The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1863

SELL and other shipbuilders and lecturers have

been busy with their armour-plates, ARMSTRONG,
WHITWORTH, and many more, have been equally
diligent in preparing guns to pierce them, and a
continual contest has been going on between the
contending parties. One of the last results of
which is, that just as the Thames Iron Works
Company had constructed what they deemed an
impregnable target, Mr. WHITWORTH comes for,
ward, and, with a flat-headed bolt, drives a hole
clean through it. The principal requisites of
a ship of war, as stated above, are speed
and invulnerability—but if invulnerability is
Ito be purchased only by carrying a coating of
some five or six inches of iron, it will be perfectly
impossible to construct vessels which shall combine
great speed, and yet be impervious to shot, without
giving them a tonnage of at least some 6,000 tons.
The cost of such vessels is, of course, enormous ;
but they would give a fair account of any enemy
they might meet in the Channel or elsewhere,
although from their great draught of water they
would be useless in following enemy's vessels into
shallow water, and merchantmen, privateers, and
hostile frigates would only have to hug the shore
to be safe. Another class of ships is therefore re-
quired. It is idle for people to say that the ships
of the navy should be of equal strength and speed
to enable them to act together. In any future war
there will be no general action unless it be in the
attack of a port or the landing of an army. Each
vessel will more or less fight "on her own hook/
Now as speed is the first desideratum, and it is
obvious that small vessels cannot carry heavy plates
and attain it, a modification must take place and a
compromise be made. What the Alabama has done
with her speed and heavy armament, shows plainly
what should be the construction of our navy. We
consider that vessels like the Alabama should con-
stitute the lowest class, and that as the tonnage of
the ships increases so should the thickness or com-
pleteness of their armour progress. It does not
follow that because at a short range a carefully
laid gun can send a ball through a fixed target that
the same result should follow in an encounter at
sea when distance, direction, and the motion of
the ship are all uncertain, and naturally tend to
diminish the chances of a point blank impact
necessary to cause the missile to penetrate.
Again, no great harm need result from a few shots
passing into, or even through a large ship; of course
one unlucky shot may sink her, but such an
occurrence is the exception, not the rule, for, if not,
how used ships in olden times to lay yardarm to
yardarm, and pour broadsides into each other for
an indefinite time without going to the bottom. We
may be answered that, now-a-days, the calibre of
the guns is much heavier, their service better, and
the shells more destructive. Granted—but this is
no reason why a low fast vessel, with but partial
and light armour, may not, if provided
with a few heavy guns, contend success-
fully with an enemy of superior tonnage,
but which from the extent of her protection is
unable to steam up to her lighter and swifter anta-
gonist, which can take up any position she pleases,
and if she find the fire too hot can "sheer off," and
keep out of harm's way. We have at present so
many new plans of construction for our ships that
it is impossible to come to any definite con-
clusion as to which will prove the most
serviceable. Whether the Minotaur or the Agin-
court, of 6,621 tons, will combine the required
conditions, and yet be able to carry coal enough
for a reasonable length of time or not it is obvious
that vessels such as the Favourite, of 2,186, now
building at Deptford, or the Research, of 1,253, at
Pembroke, cannot, and the law of mechanics which
declares in relation to the wheel and axle, that what
is gained in power is lost in speed, applies to armour-
plating, and as light draft and speed are requisite
to small vessels they must forego the protection
of heavy plating, and only have a light coating on
their most vulnerable parts. After all, " playing
at long bowls" was never popular in our navy. The
sooner his ship was laid aboard the enemy, and it
was "Boarders away," the better JACK liked it.
The daring of our seamen has not degenerated, and
neither armour plates nor rifled ordnance will
daunt them.

" The spirit of their fathers will start from every wave,"
and the memory of the deeds of BLAKE and NEL-
SON will stimulate them to emulate on a new field
the deeds of their ancestors.

No, of
Sums Assured. Premiums.
Policies
£ s. d. £ s. d.
Assurances in force, 2,873 1,634,754 18 0 52,522 10 3
Dec. 31, 861.
Policies written off 105 63,825 0 0 2,277 17 0
in 1862
2,761 1,570,929 18 0 50,244 13 3
New Assurances in
1862, extra Pre-
miums and altera- 244 124,850 0 0 4,530 210
Lions in Premiums
for errors in Ages.
Increase on Policies)
for assuring in- 95 10 0
creasing sums
3,012 1,695,875 8 0 54,774 16 1

54,774 16 1

"Your directors regret the retirement from the board of
John Mollett, Esq., a gentleman whose name is never
mentioned but with respect. On hursday, the 2d of Apzil
next, you will have to supply the vacancy thus caused in
the direction. Due notice by advertisement has been given,
and further notice will be sent to you by a circular from
the office.

"The directors consider your society to be in an emi-
nent state of prosperity; and although, from its choice
and selected character, the new business may he less
than the new business of some similar institutions,
it appears to them that the advantages already given, and
which in all probability will continue to bo given, by the
society, are surpassed by none. You will find this asser-
tion verified by the large bonuses appropriated for the year
1862, which are quite equal to those of former years. The
letters announcing them will be sent out early in the coming
month. A large progressive increase of new business is of
course desirable; and for such an increase they ask the
co-operation of their fellow-members, who will be imme-
diately supplied with all necessary papers to facilitate their
efforts by an application to the office."

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, congratulated the meeting on the success of
the past year, and urged all present to use their
best exertions to further the interests of the society.
After a short discussion, the motion was carried.
The proceedings terminated with the usual vote
of thanks to the officers.

THE ROYAL NAN-V.—By a return yesterday
issued it appears that on the Ist inst. there were 669 effec-
tive ships in the Royal Navy, 566 steam, and 103 sailing.
The number afloatwas 522.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.

(From the P tenna correspondent of the Times,)

VIENNA, Feb. 14.
In my letter of the 12th inst. it was stated that a
convention for the purpose of suppressing insurrec-
tion in the kingdom of Poland had been concluded
between Prussia and Russia, and I am now able to
give some further information on the subject. The
engagements entered into by the Prussian Govern-
ment are in substance as follows :

" If Russian troops are forced by the insurgents to cross
the frontier into Prussia they shall not be obliged to lay
down their arms. Should revolutionary bands be driven
across the Prussian frontier the Russian troops shall be at
liberty to pursue them. On the demand of the St. Peters-
burg Government Prussian troor s will act, either separately
or in conjuneticn with the Russian forces, against the in.
surgents."

In diplomatic circles it is stated that Austria
was requested to become a party to the convention,
and that Count Rechberg refused to have anything
to do with proceedings which cannot fail to
excite the indignation of the civilised world.
Prince Gortscbakoff still asserts that the Austrian
Government affords clandestine support to the
insurgents in the kingdom of Poland, but the
charge is so absorb that it hardly merits refuta-
tion. The Emperor prorogued the Galician Diet
in order that the sufferings of the Poles and the
abominable tyranny of the Russian Government
might not be trumpeted forth to the world, and his
Ministers of War and Police do all in their power
to keep the Galician Poles from rendering as-
sistance to their distressed fellow-countrymen•
Hitherto the conduct of this Government has been
strictly correct, and there is no reason to doubt that
it will continue to be so. A few days ago the Duke
de Gramont and the Austrian Minister for Foreign
Affairs exchanged opinions in regard to Poland, and
Count Rechberg is reported to have said that Aus-
tria desired to see that country in a position which
should be in accordance with the wishes expressed
by the Powers in 1815. A few days ago I forwarded
to you some striking passages from a circular which
Lord Castlereagh in 1815 addressed to the Vienna
Congress, and you must now permit me to return to
the subject. Russia, Austria, and Prussia replied
at length to the British statesman's note, and on
the 21st of February, 1815, the Prince de Talley-
rand declared in Congress " that his Majesty the
King of France approved the principles upheld by
the Plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majesty." In
their reply to Lord Castlereagh's circular, the Rus-
sian Plenipotentiaries said " that the justice and
liberality of the principles contained in the Eng-
lish note had caused the most lively satisfaction
to his Majesty the Emperor, who will do alp in his
power to ameliorate the position of the Poles, and
to protect their nationality.' The Russian Plenipo-
tentiaries laid great stress on the " political loyalty"
of Russia, and observed that Europe need not feel
any alarm if a part of the Polish nation should be
attached to the Russian empire " by means of con-
stitutional ties (par des liens eonstitutionnels)."
The Austrian Plenipotentiaries declared that their
Sovereign the Emperor would not have objected
to the re-establishment of a kingdom of Poland,
"under an independent and national Polish Go-
vernment," as Austria had never considered a free
and independent Poland a rival and hostile Power ;
but that he had made his wishes subservient (subor-
donne ses vcrux) to those of the other Powers. In
the last paragraph of the Austrian note it is said
that the Emperor entirely approves the remarks
made by Lord Castlereagh "in regard to the future
fate of the Polish people." The Prussian reply is in
the same sense as the Austrian, but the language
used by M. von Hardenberg appears to me to be
vague and unsatisfactory. According to a diplo-
matic on dit, England, France, and Austria were
not satisfied with the way in which the Polish
question was settled by the Congress, and in as far
as Austria was concerned there is reason to believe
that the report is correct. All the Austrian papers
condemn the policy of the Prussian Government
toward the Poles, and some of the leading organs
of the Vienna press ask what the Western Powers
wilt say to the gross violation of the principle of
non-intervention. The Presse expresses its satis-
faction that Austria will not follow the example of
Prussia, " who is degrading herself by playing
catchpoll for Russia." The Austrian Cabinet has
prohibited the export of arms, sithes, and ammuni-
tion from Galicia and the Bukowina to Russia and
Russian Poland.

The Wiener Zeitung contains a telegram from
Lemberg, in which it is said that the Russian re-
ports relative to the loss sustained by the insurgent
corps under Langiewitz are greatly exaggerated.
A certain Moreau, who purposely took a detach-
ment of Polish " sithemen" under the fire of a
Russian battery, was tried by a court-martial and
hanged by order of Langiewitz, who is now in the
mountains near St. Krzyz (not far from Wengrow)
with 5,000 tolerably well-armed men. Both official
and private ncivices confirm the statements made by
the Polish insurgents relative to the barbarous
cruelty of the Russians. In the neighbourhood of
Tomaezow, which is nut far from Zamose, a Colonel
Bedraga has committed terrible atrocities. He had
three persons " gradually" (allnialig) put to death,
and Captain Zowadaki and Lieutenant Wasilewski
acted as executioners. The fear of the insurgents
to fall alive into the hands of their enemies makes
them fight like demons, and the cruelty of the Rus-
sians has greatly contributed to the spread of the
insurrection. The Ministerial General Correspond-
ence learns from Lemberg that Langiewitz has in-
formed the Russian officer who commands the troops
opposed to him that he, " by way of reprisal," has
had a certain number of his prisoners shot. The orga-
nisation of the insurgent bands is progressing
rapidly, and the commanders of the different corps
have given strict orders to their inferiors to avoid
regular battles with the Russians. Four detachments
of insurgents have managed to get from Poland into
Lithuania, where they are engaged in insurrec-
tionising the rural districts. Two of the detach-
ments crossed the Boug at no great distance from
Brzesc-Litewski, and it mast be concluded that the
garrison of that fortress is very weak, as it made no
attempt to molest the insurgents, A few days ago
the Russian regiment Ismailoff crossed the Boug at
Terespol, and it is supposed that it is now quartered
in the above-mentioned stronghold. The Warsaw
authorities deny that the insurrection has spread to
Lithuania, Volnynia, Podolia, and the Ukraine, but
the proclamation of the state of siege in those pro-
vinces must be considered proof positive that the
Grand Duke Constantine and his ruthless Adlatus
say the thing which is not. By letters taken from
a Russian Cabinet messenger, the insurgents learnt
tnat the Stathholder of Poland hated Austria more
than ever, and that Prussia " offered" to assist
Russia in quelling the insurrection. Some letters
written by the Grand Duchess were sent back to
her by the President of the National Committee,
who had previously affixed to them the revolutionary
seal. Kurowski, " the military chief in the Voi-
vode of Cracow," has announced to his fellow-coun-
trymen that the rssults of his victory at Sosnov.ice,
on the Prusso-Polish frontier, were 100,000 .I r
roubles, 100 cwt. of powder, and 80 guns and
sabres. " The hero of the day," Bays Kurowske
" was Cieszkowski, the commander of the sithemen,
who had his horse killed under him, and was twice
wounded." The reinforcements sent from St. Peters-
burg to Poland are two Guard cavalry regiments,
mobile divisions of the Guard Cossack and Alaman
esty's regiment of Guard Lan-
regiments, his Maj
cers, the Grodno regiment of Guard Hussars, and
a Guard battery. Reliable information has been
given me that the petty nobles in Russian Polano
are at the head of the insurrection, which is not
approved of by the great landed proprietors, "us
the movement is a democratic one."

-----
METROPOLITAN CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY.—On
Monday evening a meeting of chrysanthemum growers was
held at the Angel Inn, Islington, when Mr. Shirley Hibbero,
editor of the Gardeners' Magazine, occupied the chair. The
object was to inaugurate a society for promoting the cal arm.
of this favourite flower and to establish a monster exhibi-
tion. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and a committee,
consisting of equal numbers of nurserymen, gentlemen, gar-
deners, and amateurs, was formed to carry the project into
effect. Sir S. M. Peto, M.P. Mr. t ex, MX.) and Mr.
Shirley Hibberd, F.R.H.S., were elected patrons. Mr
Alfred Smee, F.R.S., of the Bank of England, was elected
president; and various other preliminaries having been dis-
posed of, the proceedings teiminatel with a vote of thanks
to the chairman. It is understood that the monster exhi-
Litiou is to take place at the Agricultural-hall.

oft vfo
tonal *---tionlat

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Feb. 17.
The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness
the Princess Louis of Hesse, walked and drove in
the Home Park this morning.
His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Hesse, at-
tended by Lieut.-Colonel du Plat and Captain Wes-
terweller, went to Woolwich.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, at-
tended by Lieut.-General Knollys and Major Tees-
dale, arrived at the Castle last evening from Saver-
flake Forest.

Lord Methuen and Colonel the Hon. G. A. Lid-
dell have succeeded Lord Rivers and Lieut.-General
Sir H. Bentinck as Lord and Groom in waiting.

THE PRINCE OF WALES WITH HIS HARRIERS -
Yesterday his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ho-
noured the farmers of Buckinghamshire with his presence
in the hunting-field. The Prince was accompanied by
Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood, the master of the
Royal pack, and Captain Hood. His Royal Highness was
also joined by Lord Besborough, the noble master of her
Majesty's buckhounds, and Lord Camoys, and other gentle-
men in scarlet, who were returning from the meet, at Mile-
end-house, the stag not being turned out in consequence of
the frost. These gentlemen contributed much to the bril-
liancy of one of the largest fields of the season. Several
hares were started, and afforded a good day's sport. His
Royal Highness was well mounted on a new chestnut. He
rode remarkably well, and thoroughly enjoyed the sport.
The country, notwithstanding the frost, was remarkably
heavy.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge is
confined to Gloucester House by an attack of gout.
A medallion memorial of the late Prince Consort
by Marochetti will shortly be erected in St. Thomas's
Church at Newport, in the Isle of Wight.
The Duke and Duchess of Modena have arrived
at Venice.

The marri,ge of Prince William of Baden with
the Princess Maria Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg was
celebrated on the 11th inst. at the Winter Palace in St.
Petersburg.

Lord Palmerston has been elected a governor of
the Charterhouse.

Lady Dukinfield has left town for her residence
in Berkshire.

Sir Robert Clifton has arrived at the Brunswick
Hotel, Jermyn-street, from his seat, Clifton Hall, Notting-
ham.

HAYMARKET TUEATRE.—Their Royal High-
nesses the Princess Helena and the Princess Louise honoured
this theatre last night w;th their presence, to see " Our
American Cousin," performed for tfie 359th time, and
" Rasselas, Pri'nce of Abyssinia."

The Prince of Hesse, Baron Westerweller, and
Colonel Du Plat honoured the performances at the Adelphi
Theatre last evening with their presence.

The bouquet-holder in which the bouquet will be
presented to the Princess Alexandra, on her landing
in England, by the lady of the Mayor of Gravesend, in form
will resemble a cornucopia, and is so arranged that by
touching a spring ingeniously contrived it may be rested in
an upright position. The ornamentation will consist of the
arms of England and Denmark, surmounted by Prince of
Wales feathers issuing from a gold crown set with sapphires.
On the reverse will be represented the motto of the corpo-
ration of Gravesend. The gold work of the cornucopia will
be enriched with pink coral and pearls, being the national
colours of Denmark.

RECEPTION OF THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA IN
THE CITY.—The Princess Alexandra is to be re-
ceived in the City by a bevy of blooming belles—the
brightest, gracefullest, and most fascinating of the beauties
of the City ; and the mode of the reception and all the
pretty details belonging to it, will be immediately arranged
under the auspices of a committee of ladies —City Press.
King Otho, who since his return to Munich had
continued to wear the Greek national costume, has now
exchanged it for an ordinary European dress.

The Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and the
Archduchess Charlotte will leave Vienna on the 2d March
for London, to be present at the marriage of the Prince of
Wales.

The Italian journals publish the following letter
addressed by the Empress of the French to
Chevalier Nigra, Italian ambassador to the Court of
France :—" Tuileries, Feb. 9.—Sir,—l accept with pleasure
the marble group which you have delivered to me in the
name of the ladies of Milan. I prize it as a testimony of
the sentiments with which they are animated, and a remem •
brance of a common glory. The thought they have had of
offering it to me affects me deeply, and the talent of the
artist whose remarkable work realises their intention so
well, gives it additional value. I request you, sir, to ex-
press my sincere thanks to those ladies, and accept my
kindest wishes. "EITGENIE."

MR. MORRISON, M.P.—Alarming rumours have
prevailed during the last day or two respecting the
health of Mr. Walter Morrison, M.P. for Plymouth. It
was even reported in the borough on Sunday that the
gentleman was dead. We are enabled to state that the
latter report is quite unfounded. Mr. Morrison was seized
with fever during a journey through Egypt, and was for
some time Exceedingly ill. He is now, we are happy to
state, better, though by no means convalescent. The
latest accounts received by his friends are that he was re-
covering, and that he was returning to England by slow
stages. The hon. gentleman has youth and more than the
average physical strength on his side, and we may there-
fore hope that he wi'l soon completely recover from his
late attack, and be able to resume his parliamentary duties.
—Western Morning News.
CURIOUS SHROVE-TUESDAY CUSTOM AT WEST-
MINSTER SCHOOL—Yesterday being Shrove Tues-
day, a quaint ceremony took place in the school room of St,
Peter's College, Westminster. About 11 o'clock, while the
boys were presumably asleep in Homer and Virgil, under
the vigilant eyes of Mr. Scott, Mr. Ingram, and their as-
sistant masters, the Verger of the Abbey opened the door,
and ushered in the cook of the college, attired in full kitchen
dress. There was a dead silence of either awe or curiosity
among the boys as the Ude of Dean's yard poised what is
conventionally considered a pancake (but which was suspi-
ciously like a stiff old crumpet) on a fcrk, and after a few
prelimininary twirls, tossed it artistically over the bar which
separates the upper from the lower school. Thereupon all
was confusion—the boys rushed from their seats to catch
the farinaceous compound, well understanding that he who
should, in spite of the scuffling and hustling, keep it unin-
jured would be entitled to carry it to the deanery, and de-
mand the sum of one guinea there and then from Dean
Trench. The kicking and noise reminded one of a football
"game at the wall" at Eton, with its attendant bullies and
" shinings." This curious ceremony entitles the cook to a
guinea or two guineas from the dean and chapter, and is
a relict of olden times, when on Shrove Tuesday all sorts of
games were common in England—football, cock fighting,
&c. At Eton School, till very recently, might be seen in
the unrestored college halls pegs en the wainscoting, upon
which were hung long scrolls of verses called " Bacchuses,"
from the fact that originally they were written in honour
of Bacchus.

EXPORT OF COTTON FROM LIVERPOOL TO AME-
RICA.—The high 'price to which cotton has ad-
vanced in New York has again induced the holders in this
country to export. Accordingly three screw steamers,
almost entirely cotton laden, have been despatched from
Liverpool during the present week. These were the Kedar,
the Plantagenet, and the Damascus, which among them
carried out considerably upwards of 4,000 bales. The
Inman steamship City of New York, which sails to-day,
and the same company's steamer Kangaroo, to sail on Sa-
turday, also take out a considerable quantity; and the Ca-
nadian mail steamer Hibernian, to-morrow, from Liverpool
for Portland, will take a quantity. In all, the export of
the week from Liverpool to New York will not fall short
of, but may exceed 6,000 bales.
The mercantile letters from New York state that
the shipments of gold to England are likely tocon-
tinue at the rate of at least 200,000 per week, irrespective of
the sums that will reach us on New York account, via
Panama, from California, in consequence of the dread in-
spir©d by the Alabama and the Florida. The Government,
greatly alarmed at the recent advance of the premium on
gold to 59, had drawn back from their contemplated issues
of additional paper, and gold had consequently experiences
a partial reaction. This, however, had in turn alarmed the
speculators in the Stock -market, who are aware that means
must be raised either by fresh note issues or fresh creations
of stock, and that it is only a question as to which are to be
the victims of any fresh movement—the existing currency
hollers or the existing stockholders. The prevalent opi-
nion was that, however the Government may shrink and
vacillate, Congress before its adjournment on March 4 will
have to pass a bill for a large additional flood of paper
money. As the flue uat ons in the rate of exchange are
now sometimes 6 or 7 per cent. in the course of a day 01
two, the operations of regular business are found to be im
practicable, except by making contracts to be regulated b)e
the price of specie. In this way some of the leadingmarin
insurance companies, to prevent the entire transference 01
t heir business to this and other foreign countries, are now
receiving their premiums in gold and making their losses
payable in gold at the option of the merchant.
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have
rescinded the order recently issued by the Con-
troller of the navy, that the boats of all ships in commission
should be fitted with Captain linast on's detaching hooks,
and have directed that Clifford's system of lowering is to be
used instead, when applied for by officers in command.