The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 26, 1860.

IRON-CLAD SHIPS.

The following letters appear in the Times :
Sir,—Cordially concurring as I do with your
leading article of Saturday last, upon the import-
ance of our navy possessing more iron-clad ships,
allow me to point to important testimony in sup-
port of their value as engines of war. I saw the
French floating batteries after the capture of Kin•
burn forts in the Black Sea; they took the brunt
of the fight there, and I was told did their work
uncommonly well. The Russians had more than
one heavy hard-hitting gun, yet they had not
penetrated a single plate of the French ships. The
only loss of life experienced by our Allies was
owing to shot passing through the gun-ports.
Mechanical means can be invented to prevent this
occurring for the future in close action. Hearing
what I did of the ship attack on Sebastopol in
1854, and seeing what I did of the trifling effect of
the Russian guns on the iron floating batteries in
1855, I felt convinced that the French Emperor had
hit the right nail on the head in producing ships
coated with iron, as the only means of laying land
batteries sufficiently close on board to be
breached, of breaking a line-of-battle ire a sea-fight,
and of scouring out such roadsteads as the Sound,
Portland, Spithead, and the Downs, unless you are
able to meet such invulnerable vessels with others
of exactly a similar character.
The experiments which Capt. Halsted writes of
seem to have arisen from some misgivings as to the
well-known fact that with patience and perseve-
rance you may punch a hole through any metal
of any thickness. I should have thought that any
of the master-blacksmiths in our dockyards
would have reassured us upon that head, and I
must say I think the French Government has been
far more profitably employed in perfecting the
form of their iron vessels, and improving the tex-
ture of the plates covering the sides. I do not
take all for Gospel that we hear about the Glorie,
but there is no doubt upon the minds of all those
who have seen anything of modern warfare, and
who are unprejudiced enough to accept innova•
tions, even though they come from a French-
man, that the days of wooden ships of the line
are numbered, and that in a close, fair fight,
iron frigate against wooden two-decker, the latter
would be knocked into Inciter matches, or, if they
were both armed with rifled guns, probably blow
up after a round or two. However, in spite of pre-
sent disbelief, the fact will one day dawn OA intel-
lects still becalmed in the smoke of Trafalgar. We
sailors of this generation have lived to see old pre-
judices mastered in which wood and rope made a
hard fight against iron tanks, iron cables, iron an-
chor stocks, iron ballast, iron messengers, iron
rigging, iron collars, and iron block straps. Iron
has carried the day on all these points, and I am
sanguine enough to think if you and the public
keep the pressure on, that some morning the good
old souls will rub their eyes over the Times and
exclaim, " God bless us ! then, after all, these people
are right, and iron does stop shot and shell bettor
than wood." Yours faithfully,
SHERARD OSBORNE, Captain.

Dover, Sept. 24.

Sir,—Captain Halsted's letter in the Times of Sa-
turday will be read with great interest by all ac-
quainted with naval matters, although upwards of
12 months after date, and considerably varying with
the reports on the Trusty at the time of the experi-
ments and those recently made as to her present
state. But the value of the document to the public
is considerable for two reasons—for containing, as
it does, the experience and opinions of an officer of
Captain Halsted's rank and acknowledged standing
in the service upon a question so important to the
interests of the country, and as a first instalment
of information of an official character. Captain
Halsted having spoken out on the " Whitworth"
and " Armstrong," it remains for Captain Hewlett
to speak as plainly and frankly, not only on the
merits of those weapons, but also on those of the 95
cwt. solid shot gun. There is little need for any
future experiments to demonstrate the powers of
this smooth bore upon metal plates at a short range,
nor the Armstrong and Whitworth at longer
ranges. No man in England is, however, entitled
to more respect for his opinion on these matters,
either as affecting a ship's defensive armour or the
best weapon for destroying it, than Capt. Hewlett,
and were his opinion freely given I believe it would
at once put an end to that feeling of doubt and in-
decision now prevailing in the public mind, and
point out the proper course to be taken in the con-
struction of iron-cased ships.
Captain Halsted concludes that an iron-cased
ship with sufficient steam speed to maintain a fight-
ing distance of 1,000 yards must be invulnerable.
With this I fully agree, but how shall we obtain
that speed—a speed exceeding that of our fastest
frigates 1' Can we clap 1,000 tons of iron plates on
a ship's back, and give her this required 14 knots,
not at the measured mile, but at sea ? Still, they
must have the speed if they are to maintain a fight
at 1,000 yards' distance. The French know this,
and tell us their La Gloire does her 13 knots. I
believe speed to be of greater importance than even
the thickness of the protecting plates. La Gloire
with the Mersey for a foe would, I fully believe,
require tO keep a thousand yards distant if she
wished to keep her plates above water ; but no one
hrogines that the present gallant captain of the
Mersey would allow her to do so. It is more likely
that his object would be to close with her, damage
her screw, or break her iron shell, when she would
lie at his mercy. These liabilities must be consi-
dered in the construction of-any future iron-cased
ships, and the moral they give is that speed is the
one imperative necessity for all such vessels. La
Gloire, however, with her 13 knots, and ports
barely six feet from the water, suggests some curi-
ous doubts and ideas. The Normandie, to which
Captainllalsted alludes in his letter as " now re-
ceiving her plates in the basin at Cherbourg," is
known to be a failure. With her it is armament
versus armour. If she carries her plates she can
carry no guns. To insure success in our next ex-
periment of this kind, to build an invulnerable ship
with a certain rate of speed, we must know on whom

the responsibility rests—on the Admiralty or on
the contractor, if built in a private yard—or we
shall have neither security or speed. With regard
to the discrepancies in the results of the experi-
ments at Portsmouth and Shoeburyness, I cannot
but think that Captain Halsted has jumped to
conclusions too quickly; but, as you observe, he
is speaking of " bolts," not cannon balls. The
accounts which have been published of the firing
from the rifled and solid shot smooth-bore guns
would appear to prove that the former cuts or
" gouges" its path through the opposing object,
while the latter " smashes" its way through. I my-
self have seen shots fired at short range from the
smooth bore upon iron plates. The first and se-
cond and sometimes the third and fourth shots have
been broken into innumerable small pieces, but the
plate has been eventually cracked, and then the
work of destruction goes on comparatively easy
and rapid.
The flight of a solid shot from a 94-cwt. gun is,
I think, 1,600 feet per second on leaving the mouth
of the gun, but decreasing its speed every foot it
flies. The rifled gun's " bolt" leaves the gun at
about 940 feet per second, and maintains nearly
the same velocity to the end. This will show the
increased battering power the round shot has at
close quarters, and may help to account for the
discrepancies in the results at Portsmouth and
Shoeburyness. One cause pointed at by Captain
Halstedl cannot agree with. The Sirius has not
" been brought by old age to the verge of the break-
ing up dock." On the contrary, no ship in Ports-
mouth ordinary could show sounder planking or
timbers than did the Sirius when the first target
was bolted on her sides. The whole question rests
between Captains Hewlett and Halsted. It is
aa
and nature tt uh re question,
At that as
Admiralty
t rnyu observe,
aolottya
as
nisingle
g le of
Captain
oi nst so vitally
Hewlett
should important
be
are
re
blinked,
n p os
session of facts and figures that can set the whole
question at rest. Let these be produced and given
to the public. In their present dark abodes they
have produced no results ; place them in broad
daylight, and much of their doubtful surroundings
will vanish. Captain Halsted, in conclusion,
speaks of the " stern chase" in which the country
is now engaged, and which, he says, " can no
longer be delayed." Whose fault is it that the
country now finds itself engaged in a "stern
chase ?' Would there have been any " stern
chase" had the "press" been allowed to witness
these experiments at Shoeburyness and Ports-
mouth ? Has not the exclusion of the " press" led
to much of the seeming contradictions in what is
known of the experitnents, and to the mystery
which is so stupidly endeavoured to be thrown
around them ? The egg has been stowed away so
carefully by "my Lords" that it has become
addled, and "no chicken" is the result.
I shall conclude my letter by quoting the obser-
tions made in the beginning of the present year by
at gentleman
of
entleim,
W.
H. R."
unnedesraythest well-known signa-
ture"
Without any detriment to the public service,
y
the
e e every o
lu
m militaryn columns
o f
aandn e nwasvpaalpqeur e
Isvt
tohn
acda
vn a ben t
aagreg ut
toe in
the
profession ; every theory can be discussed, every
proposition ventilated," &c.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Sept. 24. OBSERVER.

Sir,—Are single shots against iron cased ships
any fair test of their powers of resistance ? Ought
we not to have concentrated broadsides ?

A ship might stand a hundred successive shots
which would be sunk by a dozen delivered together.
Sept. 24. Yours obediently, L, L.

THE STORM ON MONDAY NIGHT.

THREE SHIPS WRECKED ON THE GOOD-
WIN SANDS.
Late on Monday night the metropolis was visited
by a terrific hurricane and torrents of rain, which
(from the telegrams since received from the dif-
ferent seaport towns) appears to have extended
along the coast with equal severity, and unhappily
led to several distressing shipwrecks.
It commenced about eight o'clock in the evening
from the N.E., blowing hard with heavy rain, and
as midnight advanced it gained strength alarmingly
until about half-past twelve o'clock, when it be-
came a complete hurricane. The anemometer at
Lloyd's Underwriters' Room registered its force
at that time at 2311b5. on the square foot. It
raged at this frightful extent till about half-past
three, when a lull took place, the pressure on the
guage falling to about lfilbs., but at five o'clock
it rose again to 181bs. and 201b5., and continued
until about eight o'clock, when the gale shifted
round from N.E. to W.S.W., and moderated con-
siderably, though off the Kent, Sussex, and Norfolk
coasts the gale continued for many hours. In the
Downs it is described to have been truly awful.
At daybreak yesterday morning no less than three
wrecks were discovered on the Goodwin Sands, a
barque of large size, a brig, and a smaller vessel,
all being dismasted. Instant aid was sent off from
Ramsgate, and by the last accounts received it
appears that the crews of the three unfortunate
vessels were all saved. The barque proved to be
the Linda, of Whitby, outward bound, from Mid-
dlesborough for Alexandria; the other vessels were
the Ariel, of Gothenburg, from Hernosand for Mar-
seilles; and a Norwegian, which has since sunk on
the sands. Two steam tugs and several Margate
and Deal luggers are at the wrecks, saving as much
of the property as can be recovered. Two vessels
are reported foundered on the Norfolk coast.
Along the banks of the Thames many of the
cellars and kitchens have been flooded, and some of
the fields in the neighbourhood of Lewisham have
been placed under water; while in Dartford some
of the streets have been flooded so as to impede the
ordinary traffic.
The neighbourhood of Kennington suffered in a
peculiar manner from the immense fall of water.
The river Effra, which does duty as a sewer for a
great portion of the district, and is in some parts
uncovered, and thus has been for years a fertile
source of malaria and fever, was unable to carry
off the great body of water which found its way
into the stream. The consequence was that at the
uncovered parts of this sewer the water overflowed
and found its way into the kitchens and apartments
on the ground floors, so that when the inhabitants
of Hanover-square, opposite Kennington Church,
Harleyford•road, and other places in the neighbour-
hood, arose in the morning, they had the mortifica-
tion to see a great portion of their furniture floating
about, and the water two or three feet high. In
Brixton-road, for a quarter of a mile beyond Ken-
nington Church, the water was so high that the
early omnibuses to the City had some difficulty in
getting through, as they were submerged to above
the axle-trees, and in some cases the water flowed
into the bodies of the carriages. In this part the
Effra is covered, and runs along the fronts of the
houses under the pathway. But as the barrel of
the drain was not large enough to carry off its con-
tents, the water forced its way up the drain pipes
and into the kitchens of the houses on one side,
causing considerable damage. At two public-houses,
the Golden Lion, in the Brixton-road, and the
Anchor, in the Cranmer-road, the tubs and barrels
were all afloat ; and at a linendraper's, stock to the
value of .£5OO, kept in an underground apartment,
and consisting of filannels, silks, and other goods,
was rendered almost worthless.

the articles, and the only explanation he gave for
his conduct was that he had lost or pawned his
watch, and that he pawned the silk in order to raise
money to replace it. A watch, however, was found
in his possession when he was taken into custody.
He said nothing in his defence, and was fully
committed for trial.

William Cranbrook Wood, late clerk and collec-
tor to Messrs. Allen and Badger, wholesale straw
hat manufacturers, was brought up for re-exami-
nation upon three charges of embezzlement, and
fully committed for trial.

SPORTING INT_ELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET FIRST OCTOBER MEETING.

TvESDAY.
The Trial Plate of 50 sovs, for two-yr-olds, fist ; three, Bsl
21b ; four, 9st llb ; five, six, and aged, 9st 51b ; the win.
ner to be sold for 500 soya, &0., if for 100 allowed 71b;
not for sale 101 b extra. A.F.

Mr. Mundy's Malta, 2 yrs, 6st 101 b (in 101 b extra)

(H. Grirnshaw) 1
Count Batthyany's Orlanda, 4 yrs, 9st llb (Wells) 2
Duke of Bedford's Shingle, 2 yrs (X 100), hst 71b(J. Daloy) 3

The following also ran :—Montebello, Keepsake, Rose of
Cashmere colt, Magnum, and Philip the Falconer.
Betting-2 to 1 agst Malta, 4to 1 agst Orlanda, and 5
1 agst Montebello.
The Rose of Cashmere colt made the running, followed
by Malta and Orlanda. Going up the hill Malta went to
the front, and ran home an easy winner by two lengths ; a
length separating the second from the third, half a length
between the third and fourth; the Rose of Cashmere colt
was fifth; Philip the Falconer sixth.
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, for two-yr-olds, fist 71b; three,
Bst 71b ; four and upwards, 9st ; the winner to be sold for
50 sovs, &c. T.Y.C. 5 subs.
Mr. Chase's Mousetrap, 2 yrs, Est 71b (J. Daley) 1
Lord Clifden's New Forest Deer colt, 2 yrs, Est 71b(Bray) 2
Mr. J. Shelley's Lord Berkeley, 6 yrs, 9st (L. Snowden) 3
Error and Tadworth also ran.

Betting-2 to 1 agst Mousetrap, 3to 1 each agst Error
and Lord Berkeley. After some delay, caused by the
restiveness of Error, they got off, the New Forest Deer
colt making the running followed by Mousetrap ; Tadworth
third. Going up the hill Mousetrap went to the front, and
maintaining the lead to the finish, won by throe lengths ;
the same between the second and third ; Error fourth, close
up. Mr. Shelley claimed the winner.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya each, and only 5, if de-
clared, &c., to go to the second horse. For three-yr-olds
and upwards. T.Y.C. 4 subs, two of whom pay 5 soya
forfeit.
Mr. H. Bentley's Rattlesnake, 3 yrs, Bst 71b ... (Rogers) 1
Count Batthyany's Rose Middleton, 3 yrs, Bst 21b (Shape) 2
Betting-6 to 4on Rattlesnake. They led alternately
until the half distance, where Rattlesnake came out and
won by a length.
The Eastern Counties Railway Handicap; a sweepstakes
of 15 soya each, 5 ft, with 100 added for 3-yr-olds and
upwards, winners extra, &c. ; the second to receive 25
soya out of the stakes. T.Y.C. 57 subs.
Mr. Greville's Cantine, 4 yrs, 7st 71b (Grimshaw) 1
Mr. Grey's Bankrupt, 4 yrs, Tat 61b (Perry) 2
Lord Portsmouth's Tame Deer, aged, Bst 4lb
(J. Goater) 3
The following also ran—The Rover, Hartley Wintney,
Penalty, Emily, Curlew, Ardour, Seclusion, Sherb ourne,
Adulation, Wildgrave, Sneer filly, Raspberry, Australian
Maid, Diadem, and Skelton.
Betting-5 to 1 agst Adulation, Bto 1 agst Raspberry,
10 to 1 against Penalty, 12 to 1 each agst Wildgrave and
Cantine, 100 to 7 agst The Rover, 100 to 6 agst Seclusion,
20 to 1 each agat the Sneer filly, Diadem, and Hartley
Wintney, 25 to 1 agst Tame Deer.
Bankrupt made the running, closely waited upon by Tame
Deer, Cantine, Raspberry, Penalty, and The Rover ; Wild-
grave and Hartley Wintney heading the next lot. At the
cords Cantine came out and won by a length, half a length
between the second and third, Penalty was fourth; Wild-
grave, Hartley Wintney, Curlew, and Diadem showed con-
spicuously at the head of the ruck some lengths off; Ar-
dour, Forager, and Hartley Wintney were the last three.
The Buckenham Stakes of 300 soya each, h ft, for 2. yr-
olds, colts, Bst 71b ; fillies, Bst 41b. T.Y.C. 3 subs.
Lord Derby's fby Longboy—Ranee, Bst 41b (Aldcroft) 1
Mr. Merry's Folkstone, Bst 71b (Custance) 2
Betting-11 to 10 on Folkstone, who made the running
to the cords, being beaten on the post by a head,
The Hopeful Stakes of 40 sovs each, h ft, for 2-yr-olds ;
colts, Bst 71b ; fillies, Bst 61b. Certain penalties and al-
lowances. The second to receive 50 soya out of the stakes.
Last half of A.B.M. 27 subs.
Mr. Merry's Dundee, Oat 31b (in. 91b extra) (Custance) 1
Lord Stamford's Little Lady, Bst 81b (in. 31b extra)
(A. Edwards 2
Lord Stamford's Walloon, Bst 131 b (in. 61b extra
(A. French 3

Queen of the Vale and Evenhand also ran.
Betting-6 to 4 agst Dundee, 6to 1 Walloon, 3to 1
Queen of the Vale.
Walloon made play on the far side, waited upon by
Little Lady. Dundee next. Going down the hill Walloon
was beaten, and an exciting set to between Little Lady and
Dundee resulted in favour of the latter by a neck ; a length
separating the second from the third. A bad fourth. Even-
hand beaten off.
The Grand Duke Michael Stakes of 50 soya each, for 3 yr-
olds, colts, Bst 7lb ; fillies, Bst 31b. Certain winners ex-
tra; the second to receive 100 sm. A. F. 20 subs.
Mr. A. Nicholl's The Wizard, 9st (including 71b extra)
(G. Fordhani) 1
Mr. Merry's Thormanby, Oat (inc. 71b extra).... (Wells) 2
Mr. C. Alexander's Thunderbolt, Bst 71b .. (E. Sharpe) 3
The following also ran :—Donner and Blitz, Allington,
and-High Treason.
Betting-2 to 1 agat High Treason, 4to 1 agst The
Wizard, 5 to 1 agat Thormanby, 6 to 1 agst Donner and
Blitz.
High Treason was first off, followed by Donner and Blitz
and The Wizard, Thormanby lying off. Coming down the
hill The Wizard rushed to the front, and won easily by two
lengths, three-quarters of a length between the second and
third.

ACCEPTANCES FOR THE CESAREWITCH.
(The following appeared in our late edition of yesterday
evening :—]
The highest weight accept
raised to Bst 121 b, and the of

Lug being Bst 10Ib, it has been
iers in proportion.

Age st lb
Lifeboat 5 8 12
Comforter .. .. 4 8 6
Lovett .. .. 4 8 3
Rocket .. 5 8 2
Cape Flyaway .. 3 8 1
Newcastle .. 4 8 1
Gallus .. 4 8 0
S,arke .. 5 7 12
El Hakim .. 6 7 11
Yorkshire Grey .. a 7 10
Lady Trespass .. 3 7 9
Ben Webster .. 3 7 9
Claire .. .. 4 7 8
Moorcock .. 4 7 6
Stapleton .. 5 7 4
The Alderman .. 5 7 4
Sir William .. 3 7 2
Viatka .. 3 7 2
The Brewer a 7 2
Ancient Briton .. 5 7 2
Bevis 4 6 13
Rising Sun .. 3 6 13
The Prophet (inc.
31b extra) .. 3 6 12
Killigrew 5 6 12
Mutineer .. .. 4 6 12
Dulcibella .. 3 6 11
Ingestro .. 3 6 111

Age at lb
Weatherbound .. 3 6 9
Courier .. 5 6 8
Gridiron .. .. 3 6 7
Wanderer .. .. 5 6 7
Nerio .. 3 6 6
Richmond .. 3 6 6
Chance Shot .. 3 6 6
Plumper .. .. 3 6 4
Golden Pippin 3 6 4
Optimist .. 3 6 2
Dreadnought .. 3 6 2
Sermo .. 3 6 2
Feodorowna .. 3 6 1
Heiress .. .. 4 6 0
Miss Digby .. 4 6 0
Signet, by lago, out
of Stamp .. 6
Jeddah .. 3
Furious .. .. 3