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

THE WEATHER-WISE ADMIRAL.

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Query—Whether Wise ?---Printer's Devil.

Admiral Fitzroy publishes, as is well known, a daily
meteorological report in the columns of the Times. Some 30
stations send in reports each morning to a central office,
,vhich are collected, arranged, and published in a tabular
form the next day, with an explanation of the abbrevia-
tions, which rewinds the reader equally of a pictorial spell-

ng-book and the " various readings'' in an edition of a

classical author. B. stands for barometer, D. for difference
(of the moist-bulb thermometer), F for force, X for 'xtreme

orce, of wind, H. for hours, and C. for cloud. We cannot

but parenthetically remark that, to use the Admiral's vo-
cabubiry 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 in 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 14,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 cn ; and
he finishes by a declaration that a calm, since C. is already
occupied, is to be represented by a capital Z. On Jan. 1,
the Admiral predicts for Devon W. to N. and N.E., 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 tho
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 n&
S.W. at Plymouth, corresponding to a prediction of W. tic,
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. wed 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 acquaiiitance, 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
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 limes 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 reliaf 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 no Lords Colnmissioners
of the Admiralty, somewhat singularly, frc',m two 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 oased 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 fact 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 a
check. It seems, therefore, that the mere obstruction of a
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 an
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 there-
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 forwardeli to the Lords of the Admiralty, and it
took one of the gentlemen in the Admiralty nearly one week
to answer title letter. Last night (13th January) a letter vrao
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 operat yes on Monday
night, and, with one dissentient, a resolution was adopted
expressing the indignation of the meeting at the Mora"
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 Patliameutarypowero
to purchase additional lands for the purpose of their under'
taking, and for enlarging their powers of compulsory pure
chase of property in respect of the incomrilete portion 01'e
the western extension in the parish of Paddington, near
the junction of South Wharf-road with Praed-street, to the
southern end of Eastbourne-terrace, where it forms a Pile'
tion with Conduit-street, and also as to the incomplete per*
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 CripplegateP
near OA' between the streets called Little Mootfields, Nas/
Tinion.street, Moor-lane, and Tenter-street; and between
Whitecross-street, Milton-street, and Moor-lane, on boat
sides of the Extension to Finsbury Railway, and between
Vine-court and Ma denhead-court, adjacent to Moor-lasle•
The lands and buildings proposed to be taken in the pall
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
Those at Paddington are in, near, and between Col:Walt'
street, Spring-street, London-street, and Conduit-place.
HAMMERSMITH AND CITY RAILWAY.—S tar tia
from Kensington by a junction with the Hammer'
smith and City Railway, now in course of construction,
this line will extend to and terminate at Paddington bY
junction with the Great Western Railway, at an estimate
engineering cost of £60,000.

FIRES AND Loss OF Two LivEs.---Yesterday
fire, attended with loss of life, occurred at IVll*
Rowe's, Paradise-row, Gravel-lane, Southwark. Airl'
Rowe had left her little girl, Sarah Rowe, aged ten Yeal.
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"
Hospital; but she expired on admission. Another fire fat'
happened at Mr. Chivers', South-street, Grange-rosut
Bermondsey, which also resulted in Mary Ann chive°
being burnt to death. The cause is unknown.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.—About a month since
the Hon. Mjor Anson, M.P., whileshooting in the
Renton covers with Lord Lichfield and a party, shot Dill
valet, George Norton, in the leg. The unfortunate nigli;
ins ead of being with the beaters, was some 15 yards behinuf
hidden from view by some hazel bushes, and received til;
chargo which the major had fired at a rabbit that 11%
doubled back, apparently quite clear of the party The be/lit
medical assistance was at once procured, and Major
was unremitting in his personal attention to the man ott
he seemed in a fair way of recovery. About a week 00
however, mortification ensued, amputation became neee°;
sary, and Norton died in a 'state of delirium. An intine-
was held on Thursday, 7ihen it was clearly proved that the
accident was altogetter attributable to the indiscretion °io
the unfortunate ?...eceased in being in a spot that his previt)tij
experience slAould have made him avoid as dangerous/ ~,i
in whicia Major Anson could have no possible reason to silt;
pos; he was at the time he fired. The verdict was to t;
effect that not the slightest blame rested on Major Ans°;
who, nevertheless, was deeply distressed at the misfortli;
and was much affected in giving his evidence before
coroner.
The harp of the late unfortunate Queen 3'Pite
Antoinette, of France, which she bequeathed in her e,
to her chamberlain, Fleuri, as a memorial, is now del'e3llt'ejort"
with the documents, with M. Landauer, Lgil 11, Frank'.
on-the-Maine,