The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-11 00:00:00

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1 t was, without any expenditure of labour, poured
out into the mould an ingot of soft, tough steel
weighing three tons. This metal, after undergoing
h.mmering, is now most extensively used for steel
rails at stations, points, and junctions., where the
wear is great, and in these trying situations it seems
almost indestructible. A great deal has also been
used in making Blakely rifled guns in this coun-
try both for Federals and Confederates. These
are the ordnance which the Americans always
speak of as Parrott guns, and by them they are
more highly prized than those of either Arm-
strong or Whitworth. Yet it is stated that the
Ordnance Select Committee have refused even to
try these guns at Shoeburyness. After these pro-
cesses were over, and the various planing and filing
shops had been duly examined, the visitors were
entertained by Mr. Brown at a most sumptuous
dejeuner. After this repast, whin the usual loyal
and patriotic toasts had been given and duly
honoured, the Mayo: gave the toast of the even-
ing—" The health of the Lords of the Admiralty."
In teplying to this the I)uke of Somerset said :
" In regard to the position of the Admiralty, I and my
colleagues have endeavoui ed to arry un the business with-
feelings. In that I inn convinced that
party
believe that we have had great difficulties to contend with.
aoulltwrehfo.erheanNc-ee watchedthe operations of the Admiralty will
During the last three years, what with affairs abroad and
difficulties in almost all parts of the world, falling upon the
navy, and the difficulties at home connected with the re-
construction of the navy, there has been a heavy weight
upon the Admiralty. Not that we have not had plenty e-
of
advice. I think there never was a body of men who r
ceived so much. I have had letters from all parts of
and
the
world, telling me what 1 ought to do. (Hear)
'lf you really
he,
laughter.) One gentleman writes and says,
want to build proper ships you should copy the scales of
the crocodile, to keep out the shot. (Laughter.) The
scales of the crocodile are peculiarly made by nature. Do
you copy them.' Another gentleman writes, Not at all.
If you want to get right, and make a vessel really inNul-
nerable, you will copy the hide of a rhinoceros. That ie
the only thing nature has made invulnerable.' That, you
will recollect, is a large thick coat, with some hard protu-
berances upon it. ' Oh,' says another, those views are quite
wrong ; the real thing is to copy the wing of the beetle, which
is a slippery thing, and so you will cause the shot to glide
off.' (Laughter.) I suppose I have put aside about 20
letters containing various suggestions of that sort. One
writer suggests we should cover the ships with chain ar-
mour ; another that we should have springs all round the
ships, so that when the shot hit it the springs would break
the force of the blow without injury to the ship. (Laughter.)
How the springs are to be kept from rusting at sea he does
not explain very clearly—inventors never observe little dif-
ficnities of that sort. We have, in fact, no end of these in-
ventions, as they are called, What the Admiralty did was
what I should think any gentleman would do under the cir-
cumstances; we looked to the object of getttng
ships pro-
perly made invulnerable, and the question of what material
should be used then arose. That was a very difficult ques-
tion, and in order that it might be properly solved we
appointed a committee—the Iron Plate Committee—who
have worked most excellently and zealously upon the sub-
ject, and have been of great use to the Admiralty and to
the country, not only by the experiments of Shoeburyness
—for that was only a part—but by awakening the mind of
the; country to what was required. They have awakened a
spirit which led many persons to go to see for themselves,
and the result has been, as Mr. Brown has.told you, that
they were enabled to see exactly what was wanted. It is
only when a person has seen a plate fired at that he really
begins to understand what is wanted. (Hear.) Mr. Brown
says he asked the Admiralty if they would be able to make
ships to carry the plates he could make. Now, I will at
once say that we are very incredulous. (Hear, hear, and
laughter.) We are se accustomed to receive offers that we
have contracted a habit of receiving them with great
caution and considerable incredulity. When persons tell
me that they can make so-and-so, and that it is as easy
'as possible, I confess I generally think they are
wrong—particularly if they say it is very easy. Tho
first man I meet with who says he thinks he can do it, and
he will try, induces me to feel differently; but if one says
it is as easy as possible, and that if the Lords of the Admi-
ralty were not fools they would adopt his plan at once, I
suspect he doesn't know much about it. (Hear.) Now,
in
coming down here the Admiralty have done no more than
their duty, which they are anxious to do upon all occasions.
In fact, nothing can be more agreeable to us than to leave
the office and come down for a day into the country. Un-
fortunately our business increases on our hands so ra-
pidly that we find when we go back to town that we
have four times as much to do in consequence for
several days afterwards. My absence from the office
for two or.three days would seriously embarrass the public
service; and therefore you will see how limited is the
time we have at our disposal; but we are very glad to come
here, and I am sure I have profited and been very much in-
terested by what I have to-day seen. (Hear) Nothing is
more interesting to me than seeing these works, and seeing
the men of these works; to see the intelligence, the good
temper, and the kindly feeling towards the head of the
establishment. (Hear, hear.) It has convinced me that the
men themselves are well treated ; that they feel they are
well treated ; and they show what great kindness and good
judgment must be posses•ed by the head of the establish-
ment. That is the only way in which you can carry on
greet works like that we have seen to-day. (Hear, hear.) I
cannot, therefore, close the observations I have made with-
out asking you to drink the health of Mr. Brown, coupling
it with Prosperity to the new rolling mill, for that is the
great thing in the proceedings of this day. It is the most
striking thing, and will in the future be one of the most
wonderful pieces of machinery that have ever been made in
this country,"