The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-02 00:00:00

THE GUNBOATS AT HASLAR.

The Portsmouth correspondent of the Times says:
—Several letters having appeared in the rimee
from well-known shipbuilding firms, claiming
exoneration from the charges contained in your
leader of the 25th ult., relative to the condition of
the gunboats at Haslar-yard, will you allow me to
state, for your own and the public information,
that none of the boats upon which my report to
you was based were built by either of those firms ?
My report did not apply to those vessels the defects
of which were solely owing to their having been
hastily constructed with unseasoned timber, but to
those the destruction of which has been caused by
their having been built of timber totally unsuited
to shipbuilding purposes.

The four boa-isonthe condition of which I framed
my report I will call by numbers-1, 2,3, and 4.
No. 1 I find to have been launched from its builder's
yard in May, 1856, and hauled up beneath Hasler
sheds for her preservation on the 31st of March,
1857. No. 2 was launched in March, 1856, and
hauled up on the 30th of January, 1857. No. 3,
partly repaired, was launched in April, 1856, and
hauled up on the 30th of February, 1857. AlI
three of these vessels had their copper kept on until
shortly before the recent investigations. No. 4 was
completed in her repairs at a cost of about £1,400,
the estimated sum to re-copper her say £5OO,
making a total of £1,900. She was launched in
May, 1856, and was hauled up on the 2d of Feb.,
1857, and her copper stripped off for the preserva-
tion of her bottom. The repairs to No. 1 are for
the presdnt suspended, a special report having been
made of her condition. This is the boat whence were
extracted the short copper bolts. No. 2, like No. 1,
has her repairs suspended for the present, and is
also, in a similar manner to No. 1, stripped of her
planking. No. 3 is partly repaired ; but her de-
fects have been but little short of those of Nos. 1
and 2. The three foregoing vessels belong to what
is termed the " coppered" class, their copper having
been kept on their bottoms until the commencement
of their repairs. No. 4 belongs to the " uneoppered"
class, her copper having been stripped off on her
being hauled up underneath the sheds. Not only,
as I have before stated, are the majority of the tim-
bers of Nos. 1,2, and 3 liberally marked with " sap,"
but in several instances they have been barely
squared, and plainly show the growth of the wood.
No. 1 is also conspicuous for the slightness of her
frame as compared with any other boat now under
repair. None of the other five boats under repair
at this time in the yard show such an extent of this
all-destroying sap as the vessels I have numbered.
The planking of nearly all the boats, both under
repair and those that have been repaired, is, how•
ever, stated to have been more generally affected,
and a great number of them have been found faulty
from this cause to an extraordinary degree. Plank
with the " sap" on it has not only been used freely,
but the faulty side of it has been bolted next to the
vessel's framing, and communicated its rot to the
timber of the vessel itself. The planking on the
outside thus presenting a hard, firm appearance, has
been found one of the most difficult points to deal
with, and I am assured on competent authority that
this great evil in the construction of the vessels has
proved to be the " rule," and not the " exception."
Some of the boats repaired have shown excellent
workmanship combined with bad material in their
original construction, while others have shown
exactly the reverse. Of the decay of a vessel from
having been hastily built of unseasoned wood, one
vessel now under repair in the third division of the
I shed affords a very good illustration ; she is named
the Albacore, and was built by Messrs. White of
Cowes, was launched in April, 1856, and was hauled
up in her present berth on the 26th of January in
the following year. The greater part of this vessel's
fore timbers, planking, stem, and cutwater have
been removed, and will have to be replaced with
new ; but, as this has been caused solely by using
unseasoned timber at a time when, perhaps, other
could not be procured, the defects may be said to
proceed from natural and unavoidable causes, as has
lately been the case with the Princess Royal, and
must be expected in that of many other vessels lately
built in the Royal dockyards. The two boats which
have borne away the palm from all others hitherto
examined for excellence of both workmanship and
material—are those built by Mr. Patterson, of
Bristol, the Earnest and Escort. Many yet remain
to be examined which have not been placed under
sheds and carefully protected from the sun, wind,
and rain, in a like manner to the boats in Hasler
yard, and it will be next to impossible to form a
correct judgment of the state of those vessels until
some of them have been opened and examined. One
of the boats hauled up at Haslar on the 20th of
last month, the Fancy, has been in commission,
•and has been on service in the Black Sea. As she
is in need of repairs, a strict scrutiny into her state
of planking and timbers, as far as relate to her ori-
ginal construction, would tend to throw consider-
able light on the probable condition of the remain-
der of our gunboats, both at home and abroad. The
boats that I have numbered in this letter 1,2, and
3 were considered, prior to their real condition being
ascertained, to be three of the most sound and effec-
tive boats in the navy list. Had not these dis-
covewizl4 been made, they might possibly have been
despatched to reinforce the China squadron, and
gone down from beneath the feet of our officers and
men.

_;INFLUENCES OF TILE " SEASONS."—Nature has
wisely ordained, that the year should be divided into four
seasons. Two of these in particular, Spring and Summer,
possess very powerful attractions, and operate very bene-
ficially on the human heart. Were it not for such golden
opportunities, man would be a greater savage than he now
is, and blunted against all the finer feelings that
should animate his system. Nothing but an acca-
sional interview with Nature, whose lovoly handiwork at
these seasons possesses a charm that affects almost every
human heart, could render this world of ours even tolerable.
Let us thank Nature then, with all our best devotion, for so
considerately and wisely keeping us in our own proper
places ; and for softening those hearts which, during the
seasons of gaiety, fashion; rioting, and frivolity, have been
all-but alienated from the enjoyment of every wholesome
social virtue,--..Front Kidd's" Honest Thoughts for Honest
Tople."

MONEY MARKET AND C.II'Y :NEWS.

CITY, Two o'CLocK.

About £25,000 in, gold was taken into the Bank
of England yesterday, and as there is still a large
supply in hand, while the export demand is mode-
rate, it is expected that further additions will be
made to the stock of bullion during the next few
days. _ _

There is a very quiet demand for money, and as
the rates still range as low as 41 per cent., a reduc-
tion in the minimum to 4 per eent. is expected
to-morrow. This measure, it is thought, will be fully
justified by the improvement that has taken place
in the general resources of the establishment
through the falling off in the demand for money
and the favourable specie movement. It is con-
sidered probable that the rates will descend to a
comparatively low point ; but, on the other hand,
there can be no doubt that, as soon as the market
assumes an easy position, new projects will be
brought forward which, if encouraged, will absorb
a large aggregate amount of capital.
The foreign exchanges yesterday afternoon were
generally a trifle lower.

The steamer Tasmanian, which leaves to-day for
the West Indies, will take out £6OO in gold, and
£5,800 in silver.

In the Liverpool Cotton Market yesterday the
transactions were rather less extensive, and prices
were very firm. The sales were 8,000 bales. The
Railway Share Market was closed.
The market for Public Securities opened with a
very buoyant appearance, and in consequence of
continued purchases, a further rise of per cent.
took place. Sellers, however, then came forward,
and a reaction ensued. Consols at one time were
941 t- for money, and 941 g 1 for the 9th inst ; they
have since declined, however, to 94:- -1 and 941 re-
spectively. For June the quotation is 94-4 1. The
New 3 per Cents. and the Reduced have improved
to 93Z- ; India Stock remains at 219; ; ditto New
Loan has advanced to 1061 s ; ditto Debentures are
firmer at 94; and Exchequer Bills are 6i. to 10s.
prem.

Increased firmness is apparent in the Foreign
Stock Market, and the transactions have been
rather extensive. Turkish 6 per Cents. are 761 to
77; ditto New 611 to 611; Portuguese have
improved to 441 ; Russian 5 per Cents, to 1081;
ditto 41 per Cents. to 97 98 ; Sardinian,
to 85-I 85; Spanish, to 484, ; ditto Deferred, 37;
Mexican, to 21t y ; and Brazilian Scrip, to 1 prem. ;
Austrian 5 per Cents. are marked 72 73.

The Ocean Marine Insurance Shares are 22 1
prem. ; the Universal ditto, Is prem.
The dealings in the Railway Share Market have
been to a moderate extent, and prices have shown
increased buoyancy. Great Northern, Great Wes-
tern, Midland, and Soith-Eastern improved ss. ;
Great Northern A Stock, London and Blackwall,
North-Western, North British, and Oxford, Wor-
cester, and Wolverhampton 10s.
The Foreign and Colonial undertakings have also
been at enhanced ♦alues. Great Luxembourg rea-
lise 6i 7 ; East Indian, 102 ; Great Indian Penin-
sula, 99t 100; Grand Trunk of Canada, 341 341- ;
and Great Western of Canada, 131 131.
Joint Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are
in steady demand at about former rates.
Victoria Government 6 per Cents. have been in
active request, and have improved t) 1071 1071.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK .

Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 951 a -4 1
N4w 3 per Cent. Annuities
Anne. 30 Years, expire sth Jan., 1880
Ditto for 30 Years, expire sth April, 1885 17 7-16
India Stock
Ditto 5 per Cent.
Ditto Debentures, 1858
Ditto, 1859 971
Ditto Bonds, £l,OOO lO
Ditto under £l,OOO
Consols for Account (May 9) ....
Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, lid 6 10 p
i titto £5OO lO
Ditte Small
FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent. —
Ditto, 1859 ..
Brazilian 5 per Cent.
Ditto 41 per cent. 1853
Ditto Scrip, 1860
bl exiean 3 per Cent.
Ditto Account
Portuguese, 1853, 3 per Cent.
Ditto Account
Russian, 1822, £ St., 5 per Cent
Ditto 41 per Cent
Sardinian, 5 per Cent —
Ditto Account
Spanish 3 per Cent
Ditto Account
Ditto New Deferred, 3 per Cent.
Ditts Account
Turkish 6 per Cent. —
Ditto New Loan
Ditto Account
Dividends on the above payable in London.
TWO O'CLOCK.
• Consle, Money
Ditto Account

PROM THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, Aram 28.
Notice is hereby given, that the presentation of Mrs,
Duncan Stewart, at her Majesty's Drawing Room, on
Saturday, the 24th of March last, took place through inad-
♦ertence.

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, APRIL 30.
Notice is hereby given, that the State Apartments
of Windsor Castle will bo opened to the public on and after
Tuesday, the Ist of May next.
ST. JAMES'S PALACE, APRIL 21.
The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of
knighthood upon James Plaisted Wilde, Esq., one of the
Barons of her Majesty's Court of Exchequer.

FOREIGN-OFFICE, APRIL 30.
It is hereby notified that the Right Hon. the Lord John
Russell, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Fo-
reign Affairs, has received from Sir Andrew Buchanan,
K.C.8., her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary to the
Court of Spain, a despatch, dated Madrid, April 17, enclos-
ing a copy of a notification which was published in the
Oazette at Madrid on the same day (April 17th), announcing
that the Blockade of the Moorish Ports, instituted by the
Spanish Government on the 26th October, 1859 (the exist-
ence of which blockade was notified in the London Gazette
of Bth November, 1859), was raised on and from the 25th
March last.
The followinc, is a translation of the Notification pub.
lished in the Madrid Gazette of April 17, 1860 :
It is hereby made known that, according to communica-
tions addressed to the Minister of State by the Minister of
Marine, who refers to the Commander-in-Chief of the
Naval Forces intended to act on the coast of Africa, from
the 25th of the month of March last, the day on which the
Preliminaries of Peace and the Armistice between both
armies were signed, the Blockade of the Moorish Ports,
established on the 28th of October, of the year last passed,
1869, has been and is raised.
Co2kottsmoNs SIGNED By LORDS-LIPICTENA.NT.

Tower Hamlets—Henry Laurence Hammack, Esq., and
Edward Huggins, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenants.
Queen's Own Light nfantry Regiment of Tower Ham-
lets Militia—John Robert Buchanan, Gent., to be Lieute-
nant, vice 'Wood, resigned ; George Sykes, Esq., to be Sur-
geon, vice Falconer, resigned ; George Cochrane Miller,
Esq., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Sandford, resigned.
East Kent Regiment of Militia—Arthur Henry M'Kenna,
Gent., to be Ensign, vice Marjoribanki, resigned; Ensign
Clement Wolseley Fetherstonhaugh to be Lieutenant, vice
Tanner, appointed to the 100th Foot.