The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-04 00:00:00

IMP E RIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—'YESTERDAY,
ae LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack

at five o'clock.

THt REVISED CODE.

Petitions against the Revised Code were presented by the
Bishop of WORCESTER and several other peers.
IRISH LAW COURTS.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE complained that a
return he moved for on the sth of August last, and to which
no objection was offered, had not yet been made. It related
to the courts of law in Ireland, and he had been informed
that as the return had not been made previous to the pro-
rogation of Parliament last year, it had been looked upon
as a lar*cd order. He wished the return should be made
forthwith, and if it should be necessary he should move an
address to the Crown to that effect.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Norwich Corporation, the Ross Turnpike Trust,
and the Tranmere Improvement bills were read a second

PROTECTION OF INVENTIONS AND DESIGNS

18(32 BILL.
This bill was read a second time.

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
BILL.

This bill pusecl through committee.

MARINE MUTINY BILL.

This bill also passed through committee.
AUSTRALIAN COLONIES GOVERNMENT ACT
AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed,
IRON PLATED SHIPS.

The Earl of HARDWICKE rose to ask tho First Lord
of the Admiralty what number of iron plated ships were
afloat and building, and what was intended to be done with
the chips of the fleet that are built of timber. Tho
earl commenced his remarks by referring to the into
naval action that had taken place in America, in which
the contest between wood and iron vessels had been most
indisputably settled. Ho did not think there was any
occasion for alarm, because he considered that the navy
of England was in as good a position as any nation in the
-world. He thought the time had arrived when there '
steal(' be no more nibbling at the question on the part of
the Government, but that it should open its
jaws wide and swallow the whole at whatever cost,
and for the future that none but iron ships should
be constructed for the purposes of warfare. The late en-
gagement between the Monitor and Merrimac had settled the
question. As far as regards cruising ships, they could still
be constructed of wood, adopting, of course, all the modern
improvements; but, as for men-of-war, they must be made
of iron. The navy was very different from the ships of the
merchant service, where everything was sacrificed for speed
and stowage room, but that was not coin ansan-of-war where
strength was everything. A question' would naturally
arise as to what was to be done with the stock of ships now
on hand ; that would have to be settled, but the thing that
appeared to him certain was that the time had now come
for the cessation of constructing ships of wood for purposes
of warfare. It was to give the noble lord an opportunity of
stating the opinion of the Government on the subject that
he laid the motion under the attention of their lordships.
The Duke of SOMERSET, having thanked Lord Hard-
wicke for having brought this subject before the house,
stated what steps had been taken by the present Govern-
moat to build iron vessels since 1850. The late Govern-
ment had proposed to build two iron-plated vessels, but
from infcrmation subsequently received he had advised
these two to be increased to four—viz., the Warrior, the
Blac z Prince, the Defence, and the Resistance. Not being
contented with these vessels, the Government had ordered
the Valiant to be built on improved principles, for, as the
whole system was in a state of uncertainty, there were ne-
ceesarily defects in the first experiments. At the present
moment we had four iron ships afloat, another to be
launched in August, and five wooden ships in course of
plating, two of which will be launched in the autumn and
three in the ensuing spring. Not satisfied with this, he
had caused experiments to be made with Captain Coles's
cupola, the results of which, both in regard to the revolv-
ing of the cupola and its power of resistance to very heavy
firing, were entirely successful. A vessel of this class of
2,000 tons, and drawing only 20 foot water, would be shortly
laid, as money had been taken for the purpose in the esti-
mates. At the same time it was intended to apply the
principle of the cupola to wooden vessels, and these, he
believed, would be the best vessels we could have for the
defence of our coasts. There were now building six
different kinds of iron-plated ships, but he was not
satisfied with any of these, as the means had not
yet been discovered of making the iron plating
contribute to the strength of the vessels. In reply
to Lord Hardwicke's question, he stated that we
had the frames of five line-of-battle ships, seven frigates,
and eight large corvettes in progress, and these frames could
be easily adapted to bear iron plates. Of our present wooden
vessels we could easily cut down 20 line-of-battle ships,
and by fitting them with iron plates adapt them for the de-
fence of our coasts and the Channel, still retaining a fleet
of 40 ships to oppose to any wooden fleet which might be
sent to attack us ; and if it were necessary to fight iron ships
against iron ships we were able to meet any navy in that
arm. In regard to the question of expense, he did not
think it would be so great as anticipated, neither did ho
think the inferences drawn from a recent engagement as to
the invulnerability of iron ships, especially in the face of
the vary great improvements being made in the speed of
ships and the force of artillery, correct. He then entered
at length into the merits and defects of the Merrimac and
Monitor, pointed out the alterations which the new system
of iron •plating would introduce in our navy, deprecated un-
due precipitation in building vessels of iron, confessed that
we ought to refrain from building more wooden ships, and
concluded by slightly touching upon the propriety of not
discontinuing to build forts, as the arguments drawn from
the t ecent contest on that point were by no means conelu-

Lord MALMESBURY, having thanked the Duke of
omerser for his valuable statement,
Their lordships adjourned at 20 minutes to 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-YESTERDAY.

The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
- -

The house was rather full, but not so crowded as is usual
en Budget nights, and contrasted strongly with tho appear -
once which it presented last session on the night when the
Chancellor of the Exchequer made his Financial Statement.