parliamentary forms which are in-

dispensable to the legalising of useful measures.

Oa Wednesday last, the Chain Cables and Anchors
Bill, which we have strenuously defended on former

occasions, passed through committee alter coma dis-

cuasion on the various clauses.

The opposition,

which was so strongly shown to this measure on its

itrodcction and during its progress, has not yet

altogether died out, and we are sorry to find the

President of the Board of Trade still prompt to

depreciate and ready o disparage it. Even so late

as the close of the debate, Mr. MILNER GIBSON
took occasion to observe that he hoped the delusion

would not get abroad that this testing would give

all the securities required. Upon this Mr. LAIRD
complained, with a good deal of justice, of the un-

'airness of the President's disparagement of the test

which was adopted by the Government itself for
the protection of its own ships, for he had founded

his Bill on the Admiralty standard, which has been
tried for teeny years and proved effectual. Sir

MORTON PETO said, with much common sense, the'

at ail events the public would have the guarantee o:

the chains and cables which had undergone the test
being originally made of suitable material. Such
reasoning as Mr. GIBSON'S is quite untenable, since
it is not possible to secure perfection in any manu-

facture or material ; but the application of
tests and trials is intended to secure the
public from any flagrant defection in either sub-
stance
.or workmanship. The fact of 80 per cent.
the cables tested breaking down under the trial
is surely sufficient to prove that such a meast.ire was
needed, and that, however difficult it may be to
secure a really good article, there is certainly more
chance of doing so when a preliminary test is ap

plied. If a cable is going to break on the first
severe strain it is certainly better that that strain
should be applied in the testing house and not on a
storm beaten coast, and we find it difficult to under-
stand the motives of those gentlemen who, with
such startling facts before their eyes, persist in
opposing a measure which can do no harm, and will
probably be the means of effecting much good. A
very large proportion of the wrecks round our shot es
are the ill-found coasting traders, whose owners are
utterly regardless of the ship whose value is gene
rally more than covered by the insurance, and indif-
ferent as to the danger of the men. The men on
their part cannot afford to quarrel with their em-
ployers, so there is nothing to protect them from such
want of conscientiousness and humanity. It is in
cases like these that the interference of the Legis-
lature will prove so great a benefit, and the com-
pulsory testing of cables and anchors will, we may
hope, produce a sensible effect upon that dismal
wreck chart which year by year increases its
gloomy catalogue. The public owes a debt
of gratitude to Mr. LAIRD for his Efforts
in this matter, whose importance has naturally been
frequently impressed upon him in the course of his
business. He has been ably seconded by LLOYD'S
Committee, and most of the principal manufac-
turers ; the former being probably wise enough to
see that the measure will save them from paying a
good many insurances. It is greatly to the credit
of the manufacturers that they should have so wil-
lingly supported an interference with their trade.
The active interest which they have taken in the
matter has been shown by their sending a deputa-
tion from Newcastle and Staffordshire to confer
with Mr. LAIRD on the subject ; and one result of
that conference was the retention of clause 8 in its
entirety—a very important gain, as its effect is to
prohibit any maker or dealer in chain cables and
anchors to sell, or supply for the use of any vessel,
any chain cable or anchor which should not have
been previously tested and stamped, thus rendering
it necessary to test all exported cables. Besides
the manifest unfairness of selling to foreigners
goods which are not considered good enough for
home use, there is no doubt that such latitude would
lead to very mischievous results. The chief part
of the discussion was as to the right of test. We
should prefer to see this point settled by the erec-
tion of testing-houses at all our principal ports,
under Government control, where cables and
anchors could be tested in presence of a Govern-
ment inspector. The Select Committee have
given their opinion in favour of allowing
private persons and public companies to
share in the privilege, on the ground that there
might not be a sufficient number of testing houses
to meet the wants of the trade. An amendment
was proposed with a view of confining the right of
test to public companies, and excluding individuals.
Mr. LAIRD, although he did not oppose it, reminded
the House that so late as Tuesday I; st the Admiralty
had announced that in future they would not accep►
tests from any private manufacturer, and that all
their chain cables and anchors must be tested by a
public Board. We hope that the measure will be
fully and fairly carried out in letter and spirit, that
no vessel will be allowed to put to sea without
having her cables and anchors tested under Govern-
ment inspection, so that at least the natural dangers
of our coasts, and risks of our immense marine
trsffic may not bo doubled by a carelessness and
indifference which would be tolerated in no case
where property was at stake, and not men's lives.

One of Lord Nelson's Veterans,
A correspondent, signing himself "An Old
Sailor," writes to as to say—
" That while men are vying with each other in lavishing
memorials, trophies, and testimonials, the birthilace of one
who stands so prominent in English history should at the
present day be barely traceable." Our correspondent adds,
" Last autumn I made a pilgrimage to Burnham Thorpe, and
had great difficulty in ascertaining a site which should be
hallowed by every Englishman. My inquiry of an inhabitant
of the village, whether he could point out to me the spot
where Lord Nelson was born, was met by the reply, that
he knew nothing at all about that ;' but greater pertinacity
on my part led to my being ,:onducted through a farm-yard,
and shown by a female,where had stood the house in which
the immortal hero was born, but where there is nothing nor
to indicate it but an old pump."

[We have received from W. A. the munificent anonymous
offering of £5 for the "Old Victory Man," whose destitute
and neglected condition was mentioned in our impression of
yesterday.—Ed, Sun.]

_ —
MANSION-HOUSE. Last evening the Lady
Mayoress (Miss Lawrence) gave a grand juvenile
ball at the Mansion-house. The company, about SOO in
number, was composed chiefly of the younger members,
between the ages of eight and 16, of the families of the al-
dermen, the members of the Common Council, the principal
officers of the corporation, and many other of the citizens,
with the parents in all cases. Tho Lady Mayoress received
her guests, who began to muster about seven o'clock, n the
grand saloon, which was decorated for the occrsion with a
choice selectian of exotic flowers and plants. Dancing
commenced shortly afterwards in the Egyptian Hall,
lasting until 10 o'clock, when supper was served in an
apartment in the upper part of the house capable of accom-
modating 250 visitors at one time. About 50 of the Cadet
corps of the London Rifle Brigade, under the command of
Sergeant Ladd, lined the entranca to the Mansion-house,
12 of whom, chosen by lot, were invited to the ball. During
the evening light refreshments were served in the Long
Parlour, in which was a fine display of ancient plate of the
corporation, and all the principal apartments of the house
were thrown open to the guests, The company separated
towards midnight,