The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-14 00:00:00

TILE GUNBOAT QUESTION.

We understand that the committee appointed by
the House of Commons to inquire into the state of
the gunboats built for Government by private con-
tract, met on Friday last for the purpose of con-
sidering their report. We are enabled from per-
sonal observation to anticipate some portion of it.
In order to enable the members of the committee
to make a thorough investigation of the quality of
the wood employed by Messrs. Green, Pitcher, and
the other builders of these vessels, the authorities
had ordered that a plank above the " fillings"
should be removed from each side of forty-seven
gunboats hauled up at Haslar; and it must be most
gratifying, not only to the constructors themselves,
but to the Comptroller of the Navy and the officers
serving under him, that the result of a severe
examination has been to prove that, with the ex-
ception of two, all these boats have been builtin a
faithful, workmanlike manner, in accordance with
the terms of the different contracts. This is more
than we could reasonably have expected, when we
take into consideration the anxiety which pre-
vailed in this country during the years 1854 and
1855, in reference to the construction or gun and
mortar boats. The builders were at that time told
to hurry on their work, and turn it out of hand
with the best materials at command; and we can-
not but help thinking that more noise has been
made about the matter than the case warranted.
The establishment at Haslar is in perfect order,
and, by the aid of additional cradles, which have
been lately supplied, at least ten of the gunboats
could be launched per diem, and as the guns, shot,
and other stores are ready on any emergency, how-
ever sudden, to be put on board, they could be
sent to sea with an expedition that would
surprise not only seamen of the old school,
but those who pique themselves upon their
modern education. The superintendent sub-
jects all the engines to a rigid inspection;
and there is therefore no probability of any de-
rangement being allowed to exist. The establish-
ment has been visited by the committee collectively
and individually, and from what we have ourselves
witnessed, we are satisfied they must have gone
away impressed with a proper idea of the extreme
regularity which prevailed throughout the whole of
its branches.—Army and Navy Gazette.

WAR-OFFICE.—The Right Hon. the Secretary of
State for War has been pleased to make the following ap-
pointments in the account branch of his office r. Wm.
Brown, Accountant-General, vice Mr. R. O. Kirby, c. 8.,
retired ; Mr. John Milton and Mr. H. W. S. whifan,
Assistant-Ae,countant-Generals.
THE POPE'S IRISH BRIGADE.--A letter from
Foloooreunntcse
says :---" We hear sad
ac7thts,
ofin violence
anoned insubordination com-
mitted a of
ff the
the
by the Irish mercenaries on their march from Mace-
rata to Rome. At Tolentino especially, they got hold of
an innkeeper's wife, a pretty women, and handled her so
roughly that she had to call loudly for assistance. Her
cries brought the chaplain of the company to the spot, who
endeavoured to bring the men back to a sense of their
duty; but, instead of heeding his exhortations they un-
chained the dog of the inn, and,after forcibly '
collar round the priest's neck,
by the chain, kicking and cuffing
him unmercifully all the
while. Then they got riot in cafe, butwere
up a
repulsed."
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