The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-03 00:00:00

BRONZE SHEATHING FOR VESSELS.

(From the Plymouth Herald.)
There has been delivered this week to his Majesty's
dock-yard here a quantity of the patent bronze sheath-
ing, and directions have been given by the Lords of
the Admiralty to sheath two of the Falmouth packets
that may next require coppering, one side with the pa-
tent bronze, and the other with copper, so that a com-
parison may be fairly established of the duration of the
two substances.

We have been favoured with an inspection of a
sheet of the bronze, which may be seen at Messrs.
Fox's counting-house, and certainly it is a most beau-
tiful specimen of manufacture. But notwithstanding
its density and polished surface, it is at the same time
quite malleable and pliant.
The subject, we are aware, is one of great interest
to many of our readers connected with the Royal and
Commercial Navies, and we have therefore collected
the following details relative to this new invention,
which we understand originated with a French engi-
neer, and was first tried in the French Navy in 1829,
since which, on account of its superior durability, as-
certained by repeated experiments, the French Govern-
ment has contracted for several hundred tons a-year.
In every instance it has been found to keep quite clean,
a point of paramount importance, whilst, from its su-
perior hardness, it is not so liable to be rubbed, in case
of a vessel taking the ground, or running foul.
The durability of ancient bronze coins, medals, and
utensils, has long excited attention ; numerous speci-
mens are found in Egypt, Greece, and Italy. The
famous horses of St. Mark, at Venice, are a remark-
able instance of preservation ; but it was never thought
practicable to render such a hard and dense metal mal-
leable, so as to convert it into sheets. The beautiful
specimen we have seen proves that this difficulty has
been at last overcome.

We are informed that the usual composition of the
bronze of antiquity was copper, combined with 6 to
10 per cent of tin. Bronze is, in fact, copper hardened,
and rendered less liable to oxidation by the addition
of tin.

The wear of copper on ships' bottoms is a mecha-
nico-chymical action, inasmuch as its waste at sea is
6i times greater than in harbour. We should con-
clude, therefore, a priori, that a hard metal like bronze
would waste less by the friction of the water than a soft
metal like copper, and the greater duration of ancient
bronze proves that it is less oxidable. There would
thus be established a superiority in resisting mecha-
nical as well as chemical action in favour of the bronze.
The result of the experiments made in the French navy
on bronze sheathing very imperfectly manufactured, as
stated in the Annales Maritimes for 1830, 1831, and
1832, go to prove that when applied to ships' bottoms,
the loss in weight of the bronze is less than half that
of copper.
It appears now established, that a continued and
unceasing wasting of the metallic sheets alone secures
a clean bottom, and that no galvanic protection is com-
patible with it : fresh surfaces of the metallic sheets
must constantly be presented by the washing away of
the scale of oxide ; everything that attaches to the bottom
in calms or in harbour, whether seeds of marine plants or
spawn of animalculw, is thus undermined and carried off,
leaving the sheathing bright and clean. With the
bronze, as with copper, the same continuous wasting
is going on, but with one-half the loss in weight,
owing to its greater hardness and density, and its in-
ferior oxidability. Lead, zinc, &c., foul on ships'
bottoms, not because their oxides are less poisonous
than that of copper, but because, instead of being
washed off, their oxides are adhesive, and eat (if we
may so express ourselves) into the sheets, thus allow-
ing whatever fastens on the bottom to remain there and
increase. Sir H. Davy's protected copper failed for
the same reason—there was no oxide formed, the cop-
per did not waste at all, and thus became foul.
There is, however, one obstacle to the general use
of bronze, which those who like cheap articles will
hardly get over,—viz. it is 2d. per pound dearer than
copper, which the English patentees—Messrs. Vi-
vian and Sons—state they are obliged to charge, to
cover the great extra expense of rolling so hard and dense
a metal into sheets, and the patent right ; but we appre-
hend if, on trial, the bronze, instead of giving double
the wear of copper, gives only one-half more, or as four
years and a half to three years ; this additional cost will
be trebly repaid to the shipowners, as nothing is so
vexatious and expensive as putting a ship into dock to
get her re-coppered when she does not require other
extensive repairs. On whaling and other distant
foreign voyages, the longer duration of sheathing is a
great desideratum. Even the first outlay may be
eventually reduced by the use of bronze sheets 18 or
20 ounces to the foot, instead of copper sheets of 28
or 30 ounces per square foot.
Nearly the whole of the whaling and India ships
from Havre are sheathed with bronze, and several have
returned from these long voyages with their bottoms
perfectly clean, and the sheathing very little worn. It
is now extensively in trial on ships from London, Liver-
pool, Greenock, &c., so that the results obtained in
France will soon be severely tested in this country.
We find we have omitted to notice a point of
great importance in a sheathing for ships' bottoms,
which is, that the wear should be uniform over
the whole surface of sheets. It is well known
that copper sheathing is greatly subject to be cor-
roded into holes, and this especially happens when a
vessel has been for some time in ordinary at her moor-
ings, so that the sheathing often becomes unserviceable
from this cause, although its total loss in weight is
very small. This occurred in the two instances in the
trials made by the French navy, where one side was
covered with copper, and the other with bronze. Al-
though the vessels had not been out of harbour, they
were obliged to take off a considerable part of the
copper, whilst the bronze sheathing was quite perfect,
having worn uniformly over the whole surface.

There have been sixty-five vessels entered at Boston
from foreign countries, up to August 31 of this year, more
than there were the last year, up to the same time. There
have also been seventy-six foreign clearances more this year,
up to the last day of August, 1834, than there were the last
year during the same time. " Horrible times for business !"
Boston Post.

The present beautiful autumnal weather joroves ex-
tremely favourable to the watering-places, most of which are
more than usually crowded with miters.

LONDON,
FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 3, 1834.

The whole of the Paris Papers of Wednesday have
been received by express. The Moniteur publishes
the following telegraphic despatch, dated Bayonne,
September 29th
" Yesterday the troops of the Queen entered Almandaz.
Elisondo must have been relieved. The Junta is coming back.
to Etchalas. Don Carlos was at Engui on the 27th. Espar-
tero fell in with the Biscayans towards Mudguia on the liith
and 16th ; he killed many of them, and took prisoner the
priest Garay, who commanded the blockade of Bilboa. On
the 19th Castor attacked Villarcayo without success, but he
set fire to it. Iriarte came up with him on the 20th, killed 20
of his men, recovered the booty he had made at Villarcayo,
and seized the whole of the papers of the Junta of Castile."

This despatch comprises the whole intelligence
from the north of Spain. There is no local news.
The money-jobbers are waiting to learn the final con-
clusion to which the Madrid Chambers will come on
the question of the debt, before they make any stir ;
and now that the KING is more at his ease from the
galling strictures of the press, his Majesty, with
the whole of the Royal family, are seeking amuse-
ment at Fontainbleau, where the people are too
happy to think of any thing but how they can best
contribute to the pleasures of the Royal party.
A report gains ground that M. de BROGLIE and
M. PORTALIS, in imitation of Count MOLE, will re-
fuse the post of Vice-President of the Chamber of Peers.
A letter from Rome (says the Quotidieizne) an-
nounces that the POPE has presented to Marshal
BOURMONT a country seat, with 600,000 francs, out
of gratitude for the service done the Church by the
destruction of the piracy of Algiers.
The following extract from a private correspondent
at St. Sebastian, dated the 27th of September, is
worthy of attention :

" We are now in a much more melancholy situation than
before, for we had at least water in abundance, though no
wine ; but yesterday the insurgents cut the pipe which sup-
plies the fountain of the place, and we are obliged to get water
from the cisterns of the fortress. It is not that we are without
a military force, for Jaureguy arrived here the day before
yesterday with a large detachment of cavalry, and a com-
pany of infantry; but it appears that their intentions,
according to the orders of Rodil, is only to receive and to
convey, as soon as possible, to the head quarters, the
money lately arrived from Bayonne. Provided this reaches
its destination in safety, it matters little if the inhabitants of
the city, and even of the province die of hunger or thirst, for,
in short, our last hope can be no other than the grave, if
France and England persevere in their system of half neu-
trality. What is very singular is, that while Jaureguy is
staying in our city, the insurgents come and pass every night
in the suburbs of St. Martin, which is within half-musket
shot of our walls. They traverse unmolested all the villages,
causing the ballot to be taken for the conscription of the young
men, with all the formalities prescribed by the ordinances. Some
of the young men desire to be led away bound, in order to
spare their families the molestations and the fines imposed on
them by the Queen's officers. The threatened attack of the
cholera is considered as an unexpected piece of good fortune,
for this fear has at least given a pretext to all families in tole-
rable circumstances, to obtain passports for Bayonne. If this
continues any longer, none will be left in the city but those who
have not the means of leaving it.

The vote of the Spanish Chamber of Procuradores
during the sitting of the 25th ult., by which the
whole of the foreign debt was recognized as the debt of

the State, has already had considerable effect in re-
moving the unpleasant impressions which the recom-
mendation of the Finance Committee had made:on the
public mind of this country. It shows at least a dis-
position to act honestly—to support the character, and
maintain the honourable position of a still powerful
nation. And what, after all, are the debts of Spain,
that she should declare herself insolvent—that she
should lose her credit—forfeit her trade—stain her
honour—and stand exposed as a beggar in the face cf
Europe ? Why, the sum total does not exceed thirty
millions sterling—a something more than half the
annual income of England. Now, to meet the pay-
ment of this sum, Spain has the property of the
monks, amounting to little short of the twentieth
of the land and national wealth of the whole king-
dom. And should this fund be found inadequate, she

has other resources—the Crown property and the
taxes, which after her credit has been established, may
be trebled with less injury to the people than the rais-
ing of the imposts to which they are now liable. As
a commercial country Spain is in her infancy, and an
act of national bankruptcy, by destroying her credit,
would ruin her for ever. The injury which such an
act would do to a considerable number of the people
of England and France would be very great, but it
would be the merest trifle compared with what
Spaniards themselves would suffer from it.
Spain is morally bound to discharge her debts by
whomsoever contracted, when contracted by the per-
mission and in the name of the nation. A King, so
long as he is suffered to raise a sceptre, and wear a
crown, is in the eye of the world, the Representative
of the Kingdom, in whose name he governs, and what-
ever he does in a regal capacity openly, and with
the tacit consent of his subjects, they are justly held
responsible for. Spain may not have received any
benefit from the greater part of the loans raised in her
name—on the contrary, she may have been enslaved
by them—but she suffered the debts to be contracted ;
she knew and knows that on her credit, on her good
faith, on her honour, the money was given!; and as she
is still alive, though FERDINAND is no more, the

public look to her as the real contractor of the debt—
as only liable to pay it. Here the easel. is:. different
between nations, bodies corporate, and individuals.
The former never die—individuals hourly drop off
from communion with the living. A kingdom is no
more than an overgrown corporation ; and as, in cor-

porations, a change in the individual filling the
office of Mayor, affects not the validity of the civic
engagements entered into by his predecessor ; in
like manner the change of Sovereigns in a state ought
in no way whatever to prejudice the national faith, to
whomsoever plighted. Were it otherwise there could
he no such thing as what is now understood when we
talk of the " faith of nations," of " national engage-
ments," of " public credit," and the like. Were it
once admitted that all that is required to dispense with
national pledges is a change of ministry, or the acces-
sion of a sovereign, there would be an end of govern-
ment altogether, and mankind would prey upon, and
despoil man with worse than savage barbarity.
The war in Spain still continues with unabated fury.
On both sides acts of great cruelty are perpetrated,
and the state of the disturbed provinces is truly
deplorable. The appointment of General MINA
to the command of the army in the place of
RODIL, has given general satisfaction ; although
there can come no good from it unless Minis-
ters exert their whole power in increasing the army
under his command, and in making some regular pro-
vision for garrisoning the towns evacuated by the rebels.
It is a dreadful thing to leave the poor villagers ex-
posed to the continual ravages of friends and enemies
—here slaughtered for entertaining the Royalists, there
executed for receiving the Carlists—whereas in both
eases the individual objects of such horrid atrocities
are at most passive spectators of the spoliation of
their goods, and the violation of their households.

The sudden bankruptcy of Mr. RAIKES, the late
Governor of the Bank of England, has, we regret to
observe, created some alarm in the public mind, respect-
ing the fidelity with which the monetary transactions
of the first Banking Establishment in the world are
conducted. This alarm is altogether unfounded,
as the Bank of England has not suffered the
loss of a single shilling from the failure of that
Gentleman ; neither did he ever attempt to avail
himself of his connection with the national Bank
for the purpose of increasing his credit. The fact
is that the Bank of England cannot suffer from the
failure of any individual, and as far as the establishment
itself is concerned, it matters not how often the Go-
vernors are declared insolvent. The public can have
but an imperfect idea of the care that is taken to ex-
clude the private affairs of all persons connected with
the Bank of England, from whatever relates to it as a
national corporation. This is a most material part of the
guarantee given to the nation of its security ; and so
strictly is it attended to, that the public can by no
possibility, suffer not even loss, but inconvenience from
the bankruptcy of any person connected with the Bank
of England.

We have read, with much pleasure, an address
from his constituents at Gateshead to Mr. CUTHBERT
RIPPON, which will be found in another part of
The Sun. This address is marked by singular tem-
per and moderation, and conveys opinions and senti-
ments which will find an echo in the breast of every
Englishman who has the real, not the factitious, in-
terests of his country at heart. The gentlemen who
have drawn up the document, have nothing in corn-
mon with the red-hot Radicals, but are Reformers
within the limits of discretion and expediency. They
do not advocate the wholesale robbery of the fund-
holders, or that insane project universal suffrage,
which is but another term for universal confusion,
but would redress real grievances, in the only effectual
way such grievances can be redressed ;--namely, in a
just, orderly, and enlightened spirit. They glance at
all the great questions of the day—the repeal of
the Septennial Act—the ejectment of the Bishops
from the House of Lords—the reduction of taxation—
and dwell with peculiar emphasis on the necessity of a
searching Church Reform. On-all these points we
hold the same opinions as those so eloquently enforced
by the writers of the address to Mr. RIPPON ; with
the following, in particular, we most cordially
coincide :—" We demand the Reform of the
Church, the equalization of ecclesiastical labour—
and a proportionate equalization of ecclesiastical
wealth—the abolition of its numerous sinecures—
the expulsion of its drones—the residence of its
clergy—a substantial, zealous, and pure, instead of
a money-loving, lazy, lip-service of God. We de-
sire not the degradation of the dignitaries of the
church ; but we would free them from all connexion
with State affairs, confine them to their -eleiTC-a

NEWOATE AND LEA
At per stone, 1 _
s d. los d s d tos d
Beef, inferior 0 0 2 0 Mutton, inferior 2 2 2 4
--- middling 2 4 2 6 middling.. '1 0 3 2
--- prime large 3 0 3 2 prime 'I 4 310
--- prime small '3 4 3 6 Pork, large 2 6 3 0
Veal ' 3 2 4 4 - smal 3 6 -4 4
Lamb '3s Sd. to 4s. ed._

DENHALL MARKETS.
,y the Careasi.