The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-04 00:00:00

T lIE FORTIFICATIONS.

Mr. O'BEIRNE asked the Secretary of State for War
whether he had taken any and what steps to prevent the
erection of the shields sent to Malta and Gibraltar until the
result of the inquiry by the Committee of which he an-
nounced the appointment onMonday last should hare been
submitted to the house ; whether he could inform
the houso when it was proposed that the experiments
with reference to the Plymouth and Bermuda forts should
take place : Whether it was true that, contrary to the cus-
tom usually observed on such occasions, the experiments
which took place at Shoeburyness on the 25th of October
last to test the Malta and Gibraltar shields was kept
strictly private,:even the representatives of the Press being
excluded from4he ground: Whether the shield was not
closely covered up in tarpaulins immediately after be ing
shot at, and by whose orders, was that strict privacy
maintained : If he would inform the house whether
the specifications and drawings issued from tho War-
office for the target intended to be shot at as a true
section of the Plymouth and Bermuda forts were in fact
identical with the specifications and drawings issued for the
original contract for that fort: And if they were not identical
by whose orders were the alterations made, and what
steps have been taken, if any, to procure a perfectly correct
section of the fort as it is being manufactured. And if ho
would inform tho houso whether it was the intention of the
Government to observe the same degree of privacy with
reference to the experiments to be made to test the prin-
ciple upon which the Plymouth and Bermuda forts were to
be constructed ?

Sir J. PAIUNGTON said ha would endeavour to an-
swer the series of inquiries as near as possible. The
shields destined for Malta were sent out from this country
some timo ago, and whether they were fired or not he
could not say, and if it was necessary that any strengthen-
ing was required after the trial had been made there would
be no difficulty in effecting it. With respect to the second
qites6on, he could only say that the target to represent
the section of the fort was being constructed under con-
tract, and it would be two months before it was delivered.
He (Sir J. Pa ki ngton) intended to be present when the trial
was made, and he hoped boa. gentlemen would do him the
honour to accompany him to witness the experiment.
With respect to the third inquiry he could not say the last
experiment was kept private ; although the represen-
tatives of the press were excluded, a very accu-
rate account of the matter appeared a day or two
after in one of the daily newspapers. It was quite true
that the shield was covered up immediately after the trial,
but by whose orders that was done or the cress excluded
he could not say. He was quite certain he (Sir J. Peking-
ton) had not issued any such orders. With respect to the
trial of the Bermuda shield, the experiment was intended
to be on a section identical with the original ; there was
to be nothing like unfair play in the matter. With
respect to the matter being kept private, it had
been determined that the attempt should not be
repeated. The motive for making these experiments in

an open manner, and allowing the representatives of
the press and foreign officers to witness them had baen
under the consideration of the Admiralty with a view
of determining how far it was prudent to allow those gen-
tlemen being present. However, it had been stated that
there would be more information gained by throwing these
experiments open to the public, and on application to the
proper authorities tickets of admission would be granted
to the press and others wishing to be present. (Hear.)
Mr. O'BEIRNE eaid the hon. gentleman bad not said
whether any alteration from the identical drawing for the
original shield had been made in the one experimented.
upon. He was informed that there had been a very exten-
sive alteration.

Sir J. PAKINGTON said he did not seo the original
specifications, but he thought only such alterations as
were necosary for the fixing of a section wore made.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

In reply to Mr. FOSTER,
Lord STANLEY said it was proposed on Friday to
adjourn the house until the 13th of February.
On the motion of Lord STANLEY, the orders of the
day were taken before the other motions, in order that
the bil:s on the paper might be sent up to the other
house.

INCOME TAX BILL.

This bill was read a third time and passed.
CONS iLIDAIED FUND BILL.
This bill (£2,000,000) was read a third time.
TOTNES, &c., WRITS BILL.

Mr. EGERTON said this bill was merely to prevent
the moving of writs for the election of a member for the
four boroughs.

The bill was read a second time, and the standing orders
being suspended, it passed through its other stages with-
out opposition.

CURCH RATES.

On the motion that the house at its rising adjourn until
Thursday,

Mr. HARDY said there was no intention on the part of
the Government to bring in a bill to abolish church rates.
Mr. NEWDEGATE moved an address to the Crown for
copy of all petitions or memorials, and of all communica-
tions praying for or recommending the suspension, com-
mutation, or remission of sentences of death or of penal
servitude, received by the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, or at the Home-office, during the six months
ending on the 30th day of Nov. and on the 30th day of June
of each year. The hon. gentleman dwelt at some length
upon the practice now so common of urging for the remis-
sion of capital sentences, and the consequent uncertainty
of punishment. He did not, ho said, advocate any change
in the law, but he asked Parliament to obtain such infor-
mation as would enable it to judge of the operation of the
law upon the criminals of the country, and thus lead to the
greater security of life and property.
The motion was seconded by Mr. NEATE.

Mr. HARDY, in opposing it, pointed out the inconveni-
ence of supplying the information which Mr. Newdegato
desired to obtain, and stated that the average yearly num-
ber of memorials presented to the Home-office for the
remission of sentences of death and penal servitude was
1,000. Such publication would also be a grave interference
with the exercise of the prerogative of mercy.
After a few words from Mr. Neate, Sir G. Bowyer, and
Mr. Bearden, the motion was withdrawn.
Leave was given to M:. HARDCASTLE to bring in a bill
to abolish church rates, and to Mr. HUBBARD a bill for the
regulation of church rates.

Mr. WALDEGRAVE-LESLIE obtained leave to bring
in a bill to amend the law relating to the sale and purchase
of shares in railways and gas companies.
The House then adjourned.

THE GALE.

SHIELDS, Monday (Midnight).

The northerly gale which broke on the Northum-
berland coast yesterday afternoon continues un-
abated in violence, and the sea to-night has been
the most tempestuous observed here for many years.
A sad catastrophe occurred off the Tyne this after-
noon. Three powerful steamtugs had gone to sea
this morning in search of disabled ships, but, as the
weather was bad and the gale appeared to increase
rather than decrease, two of them put back. The
third, a new vessel, the Pearl, bad gone north, and
was returning in the afternoon, when within almost
a quarter of a mile of the North Tyne pier she got
among very heavy seas. She raised herself upon
one of them, and then plunged with her bows down.
Another sea seemed to strike her on the quarter
while she was with her stern well out of the water.
It caused her as it seemed to turn a somersault and
disappear out of sight among the broken water.
When there was a smooth sea she reappeared, keel
up. The occurrence was observed by the Tynetnouth
life brigade, and the apparatus was got out in the
hope that she might drive in shore. But she sank,
drowning her crew of four persons. The Pearl be-
longed to Messrs. George and Robert Chisholm, of
North Shields; she was commanded by Captain
Chisholm, and his brother, John Chisholm, was
fireman. John Walker was engineman, and Wil-
liam Foster, 15 years of age, was the fourth hand.
Foster had only joined the boat that morning, the
regular hand being unwell. A large three-masted
steamship, apparently one of the traders between
London and Scotland, wasoff the Tyne this morning,
and had a " Jack" up for a pilot. But as no one could
get out she made away south, apparently to Bridling-
ton or the Humber. A good deal of mischief has
been done by the gale inland, and some houses have
been blown down in the neighbourhood of Shields.
In consequence of the destruction of the wires by
the wind there has been no communication by tele-
graph from this town to-day. A good deal of snow
fell to night.

HULL, Dec. 2.

One of the most fearful storms which have ever
visited Hull and the district occurred on Sunday
afternoon, lasting with very little abatement till
londay night. About 1 o'clock on Monday morn-
ing snow fell heavily, and there was a very keen
frost. It is feared that the shipping of Hull and
the smacks have suffered very severely. During
Sunday night and Monday morning great anxiety
was felt for the safety of the crew of one of the
Customhouse boats. The crew put off about 7
o'clock on Sunday night to board a vessel in the
roads, but such was the fury of the storm that they
could neither accomplish their object nor return to
the land. After knocking about in great danger
for some time, they were compelled to run for the
Lincolnshire shore, and they landed in a distressed
condition at Barton, but too late to catch the last
train for Hull. Accordingly, much to the distress
of relatives at Hull, they were compelled to remain
at Barton till Monday morning. About 2 o'clock on
Monday morning the bark Home, of North Shields,
in ballast, from Antwerp, drove on shore at Withern-
sea, a wateringplace about 20 miles north of Spurn
Point. Almost immediately she capsized. The crew,
11 in number, managed to keep a hold outside the
bulwarks, and, being seen from the shore, efforts
were made to rescue them. It was found impossible
to launch the lifeboat, and therefore the rocket ap-
paratus was got out. This was so effectively worked
that in a abort time the entire crew of the Home
were safely landed. They were at once taken to the
Alexandra Hotel, most of them suffering severely
from exposure to wet and cold. Two were in an ex-
tremely exhausted condition. They were, however,
soon restored. The Home was commanded by Capt.
J. Spurling, and was the property of Mr. W. Davi-
son, Liddle-street, North-Shields. The vessel soon
became a total wreck. Early the same morning a
vessel went on shore in Bridlington Bay, and two
of her crew perished.

GREAT YARMOUTH, Tuesday.
A tremendous gale from the N.W. to N.N.E.,
with showers of hail and snow, burst over this dis-
trict on Monday. Throughout the day the wind
blew with tremendous force, the tide rose to an
enormous and unprecedented height, and completely
covered the lower portion of the town. The Yare
overflowed its banks, rising upwards of three feet
beyond the ordinary level, and flooded with salt
water most of the houses and gardens in South-
town, a suburb of Yarmouth. At sea the storm
raged with great fury. Three vessels—an English
bark and two foreign vessels—are ashore at Palling.
The Albion, of Goole, was in collision in the Wold
with a large vessel, and the master, in attempting
to get on board the strange vessel it is said, was
drowned. The lifeboats were cruising in the road-
stead all day, and brought into the harbour many
disabled vessels. The railway station was flooded,
and the train service from Yarmouth and Norwich
was suspended for 24 hours.

Yesterday morning, during the gale, the Gor-
leston lifeboat Rescuer went out to the assistance
of a brig on the Scoroby sands. She rescued 17 of
the crew, and was returning to the harbour, when
just as the lifeboat was about to enter, and close to
the bar, a fishing lugger named the James and
Ellen struck her on the quarter. The lifeboat,
which was under full sail at the time, at once cap-
sized. The lifeboat's crew e.)n,,,istLd of 16 men.
She:at otiQe turned bottom upward . Most of the