The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-25 00:00:00

right hon. gentleman when in office shaped his policy by t went of the noble lord the Secretary of the Admiralty With
that of other Governments. The aggregate tonnage of the I great pleasure, but he could not agree with him in the plan
iron-cased ships to be built this year was 70,900 tons. ti he proposed to lessen the number of guns on board seen-of-
Before voting the enormous sums now asked of it, the war. He thought, however, the Admiralty deserved great,
house ought to know what was the state of our foreign rela- credit for taking the supply of provisions for the navy into
tions. Against danger from what foreign Power was it their own hands, because they would he of a better quality.
that these increased armaments were prepared ? It was A vote of £370,000 for the wages of seamen was agreed
said that there was to be a reduction of 2,200 in the number to, after which the Chairman reported progress.
of men, and some hon. members had objected to it; yet, in The house resumed,
fact, there would be no such reduction, but rather an actual BLEACHFIELDS (WOMEN AND CHILDREN
increase. Last yoar the strength of the Naval Reserve was EMPLOYMENT).
25,000; now it was 40,0,0. Allowing that one fourth of Mr. BAXTER obtained leave to bring in a bill to pre-
the entire number would not be ready for service when vent women and children being employed at machinery
called upon, there would still remain at the lowest compu- during the night at bleachfields.
tation 5000 more men of the reserve available for any emer- The bill was read a first time.
gency this year than last year. Instead, therefore, of a de- PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
crease of 2,200 seamen, there was an increase of nearly Mr. WALPOLE moved for a copy of the Commission
3,000 ; for it must be remembered that the reserve cost a appointed to inquire into certain public schools in England.
considerable sum to the country. He would divide the Ordered.
Committee on this vote if he saw any chance of doing so The house adjourned at ten minutes past 12.
with effect ; but perhaps the feeble words which fell from
him might yield some fruit in another year. Although
we were at peace with all the world, there was evidently
a strong desire on the Treasury bench to chant the
old strain of " Rule Britannia"— a song which, when-
ever sung by any Ministry, was sure to obtain for
them any amount of money from the country. He was
glad that such harmony prevailed between the Royal navy
and the merchant service, since the officers of the latter had
been introduced into the reserve. He had striven earnestly
in the commission in favour of the admission of those offi-
cers, but the measure had been strenuously resisted by naval
men, who had a prejudice against the officers of the mer-
chant service, on the ground, as one witness alleged, that
they were not gentlemen. The noble lord said that the
boys now undergoing training made the best class of sea-
men ; but there was a limit to that argument. If lads who
had been first employed in colliers upon our iron-bound
coast afterwards received a short training for the navy they
would make seamen whom he would fearlessly back against
the whole world. It appeared that a ship of an entirely
novel construction was to be built, but before she was laid
down the opinion of the most eminent practical shipbuilders
should be taken as to her sea-going qualities. He was him-
self on his return from Lisbon, crossing the Bay of Biscay,
when the:Warrior was going out, and although he had been
in many heavy gales of wind, yet he had never witnessed
such a tremendous sea as was running when he passed the
Warrior. He would just say that a shipof her weight that
could live in such a sea and get to Lisbon without any
damage, was fit to go to any part of the world. The result
obtained in her case was therefore very satisfactory. (Hear.)
The committee which sat upon the transport service had
recommended some important improvements. While that
report had been adopted by the Admiralty and the War
Departments it had been ignored by the Colonial and the
India Departments. He intended to call the attention of the
house to the subject to-morrow evening, when he hoped to
be able to induce them to support the recommendation of
their own committee.
Mr. CORRY, in reference to reducing the armaments of
her Majesty's ships, in consequence of their being over-
weighted in bad weather, said that while he was at the
Admiralty there was no complaints on the subject. If
Armstrong guns were substituted for the smooth bores,
an immense reduction would be effected in the weight of the
armament without diminishing the number of the guns;
for the 32 pounder, weighing E 8 cwt., in most general use
in the Navy, would give place to the Armstrong 40 pounder,
weighing 31 cwt. only, a diminution of 27 cwt. But smooth
bore guns, at short distances, were more effective than the
rifled guns. (Hear.) The reduction proposed was on an
extravagant scale—as, for instance, the Shannon was to be
reduced from 51 to 35 guns—a reduction of nearly one-third.
He thought this was too great a reduction to be made at
first, if the Shannon were to engage a French ship of 50
or 60 guns, would she be the more effective with 51 old guns
or .the 35 new ones? He confessed he thought she would
be most effective with the 51. It was said these heavy ar-
maments increased the wear and tear of the ships ; but he
held that ships of war should be what they pretended to be,
and not ships of peace. The weight of the armament of the
Royal Oak, as a 91 gun ship, would have been 260 tons,
which was more than she ought to carry.
Lord C. PAGET.-533 tons,
Mr. CORRY said that included gunners' stores. The
guns weighed 260 tons. With 50 guns the weight would
be 106 tons.
Lord C. PAGET wished to correct an impression which
he thought he had conveyed to the right hon. gentleman
(Sir J. Pakington), that during the coming year there would
be in the Channel only two line-of-battle ships and two
iron-cased frigates. What he had stated was the force they
now had, but he gave the force of men they proposed for
next year, and this would suffice to maintain three line-of-
battle ships, three iron-cased frigates, two wooden frigates,
and four corvettes, making a total of 12 instead of ten.
(Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Norfolk had stated
correctly that our ships had very fine ends, and the guns
could not well be put there. It was certain that these
ships would act bear any great weight of guns in their ex-
tremities. The new plan was of a tentative nature only.
He had attempted to show that the introduction of a certain
number of Armstrong guns would make up the weight of
broadaides caused by the reduction of guns. Thus the loss
of weight upon the broadside of the Shannon in conse-
quence of the new arrangement was no more than 100 lb •
Captain Dickson, of the Trafalgar, had reported that he
had no difficulty in manning his guns and in working his
yards, and he believed that the objections to the plan would
soon vanish.
Mr, CARDWELL observed that the hon. member for
Sunderland appeared to labour under the supposition that
the commission were opposed to the scheme of the reserve.
As a member of the commission, he (Mr. Cardwell) could
state, on the contrary, that they were most anxious to see
the arrangement carried into effect; but the reason wby it
was not reported upon was, that it was not within their
order of reference, and, therefore, was not inquired into.
The commission had great difficulties to contend with on
that head, inasmuch as the impression everywhere prevailed
that a naval reserve could not be carried out, it being con-
sidered that the recollection of former times, especially of
compulsory service, would render the attempt hopeless.
The barrier between the two services had now happily been
broken down, and the union of the two assured the future
security of the country. With respect to school-ships and
a merchant seamen's fund, much, no doubt, still remained
to be accomplished ; but still, they might all be grateful
that so much had already been done, a result which was
very much owing to the useful exertions of Captain Brown,
the registrar of seamen.
Admiral WALCOTT expressed his regret at the reduc-
tion of the men, which he said would cause great dissatis-
faction. He deprecated any reduction of their armaments
which would impair the efficiency of the ships, but he
highly approved of the new training ships. He thought
they ought also to have troop ships, which were essential
is many important respects.
Mr. LINDSAY thought that if any person was entitled
to credit for the formation of the naval reserve he ought to
be allowed at least some share, inasmuch as he had advo-
cated that measure when it was opposed by the Govern-
ment and nearly every one else.
After a few words from Mr. CARDWELL,
Admiral DUNCOMBE expressed approval of the pro-
posed reduction of we ght and armament in our ships of
war. He regarded it as a measure of economy, and he
suggested that the weight of the yards and rigging should
also be diminished.
Sir M. PETO considered that the combination of wood
and iron must necessarily lead to the construction of a
weak vessel. He was in possession of information to show
that wherever they were used in combination there would
be great straining, whereas in a vessel built wholly of iron,
with its proportions carefully studied, there would be little
or none. He had stated his regret that we had not fol.
lowed the example of the Emperor, but now we had begun
to do so he would say do not go on too fast in an untried
path. He was ready, therefore, to accord the greatest possi-
ble indulgence in pursuing their experiments. Complaints
had been made of their building too many wooden ships be-
fore they were certain as to the best mode of construction.
He would say that we were now in much the same position
with our iron ships. We had enough to experiment upon,
and his own conviction was, that ultimately our channel
fleet would have no masts at all. He had also suggested
that it was desirable that the Admiralty should reconsider
their establishments. He knew all the difficulties in the
way. It would be hard if, in consequences of changes in
the mode of construction, men who had served their country
well and long, but now no longer useful, should be dis-
charged ; but the cheapest way would be to give them
a liberal retiring pension. He was sure that an iron
fleet would not require us to maintain such largo esta-
blishments in future as we had hitherto. A pro-
perly-constructed iron ship, if not unduly worked,
would last for 50 years, and we should not require a 81?3_110
like three millions to be spent in repairs for our fillips.
objected, also, to the large sum which we were spend?-t
mg
upon fortifications and works at Portsmouth. Wewiere
spending millions in the endeavour to makel
at
wasplace
not a-
pregnable which was no longer serviceable.
place to which we ought to take our ships to be repaired.
The time had come when we ought to spend a large sum
for the purpose of providing a sufficienthtantod pbreoper place
would be
for the repair of vessels, and n Water some
few
miles inland, and perhaps Soutth
thhaat ontag
haemn PortsPquite cmonocuthurred With
the best, certainly much better than
respect to the transport
.8
all the noble lord had said aserve
to the way in which the com-
panies came forward in thtehceaGseovoefrCumaneandta;andlt was most
creditable to them and to he was sure
the more the Government looked to the commercial marine
to assist them in time of war, the more they cemented the
Government and the commercial public.
Lord PALMERSTON observed that his hon. friend the
member for Sunderland and his hon. friend the member for
Montrose charged him with having made a great mistake
last year as to the number of iron ships being built by the
French Government. Now, if there was a delusion any-
where it was en their parts. Ho stated that the French
Government were building 26 iron ships, that some of them
were completed and others in progress, and, unless he was
very much mistaken, they determined a short time ago to
add ten more to that number.
Mr. BENTINCK thought it would be of great advan-
tage to the public service to have a small number of troop-
ships always ready for any service that might be required.
Sir J, ELPIIINSTONE had heard the very able state-

DIVORCE AND DEATH.

In the Court of Session, on Thursday, evidence•
was taken in an action of divorce at the instance of
Captain Charles Campbell Hook against his wife,
Mrs. Flora Campbell Galbraith or Hook. The
first witness examined was the sister of the pur-
suer, Mrs. Margaret Cecilia Hook or Ghie, who
deposed to having been present at the marriage of
the pursuer and defender at Campbelton, in 1840.
She also gave evidence to the effect that the pur-
suer, who had been in India, returned to this
country, in January, 1860, after an absence of
seven years; that he resided with the witness in
London, and slept in her house every night till he
went to Jersey for the benefit of his health ; that
he spent all the time between January and
December, 1860, either in witness's house in Lon-
don, or in Jersey • and that he went to Edinburgh
in December. Major Manley deposed that he left
India with the pursuer, and corroborated the evi-
dence of the preceding witness as to the pursuer
residing in London. Donald Maclean, West Port,
near Campbelton, gave evidence to the effect that
the defender lodged in his house for some time
before April, 1860; that the last time she was in
the house she became intimate with another
lodger, named David Holden, who was a rabbit
killer; that in December, 1859, he thought he
heard Holden go into the defender's room about
twelve o'clock at night, and that he and his wife
went into the room and found Holden in bed with
the defender; that after that time Holden and the
defender took their food together in the defender's
bed room ; and that in April, 1860, both the de-
fender and Holden left his house together, their
luggage being taken away by the same man.
Mrs. M'Lean, wife of the preceding witness, cor-
roborated his testimony. Several other witnesses
gave evidence as to the intimacy between Holden
and the defender while they were in I\i'Lean'e
lodgings. Mrs. Emily Brown, residing in Nelson-
street, Edinburgh, deponed that the defender
came to her house in the end of April, 1860, ac-
companied by a man called David Holden, and
stayed till the December following. ,In October
she gave birth to a child, and Holden was in the
house on the night of the birth, and went with
witness for !the doctor. Holden was under-game-
keeper at the Inch, near Edinburgh • but before
he went to the Inch in June or July, the defender
and he occupied the same bed once or twice in her
house. In 1861 the defender and Holden had

slept together in her house. At the close
of the evidence on Thursday the case was adjourned
to a day to be afterwards fixed ; but it has now been
terminated in a melancholy and unexpected manner
by the sudden death, on Saturday, of the defender,
at her lodgings in Nelson-street. She had for some
time been drinking freely, and on Saturday she had
lain down on a sofa in her room, where she was
allowed to remain for some time unnoticed. At
length, on the landlady going to the sofa to rouse
her, it was discovered she was dead.—Scotsman.

COUNTRY MAJRLTh.

~.,. w-~-----_

COLCHESTER—FEB. 22.
To-day a moderate supply of wheat, and late prices were
supported for good samples; inferior sorts still a slow sale.
Barley maintains its price, but still in middling supply
Beans and peas were unchanged in price.
Wheat, white 548 688 Beans, Mazagan..36s 40s
red 46s 64s middle & small.4oB 44s
Barley
Oats

CHELMSFORD—FEB. 21.
A fair supply of wheat, which was taken off slowly/
barely maintaining late prices. Beans is lower, and little
doing, owing to the inferior qualities offering. All other
Spring corn at late rates.
Wheat, old white 28s 598
new 47s 66s
old red 278 51s
new 52s 62s
Barley 308 39s
Chevalier ..30s 42s
Grinding 24s 32s
Malt.,..
Chevalier . ..... 648 69s
Oats 23s 30s

Peas, Partridge 375 415
White 39s 455
Boiling 4ls 470
Dun 36s 40s
Ditto new —s —5
Beans, Tick, old 3ss 41s
new 358 415
Harrow Ticks 378 430
new 376 42s
Mazagan 32s 35s

GLOUCESTER—FEB. 22.
A better supply of English wheat, and the sales made are
at a reduction of is upon late prices. Foreign in linuEed
demand, and is lower. Other articles unaltered.

KIRKCALDY GRAIN—FEB. 22.
We :had moderate supplies today of wheat and (lei',
and small of barley. Sales for wheat and oats at previous
prices ; barley 6d more money.
Wheat. Barley. Oats.
Fir5t....438 Od 238 Od 2os Od
Second ..50s Od 29s Od 23s 6d
Third....s9s Od 32s Od 278 6d

COAL M.

ARKr T.

(rrioea of Coal per Ton a
a. d.

the olose of the market
0. d.

Byass's Bebside West
Hartley ...14 6
Tanfield Moor Butes..l2 6
Davison's West Hart-

Walls:End.
Hetton .. l6 g
Russel's Hetton 14 7,,
Brsddyll'a Hetton 15 u
R elloe
South Hartlepool... . 5
. ..154
Hartlepool..
Ridde11....., l4 0,
Eden 14 6
Acorn Close 14 6
Framwellgate 14
Trimdon Hartlepool l5 u
Triandon Thornley l3 ~,„
Keiper Grange.... l4 ''
iSouth Hetton ~.16 0

14 6
West Wylam 13 0
Carway and Duffryn
Malting 24 0
Do. Anthracite 21
Eden Main .. 14 61
Lambert's West Hart-
ley 14 0
North Pelton 12 6
Walker Primrose 11 6
Grey's West Hartley 13 9
West Hartley 14 6
Ships at marks

)t, 96 ; sold, 60.

FOREIGN MAIL _PACKET LIST.

MAILS DUE.
Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Mar. 21'
via Marseilles Mar. 15.
Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet . March 6.
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. March 3.
China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southarnpton.Mar. 4,;
via Marseilles ...Feb. 21'
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar, via Southampton Feb. 74u, •
India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Mar. t
via Marseilles Feb. 21.
India (Bombay), via Southampton Feb. 25.
via Marseilles Feb. 20.
Lisbon Feb. 21.
Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Feb, .
via Marseilles Feb. 27.
Newfoundland
.:Feb. 2l.
Oporto and Vigo
U. S. and British N. America,
by IT'S' T?ac-eacke.i.Feb. 19.
Canadian P
M 10
' iffe .......... ar. ,
W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and loner
Bahamas, via New York .............. ........ Mar. 13.
b.y..8.r.i.t.. ................. ,Feb. 27.
.. ....Feb. 28.
Mexico ....... .1. ,
' 1 Feb. 28.
California, and British Columbia..
All parts of West Indies, ........... Chi 1, Peru,
.5