The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-24 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION.

Navy Board, not less then eight years ago. 1
H. had seen the experiments of Mr. Harris, and I
was bound to admit that they were very satisfactory in I
appearance. And if it should turn out from the evi—
&nee before the Committee that the invention was ef.
ficient—for that was in fact the only question to he in
vest.4lted, ti.-re being no doubt about the two other
poin!s—he was sure that ne consideration of expense
would prevent its adoption—(Hear, bear)—most im-
portant a. 3 it was for the preservation of our ships, and of
will more valuable lives.—( Hear.) The tenour of
the reports made by officers of the Admiralty, however,
had not been favourable to the invention ; indeed, there
had been hut one supporting it, and that was the
one which had been mentioned by the Noble Lord.
The present Admiralty had not been aware of what
was going on respecting the discontinuance of the in-
vention.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. WARBURTON said in his opinion it was
greatly to be marv, lied at that in this present scientific
age a Committee should berequiredon thesubject. Surely
natural philosophy had made so far way into the Admiralty
that they knew the value of means for preventing the
damage done by lightning,.—(Hear, hear.) As to this
there could be no doubt. The only question was as to
the proper means to be adopted for carrying the same
into effect. He considered that it would be super-
fluous to go into the investigation of a subject that was
known to every body. He thought when the Noble
Lord had got his Committee, it would be as well that
it should refrain from sitting for some time, in order
that the Admiralty might make inquity into the sub-
ject.
Admiral ADAM said the real question was, whe-
ther suitable condarctors could be made so securely as
not to be subjected to flaws which would render them
rather the cause of danger than safety ; that was a
question that had not vet been settled to the satisfac-
tion of the Board of Admiralty.
Sir ROBERT PEEL thought that the House
ought not to interfere with the Executive Government,
in matters of this sort : the better course would be for
the Admiralty to undertake the inquiry, and appoint a
commission for that purpose, consisting of four men of
science. That would prevent the establishment of a
precedent that might be very inconvenient.—(Hear,
hear.)
Mr. C. WOOD said the course proposed by the
Right lion. Baronet was that adopted in the case of
Kyan's patent.
Lord ELIOT said his only reason for bringing
this subject forward was, that he might have a scientific
and satisfactory investigation, and would willingly agree
to the suggestion of the Right Hon. Bart. the Member
for Tamworth.—(Hear, hear.) With reference to a
remark that had been made by the Under-Secretary for
the Admiralty, he would observe that when experiments
were made, they ought to be made under the superin-
tendence of the inventor.—( Hear, hear.)

The motion was then withdrawn.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

Sir R. PEEL inquired what course the Noble Lord
intended to take on Monday, with respect to the busi-
ness before the House ; and when he would bring on
the Canada
Lord J. RUSSELL proposed to go on with the Ja-
maica Bill on Monday next—that would, perhaps, take
the whole of the evening ; and he would give notice,
probably on Friday, on what day he would bring on the
Canada Bill.