The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-06 00:00:00

ON STEAM VESSELS:

(Ey A NAVAL OFFICER.)
The propositions of " Patriot" (which appeared in y 0 .r
1
columns a few days since) upon the subject of preparing
n.erchara steam-vessels for the purposes of war, may arrest
the attention of Government, as it is a source of wonder-
ment to many that so important a matter as the concern-
rlated change in naval warfare has not before this been fully
brat:nig:ate.
The flg4ting eapabiliOtes of steam and sailing vessels
have net, by comparison, been experimentally determined ;
and it is haroly necessary to observe there are various and
casflieting opinions upon the subject of their respective war
qualification. But as professional men of acknowledged
ability and enterprise are inclined to a belief that vessels
propelled by steam or other power independent of winds,
will, in a great degree, if not wholly, supersede sailing
vessels of war; and though they are not united in opinion
as to the best mode of construction, form, and dimen'sons
to render such craft effective, suppose, for the admissic,a
of the followirg remarks, the superiority of steam-vessels
to be established.
'l,f in the consideration of methods to provide the most
1
efficied visas of steam-vessels, it were simply a question
of speed and capacity, large vessels of suitable scantling
would be preicrred to small. But it is a subject which
should be considered in connection with the mode of arm-
ing and employing the projectiles that have been lately in-
troducel en shipboard.
If the shell practice sliuded to b-a brought to perfection,
and there appears Ire reason to suppose it unattainable,
vessels of the most solid fabric cannot then possibly insure
its effect ; a few shells, simply charged with powder, of tert
or eight inches diameter, would make sad havoc between .:
elect's of a large ship, and if thrown in so as to bunt near her
water-lii t 4. might produce terrific consequences; spring- 1
ing, as it were, so many mines would shake and open her
frame to an extent that it would, in all probability, pre,
elude the possibility of repairing the mischief in time to
prevent the ship from sinking.
Hulls of huge dimensions and strength of scantling, if
the preceding view of the matter be correct, afford no
against lice shells; on the contrary, there is a etter ,
se-
chance of a shell proving mischievous by bursting- b
after
being deeply In god in the side of a large ship, than pass-
-1
ing through a smaller vessel of lighter build.
A lefty steam-snip, armed upon her broadside, must, 1
to bring her batr,:ry to best* expose the whole length of
her hull, and mutt also, to use her comparatively light
guns with effect, take a distance within the scope of ini-
minent danger to her crew and machinery. But a vessel
of smaller size, capable of carrying only two heavy long
ranging pieces, one at each extremity, would, when using
li r bow or stern gun, expose merely a small portion of a
comparatively small hull ; and if site be pursuOd 'l.:,v afarge
steam vessel, she would fight upon advantageous test
8. as
the bow and stern of each vessel would probably be tn.;‘i-
larly timed, but the smaller vessel mould have a large.'
object to fire at with a consequent better chance of hitting,
and if she lodged a shell in the bow of her pursuer, it
would. in all likelihood, prove a stopper.
The ird,rence is, that a large steam-ship may not prove
so formidable an opponent ether to sailing vessels or small
steamers, as apprehended ; but a steam vessel of suitable
dimensions to admit of being formidably armed for distant
practice, and constructed with a view to expose, as little as
possible, having due regard to the effectif9 movements of
paddles and machinery, would for the busines; Pt fight be,
n sporting phraseology, an ugly customer.

CONVICTION FOR MURDER.—At the Flint- I
shire Assizes on Tuesday the trial of Edward Jones, charged 1
‘‘ith the murder of David Evans, the gamekeeper, commenced
before Mr. Justice Williams, and terminated on Wednesday in
the conviction of the prisoner, who had sentence of death
passed upon him. It will be remembered that on the 3d of
February last Evans was found at Vrow weltering in his
blood, having been evidently murdered. He had been seen
alive a very short time before, and about the same time the
prisoner, with a gun in his hand, had been met by a lad, with
whom he entered into conversation respecting the deceased,
asking what time he generally came, and saying that he was
drunk. At the conclusion of his remarks he told the lad not
to tell any one what he had said. Suspicion fell on the pri-
soner (who was a poacher) immediately on the discovery of
the murder, and, although there was no direct proof of his
having committed the murder, the crime was brought home to
him be a chain of circumstantial evidence, which satisfied the
Jury of his guilt. The Judge was four hours in summing up,
and the Jury were an hour and a quarter in deliberating upon
their verdict. The prisoner was carried out of the Court in a
state of invensibility after receiving sentence of death. He
was in a very weak state, having suffered since his imprisonment
severely from erysipelas.
ItAILWA.Y THROUGH KENDAL.—We have this
week again to report active and successful proceedings in con-
nection with this important work. The Directors of the Lan-
caster and Preston Railway Company have given their unequi-
vocal testimony in favour of this undertaking, by subscribing
501. to the Kendal Committee towards the expenses of this
survey. We understand that Mr. Ainswick, Secretary to the
Government Commissioners, accompanied by a civil engineer,
is now at the Kin 's Arms Inn in this town, for the express
purpose of surveying the tunnel hills on the Kendal and Lune
lines. This looks well for the Kendal project, as it shows that
the Commissioners are resolved to be satisfied on their own evi-
dence, of the nature and extent of these works, and not to rely
on such statements as have been put forth by Mr. Larmer, and
exposed in this paper.— Kendal Mercury.
POSTAGE STAMPS.—The public has been loDk-
ing forward to the issue of Postage Stamps with natural
anxiety. We have, therefore great pleasure in announcing, i
that the engravings and die are now complete, and that, early
in the next week the printers will be actively
engaged in
striking off impressions. Three different forms will be used,
•
according to pleasure. By the first, paper sent in to be
stamped will be impressed with a beautiful medallion portrait
of her Majesty ; the second, consisting of stamps to be affixed
to letters, is also decorated by a highly.. wrought portrait of
her Majesty, engraved by lleath. These are about the size .
of a shilling ; each sheet will contain 240 stamps, which the
retail dealer can sub-divide, so as to suit the convenience of
purchasers. The third form is the cover, to be stamped on a
half-sheet of paper. The design, which is imaginative and
beautiful, as well as complicated, containing upwards of fifty
figures, is by Mulready, and has been engraved in relief on
brass, with the utmost care and delicacy, by Thompson, who,
we are informed, devoted the labour of twelve entire weeks to
its execution. The lower part of the tablet is left blank to
admit the direction. Above, in the centre, is Britannia, with
her emblems, spreading wide her arms, to dismiss angel m"-
centers to all nations of the earth ; a group of Indians and
colonists is on the right ; on the left are the figures of Oriental
men and animals. These groups are supported ononeither side
The
by domestic figures, reading letters. ole effect is
poetical, as well as artistic. The covers Will be'l printed from
casts either polyt.yped or stereotyped, and Mr Dickinson's
paper, on which our journal was printed in April 1838 (No.
544), is to be used. By causing part of the lines to be nearest
to one surface, and part to the other, he has superadded a
great protection against forgery.—Athenosum.
CORN-LAWS.—STAFFORD.—A petition for
the repeal of these tyrannous laws has been making the round
of the borough, and on Wednesday week, when it was for-
warded for presentation, it contained the sigateures of 1,411
individuals—a greater number, probably, Man ever before
signed a petition on any subject whatever in this town. The
poor burgesses for once have been unanimous ; nearly all. if
not quite all, whether attached to the Whig candidate's tail, or
the Tory candidate's tail, have eagerly signed the petition for
cheaper bread. Even those who, on electioneering occasions,
sell themselves body and soul to aid the return of men to repre-
sent. the :,orough in Parliament, whose interest it is to keep
things as they are, have attached their names to the document;
and thus recorded a damning proof of their miserable venality.
Staffordshire Examiner.
WINDSOR, APRIL 3.—There is now but little
doubt that the Rev. Dr. Keate will be the new Provost of
Eton, in the room of the lamented and venerable Dr. Goodall.
Dr. Keate is one of the Canons of Windsor, but, in the event of
his appointment, the Rev. G.Gentleman must (as I am inf0m5,,...4)
vacate the Canonry upon his acceptance of the Provostship. It
is reported here that the then vacant Canonry will be offered to
Lord Augustus Fitzelarence, the youngest brother of the Earl
who holds the of Mapledurham, in Ox-
of Munster, Rector y
' fordshire.
Some silly concocter of paragraphs for a Tot y
morning paper has strung together disloyal twaddle about the
sudden postponement of the Levee on Wednesday last. The
fact, we believe, was, her Majesty felt slightly indisposed, and
naturally avoided the fatigues attendant on a Levee, whidh
might, perhaps, have retarded her restoration to health.
AFFAIR of HONOUR.—An affair of this na-
ture has taken place between two Magistrates of this county,
in consequence of some difference of opinion between them on
the Bench, at the Petty Sessions in Cashel, a few days back.
The parties were bound over by Captain Nangle, R.M., in
consequence of which they directly proceeded to the county
i(
shots,
i ktheenynleftlithe ground rlin
without
owu
th eraney, after
esitlttisoxnc.hanEsoht'
Paper.
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