The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-18 00:00:00

IRON SHIPS OF WAR.

Last night, at eight o'clock, a numerous audience
attended at the Hall of the Literary Institut.on,
Royal-hill, Greenwich, to hear a lecture delivered by
Mr. E. J. Reed, chief constructor of the royal navy ,
on the subject of " Ships of War." After briefly'
referring to early naval architecture, the lecturer
observed that the Americans were the first to intro-
duce armour-plated vessels, and in 1843 Mr. Stevens
constructed an iron-cased floating battery for that
Government. He believed the idea of constructing
such war vessels in Europe was not derived from
America, but rather from the active mind of the
French Emperor. The Warrior was undoubtedly the
bold and truly British answer to the iron-cased fri-
gates bui,t in France ; and although that vessel had
some defects, she was worthy of every praise, as this
first specimen of our iron ships. The Warrior, as
well as thelßlack Prince were completely iron plated,
and thus a portion of the vessel was exposed. The
Defence and the Resistance were built on the same
principle, but they were not so much plated, and
therefore their seagoing qualities were superior. The
Hector and the Valiant were plated right round in
the region of the guns, and were of immense
strength. After describing the Minotaur, Agincourt,
Northumberland, and other iron ships in progress,
Mr. Reed contended that the Warrior and ships of
her class were too long, and he firmly believed that
the same rate of speed could be obtained from a much
shorter vessel. The attention of th e Admiralty had
been much devoted to this question • ; and he could
assure them that no more iron ships for the royal.
navy would be laid down of such a length as 400
feet. Whilst one of these long vessels had a largo
portion at each extremity exposed, a shorter vessel
could be armour-plated from end to end, would sail
knots per hour, and a great saving would
base manyeffe cted to the public. These matters of detail
did not escape the attention of those men who were
now at the head of naval affairs. Naval construc-
tion is a peculiar art, resting upon abstruse branches
of science, and involving principles and calculations
with which non-professional men in office could not
prudently interfere with in an arbitrary manner,
ainndgrhoeonvcees,t
ohuetporfacwtihciechof
it
thwe
anssoraf ess,
most
s----en was to run
difficult to re-
move even in times of the greatest emergency. In
fact it was only by a violent wrench—by giving
sudden and unexpected scope to younger men and
new ideas the thing can be done at all, and when it
has to be done it is attended by such pain and dis-
appointmenteto
to many
acourag undertake it, That had recently
been proved in his own case,
trating and some extremely pane-
pure-minded people having discovered
that his appointment to his present office was a
"disgraceful
job." He supposed these people did
think it disgraceful
for a Board of Admiralty to
appoint to anoffice and
involving much hard work,
grapplin-
with difficult and pressing questions, a
man who has neither attained the age of 60, or
taken part in elections in what are called ,t
f Govern-
mentd
ev
boroughs." (Hisses and cheers.) r • Reee
then discussed the question of the compost.
n or with a
merits of ships built entirely of iro
opinion in
backing of timber, and expressed an
disaster to the
favour of the latter class. ilia late
rkable manner
Prince Consort proved in s roma
-en hull of that
the vast strength of the wooba.
ed considerable
ship. It was true that she B ipP
extent of seven feet, as
water, but not to till.
ed even five feet of
stated ; for
if
she
badhsriPbPoilers must have been.
water, every fire to
hee kept up steam through,
extinguished, whereas B
sent to Kingston to in.
out. An officer who was
l aftr she came to gr i ef reported—.
spent the vesse ship to the other not one
" From one end ofe the
been disturbed." It scarcely ever
bolthead had
an ordinary wooded ship without
happened that
an iron plate upon her, after encountering a Channel
storm, returned to port with such trifling damage
as that done to the Prince e3onsort. He could not
fully enter into the details of the improvements
already effected, and now under consideration, with
regard to the construction of iron ships, but one of
the chief of these was the introduction of the un-
sinkable principle," invented by Mr.
Langley, of
Deptford. That system consisted in divi •
ding the
iron hull into numerous
Water-tight and fire-proof
compartments, by means of the decks themselves,
and preserving the integrity of these compartments
by affording an eat ranee to them through the hatch-
ways only. He could state with the utmost confi-
dence that the
Admiralty
was now building a cor-
vette, from which the swiftest iron vessel now afloat
could not hope to escape, and which would he armed
in a most effective manner. The Admiralty had to
contend with incessant hostile criticism, proceeding
from persons free from responsibility.

The general effect of the bullock-waggon has
been humorously compared by Captiiu linight (in his re-
cently published Diary of Travels in Cashmere and Thibet)
to " beingrun away with in a dust-cart through Fenchurcn-
street, the gas-pipes being up at the time,"

join them. The agents of the Maori King are
actively engaged in endeavouring to shake the
allegiance of those tribes that still remain faithful
to our rule, but as yet unsuccessfully. The confis-
cation of the lands of the hostile tribes is at present
the chief question of the day, and the colonists are
almost unanimous in desiring the threatened seizure
to be carried into effect. It would certainly be an
effectual mode of punishing the rebels, and would
give a double security to the colonists by replacing
those treacherous neighbours by armed Europeans,
well qualified to hold their ground. Excellent
and effectual as this mode of dealing with the
Maoris might be in some respects, there are unques-
tionably some difficulties attending it, as it will be
an awkward matter to confiscate the property of
the guilty parties without inflicting some hardships
on neutral tribes who have either stood aloof from
the contest altogether or ranked themselves on our
side. The native tenure of land is unfortunately
very intricate, and its possession is a point on which
the Maoris are peculiarly susceptible. Still, not-
withstanding all these drawbacks, there is no ques-
tion that the confiscation of many of the native
lands is an act not only advisable but necessary to
the preservation of the colony. It is proposed to
form a chain of military settlements throughout the
principal native districts, each settlement consisting
of 100 men, This dispersion of European forces
throughout the country will serve more than any-
thing else to check the plots and conspiracies of the
natives. Any combined hostile movement on their
part will be rendered quite impossible by means of
these watchposts. When the war is at an end the
occupants of these outposts will be employed in the
construction of roads, connecting one settlement
wi►h the other, and breaking into the heart of
those native wilds, whose intricacies have proved
the best protection to the natives. That the Go-
vernment have pretty well determined upon the
measure of confiscation is shown by their promising
volunteers grants of land in the Waikato district.
The description given of the native position
shows clearly the extreme difficulty which
there is in dealing with them on their
own ground, more especially as, however
much inferior to Europeans in open fight, they can
offer a desperate and prolonged resistance when
safely entrenched. They are at present encamped
upon a hill sloping steeply towards a river's bank
which only offers one spot for landing, being very
much broken. On either side the hill is defended
by impenetrable swamps, while the opposite bank
is also too swampy for the planting of cannon. In
the rear are more swamps, streams, and forests,
described as forming a perfect labyrinth, so that it
will be admitted that the position has been well
selected. Notwithstanding the network of swamp
and forest, however, it is considered most probable
that General CAMERON will endeavour to take the
position from the rear. He is bridging the rivers
and making other preparations, with a view to an
assault on Meri-Merl, as the locality of the encamp-
ment is called. The engagement will be a severe
one, as the natives muster in a force, it is said,
amounting to near 2,000 men. These are armed
with muskets, provided with every description of
projectiles, and a striking proof of the ingenuity of
the natives, and their readiness of resources, is given
by an incident connected with the question of am-
munition. They were greatly in need of percus-
sion caps, and altogether at a loss to supply
the deficiency. Bat necessity is the mother
of invention, and before long a native woman was
found endeavouring to purchase a largo quantity of
brass eyelet holes, such as are used for lacing, with
the object, it was discovered, of converting them
into percussion caps, by means of a common lucifer
thrust firmly into the hole ! It will not do to de-
spise these antagonists, as though, of course, in-
ferior to European soldiers in action, they cannot,
from their quickness, invention, and skill, be classed
among the general order of savages. Our British
soldiers are too apt to underrate them, as was proved
the other day, when a party at work in the woods
very imprudently piled thole arms up and left them
unguarded. As might have been expected, the
natives took advantage of this oversight to possess
themselves of the guns. Such occurrences, it is to
be hoped, will teach our men a very necessary lesson.
A bushman would not have left his guns without
a watch. To miscalculate your enemy's power of
resistance is a very common and a very serious error,
and it is one into which British forces, not well versed
in the character of the Maoris, are very likely to fall.
It is a mistake, too, which may be made by civilians
as well as by military men, and those who anticipate
that one battle, however sanguinary, will terminate
the war will probably be disappointed. The natives
will, no doubt, as long as possible, avoid a pitched
battle, but will try to maintain a guerilla warfare,
harassing the English, and murdering the outlying
settlers. It is a grievous hindrance to the otherwise
thriving fortunes of the colony, for although the
settlers have responded nobly to the appeal of the
Government, the call to arms of every male capable
of bearing them must press heavily on the resources
of a young settlement. The arrival of reinforce-
ments from India is eagerly looked for, and great
expectations are excited by the proposed employ-
ment of the Sikhs, echo are considered peculiarly
well fitted to deal with the Maoris. Australia, as
we anticipated, has come boldly to the rescue, and
the chief object of interest in certain districts is the
equipment and departure of the volunteers for New
Zealand. The offer of land in return for military
service was an excellent thought, as it not only
affords a powerful incentive to the volunteering
spirit, but it serves to people the country with those
best qualified to protect themselves and the settle-
ments. A thousand of such men are now, we are
told, on their way from Sydney, and many more are
needed and may be looked for. The next mail will
probably bring us news of the attack on Meri-tneri,
and will we hope chronicle a decisive success on the
pact of the brave and much enduring settlers.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 1863.

According to the advices now brought to us from
the American seat of war, almost simultaneously, by
:Etna and the Damascus, events, there, at the central
point of all, really do appear for once to be very
imminent. The last date brings the tidings from
New York down to the 9th of November. According
to which latest intelligence, the Federals under
General MEADE had at length navanced in earnest

against the Confederates under General LEE.
The latter having had his forces previously
diminished by 30,000 men, and being
consequently enormously outnumbered, the
telegram says " overwhelmingly outnumbered,"
had been compelled there and then to hurry back
across the Rappahannock, before the general ad-
vance of the main army of the North, leaving, as
he did so, several cannon, and as many, it is
said, as nearly two thousand prisoners in the hands
of the Federals. This occurred, it should be borne
in mind, on the Saturday. Upon the following
day, the Sunday that is, the Federals in their
turn also crossed over the Rappahannock, the
Confederates falling back before them towards
Culpepper. While these movements were being
made respectively by the two opposing Com-
manders-in-Chief—with regard to General BURN-
SIDE circumstances were falling out, as it happened,
quite differently. Two of his advanced positions
Lad fallen into the possession of the Confederates,
and, with those two positions, the half of two regi-
Zrat:there stationed. President DAVIS was re-
td to have just then visited Charleston, and
to have
pronounced it impregnable. Fort Sumter
Was
have
sue:, according to the last accounts, not to
General Ilea, as had been erroneously intimated
be still
forces were no less certainly
known
Chattanooga,
the
ellel in a very perilous situation at
holding their position
hard by still steadily
at Lookout Mountain. Such
in brief was the ge'''n
situation. In the midst of
which that amazing rrati
accurately,
man, Mr. SEWARD, was,
to express the thin.
speech through the War tately, delivering a peace
quite confidently, in :huirapet. He was assert-
ingthat there could be no poet:Peech, his conviction
was President of the whole u,:tntail Mr. LINCOLN
accurately to put it—Re-United
more
tea States! M
SETea ED (wonderful man !) While
assert. • r.
ing this,
remarking that he himself anticipme4
(80 likely !)
r
the early submission of the insa_
e ott3t
" when"—this being the last nasal twang
from the Federal Stamp at Weshiogtoll
" when there would bo peace, and the angels in
Heaven might tune their harps to the symphony
of
such a peace ! " What was that preposterous
ejaculation nightly convulsing the Haymarket
audience with laughter during the whole of last
season, otherwise during the long triumph of
3lr. SOTHERN as Lord DUNDREARY -- what
was that utterly ridiculous ejaculation marking
one of the most telling exits of our American Cousin,
as played by Mr. Bt:CKSTONE? It is alone appli-
cable at the tail of this celestial rhodomontade of
Mr. SEWARD. That same amazing man (3/r.
SEWARD), Mr. BUCKSTONE, could alone cap with
another such ejeculation as that of his well-re-
membered " Je-z uealem !"

The news from New Zaaland is now looked for
with an interest not generally attaching to colonial
intelligence. The war, which seems now to be
regarded on both sides as a final struggle between
the natives and the settlers for supremacy, has not
advanced much further since the receipt of our last
advices, but nearly the whole of the tribes aro now
involved in the struggle. With the exception of
the tribes living north of the Auckland isthmus and
a few chiefs among the southern districts, all the
native population has risen against English rule.
Many of them have entered the lists from fear of
are the ringleaders, since they
the Waikatos, who
suppose that if the
Waikatos succeed in the struggle
they would exterminate all who had refused to

dent and warning. Of course by this means many
notable instances of dereliction of duty are passed
over, because they have not produced casualties, and
thence escape detection. This seeming anomaly it
is very difficult to avoid, and perhaps it is idle to
expect that it can be done altogether. There is
one thing to say, that the more stringent the
conduct, and the more severe the penalties of the
Court, the greater chance is there that S3OlO de-
terring influence be interposed and some restrain-
ing power put upon the future arrangements of
those captains who are entrusted with so grave
a responsibility. Taking all things into consi-
deration, it must appear that the adjudicators in
I this case had no other alternative than to inflict a
stern sentence. They had to take cognisance of a
breach of discipline, and to consider what amount

of blame attached itself to one who, vested with
authority and charged with responsibility, had in
some measure failed in due care, and exhibited
a recklessness that cost dear to many, and might
have proved fatal to all. Considering the points
of the case, then, it appears that no other than
an adverse decision could have been come to, and
if so the penalty inflicted is not such a severe
one as some would make out. It would be a
want of respect for the importance of the service,
and a condoning of injuries inflicted on the vital
interests of the community, if any one acknow-
ledged act of carelessness was indemnified as a
single false step passed over in a slurring or
smuggling manner. Baneful as this most untoward
event must be to the friends and well-wishers of
Captain STONE, it must be borne in mind by
them that those whom they regard as cruel judges
are in a very difficult position. It would not do
for them to shirk inquiry, or to alter their deci-
sion, because the character of the individual ar-
raigned before them was of the highest order, or
in consequence of the accused party possessing
vast talents and great experience. It is theirs to take
cognisance of facts and note actions, and then to de-
liver a fair and impartial judgment. The conduct of
officers, the due attention to the regulations of the
service, the safety of thousands, the welfare of pri-
vate interests, the claims of mercantile property, all
call for, and claim some sure and steadfast promise
of inflexibility and decision, It seems, therefore,
very uncalled for that so much opposition should
have arisen in consequence of the decision in the
case of Captain STONE. Neither of the two attempts
made to reverse the finding of the Court and to
reinstate the accused in his former position without
any delay, ran certify that he is innocent of the
accusations that have been brought against him.
Reference to past merit and previous services is not
a valid reason, nor does it furnish a sufficient exerts,
for reversing the decrees of those who have atten-
tively considered the question, and judged according
to the best of their ability. It is begging the ques-
tion to declare that a fault must not be visited with
grave consequences, because the offender has
previously been expert in his profession and suc-
cessful in his ventures. Without doubting the
accuracy of the testimony brought forward on be-
half of Captain STONE, or questioning the correct-
ness of the flattering opinion pronounced upon his
services, it must be stated that the conclusion de-
duced by the petitioners does not follow from their
premises. if he made two hundred voyages with
success, and then from want of due care failed i❑
achieving the like happy result on a subsequent
occasion, those who suffer by the mischance,
and those who sit in judgment on the affair, do
not concern themselves with the many' but
with the one. It has been shown that
due precautions were not adopted when circum-
stances called for them, and that at a perilous pan
the accused party did not slacken his speed nor
"use his lead." Surely, from such well proved
statements the Court were right in coming to
their conclusion, and it is to be regretted that
so much bitterness has been excited, and so
mach censure directed against its finding.
was the more incumbent upon the judges of the
Court of Inquiry to exercise a strict supervision,
because many serious evils have occurred from want
of care on the part of captains. In the case of the
" Orpheus," which was wrecked on the Manakau
Bar when starting on her voyage to England, the
fault was with the captain, who had neglected to
provide himself with a pilot, which was an indis-
pensable precaution to have adopted in so dangerous
locality ; also in the melancholy affair of the loss
of the Anglo Saxon great censure was attributed to
the captain, inasmuch as he did not slacken his
speed nor adopt due precautions. It is, therefore,
easy to understand, and not difficult to explain how
and why the finding of the Court in the case of
Captain STONE should have been what it was, but
it is not always possible to convince people of the
necessity of strict investigation, and extreme mea.
sures, when their feelings are concerned and their
interests involved. Those who adjud:cate are, how-
ever, to be pitied if, when they do their best, they
meet with misrepresentation, and are vilified when
they deserve appreciation. The cause of truth, and
the claims of society, are best vindicated when those
in authority go on steadily and securely, looking,
neither to the right nor to the left, but persisting
in their straight line of inquiry, and acting there-
upon to the best of their endeavours, and with
honest purpose and upright minds. Misrepresen-
tations always await those thus circumstanced, and
their decisions must often cause disappointment,
bat individual feelings must succumb to general
good, and particular ideas cannot be suffered to in-
terfere with the carrying out of public claims, and
the representation of the interests of the com-
munity. These must reign paramount, or all trials
would become a mockery, and justice a byword and
a reproach.

A LOST HEIR.—A paragraph in an Australian
newspaper lately appeared, headed " Wanted, a
Baronet," the paragraph being an advertisement for a Mr.
Hughes, who by the death of a relative had come into a
baronetcy. The lost heir has been found near Ballarat. The
The affair of the Africa has caused considerable Ballarat Star says :—" A gentleman of Cardigan, on read.
confusion in
much diversity of opinion among those in many quarters, and been the means of ing the paragraph, at once remembered where the baronet
was located. Ho proceeded to Bunker's Hill, and there
ea
discovered the person so long sought after in a very poor
7who tioili
lees atrteheaornanected with naval matters. It is doubt- and miserable position. He narrated to him the object of
his visit, and showed him the paragraph wherein it was
to have hi, o be
reputation. t thing for a man of Captain STONE'S
stuleodouthsiadtehebhlade become the lucky heir to a baronetcy
placed in so awkward a position— a
encounter the
endauct the subject of inquiry, and to no means landed
asphroepewratys.
sooner
by
astonished,
v
erse opinion of his judges. Yet, or later, should he not die before the late holder of the
however,property,
ishe wouldl fall in for it and the title. The change,
granting all this, it that the decision of the
Court is a correcit anowas ' t appearsed the
humblet hat Siravocation Frederick
of
eases Too much care and caution when plain Mr. Hughes followed
cannot be adopted in
where life is at stake,
daya woodcutter at Bunker's hill, and while felling a tree one
and where property is risked, overo sooner than he expected,. and, falling
besides important in-
tcrests at home being mi
not sanction the fact of uponithiomppberoke no of his legs, This accident has roil.
Ic4 uP in the
transactions: dared him a cripple for life. While confined to his bed the
Of course there are many captains
committed family fell into very distressed circumstances, and until last
who do the same
and in most cases e
week his wife, now Lady Hughes, was in the habit of re-
consequences any serious
civing outdoor relief from the Benevolent Asylum. Being
cc:nusteiriqUuaelilleYeis ; but that does
as person of superior education she opened a school at
carelessness being inexcusable, and of in
advertency Bunker's Hill, and by this means was partly enabled to
support the family."
ed to
causing the most serious risks to those
the care of the commander of the vessel. ir TFIE ALABAMA.—The Hiawatha (Flinch), ar-
he habit rip vrteddathColombo, Ceylon, on the 2d ult., from Ganjam, re-
nt' proceeding at the ordinary rate of speed
Without
,msehtethsiegCnaolnlefeddehreate stedasr.ier Adla.bat ml a in the
It IEI Of no avail for the
bwautraen
pistols.
being certain of the distance from the land is a Bay of Bevnulgc)a'l
ceeeiving an answer sot sail with all steam on hoistingyFrench on -
very dangerous practice.
were a student andwa military
student'
masters of vessels to quote precedents, for what may lA rfs;v, d
e
indeed is not
justaoyustasigdo at
the walls
tiolok place
B vin the Junfrau-
ilitaofry
officer. The
ThTenweeacpoomn:
be all right at one time is not sure of being so at beide,
8 thkighTbhe first ball tired by the officer broke the
another, and no tediousness of examination, and no
time spent in detail, should be regarded as unneces-
was that at a prom
„et), He now lies in a dangerous state,
, asnidenentiade concert the officer, in passing by
.ected to recover. The cause of offence
sary care or overdue caution. It is the ordinary and
the student
custom with men in dealing pith affa":rs
moment to select such cases as have proved to be of and, not apologising
iynektnauectiked his cigar out of his mouth,
of any
93 was at once challenged by
some serious nature as examples 1)r future prece.
~, the offended youth,