The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 9, 1863.

IjINAHAN'S LL WHISKY v. COGNAC
BRANDY.
This celebrated Old IRISII„WHISKY rivals the finest
FRENCH BRANDY,
It i Pure, Mild, Mellow, Delicious, and very Wholesome.
Sold in Bottles, 3s. Bd., at the Retail Houses in London; by
the Agents in the principal towns in England; or wholesale
at

8, GREAT WINDMILL-STREET, W.
Observe the Red Seal, Pink Label, and Cork branded
LL Whisky."

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.
By direction of the Lords of the Admiralty Mr. J. Red-
man, of Chatham dockyard, who has submitted to the Ad-
miralty an improved anti-fouling composition for iron ships,

is to be permitted to make some experiments with his in-
vention on the bottom of one of the iron ships at Chatham.
Her Majesty's screw steam line-of-battle shipslrresistible,
80 guns, 2,642 tons, 400 horse power, and Goliath, 80 guns,
2,566 tons, 400 horse power, belonging to the 2d division of
the Sheerness Steam Reserve, are ordered to be brought
forward for commission for Coastguard service. The Irre-

sistible is to be ready for the pennant in April, and the Go-
liath in June, 1864.
The Malacca, 17, screw, Capt. G. H. Napier, was paid
out of commission yesterday at Portsmouth.

The Steam Reserve Commission have concluded their
labours at Portsmouth, and have left for other ports. With
the practical knowledge of the subject possessed by Admirals

H. Stewart and Grey and their secretary, Mr. Hickman,
there can be no doubt one of the chief recommendations

---- - .
contained in their report will be to the effect that the

" reserves" of her Majesty's navy in future shall consist
only of such vessels as are complete in all respects for sea,
excepting their crews and ammunition and a portion of
their provisions. Reserves should be only what their name
implies—a reserve force always ready to relieve or
strengthen our fleets at sea. At present the ships forming
the reserves could not bo made ready to take the sea

under six years, if our dockyard resources only were em-
ployed upon them, and many vessels on the lists of the re-
serves can never be made seaworthy under any circum-
stances of time or expense, _ .

The Resistance, 16, iron frigate, Captain Chamberlain,
lying at Spithead, is ordered to complete storos and provi-
sions for sea, and will sail shortly for the Mediterranean.
The Hector, iron frigate, yesterday received her bower
anchors and new running bowsprit alongside Portsmouth
Dockyard. She has now received nearly all her weights
on board, except crew, part of the ammunition, and provi-
sions. She appears very deep in the water, drawing now
23ft. Bin. forward and 25ft. 3in. aft.

The si-inch plate referred to in the Naval Intelligence
column of 71u Sun of yesterday as having been pierced by
steel spherical shot fired from the Armstrong 100-pounder
smooth bore gun, has been removed from the side of the
Monarch target ship, and landed in the dockyard, thus en •

abling both sides of the plate to be examined, and a correct
estimate formed of the actual damage inflicted. Three shots
were fired at this plate, and each shot in turn penetrated
quite through the plate, and two buried themselves in tha
ship's side, being brought up by beam ends and knees, but
the third, as described in the notice of yesterday, passed
through plate and ship's side into the interior of the ship,
and covered the deck with splinters and fragments of the
ship's side and iron knees, broken plate, and shot. This shot
struck the plate at its right and about four inches from the
edge, and midway between the upper and lower edges. It
cut its way clean in at 9 inches diameter for 21 inches, and
thence it has carried away the back of the plate not only
immediately at the place struck, but for some considerable
distance round it, completely disintegrating that end of the
plate, and driving all the fragments of wood and iron before
it inboard—some portion of it, indeed, making its way out
through the opposite side of the ship. The best made 51
inch plate that could possibly be manufactured would stand
no chance whatever in resisting such a shot, but would be
pierced like brown paper. The two other shots which buried
themselves with the broken pieces of the plate in the ship's
side, cut their way into the plate in a precisely similar man-
ner for about two and two and a half inches, and then broke
away the remaining three or three and a half inches, split-
ting the iron off in great layers from the plate's back. "What
was not entirely broken from the main body stood out in
rough jagged masses at right angles with the main piece,
and projected into the ship's side, One of these jagged
pieces, a portion of the plate's outer lamina, is now standing
out from the back of the plate 21 inches, measuring from
the part of the plate where the shot first took effect, The
plate was manufactured by the Millwall Ironworks Com •
pany, and was tested on the 29th Oct. last, when it received
a high figure of merit. The steel shots were fired at and
only took effect on the sound parts of the plate, for which
ample space had been left when the plate was tested in the
usual manner by the 68 pounder with cast iron shot, and
the results of which, as a matter of course, were indenta-
tions on the plate's surface, diameter 9 inches, depth
1 S-10ths, with no cracks or further damage, a mere im-
press of the shot on the iron. The Monarch is now having
bolted on her side armour plates from the Atlas Works,
Sheffield ; Parkgate Works, Yorkshire ; and Mersey Works,
Liverpool, for testing in the ordinary way.
The works in connection with the erlargement and ex-

tension of the existing defences which protect the entrance
to Chatham harbour are being augmented by the construc-
tion of a large fosse, so as to materially strengthen the bat-
teries and bastions of the land defences. The work will ex-
tend from a position of about 1,700 yards from the salient
angle of No, 1 bastion of the line of fortifications facing the
sea, and will be of semi-circular form, its breadth varying
from 100 ft. at the extremities to 40ft. at its narrowest limits,

with a mean depth of about 15ft. The ditch will intersect
the Isle of Sheppy, at the entrance to the Medway, in a
westerly direction, terminating at a point of connection with
the Swale, which borders the south-westerly portion of the
island. The contract for the execution of the work has been
taken from the 'War Department by the firm of Messrs.
Knight and Smith, and the cost of the undertaking will be
about £20,000, At the north-east entrance to the fosse,
from the sea, it is intended to erect a powerful casemated
fort, which will mount a formidable armament, to assist in
th 3 defence of the entrance to the harbour, while its posi-
tion will enable its armament to sweep the channel through
which every description of craft attempting to make the
passage to Chatham must pass. At the other extremity of
the ditch a similar fort will be constructed, which will also
mount an armament of equally heavy calibre. The object
of the latter fort will more especially be to prevent the ves-
sels of light draught of any hostile squadron forcing their
way into the harbour through the narrow and independent
channel of the Swale. In addition to the two large forts at
each end of the moat two land batteries are also to be built,
the guns of which will sweep the entire length of the moat
from the flanks to the centre. They will also serve for ope-
rating against any attack on the land side of the batteries.
The works connected with the excavation of the ditch are
expected to ho completed in about 12 months ; the forts and
batteries will then be commenced.

By the death of Admiral of the Red J. Ayscough an Ad-
miral's pension for distinguished and meritorious service
is placed at the disposal of the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty.
Capt. Geo. Gifford, C. 8., is promoted to the rank of rear-
admiral, by the demise of Admiral of the Red John Ays-
cough, and, by the gallant officer's promotion, a captain's
good service pension is placed in the gift of the First Lord
of the Admiralty. The next vacancy among the active list
of flag officers will lead to the promotion of Capt. Sir F.
W. E. Nicholson, C. 13., senior officer and Captain-Superin-
tendent of Woolwich dockyard,
The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :—Commander Hon. John Carnegie to the Sala-
mander, commissioned—Lieut. R. H, C. Lawson to the
Edgar—Lieut. Robert A. Edwin to the Salamander—Lieut.
Wm. E. L. Cockell, to the Adventure—Thos, H. Hayman,
master, to the Salamander—T. I. Horan, surgeon, to the
Curagoa—Wm. E. Black, midshipman, to the Marlborough
—James Campbell, assistant paymaster in charge, to the
Implacable—Daniel W. Wise, assistant paymaster, to the
Conqueror—Dr. Henry C. Woods, Richard Connor, Cor-
nelius H. Ward, Dr. Thos. D. Brownlow, John Ma. Hol-
lingsworth, and Henry N. M. Sedgwick, assistant surgeons,
to the Victory for Haslar Hospital—Matthew Trevor, Dr.
Alexander M'Donald, Dr. Alexander Goodall, James D.
Smith, and James G, Milne, assistant surgeons, to the
Royal Adelaide, for Plymouth Hospital.

The Machinery
_in the Agricultural Hall.

The Smithfield Club was purposely originated to
encourage the production of the best beef, mutton,
and pork for our metropolitan appetite; but other
products of agriculture beside its fattened animals
soon craved admittance to the popular show ; and
after 65 annual fetes, the three great divisions of
husbandry—its tillage, cropping, and animal pro-
duce—unite in forming a fine exposition of Eng-
land's agricultural progress. If any people have

reason to bless the Agricultural Hall Company,

hey are the exhibitors of implements, and the

visitors who used to cram the uncomfortable galie

ries of the old Baker-street Bazaar. In the new

building there is ample space for the effective dis.

play of tools, engines, 'vehicles, for stands and
stalls, sufficient room above head for the erection

of the banners which bear the names of the exhi-
biting firms; and more than 25,000 paying visitors,

beside a large number of persona with tickets, yes-
terday traversed all parts of the building, down the
broad avenues between the rows of cattle, and along
the spacious, handsome galleries, with every oppor-
tunity for inspecting all objects of interest.
A. mere list of articles which attract attention
would be of little value; but a few of the principal

implement stands certainly call for a notice. Steam-
tilling apparatus, for instance, forms a marked feature
. . _ _

iu the exhibition. Mr. Steeven'a balance plough,
with parallel motion for raising one set of shares
out,of work while the other set is being lowered into
the ground between the journeys, is worked by
Messrs. Garrett's stationary engine and windlass on
Messrs. Howard's principle. Messrs. J. and F.
Howard have improved their steam ploughing im-
plement by placing it upon four wheels, by which
the steerage is made easier and the plough steadier.
_ . .

To their cultivator they also attach ridge ploughs,

so constructed as to be double-acting, making a

ridge whether travelling backward or forward.
This firm is not only supplying a large home demand
for steam cultivating apparatus, but has sent out
these machines to Germany and France, to Italy,
Spain, and has lately started two steam ploughs
near Liebon ; it has other " sets" in India, and is

sending several sets to Egypt. While the Britannia
Works at Bedford are thus turning out this novel

species of agricultural machine, in addition to the
horse ploughs, harrows, and haymakers, for which
they are famous, the steam plough manufacturing
is still more largely carried on at Leeds. Mr. John
Fowler is very tepidly increasing his home trade,
not only in the heavy land districts, but also upon
light soils; and the growth of the foreign demand
for such a comparatively new invention is very sur-
prising. This successful labourer at the steam-
tillage problem now announces that his engines have
broken ground (literally) in New Zealand, at the
Cape of Good Hope, at Melbourne, in Antigua,
Cuba, Barbadoes, Porto Rico, and Demerara, in the
latter country having obtained a public premium of
£1,050 as the most successful introduction of steam
power to the cultivation of the soil, while reports
already come across the Atlantic of greatly increased
yields of sugar from the use of the new machine.
Others of Mr. Fowler's steam ploughs have gone
into Austria and Prussia and into the south of Russia.
In India some of these engines are preparing ground
for cotton, tea, and indigo ; and in Egypt, a large
number of them (costly as they are) have been
despatched and set to work, to cultivate for cotton
and take the place of the cattle destroyed by the
great murrain. Mr. Fowler states that he is at pre-
sent turning out from his works no fewer than four
engines per week, and that in February the pro-
duction will reach one per day, and these pieces of
machinery, it should be remembered, are worth
£BOO to more than .£l,OOO each. Such figures as these
tell of the wonderful progress of our agricultural
machinery, and the revolution that is being effected
in the world-old process of tilling the ground.
The " traction engine," or the farm engine, made
locomotive on common roads, is now largely used
for hauling both heavy steam plough machinery and
thrashing machines from farm to farm ; and it is
probable that much of the present labour of our
teams in harvesting and manuring will ultimately
be acccomplished by the same engine that already
ploughs and grubs. As an instance cf the extent
of our foreign trade in agricultural machinery,
Messrs. Clayton and Shuttleworth last year sent
120 steam en gines,with thrashing machines, to their
agency in Vienna, and these are now in use in
Wallachia and Moldavia, and parts of Hungary.
The trade with Russia is stopped by the war, and
the unsettled condition of that country ; but Italy is
purchasing largely, and a great German trade is
springing np. Egypt appears just now to be one of
the best markets for agricultural machines.
Among the portable engines of Messrs. Tuxford
and Sons, fur steam culture and thrashing, Appold's
centrifugal pump is shown, proved by recent expe-
ments to perform double the duty of the old scoop-
wheel in raising water for drainage or other pur-
poses. Messrs. Tuxford have brought out a new
windlass for steam culture, in which frictional gear-
ing is employed for avoiding breakages of the wire
rope, and the breaks are self-acting.
Messrs. Hornsby show a large collection of en-
gines, drills, ploughs, and their new root pulper,
one of the simplest and best machines out.
Ransomes and Sims have another find stand of
engines, ploughs,
mills, and crushers, for various
purposes, and their ingenious revolving corn screen
with adjustable wires.
Of Messrs. Burgess and Key's yeapers the most
remarkable is that invented by M‘Cormick, for de-
livering the cut corn in sheaf. This machine has
worked most successfully in this country, and it is
affirmed that during the very last harvest upwards
of 3,000 have been sold, 200 of these being in Great
Britain, 300 on the continent, and 2,500 in America.
Mr. Samuelson:has a reaper on a very different prin-
est summer.
PornuatgrkPsit enn
ihegeemi
this also has been a
delivering the corn in
smaller implements, Mr.
cssßiuhpeceAnl
temf,
tslbwios
lufn,
iusttglhfc onohcrouaovttffi hei
eelcteumanual
r:
mills, and crushers are note-
worthy, as being especially cheap in proportion to
the capacity of the machines for work. Messrs.
Ashby and Co. show, among a considerable variety
ofimplements, trail
more
ri re cei
ffir c
cuileanrt
iharrows,y stirring
which revolve
a s hey t and pulver-
ising the ground. The proprietors of the Beverley
ra
travel, e
Ironworks exhibit their improvement of the origi-
nal Bell's reaping machine, now made to take a
great breadth of corn at One; and to bo propelled
by three horses. Their stand is also distinguished
by very improved harvest carts and other farm
vehicles, with machine-made wheels.
The seedsmen have done themselves credit by
the splendid assortments of vegetable produce.
Messrs George Gibbs and Co- have a large show of
roots, seeds, and tried cereals. Mr. Carter's stand
is very interesting;
Messrs. Sutton and Sons ex-
hibit a greed collection of roots, mangold turnips,
and so on, of extraordinary merit. But the best
show in the hall is that of Messrs. Thomas Gibbs
and Co., the secdsman by appointment to the Royal
Agricultural Society. The grains and seeds in glass
vases, the samples and dried specimens of corn in
the ear, and of the numerous species of grasses in
flower, and the rare roots, from quite a valuable
botanical study. A. new variety of yellow-globe
mangold, selected by
markable for the fine top and root, and beautiful
quality of flesh,
combined with a capacity for heavy
cropping. The P
s ecimens shown are from a crop
on the Royal Shaw Farm, which gave 58 tons per

acre.
This well-filled department of machinery and
vegetable produce must be pronounced equally suc.
cessful with the animated portion of the show,and at-
quite as many visitors.
tracts the eager attention of

THE SIVIITHFIELD CLUB.
The annual m eeting of the Smithfield club was held yes-
terday afternoon, at the Islington Agricultural Hall; Lord
Walsizigham in.; the chair. The business was of A routine

nature, and after a report showing that the club was in a
highly favourable position, financially and in every other
respect, Earl Spencer was unanimously elected president
for the year 1865. The members of the council were then

elected in the place of those who had retired by rotation.
A meeting afterwards was held by the Jonas Webb Memo-
rial Committee. Among these present were Lord Walsing-
ham, Lord Berners, Mr Hoverman, Mr Dobite, Mr. Strat•
ford, Mr. Thurnell, Mr. R. Leeds, and the hon. secretaries,
Professor Simonds:and Mr Sidney. The Ron. Elliott York

presided. It was reported that the sum of £906 had been
subscribed, that the subscription list should stand open
until after the meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society.
A committee was appointed to report as to the best form of

memorial.
The sale of prize stock had been as follows :-Class 1,
Devon steers, not exceeding three years old, No. 5, the
winner of the first prize was sold to Messrs Comfort, of 77,
Farringdon-street ; and No. 2, the winner of the second
prize, was sold to Mr W. Jeffery, Foubert's-place, Regent-
street. In class 2, Devon steers, above three years, the
winner of the first prize, N 0.9, was sold to Mr E. Longman,
283, New North-road,lslington ; No. 11, the winner of the
second prize, was sold to Mr Simon Hyne of Stonehouse,
Plymouth ; and the winner of the third in this class to Mr
W. Jeffery, of Foubert's-place, Regent-street. In class 3,
Devon heifers, not exceeding three years, the winner of the
second prize, No. 22, was sold to Mr Ratcliff, of Richmond,
and No. 24, the winner of the third prize, to Mr E. Longman,
of New North-road. In class 4, Devon cows above four
years, the winner of the third prize, No. 28, was sold to Mr
Stone, Upper Holloway. In class 6. Hereford steers or oxen
above three years old, No. 43, the winner of the £4O silver
cup, as the best steer or ox in any of the classes, and also
the winner of the £3O to the exhibitor, had been purchased
by Messrs C. and D. Davis, of the Black Ball Tavern, New
Cattle Market; and No. 44, the winner of the third prize,
had been purchased by Mr Simkins, of Salisbury-terrace,
Islington. In class 8, Hereford cows above four years, No.
59, the winner of the second prize, had been sold to Mr W.
Butler, of Butcher-row, Banbury. In class 10, short-horned
steers and oxen above three years old, the second prize, No.
85, had been purchased by Messrs W. and R. Thompson,
of Peterborough. In class 12, short-horned cows above four
years, which must have had at least one calf, the winner
of the first prize, No. 110, had been sold to Mr M. Roots,
of Grayford, Kent. In class 13, Sussex steers or oxen,
under three years, the winner of the first prize, No. 118, had
been sold to Mr H. Wheeler, of Dockhead, Bermondsey,
and the winner of the second, No. 119, to Messrs Booker
and Son, of Croydon. In class 14, Sussex steers above three
years, the winner of the first prize, No. 127, had been pur-
chased by Mr D. Mutton, 7, West-street, Brighton, and the
winner of the second to Mr M. Botting, of Preston-street,
Brighton. In class 15, Sussex heifers or cows, the winner
of the first prize had been purchased by Mr. Amose, of
Worthing. In Class 16, Norfolk or Suffolk polled boasts,
the winner of the second prize, N 0.151, had been purchased
by Mr F. Collingwood, Upper-street, Islington. In Class
17, the winner of the second prize, No. 153, had been sold
to Messrs Nolton and Sons, 'West Smithfield. In Class 18,
the long-horned breed, No. 157, the winner of the first prize
had been sold to Mr S. Weston, of Croydon. In Class 20,
the Scotch horned breed, No. 168, the winner of the first
prize, had been sold to Messrs Petherbridge, of Hastings-
street, Burton-crescent. In Class 21, the winner of the
first prize, No. 171, had been sold to Mr F. Howard, of
Holloway. In Class 22, Scotch polled breed, the winner of
the first prize, No. 175, had been sold to Mr Mann, Surrey-
street, Croydon, and the second prize, No. 173, to Mr Co-
vell, of Bromley, Kent. In class 23, No. 182, the winner
of the first prize, had been purchased by Messrs Wolton and
Sons, of West Smithfield. In class 25, Irish breed, the
winner of the first prize, No. 186, had been sold to Mr
Swan, of Cross-street, Blackfriars-road. In class 26, Welsh
breed,the winner of the first prize, No.lBB, had been sold to
Mr Fisher, of Maida-hill. In class 28, cross breeds, No.
192, the winner of the first prize, had been purchased by
Mr Collingwood, of Upper-street, Islington. The winner
of the first prize in class 29, No. 195, had been sold to Mr
Chamberlain, of Exeter; and the winner of the second
prize. No. 200, to Mr Myrcon, of High-street, Ely. In class
30, the winner of the first prize, No. 206, had been pur-
chased by Mr. Game, of Cannon-street, City. The prize
winner in the extra stock (Devon) had been purchased by
Mr. Bottrell, of Rochester-row, Westminster.
Of sheep, the following sales had been made :-In class
t3hle, Nb
eos't pnof 249,e Lei
the
pecnesotferssh, Cotswolds,
eep' L
winning
the silver cup, as
incolns, Kentish, or
any other long-woolled breed, had been sold to Messrs H.
and J. T. Hall, of the Lower-road, Islington. In class 32,
the winner of the first prize, No. 252, had been sold to Mr
S. West, of Croydon. In class 34, Lincolns, No. 261, the
winners of the first prize, had been purchased by Mr James
Smith, of Huntingdon ; and No. 20, the second prize, by
Mr Cox, Brampton-road. In class 36, South Downs, No.
294, the pen winning the silver cup as the best of one-year
Southdowns, Hampshire, or 'Wiltshire Downs, had been
sold to Mr F. Collingwood, of Upper-street, Islington ; the
pen winning the second prize, No. 290, to Mr King, Far-
ringdon-street ; and the pen winning the third prize, No.
291, to Mr W. Jeffery, Foubert's-place, Regent-street. In
class 37, No. 302, the first prize winners had been sold to Mr
Marsh, Brixton-road; the second, No. 299, to Mr King,
Farringdon-street ; and the third, No. 300, to Mr Jeffery,
of Foubert's-place, Regent's-street. In class 38, the first
prize pen, No. 306, had been purchased by Mr King, Far_
ringdon-street ; the second, No. 309, to Mr Scarlett, South
Audley-street ; and the third, No. 308, to Mr Adams,
Hackney. road. In class 39, Hampshire, the first prize pen,
e
No. 316, had been sold to Mr Bottrell, of Westminster ; the
second, No. 318, to Mr Tamworth, of Peterborough ; and
the third to Mr. Hooke, Frederick-street, Hampste; aadi-idrotanda.t
winning
In class 41, Shropshire, No. 330, the pen winning the first
prize had been sold to Mr. Harper, High-street, Totten-
ham ; and the second prize pen, No. 327, to Mr Fisher,
Maids-hill. In class 42, Oxfordshire, the pen winning the
first
os
Ryland,
n, haddt,N
o Messrs been e
332,n soldh
t toe p
Thompson,Men winning
r G. Prop teborough.
I n aer
the first
prize had been sold to Mr. J Petherbridge, of Hastings-
street, Burton-crescent; and,that winning the second, No.
to Mr Pawsey, Bath. In class 41, mountain breed,
No. 341, the pen winning the first prize had been sold to
first
is
ez
4 :h
3 Ne,
Mr Howard, Holloway ; and No 342, that winning the
second, to Mr. Nokes, of Lewisham. In the extra stock the
silver medal winning pen, No. 314, had been sold to Mr
King, of Farringdon-street ; and No. 288, winning silver
medal, to Mr H. Helier, Dockhead.
The sales of prize pigs had been very rapid. The follow-
ing had been sold up to near tho time the exhibition closed
last evening :-Class 47, Essex, 410, first prize, to Mr Wat-
ling, Pimlico ; second, No. 407, to Messrs. Chappell, High-
street, Camden-town; and the third, to Mr. Rogers, West-
minster-bridge-road. In class 48, No. 415, first prize pen
of small pigs, to Welton and Sons, West Smithfield ; and
the second prize pen, No. 421, to Mr Hooke, of Frederick-
street, Hampstead-road. In class 49, Chilton, No. 424, the
first prize pen, to Mr. Bonny, Camberwell-gate ; the se-
cond, No. 429, to Mr. Garland, East Chelsea ; and the
third, No. 428, to Mr. Glover, Walworth-road. In class
50, the third class pen, No. 432, to Mr W. S. Covell, of
Sydenham.

On Monday morning, two platelayers, named
Nairn and Wlnnes, were run over by an engine on the
Grangemouth Railway, and cut to pieces.
MARRIAGE SETTLEMENTS.—A large proportion
of English marriage settlements are made in obe-
dience to a sentiment which, though intelligible, and far
from unnatural, ought not to be encouraged. Marriage
gives the husband, from the very nature of the case, almost
unlimited power over the wife's happiness, and indeed over
her character and herself, and parents naturally see in their
daughters' lovers men who are about to destroy all the
authority which they have hitherto exercised, to weaken
very greatly some of the closest ties of affection, to put new
elements—elements of which the parents may totally dis-
approve—into the characters which they have educated, and
to a great extent framed, and, over and above that, to exer-
cise a sort of despotism over their persons and property, ex-
cept in so far as the stipulations of a settlement may restrain
them. A man is naturally jealous of all this in the highest
degree, and the marriage settlement is the only channel
through which his jealousy can find an open vent. tie and
his lawyer frame it with the unexpressed and hardly con-
scious conviction—for the lawyer is always a man of routine,
and the father's feelings are excited—that they are taking
precautions against an enemy. Mind he does not speculate,
rob the
mind he does not waste the money, mind he does
nodiscretion
children ; don't leave anything to my daughter'ss ems to me
—she is so infatuated with this fellow,
whooyes out of her
nothing particular, that she would
head if he asked her; tie him up
handasibly can. These,
give hand foot, and get
every farthing out of him that youl possibly
the instructions
not in words, but in tone and P who frames their
which men usually give to the satitroi;ney
or rather they do nut
daughter's settlements. They forget,
like to remember, that when all is said and done the hus-
band will be nearer and dearer to the wife than the father
or mother ; that the presumption is that he will care mach
more for her than they do, and
a thousand times more for
that in all probability ho will know his own
hberichildrbeenst;;
that tying his hands they are tying hands
ness
that would be 1
her service in circumstances which
io( i for in
cannot possibly be foreseen, and that if the horse realty
requires suchelaborate ktiockhinagrnsetsrsapast and
martingales he
had better not be put
all. No conditions
in
that can be framed can prevent a husband from destroying
his wife's happiness, debauching her mind, making her chil-
dren scoundrels and outcasts, ruining their name, their cha-
racter, and their very souls ; and when a man is freely
allowed to do all this without restraint, is it not rather
straining at a gnat while swallowing a camel to prevent his
investing her money except in Government securities,
or on mortgage of freehold eßtateta in England ?—coiniati
Jfagaine.

PR1CE.....—..4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

Important Experiments at Shoeburyness.

The public has become rather tired of the heading
which precedes this notice, and may be inclined to
ask, with a large number of those who attend at
Shoeburyness, what all these experiments are to end
in ? Month after month targets are built at great
expense, and with the outlay subsequently neces-
sary for their destruction represent a cost to the
country of some £1,500 or £2,000 sterling. Targets
that ought never to have been noticed by the Admi•
ralty have thus been built at the expense of the
nation, and proved to be not worth the powder ex-
pended in shaking their places to pieces. On the
other hand, targets have been fired at, which, like
that of Mr. Chalmers, have shown themselves to be
not only theoretically, but literally invulnerable
against all that the artillery of Shoeburyness could
accomplish. In the infancy of ironclad ship building
these experiments were of the very last importance,
and results were obtained from them, and still are
obtained, which could be got in no other way. The
experiments, however, have now gone on long
enough to enable the careful and vigilant com-
mittees by whom they are conducted to deduce
certain general rules and principles from the
strength of the various targets they have tried, which
rules must be adhered to if experiments are to be
of any use at all. One of the general principles thus
eliminated from the mass of experiments has been
that the thickness of the armour plates themselves
is a matter of almost secondary importance when
compared with the construction of the backing
which keeps them up to their work.
Thus, Mr
Chalmers's target, composed of 31-inch plates
properly backed after his system, withstood a ham-
mering from the guns which no other target of any
kind had ever borne at Shoeburyness with such im-
punity. This was entirely due to the backing.
The 'Warrior target, composed of 41 inch plates,
backed up with 18 inches of solid teak, laid trans-
versely in beams 9in, thick, in like manner with-
stood a terrific pounding. Yet in this latter instance
the Admiralty were not content to let well alone,
but, ignoring the general rules we have spoken of as
deduced from the experiments, they determined in
their new Warriors—the Northumberland, the
Minotaur, and the Agincourt, to reduce the backing
from IStn. to 9in., and to increase the armour from
4,12-in. to SA-in. It is said that the probable conse-
quences of their disregarding the experience gained
with so much cost at Shoeburyness were duly
pointed out to their lordships, But the Admiralty
' were obdurate, and only conceded to facts after their
own fashion. They built their ships first, and then
they experimented to know if they had done right
, or wrong. Recently a target built on the principle
r of the Minotaur was tried at Shoeburyness, and it

is not using too strong language to say that it
almost crumpled up under fire: Thus, then, when
the Admiralty, for whom all these target experi-
ments are undertaken, reject the best target which
Shoebaryness can find, and turn a deaf ear to the
great principle which all experiments have evolved,
is it not time to ask with what objects are these ex-
periments continued at ail ? The results which
have been obtained are, of course, of no value but in
so far as they are acted on. When, in addition to
disregarding them, the very reverse of that which
they point out is persisted in, it seems almost use-
less to continue them further.
The target tried yesterday, called the Belle-

rophon target, is one put forward by no less a
person than Mr. Reed, who, if his theories
are right, will revolutionise our whole system
of ironclad frigate building. The Warrior
target weighs about 3351 b. to the square foot,
and it was thought to be venturing as far as
it is safe to go in the new frigates of the
Minotaur and Northumberland class when their
bulk increased to 3471 b. per foot. Yet Mr. Reed's
target weighs no less than 3811 b. per toot, and it is
perhaps the heaciest target ever put forward at
Shoeburyness which professed to represent the
broadside of a seagoing frigate. The size of the
target is in round numbers 20ft. by 18ft. This is
covered in front by two armour plates, each 20tt. by
4ft. 3in., and no ,ess than Gin, thick. The method
of its construction is briefly as follows :—The inner
skin of the ship is composed of two thicknesses of
wrought iron plates each three quarters of an inch
thick, with a layer of felt between the two thick-
nesses, so that here we get no less than 11in. of iron
to start with. On this skin is laid four large angle
irons of great strength, each placed 2ft. apart from
the other, so as to form as it were four longitudinal
troughs 2ft. wide and 91in. deep, the depth of the
angle irons themselves. In these troughs the teak
balks are laid 10in, thick, so that the extra half inch
can be cut off to a true surface for the reception of
the Gin. armour plates. Thus, then, there are no
less than 71in. of iron and 91 of teak. Each armour
plate is secured by 22 bolts, about 2ft. apart longi-
tudinally and 2ft. 9in. vertically, those for the upper
plate being 21in. in diameter, and for the lower
21in. The bolts securing the wood backing are lin.
diameter, and the ribs supporting the inner skin
are on very much the same principle as those used
in all iron frigates, only apparently stronger, and
placed 2ft. apart.
Such is the general outline of Mr. Reed's target,
in the construction of which, as far as the longi-
tudinal girders are concerned, it will at once be
seen that an idea has been suggested by the target
of Mr. Chalmers. The general opinion before
the practice began yesterday was that it was
solid enough to resist anything ; but with this
opinion another was very freely expressed by the
iron shipbuilders present that Mr. Reed would find
it difficult to make a vessel so coated an efficient
seagoing frigate without such an amount of dis-
placement as might be fatal to its speed. This, how-
ever, is merely an opinion; for it cannot be
den
that Mr. Reed has long and carefully Btu
died the
d there
whole question which he offers to solve;
an
builders
are, to say the least, quite as many shipbuilders
who support his theories as oppose them.
Great interest was felt in the trial of yesterday,
and an unusual number of visitors went down from
London. His Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia
was present during the whole day, and appeared to
watch the effect of every shot withas much interest
present. Admiral Grey, Sir
Fairbairn,
as any artilleryman
John Hay, Gen. St. Georg!, Gen. Hay, Dr. Percy,
Mr. Pole, C.E., Mr. Whitworth, Mr.
Admiral Robinson, and the representatives of the
Millwall Iron Works, the builders of the target,
were also present. The guns were laid at the
cus-
tomary 200 yards' range, Col. Taylor, as usual,
superintending all the arrangements
for the firing.
The first rounds were merely rout-
ine—a 6S solid
10-pounder Arm-
esthroot;gwsihthoratelnGeldb.tochaarwgeei and a
g of 661 b., fired with
the same charge. Both these struck the upper plate,
and made the usual
indent of nearly two inches
deep, but effected nothing more than that which
they always do—that is to say, show the quality of
the ironplates
against which the guns have to con-
tend. On this occasion
the iron was literally per-
fect, and throughout the rest of the experiments
the opinion Was universal that better plates had
uever been tested at Shoeburyness. Even under the
heaviest shot, though indented deeply, they showed
scaacely any perceptible symptom of buckling out,
and though struck on the edge and around the
bolt-holes, it was almost impossible to crack them.
Asalvo of two 68-pounders and two 110-pounder
Armstrongs, with shot shortened to 6611 b. was
next fired, but of these four guns one missed thet
target altogether, one touched it so slightlyon.Bl
upper edge that, ae far as damage was
concerned,
t
may also be called a miss; the
remaining two
struck close together, one on each side of a bolt, so
that the bolt itself was squeezed up like putty, and
outwards, but still held firm. Two
rejected slightly
is)hots coming so close were a hard trial for any plate,
but it stood it perfectly, without any sign of crack
or ragged edges. The back of the target was abso-
lutely unhurt, and so perfect was tile workmanship
of the whole mass that from the commencement to