The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-14 00:00:00

THE WEATHER-•WISE ADMIRAL.

Query—Whether Wise ?---P.rin ter's Devil.
Admiral Fitzroy publishes, as is well known, a daily
meteorological report in the columns of th e Times. Some 30
stations send in reports each morning tc) a central office,
which are collected, arranged, and public hod in a tabular
form the next day, with an explanation o f the abbrevia-
tions, which reminds the reader equally of .a pictorial spell-
ing-book and the " various readings" in an edition of a
classical author. B. stands for barometer, L). for difference
(of the moist•bulb thermometer), F for force, X for 'xtreme
force, of wind, H. for hours, and C. for cloud. We cannot
but parenthetically remark that, to use the Admiral's vo-
cabulary there must be a similar amount of C. over his
mind on the subject of orthography, to that which actuated.
the eminently moral gentleman, who used ha our earlier
days to set the exquisitely printed copies for lessons in pen-
manship; who, while advising us to venerate valuable vir-
tue, and to withdraw from unwarrantable wickedness, con-
ceived that our sense of m.rightness received no shock
whatever from the mean subterfuge by whieh they
palmed off some maxim about 'xemplary excel-
lence as a fit and proper type of the letter
which should follow next in order. Admiral
Fitzroy has also a smaller army, a kind of initial rank and
file, b. for blue sky, f. for fog, h. for hail, and so en ; and.
he finishes by a declaration that a calm, since C. is` 4ready
occupied, is to be represented by a capital Z. O Nu. 1,
the Admiral predicts for Devon W. to N. and NIE., and
for Kent N.W. to N.E. and E, ; this resulted in a uniform
south-west wind over all the South of England. For the.
2d his prediction on the Ist was for Devon N. to E. and
S.E., modified next day to S.W. to N.W. and N., a pre-
diction which resulted in a due westerly wind at Plymouth;
at d for Kent a simple " Easterly," followed next day by
W.N.W. to N.N.W. in prophecy, and W.S.W. in fact. For
Jan. 3, the pair of prophecies are :—Devon, W.N.W. to
N.N.E., and S.W. to N.W. and N., which result in a
simple W. ; and for Kent, N.N.W. to E.N.E. and S.E.,
W.S,W. to N.N.W.,—thus embracing nearly three quar-
ters of the compass, but failing to include the reality,
S.S W. The next recorded observation that we have is, al
S.W. at Plymouth, corresponding to a prediction of W. to
N. and N.E., and a S. at London, corresponding to N.W.
to N.E. and E. Next day a heavy rotary gale being pre-
dicted for all the South of England, we are surprised to find
a gentle southerly wind everywhere prevailing; and on the
7th, while Admiral Fitzroy still insists on his gale,
to which he fixes the delightful latitude of W. to
N. and E., the breeze falls almost to a calm, and the
sun beams forth on a genial summer's day. A re-
markable fact is stated by those who have visited the
shores of Hawaii, and made sufficient acquaintance with the
natives to understand their language. The inhabitants of
that forlorn island, it is said, have no word in their vocabu-
lary to express the weather. Somehow, in rude, barbarous
fashion, they mix with each other, and enjoy such inter-
course as they may; but with the amenities of social life, the
delicate pulsations of hearts conversationally united by cli-
mate, the whispered suggestion, the soft reply imagined be-
fore it is spoken, all the engines of social intercourse which
break the ice of first acquaintance, and melt frozen tongues
to talk, these victims of fortune and of dialect have nothing
to do, It may be that they are happy under it; habit is a.
second nature; the Greenlanders almost live upon fish, to
which no civilised person would think of being helped twice
in England. If it be so, what a place for Admiral Fitzroy I
Let him take a bold step, and relieve himself for ever from
the perplexity of his social position. Let him establish a
weather oracle for the next few years, by sending word to
the 7 lines that the wind is to be north all over England till
further notice ; let him establish a heavy rotary gale for
the first Tuesday in every month, and double the allow-
ance on leap-year; let him predict rain on the days sacred
to volunteers, and leave word that the drum is to be
hoisted at Shields whenever three colliers have been ship-
wrecked; and then let him depart to finish his days in
that remote clime where a weary soul may pack up its
barometers, and be at rest. So—if we may again use the
magic initials—the f. of bewilderment will clear from his
mind, in his relations to the world around him, he will h.
a D. not to be described, and with a sense of relief never
apprehended before, he will devote his happy H. in a better
and abiding Z.—London Review.

Iron-clad Ships and the Admiralty.

Propositions have been made to the Lords commissioners
of the Admiralty, somewhat singularly, from tivo persons,
which may or may not effect a change in the present mode
of constructing iron-clad ships. So far as our informant
is concerned, the only proposition of which he is aware is
shortly as follows :—lt is suggested that the exposed nature
of the iron plating alone ensures the success of the great
gun, and if the iron were cased in sound, strong ship tim-
ber, an impenetrable target would be the result. At pre-
sent the iron plate is exposed to the first crash of the shot/
and resistance is past when the armour is crushed in. It
is stated as a Net that, in a volley, a bullet will penetrate
the breastplate of a life guardsman, which is exposed to
the full force of the missile; but the same kind of bullet
has flattened upon the case of a watch of an infantry
soldier, or even a common tobacco box has proved *
check. It seems, therefore, that the mere obstruction of 6
woollen coat is sufficient to stay the progress of the ball.
Now in the matter of iron-clad ships, it is urged that if
there was a steel plate behind the iron plate the resistance
would be immense, because the ball, being checked by the
softer iron, would be entirely stayed by the harder steel.
It is further urged that it a steel plate were backed by all
iron one, and a shot penetrated the steel, the iron would not
be much of a barrier to stay its further progress. In short,
it has been proposed that the iron-plating should be cased
instead of being exposed, and many things suggest them"
selves to prove that this is the proper plan. The armour
would be protected from the actions of the air, sea, and
changes of climate.
On the 7th of January these views, embodied in a short
letter, were forwarded to the Lords of the Admiralty, and
it
took one of the gentlemen in the Admiralty nearly one wee)
to answer the letter. Last night (13th January) a letter Wee
received from the officer, informing the recipient shortly
that " similar propositions with respect to armour-plating
have already been made to their lordships." Now the
person who suggested the alterations has reserved some
rather important points, and it remains to be seen how far
the Lords of the Admiralty have been advised upon them.

Sir Charles Wood's Indian policy was very freely
handled at a meeting of Halifax operatves on Mondey
night, and, with one dissentient, a resolution was adopted
expressing the indignation of the meeting at the incom-
petency and obstructive policy which the right hon. baronet
had made the feature of his Indian Secretaryship.
EXTENSION OF THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY."'"'
This company propose to take Parliamentary power°
to purchase additional lands for the purpose of their under'
taking, and for enlarging their powers of compulsory pur-
chase of property in respect of the incomplete portion of
the western extension in the parish of Paddington, toar
the junction of South Wharf-road with Praed-street, to the
southern end of Eastbourne-terrace, where it forms a Pro'
tion with Conduit-street, and also as to the incomplete por-
tions, comprising the line, to the intended Metropolitan
Meat and Poultry Market, and the Finsbury-circus Eaten-
sion. The particular lands and properties proposed to be
taken are in the parish of St. Giles Without Cripplegatet
near or between the streets called Little Mooi fields, Nes(
Union-street, Moor-lane, and Tenter-street; and between
Whitecross-street, Milton-street, and Moor-lane, on both'
sides of the Extension to Finsbury Railway, and between
Vine-court and Maidenhead-court, adjacent to Moor-lan 13-
The lands and buildings proposed to be taken in the parsil,
of St. Sepulchre and Liberty of Glasshouse-yard are in and
near Cowcross-street and Sharp's-alley, Charterhouse-lane
and Charterhouse-square, and northwards of the limits of
deviation defined by the Finsbury-circus Extension A-e
Those at Paddington are in, near, and between Conduit'
street, Spring-street, London-street, and Conduit-place.
HAMMERSMITH AND CITY RAlLWAY.—Startillg
from Kensington by a junction with the Hammer'
smith and City Railway, now in course of constructions
this line will extend to and terminate at Paddington by
junction with the Great Western Railway, at an estimated
engineering cost of £60,000.

Fiats AND Loss or' Two LITES..---YesterdaY S
fire, attended with loss of life, occurred at gra'
Rowe's, Paradise-row, Gravel-lane, Southwark. MO'
Rowe had left her little girl, Sarah Rowe, aged ten yearls'
in a room, when her shrieks brought the inmates to her,
aid. She was discovered in flames, which had also seize'
on the furniture in the room. The fire was extinguished
as soon as possible, and the sufferer conveyed to Guy's
Hospital; but she expired on admission. Another fire ale°
happened at Mr. Chivers', South-street, Grange-roads
Bermondsey, which also resulted in Mary Ann ChiverS
being burnt to death. The cause ie unknown.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.—About a month since
the Hon. Major Anson, M.P., while shooting in the
Ranton covers with Lord Lichfield and a party, shot his
valet, George Norton, in the leg. The unfortunate mail'
ins ead of being with the beaters, was some 15 yards behind'
hidden from view by some hazel bushes, and received tb°
charge which the major had fired at a rabbit that /18a
doubled back, apparently quite clear of the party. The beet
medical assistance was at once procured, and Major Ansoll
was unremitting in his personal attention to the man until
he seemed in a fair way of recovery. About a week age''
however, mortification ensued, amputation became neees:
sary, and Norton died in a state of delirium. An inquest
was held on Thursday, when it was clearly proved that the
accident was altogether attributable to the indiscretion of
the unfortunate deceased in being in a spot that his previoll"
experience should have made him avoid as dangerous, $ll4
in which Major Anson could have no possible reason to SuP-
pose he was at the time he fired. The verdict was to the
effect that not the slightest blame rested on Major Anson'
who, never theless, was deeply distressed at the misfortune,
and was much affected in giving his evidence before the
coroner,
Tie harp of the We unfortunate Queen AlL'rie
Antoinette, of France , which she bequeathed in her exile
to her chamberlain, Fleuri, as a memorial, is now depositee:
with the documents, with M. Landauer, Leil 11, Frankfort
on-the-Maine,