The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-30 00:00:00

RETURN.

Mr. ORD moved for returns relating to the importa-
tion of cotton, wool, raw silk, and indigo.
Mr. WARNER'S INVENTION. _ _

On the Order of the Day for the second reading of the
Exchequer Bills Bill being read,
Mr. WAKLEY said he wished to put a question to the
Gallant Secretary of the Board of Ordnance, . relating
to the invention of Mr. Warner. The subject had been
brought before the House last Session, on which occasion
many Members had borne evidence to the extraordinary
nature of the invention ; and in the debate on the esti-
mates the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Go-
vernment had admitted that he had seen one of the
experiments, and that he had witnessed the most
extraordinary. effects. Statements had been made
the other night by the Honourable and Gallant
Member for the Tower Hamlets, and by some other
Eon. Members, that Mr. Warner had objected to the
appointment of a Committee to investigate the nature of
his invention. Mr. Warner and his friends complained
of that statement. The fact was, that Mr. Warner was
most anxious to have a Committee appointed to investi-
gate his. invention, and he was most desirous that the
Government should be fully satisfied as to the nature of
his invention before they adopted it. Mr. Walseby
said that shortly after Mr. Warner's return from Portu-
gal the subject had been mentioned in the House of
Commons, but had been stopped by the then First
Lord of the Admiralty (Sir J. Graham) who suggested
that a Committee should be appointed to investigate. It
had been appointed accordingly, but Sir R. Stopford, the
Chairman, thought it was too numerous, and some alte-
rations were suggested in it, but Sir Robert Stopford
shortly afterwards left England for the Mediterranean.
Sir Richard Keates, another member of the Committee,
died, and his Majesty, who had taken a great interest in
the subject also died shortly afterwards, so that the sub-
ject had never been investigated. The Gallant Captain
the Member for Gloucester had stated that Captains in
the navy might object to admit the invention on board
their ships, fox' fear of being blown up ; but he under-
stood that when the subject should be investi--
gated it would appear that such apprehensions
were groundless. When the subject was discussed in
June last the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies
had stated that some explanation ought to be given, and
had promised that further negotiations with Mr. Warner
should take place. He was anxious to know if any in-
vestigation had been institute]?
Colonel VOX said that he believed that the Master
General of the Ordnance, Lord Vivian, had wished to refer
Mr. Warner to the usual Committee at Woolwich, for
the investigation of inventions of the nature of that
brought forward by Mr. Warner, and that Gentleman
had refused to submit his invention to that Committee.
With regard to what had fallen from the Hon. and Gal-
lant Member for Marylebone the other evening, in rela-
tion to the muskets supplied to the Navy, be supposed
that the observations of that Gallant Officer ap-
plied only to the old arms formerly issued, and not
to those which had recently been given out.—(Hear.)
His Noble Friend's attention had been most closely di-
rected to the subject for the last three or four years. He
knew that upwards of 6,000 muskets, with the percussion
lock, had been constructed—most of them had been dis-
tributed. They had received the approbation of
all the officers. Complaints had been made
with regard to the Royal Marines. He believed that
4,000 or 5,000 of those muskets had been given to that
corps, which had received the unqualified approbation
of the officers. His reason for making the statement
was that it might not go forward to the public
that the late Master-General of the Ordnance
had neglected his duty.
Captain BOLDERO, in reply to the Hon. Member
for Finsbury, said, the Master-General of the present
Board had not received any communication from Mr.
Warner on the subject of the invention.
Mr. WARLEY said that the question was whether it
was the intention of the Board of Ordnance to institute
any inquiry on the subject.
Captain BOLDERO said the Master-General did not
consider himself authorized to take upon himself the
responsibility of appointing a committee, without the
previous sanction of her Majesty's Ministers.
Mr. BROTHERTON said, in the debate referred to
by the Hon. Member for Finsbury. he had entered his
protest against the Government giving their sanction in
offering a reward to men who exercised their talent and
ingenuity in discovering some infernal machine for the
destruction of human life. If a man used his talents to
promote the happiness of his race he was entitled to re-
ward, but not for using them for an opposite purpose.
He had heard, with great delight, the announcement of
the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir It. Peel) that he would use
all his influence to diffuse those sentiments in so-
ciety which would lead men to discourage war.
He must say his heart had burned within
him, when on a previous evening he heard the House
debating about locks ankl guns, and various other in-
struments used in war.—(A laugh.) What would the
next generation think of the present when they read
that the House of Commons of that day had debated for
hours about implements of destruction?—(Hear, hear.)
He believed that until war and warriors were held in
less estimation, there was no hope of good for this
country. Certainly on all occasions he should enter his
protest against reward being granted for inventions of the
nature then under discussion, because he conceived that
the more they discouraged war, the more would civiliza
tion advance throughout the world.
In reply. to a question from an Hon. Member, whose
name we could not learn,
Lord STANLEY said that the inquiries made by Dr.
Madden on the coast of Africa, were of so private a na-
ture, that he must at present decline laying the reports
on the table. _ _ _

Mr. WAKLEY begged to assure the lion. Member
for. Salford that the object of investigating the invention
of lir. Warner was, first, on the ground of humanity ;
and, seconkon that of economy.
4.1 v,
On the motion of Sir G. CLERK, the Exchequer Bills
Bill, and the Exchet;"F Bills Funding Bill, were read a
second time.
POPULATION PAYMENTS BILL.
The Report on this Bill was drought up, and the
Bill was ordered to be read a third ti 4-41 to-morrow.