The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-10 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

which forbids any one to take more than one prize except in
the case of the challenge cup, money, and private prizes,
they are not shown. Wimbledon targets and marking, ex-
cept for the Challenge Cup. Ensign Phi Hive prize—An
University pewter, to be shot for by five members of No. 1
Company who completed the most drills by the inspection :
five rounds at 250 yards—Private Kneller, 12 marks. Mr
Frederick Besley's prize—A silver cup for second class shots
of the 26th Middlesex; seven rounds, 200 and 500 yards—
Colour-Sergeant Ayris, 37 marks. Mr J. B. Halo's prize,
value £5, for second class shots of the sth battalion and
Customs Volunteers at the outports ; five rounda at 200 and
500 yards—Colour-Sergeant Barnes, 25 marks. Captain
Jones's prize, value £5 ; same conditions as preceding, seven
rounds at 300 yards—Sergeant Cresswell, 16 marks. Money
prizes shot for by the 26th Middlesex and Volunteers of
country corps in the Customs' Service, five rounds at 200
and 600 yards. Entrance fee 2s 6d each. Country corps
free. Private Christian, 27 marks, £3O, won tie; Private
Orem, 27 marks, £lO ; Private Minter, 24 marks, £lO, won
tie; Staff-Sergeant Lakeman, 24 marks, £5; Sergeant
Stevens, 23 marks, £5. Captain Dobell's prize, a silver
cup, for second class shots of the 26th Middlesex and Cue-
terns' Volunteers at the outports, five rounds at 200 and 500
yards—Lieutenant Burton, 25 marks. The Hon. Mrs F,
Goulburn's prize, for first-class shots of the sth battery
and Customs' Volunteers at the outports, five rounds
at 300 and 600 yards—Sergeant Stevens, 27 marks.
The Lieutenant-Colonel's Prizes--First, a silver cup,
second, a ring ; third, a Robinhood pouch—same rules as
preceding prize, five rounds at 200 and 600 yards—Sergeant
Fry, 30 marks—Sergeant Cotteman, 21 marks—Private
Boddy, 18 marks. Major Hamel's prize.—A silver cup for
second class shots of the sth battalion and Customs Volun-
teers, at the outports—five rounds, at 200 and 500 yards.
Private Jennings, 26 marks. Qurrtermaster Sergeant
Waffle's Prize.—A plated tankard, for members of the 26th
Middlesex, five rounds, at 200 and 500 yards. Capt. Jones,
26 marks. The challenge cup, value £25, to become the
absolute property of any one winning it two years in
succession, five rounds at 300 and 400 yards, Hythe target
and marking. Captain Jones, 13 points—Sergeant Ste-
vens, 12 points—Sergeant Stevens won the cup last year.
Messrs. Firman's prize.—A silver cup for second class
shots of the 25th Middlesex, five rounds at 200 and 500
yards, Private Orem, 27 marks. Major Collet's prize.—A
silver cup for second class shots of the sth battalion, five
rounds at 200 and 600 yards. Private Edgar, 25 marks.
The regimental prize, value £O, for second class shots of
the 26th Middlesex, five rounds, at 200 and 300 yards. Pri-
vate W. H. Barton, 25 marks, Mr Sidney Dipnall's
prize.—A silver cup, for members of the 26th Middlesex,
who have made 12 points in the third class thia year, five
rounds at 200 and 300 yards. Private Seward, 24 marks,
A silver fish knife and fork, value £5, given by a few gen-
tlemen of the Comptroller General's-office, for Volunteer's
of Middlesex Corps in the service of the Customs; five
rounds at 200 and 500 yards. Ensign Gardner, f 5 marks.
Hay's Wharf prizes, value £5 sa, given by the proprietors
of Hay's Wharf for No. 6 Company, second class shots ;
five rounds at 200 and 300 yards; Sergeant Holttum, 24
marks, a rifle—Colour Sergeant Barnes, 21 marks, a ring
Captain Hunt's and Lieut. Wrightson's prizes—a rifle and
a silver cup for No. 5 company ; five rounds at 200 and
300 yards. Corporal Wooleton, 17 marks, a cup—Private
Archer, 16 marks, a rifle.
Prizes to the value of over 100 guineas were competed for
on Wednesday between the members of the 11th, Capt
Corscaden's, or Covent-garden, company of the 22d Middle-
sex (Queen's Westminster) Rifles, at the regimental ranges
on Wormwood Scrubbs. Capt Tyler, the adjutant of the
2d battalion, officiated as umpire, while Capt Corsoaden
directed the firing. The silver challenge cup, value 70
guineas, which had been subscribed for by ladies, was shot
for at ranges of 200, 500, and 600 yards, five shots at each
distance. Private Seymour became the winner by a score
of 37 marks. This cup must be won three consecutive years
by the same member before it can become his absolute pro-
perty. The cup given by Capt Corscaden, value 10 guineas,
was competed for in five shots at 300 and five shots at 600
yards, and won by Private Johnson with 40 marks. The
next prize was Lieut Lewin's Cup, value five guineas. The
ranges were 200 and 550 yards, five shuts at each distance.
Private Clark won with 27 marks. Ensign Laurence's cup,
value five guineas, was shot for at the 250 and 500 yards
ranges, five shots at each, and won by Sergeant Bocking
with 27 marks. The fifth prize shot for was one of the value
of seven guineas, presented by Mr Barringer, representative
of the central committee. Private Webster was the winner
with 24 marks. The Honorary Members' Prize was won
by Private Seymour, who made 25 marks.
The fifth annual Enfield rifle prize meeting, open to all
England, of the Cinque Ports Artillery and Volunteer
Rifles, commenced on Tuesday, at the ranges erected at
North Down, between Margate and Broadstairs. Private
W. Dutton, of the 22d Kent, was the winner of the first
prize, a Steward's Lord Bury's telescope and £3 10s, with
the extraordinary score of four consecutive bull's eyes and
a centre, out of five rounds, at 500 yards, thus making 19
out of a possible score of 20. In the contest for the Isle
of Thanet prize, worth £2O, divided into four parts, the
first prize being £6, Private Mortlock, in shooting off, stood
first, having made two centres and a bull's eye. In class
B, including the competition fur a gold watch value £2O, for
the greatest aggregate more during the meeting, the amount
was £5O, divided into ten prizes. The first, £l5 ; second,
£10; third, £7 108; fourth, £5. Between 70 and 80 en-
tries had been made for these prizes. Captain Wllliarns,
19th Middlesex, with a score of 30, won the first prize; Pri-
vate Dixon, 7th Cinque Ports, the second Corporal Gould,
• 37th Middlesex, the third. On the third day the first busi-
ness was to settle the extra prizes of the meeting. In the
first series, the first prize in money and a Stewards Lord
Bury Telescope, was won by Private Dutton, 22d Kent ;
second prize and telescope, Private Burfield, 9th Kent;
second series.—let prize, Private Deighton, 14th Mtd ,le-
sex ; 2d, Private Andrews, St. George's. Third series—let
prize, Private Deighton; 2d, Private Bohn, 16th Middle-
sex. The grand contest of the day was for class C. he sum
of £5O divided into 10 prizes—let, of £l5; 2d prize, £10;
3d, £7 lOs ; 4th, £5. In addition to these prizes a gold
watch, value 20 guineas, to he presented to the competitor
making the highest aggregate score at the B and C classes
—ranges 400 and 600 yards. Sergeant Montgomery, of the
30th Middlesex, and Private W. Dutton, of the 22d Kent,
had tied for the highest aggregate score with 56 each, and
on shooting off Private Dutton won; but was subse-
quently beaten by it being announced that a score of 58 had
been made by Private Deighton, of the 14th Middlesex.
On Monday the return match between the Wisbech and
Ely Rifle Corps was shot off at the Wisbech range, eight
members of each corps, the competitors being with one ex-
ception the same as at the first match. The distances sere
200, 400. and 500 yards, seven shots at each distance. The
Ely again won, beating their opponents by 42 marks, the
winners making 380 marks, and Wisbech 338. The average
of Ely was 47.50, and Wisbech 42'25.

The Norfolk Volunteer Service Association commenced
its annual prize competition on Tuesday, at Great Yar-
mouth. Carbine prizes presented by the town of Yarmouth
and open to efficient Artillery Volunteers belonging to the
Ist Norfolk battery were shot for at 200 yards, seven shots
each. There were 20 competitors, and the first prize (L 5)
was won by Sergeant-Nlajor Mach. The next competition
waa for the Officers' Challenge Vase of the value of £4O,
open to the officers of all the volunteer corps in Norfolk.
The ranges were 200, 600, and 800 yards, seven shots each.
There were 12 competitors. During the whole contest the
rain poured down in torrents, so that most of the gallant
officers shooting were drenched to the skin. The prize was
won by Captain Gurney, of the let Norfolk, who, shooting
with an Enfield, made at 200 yards two bulls' eyes, two
centres, and three outers, or 20 points ; at 500 yards three
bulls' Eyes, one centre, two outers, and one rieoohet, or 19
points ; and at 800 yards one bull's eye and two centres, or
10 points, making an aggregate of 49 points. A competi-
tion succeeded for prizes given by the Mayor and town of
Yarmouth, open to enrolled and honorary members of all
volunteer oorps in Norfolk. The ranges were 200 and 500
yards, and the prizes were, first, a piece of plate of the
value of £lO, given by the Mayor of Yarmouth ; the
second, £6 ; the third and fourth, £5 each. Corporal
Agger, of the 3d Norfolk, was declared winner of the
plate, Sergeant Hart of the second prize of £6, and Pri-
vate Wilson of the third prize of £5. Corporal Gunn won
the other prize of £5. In a contest open to all corners, with
any rifle, the ranges were 300, 500, and 600 yards, five
rounds each; and the first prize was £lO, the second £5;
£2 for the best score at eaoh range. There were 44 oom-
petitors. The first prize was won by Captain Hawker, of
the South Middlesex, who made a total of 52 points. Cor-
poral Ringer was second with 47.

At the recent distribution of prizes in Leicestershire by
Mrs H. St. John Holford, Private Kelsey received Mr Tur-
ner's challenge cup. Private Anderson was presented with
the Ladies' Prize, £lO cup, shot for at Melton. Private
Brookes, with a score nearly equalling that which took the
Queen's Medal at Wimbledon, nest received Sir Henry
Halford's prize (£10), Ensign Biggs, Lieut.. Col. Halford's
prize of £7, and Capt. Millican a telescope value £5. Lieut.-
Col. Ililford, before the presentation of the Duke of Rut-
land's prize took place, remarked that there was a tie be-
tween Lieut. Biggs and Capt. Millican, but in shooting off
the former was most successful. Ensign Biggs then re-
ceived, at the hands of Mrs Halford, £2O and a handsome
silver medal commemorative of the occasion, and Captain
Millican the second prize of £5. For Major Clarke'a prize
of £5, for the highest score made by the competitors in the
Ladies' Prize, or first stage of the Duke of Rutland's prize
and Sir H. Halford's prize, there was a tie between Private
Brookes and Lieut. Smith, both having made 74 points. In
accordance with their desire, the money was divided be-
tween them. The last prix.?, presented by Mrs ll,lford, was
One to the Lieut.-Colonel himsel", he having that day won
the) monthly challenge cup, presented by Mr W. Brookes,
to encourage shooting for the Queen's Prize at Wimbledon.
A return match between eight members of the 9th Devon,
and eight members of the Ist Devon Rifles took place on
Tuesday. The proceedings were watched by a large com-
pany cf spectators with peat interest. The shooting was at
200, 300, 400, and 500 yards, five rounds each distance. The
9th representatives made a gross score of 390 against 358,
and consequently won the match.
The first prize shooting of the 12th Devon Artillery took
place on Friday, the 2d inst. 12 detachments took part in the
competition, money prizes being awarded to those making
the highest aggregate score. Eight-inch hollow shot were
fired from heavy guns on a temporary platform at a target,
consisting of a small red flag, distant 1,700 yards. Major

Palmer, R.A., acted as umpire, and considered the shooting
had been good. Battery Sergeant-Major Moore took first
prize, and Sergeant Stephens seem'. Out of 48 shots fired,
8 bulls' eyes and 11 centres were scored.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

CALEDONIAN.

The report of the directors states that, after pay-
ment of the dividends on the preference stock and
shares, amounting to £47,718, there remained
£122,574, out of which the directors recommended
a dividend on the crdinary stock of the company at
the rate of 6,1 per cent. per annum, leaving a sun•
plus of £2,992 to be carried to the credit of the con•
tingent fund, which would then, after certain de-
ductions, amount to £11,326, The revenue and
working expenses, contrasted with those of the cor-
responding period in 1863, showed that the revenue
amounted to £468,950, against £409,318, showing
an increase of £58,732, and the working expenses
amounted to £182,113, against £165,381, showing
an increase of £16,732. The working expenses were
£3B 18s per cent. against £4O 8s per cent. of the
receipts. The expenditure of capital during the
half year amounted to £300,946, which was repre-
sented by lands, works, and plant for new branches
to the amount of £217,238, by additional land,
works, and plant to meet the requirements of the
rapidly expanding traffic on the other sections of
the railway to the amount of £22,043, and by
the company's subscriptions towards the capitals of
the Wemyss Bay, the Bushby, and the Portpatrick
railways, £61,667, The Cleland, Stonehouse, and
Leith branches were about to be opened for goods
and mineral traffic, and the Ratherglen and Coat-
bridge branch was approaching completion. Acts
were granted in the last session of Parliament to
sanction an agreement for the use by this company
of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company's line to
the harbour of Glasgow, and the formation of a
joint station at the harbour, the company being thus
enabled to modify their own Harbour Branches Bill
HO Rs to nave them the coat of an independent access;
to authorise the construction of a short branch to
Tennochside for the mineral traffic of the district ;
to sanction the company's acquisition of the Hamil-
ton and Strathavm Railway ; and to enable this
and the Glasgow and South Western Company to
make a branch from the Glasgow and Paisley
joint line to Govan, on the south bank of the
Clyde below Glasgow, and to improve the access
to the Eglinton goods station. The company suc-
cessfully opposed during the past session the several
schemes promoted to their disadvantage, with the
exception of the Glasgow City Union, which, sup-
ported by neighbouring companies in breach of
their engagements to the Caledonian, received the
sanction of Parliament. The capital account showed
that £10,241,658 had been expended, leaving a
balance against the company of £90,291. The re-
venue account for the half-year ending the 31st of
July showed that £476,250 had been received and
£192,730 expended in working the traffic, £4,996
for feu duty and ground rent, £56,682 interest on
loans, £2,609 debentures, and £48,940 for guarani,
teed dividends, leaving a balance of £170,292.

PETER.BOROUGII, WISBEACH, AND SUTTON.

An extraordinary and general meeting of this
company was held yesterday at the offices, 41, Par-
liamentary-street ; Mr. Fox in the chair.
The notice convening the meeting having been
read,

The CHAIRMAN proposed a series of resolutions
to the following effect :—That pursuant to the
powers contained in the Company's Act of last
Session there should be created 5,250 shares in the
undertaking of £2O each, such shares to be denomi.
nated A shares; that the shares of the company
created by the company's Act of 1863, numbered
from 1 to 9,000 and amounting in the aggregate to
£lBO,OOO should be cancelled, the owners of the
3,441 shares issuei having consented to surrender
them, and that there should be created in lieu
thereof 7,500 shares of £2O each, to be denominated
B shares, and 1,500 shares of £2O, to be denominated
A shares ; that the A shares created by these reso-
lutions, amounting in the aggregate to £135,000,
should be issued on the conditions that the holders
of such shares should not be entitled in any finan-
cial year to any dividend on such shares until the
owners of the B shares had had assigned to them a
diriripnd at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum; and
that tie A and B shares should be disposed of in
such manner and to such persons as the directors
might think flt.
Mr. HUNT seconded the resolutions, which were
carried nem con

A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

Railway Traffic Returns for the Week.
Miles Opened. Receipts.
Railways. ~.....--,,...---.^---...,
1864. 1863. 1864. 1863.
L L
Belfast and N, Counties 136 136 2,3'2 2.171
Belfast and County Down 49 49 760 721
Blyth and Tyne 2B 28 2,190 1,847
Bristol and Exeter l2ll 1211 7,854 7,279
Caledonian 2621 1,44} 19,441 19.111
Cambrian

Cockermoutli& Workington ei 84 389 329
Cork and Bandon 2O 20 358 392

Cork, Blackrock, & Passage... 61 210 374
Cork and Youg,hal . 324 324 533 510
Cornwall 651 531 2,064 1.7f5
Deeside l7 17 519 383
Dublin & lkelfast Junction B3 63 1,517 L5Ol
Dublin and Drogheda 75 75 1,713 1,863
Dublin and Meath
Dub. & Wicklow and Wexid 9l} 51 4,137 3,630
Furness, &c 5O 59 3,355 3,043
Glasgow & South-Western
Gt. Kastern,Nrfk.,&E.Union - 663 663 32,587 30,753
Great Northern 387 351 35,370 32,951
Great North of Scotland 5B 58 1,815 2.045
ISt. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7ll 711 671 531
'it.Southn. & Westn.(lrind.) 3874 351} 8,437 8.801
Great Western 1205 1158 73,9.7 65,595
Hull and Hornsea l3 - 153 -
Inverness & Aberdeen Juno 1064 1064 1,855 1,625
Inverness & Perth Junction 119} - 2,•'50 -
Irish North-Western 145 145 1,597 1,745
Kent Coast 27 10 2,950 125
Lancashire & Yorkshire 403 895 43,387 39,356
Limerick and Ennis.
Limerick and Foynes 26} 2 95 111
Llanelly 461 4 795 731
London & North-Western
London and Blackwall 1 5/ 5 2,115 2,009
London & South-Western
I
Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast 267 2511 24,149 22,289
London, Chatham, & Dover 72 72} 8,053 6 452
Do. Metropolitan Extension 11 104 2,415 1,335
Man.,Sheffield, & Lincolnsh
Manch. S.Jun.& Altrincham 9l 91 1,449 1,302
Maryport and Carlisle
Metropolitan
Midland (incl. N.-Western) 641 641 52,147 48,403
Midland Gt. Westn. of 'rind 262 2594 5,905 5,524
Monkland
Monmouthsh. Rail. & Canal 44 44 2,990 2,816
North British, Edin., Perth
and Dundee
N-Eastern and Stock. & DarL 1095 1095 85,:506 59,285
North London 9 9 3,373 30 55
North Staffordshire 254 252 8,755 8,345
Ithymney 194 194 1,031 744
Scottish Central
Scottish North-Eastern l3B 138 6,062 5,792
Somerset and Dorset 66 394 962 405
South Devon ...... .........
South-Eastern. 306 308 31,662 30,506
Taff Vale 57 67 6,027 5,557
Ulster
Vale of C1wyd._......., lO 10 255 214
Vale of Neath 431 431 2,908 2,543
Waterford and Kilkenny 3l 31 449 4:1
Waterford and Limerick 77 77 1,358 1,378
West Cornwall 274 274 855 859
W.Hartlepool Harbr.&Rail s2} 52} 4,956 5,422
W'haven,Cleator,& Egrmnt lO 7 742 578
Whitchaven Junction l3 13 1,053 891
Whitehaven & Farness Jun 35 35 997 811
FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

Austrian _ 828 826 39,974 33,888
Bahia and San Francisco 761 - 198 -
Belgian Eastern J unction 261 2ei 336 318
Bombay, Baroda, & Cen. India 185} 185} 2,057 1,627
Detroit and Milwaukie lB5 185 - -
Dutch lthenish
Eastern Bengal - -
Easturn of France.
East Indian
Grand Trunk of Canada 1335 1335 21,432 18,052
Great Central of Belgium lBO - 6,425 -
Great Indian Peninsula 513 495 6,132 5,703
Great Luxembourg 134 134 4,903 4,932
Great Southern of India
Great Western of Canada 345 315 - -
Madras
Madrid, Saragossa &Aiicant 650 490 17,805 17,400
Northern of Canada
Northern of France 697 697 61,711 59,861
Norwegian Trunk
Ottoman
Paris, Lyons, & Mcditerrn lBO5 1713 130,e27 131,293
Paris and Orleans 1614 1491 72,180 68,0.38
Pernambuco 771 77} 595 452
Koyal Danish 69 69 - -
Scinde lO5 105 1,728 2,889
South Austrian
Southern of France ... 770 680 34,326 34,323
Victorian 196 196 8,773 10,117
Welland
..... ._. _ -0--

West Flanders
75
W. and N. W. of France

THE WILTSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.—Lord
Palmerston has signified his intention of being present at
the presentation of the prizes by Lady Herbert of Lea, in
Wilton Park, to the successful competitors at the Wilt-
shire County Rifle Asso.-Aation, and the 300 guineas All
Corners' Meetings, to be held at Laverstock, near Salis-
bury, on Wednesday, the 14th inst., and following days.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, September
21, and the event will be made the occasion of a grand
fits in the beautiful and classical gardens at Wilt m. The
prizes amount in the aggregate to the handsomo sum of
nearly £7OO. Lord and Lady Palmerston, with other dis-
tinguished visitors, will be the guests of Lady Herbert at
Wilton House,

TIMES.—The return of the Royal Sovereign from
her second experimental cruise recalls our atten-
tion to the question of Cupola Ships and the treat-
ment of Captain Coles's invention by the Admiralty.
The history of this innovation in naval architec-
ture, short as it is, is long by comparison with that
of other so called improvements which have been
adopted one year only to be superseded the next.
The cupola principle has now been before the world
for nine years; it was strongly recommended for
use in the Russian War by a committee of eminent
naval officers in November, 1855 ; it was submitted
to a crucial test in April, 1862, by the formal selec-
tion of the Royal Sovereign for the purpose of con.
version ; it has since been the subject of constant
discussion among naval engineers, and it has under•
gone a final ordeal in the late voyages of the Royal
Sovereign. It is now time that the public should
be informed whether it has or has not succeeded. If
not, or if its value has been so impaired by more re-
, cent experiments in gunnery or armou r-plating that
at has ceased to be worth adopting, let us not throw
good money after bad. Captain Coles will still be
entitled to our gratitude for the labour which ho
has expended upon what appeared, not only to
good judges in this country but to our American
rivals, a most promising discovery, and no one will
think that he has been unduly rewarded by the
£5,000 assigned to him in 1862 by the Admiralty.
If, on the contrary, Captain Coles has performed all
that he undertook, and the seagoing qualities of
shield-bearing ships have been fully verified by ex.
perience, the sooner we avail ourselves of this im-
portant result by the construction of similar vessels
the better for the efficiency of our Navy. In order
to understand the merits of the case, so far as they
can be grasped by landsmen, we must recur to the
original proposals of Captain Coles, and the original
objections urged against them. Captain Coles's,
original model was adapted to gunboats with a
light draught of water, and capable of carrying
heavy guns over the shallow waters of the Baltic
or Black Sea. After the war with Russia was at
an end he still advocated the same design, with
some slight modifications as applicable to coast de-
fences. It was with reference, we believe, to this
object that the experiments which first convinced
the Admiralty of its utility were carried out in the
Trusty, and the exploits of the Monitor occurring a
few months afterwards placed the defensive advan-
tages of turret ships beyond dispute. The real doubt
was whether they would be suitable for service on
the high seas. Capt. Coles boldly asserted that they
would and pledged himself to build two classes of
ships against all competitors, the one shot proof rafts
for the defence of harbours, the other seagoing fri-
gates and lineeof-battle ships. "I will undertake,"
he said, " to prove that on my principle a vessel
shall be built nearly:looft. shorter than the Warrior,
and in all respects equal to her with one exception,
that I will guarantee to disable and capture her in
an hour ; she shall draw four feet less water, require
only half the crew, and cost the country for building
at least £lOO,OOO less." The Admiralty did not
think proper to accept this challenge, but they made
over the Royal Sovereign, an old three-decker, de-
signed by Sir W. Symonds, to be transformed into
a 12-gun shield-ship on Capt. Coles' plan. Many
were the misgiving of naval men as to the working
of the turret principle in a ship of this size. It was
at first suggestel that it would be impossible for her
to carry masts at all, owing to the great space re-
quired for the "training" of the guns. It was next
insisted that, even if fitted with only five shields
and manned by a reduced crew, she would not con-
tain sufficient stowage room or accommodation for
officers and men, It was predicted that she would
never be able to carry her guns at the requisite
height above water with all her stores and armament
on board. That she would work terribly, and prove
very unmanageable in a sea-way, was assumed al-
most as a matter of course. Now, it is there forebod-
ings which ought to have been set at rest, one way
or the other, by the trial trips of the Royal Sove-
reign. It most be admitted that Capt. Coles was
placed at a great disadvantage in having to operate
on a vessel which had not been laid down with aview
to such a superstructure as his cupolas. Even if the
Royal Sovereign had strained more than she ought
in pitching or rolling, allowance should have been
made for this circumstance ; but as she had behaved
admirably well, and answered all the expectations
of her constructors, it is surely desirable that fur.
ther development should be given to this system.
We are far from impu ing to the Admiralty, as at
present constituted, any deliberate wish to suppress
the ideas of independent designers. When we are
told that no less than 596 suggestions for shot-
proof vessels had bean submitted to them in the
three years previous to 1862, we can almost sym-
pathise with the official presumption against each
new plan that comes before them. If there were
anything like agreement among private firms and
men of science about the best method of arming
ships of war, the Admiralty might be blamed most
justly for shutting their eyes to it, but it is noto-
rious that no such agreement exists. Last year
there was a grand conference at the Institute of
Naval Architects, where the various projects were
most ably represented and canvassed, and the only
two points upon which a tolerable degree of unani-
mity was attained were the superiority of iron to
wood, and the probability that greater calibre in
guns and greater thickness in plates may yet be
achieved. The grand controversy between wholt-
plating and half-plating, as well as all the minor
controversies about the depth of immersion, the
shape of turrets or central batteries, and their re-
volving or stationary character, remained unsettled
as before. The fault of the Admiralty does not
consist so much in its hesitation to give large orders
for vessels that may be obsolete before they are
launched, or even in its jealousy of competition, as
in its persistence in practices which it admits to be
exploded, and its neglect of principles which it ad-
mits to be of high practicel value. In short, it is
the xis inertia, rather than active obstruction, that
has to be overcome. The Admiralty might have
been perfectly justified in declining to take up Capt.
Coles's theory, or it may possibly be able to show
reasons for pronouncing it a failure; but if it is a
success, and that in spite of the unfavourable con-
ditions under which it was tested, why not allow
Captain Coles at least to build a man-of-war in his
own way ? if he has triumphed over all obstacles,
with make-shift materials and assistants who dis-
trusted his scheme, may we not expect still more
satisfactory results if his hands be left free ? It
was creditable to the judgment of the Admiralty,
as well as to that of another Department of the
Government, that Messrs. Laird's steam rams were
purchased for the public service, and great things
are expected of them, but we are not aware that
there is any notion of reconstructing the British
navy on this model. Cupola ships would not be a
substitute fur these, but for the wooden vessels, or
iron vessels of an exploded type, which the Admi-
ralty persist in building, while they confess, if
challenged, that they are all but worthless. If in
the present transition state of naval architecture
we must buy our own experience, and cannot wait
to profit by that of our neighbours, let us at least
avoid proved waste, and risk our expenditure on
attempts that have some claim to approximate
towards the ultimate ideal.
POST.—It would seem that the German Powers
are resolved to wring the submission of Denmark
and the patience of Europe to the uttermost, and
that they are not only driving a hard bargain
usuriously but suicidally, and so as to constitute a
precedent which is sure, sooner or later, to be quoted
against themselves. It is impossible to dissemble
the consequences of this proceeding. Whether
Denmark yields to what can only be described as
extortion, or whether the extreme pressure provoke
a desperate resistance, it is plainly not calculated to
promote peace or to restore confidence on the Con-
tinent. There can be no doubt that Prussia is pri-
marily answerable for such an iniquitous, and at
the same time perilous policy. It must be admitted
that Austria has hitherto made war and peace on
the principles which actuate great military powers.
In Italy and in Hungary, in her triumph and in
her humiliation, she maintained the dignity and
the forbearance which have preserved to her the
respect of Europe. Tho Government of Vienna
has exercised its authority sternly, severely, op-
pressively ; but it has never descended to mean.
ness, nor ever betrayed its martial honour; and,
even now, though bound by a new and dubious
alliance, Austria will, it is to be hoped, repudiate a
transaction which is averse from all her antecedents.
Prussia, on the contrary, when successful, has copied
the license of brigandage, and when defeated has
naturally expevienced corresponding treatment.
The passion which animated Blucher reigns in the
breast of Bismarck ; and forgetting her own mis-
fortunes, and ignoring an obvious responsibility,
deaf to the suggestions of prudence, and insensible
to the claims of justice and mercy, it is Prussia that
inscribes vice victis! on the flag she has herself more
than once furled in the presence of an invading
army. The Prussian idea carried out, would com-
pass the destruction of the defeated Power. Prus-ia
has Pc ized the Duchies, and now modestly requires
a mortgage on the remaining Danish territory to
reimburse her for the expenses incurred in the
seizure. It is not, however, the money that she
wants so much as the security. The right of fore.
closure is what is really sought. Plainly, the com-
mand of the Baltic is contemplated. It is the dream
of naval power which has inspired this monstrous
claim. The demand, it is true, is made in the name
of the Duchies; btu. that is only adding insult to
injury, and the subterfuge is transparent. Now,
what is the sum of the ability on which Prussia is
presuroing ? She is exulting in her might, and re-
joicing over an inglorious victory. This is the day
of her strength—strength acquired by the toleration
she is abusing. Austria is her accomplice; the minor

London : Prin-crd and Prbiished by WILLIAM ANDREW
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TILE SUN Office No. 112:
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, a the ccalltY of
Alldilleoex,—Saturday, September 10, 1844.