The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-28 00:00:00

ME COAST DEFENCES.

It is one of the disadvantages of a country which
stands on the defensive that it must always be
ready for war, while its enemy may choose his
own time. The dangers which threaten the
peaceful communities of Europe are far more
serious than the chance of a war at a certain
period and for a limited time. If we knew that
at a particular date—say, three years henee._.
we should be at war with any Power, there would
be no difficulty in preparing for it without any ex-
haustion of our resources. This is, indeed, the El4l-
- of an aggressive State; it can chOose its
year,,even its month, and it knows how much ven-
geance or glory it can afford to buy with the funds
at its disposal. It also knows that whenever it
chooses it can obtain peace, since its victims, how-
ever unjustly attacked, will be naturally willing, to
put a stop to hostilities which are draining them. of
men and treasure and deranging the concerns of
peaceful industry. But the case of the threaten ed
r
dhhntifeneme
oaetwNrsn,
teht
resources,
eoc
sehf
onTuawt hsrwaic
osreeffsmea,
ikrtauesmns tadw
without
aetbedharrotosi
punaa
ttrlglyfetd,
eri:
yaenhys...
improvement
ntaapmudtraeyusiftyseo
mwrws
strengthen
rhdnteceetnhl yid6ntat'
and without regard to cost. This lesson we lice ye
learnt long, and it is continually repeated, as ea ch
year brings forth new means of offensive or defi m-
sive war, or shows how novel tactics act upon 1 he
issue of a struggle. One principal matter of 'im-
portance is the preparation of rifled cannon. "Whe
Armstrong gun will, no doubt, be an astonisb.ing
weapon; but as yet we have only one or two SpCci-
triens of it. The works are only in course of ex ec-
tion, all the inachinery has to be brought into order,
and the utmost that we are promised is a hunilred
Armstrong guns by the end of the year. Even this
promise is hardly likely to be kept. On the other
hand, thousands of Armstrong guns will be required
for our ships, our fortresses, and for services in the
field. The construction of these must be the work of
several years. In the meantime what is r going on
across the Channel? "The most noticeab' le feature
in the Arsenal," writes our Marseilles co',l:espondent,
"is the effort made to provide rifled 01,dnance for
inches
defini-
tively a Navy.adopted
t elhd' consists
system o which
ree agprpoe
;Tess 1 b definio
about
t three
broad and an eighth of an d cep, with a
twist of one-sixth." These guns a re beii tg supplied
step to ma ke use of
the gunsal to th e " Ann-
rapidly- to the French line-of-battle ships— It would.
certainly
lleseem,h 'abut a
as
su prudentppie
m en .
strongs," which must be ccrcaparatively few in
number for the next two or three years.. There
are, we believe, no less than 7,000 silica' h-tored
guns now lying at Woolwich Arsenal. Tc, rifle a
part of these would be an easy and, compa- tively,
an inexpensive work. If bc!yond the Pow er; 9f the
Government establishments, • the work t be
'distributed among-the various factories, in our reat
towns, and by the end of the year large numEZl I; of
rifled guns might be fit for use.-2Tnies.

THE ROUEN "REGIONAL" ART-EXIM
BITION (EXPOSITION REGIONALE)
OF 1859.

The building appropriated to this great Art-
Exhibition, which was opened on the Ist July last,
but all of whose contributors have not yet for-
warded their quota of specimens, consists of a vast
quadrangle, having in its centre a wide open space
or court. In the covered portions the utmost at-
tention has been paid, and, from our own expe-
rience, we may add, most successfully, to the
proper and equal distribution of light, which,
without fatiguing the eye, is everywhere abundant ;
an arrangement which, essential as it is to the due
success of exhibitions of this kind, is occasionally,
elsewhere, all but neglected.
The president and officers connected with the
Exhibition received the members of the press, who
were invited to attend the opening ceremony, and
entertained them at a grand dejeuner, which was
served in magnificent style in the refreshment de-
partment of the Exhibition. After the dejeuner
was finished, the representatives of the press were
invited to attend the reception of the Prefect of the
Seine, and the principal Government officials con-
nected with the department. The reception, which
was of a semi-official character, having ended, the
President of the Exhibition directed the Report of
the Council to be read, and also an address, which
having been done, the representatives of the Go-
vernment were conducted round the building, and
the chief objects of interest were pointed out, and
the building was officially announced to be opened
with the sanction and approval of the Emperor,
who, but for his absence in Italy, would have
opened the Exhibition in person.
Up to the day of opening about 1,400 industrial
manufacturers had answered to the apeal made to
them by the " Society of Emulation" of Rouen ;
and, although a considerable number of the in-
tending contributors have not yet completed their
arrangements, enough has been already accom-
plished to show that the Rouen Regional Exhi-
bition will not only be enabled to take rank with
the several local expositions of its kind—its
predecessors in France ; but also that, in an econo-
mical and industrial point of view, more especially
for those who take an interest in tracing the pro-
gress of manufacturing effort in the principal in-
dustrial regions or departments of that country, it
cannot fail to acquire an importance commensurate
with the enlightened views which have led to the
undertaking, and which have directed its develop-
ment hitherto.
Amongst the various branches of manufacturing
indusry, most amply and brilliantly represented on
the present occasion, we may enumerate the cotton
and worsted threads, the cotton goods—the various
productions of Rouen itself (known in trade phrase-
ology under the distinguishing designation of
Bouennerie")—the cloths and drapery goods of
Elbeeuf and Louviers, metalwork, machinery, che-
mical products applicable to manufactures, glass,
&c., &c. Various other manufacturing localities
also appear to great advantage ; amongst the lat-
ter, more especially, Cambrai, -.Valenciennes' Saint
Quentin, and Lille. For the present, and until
the contributions are completed, we shall con-
tent ourselves with a passing notice of such speci-
mens in the various departments of the Exhibtion
as appear to us to merit particular attention.
In the " Machinery Section," which has been or-
ganised by Monsieur Eugene Burel, the eminent
engineer, we have to notice the three horizontal
steam engines on the plan of M. Duvoir, of Lian-
court, the inventor of these, as likewise of a new
system of vertical engines, also exhibted in this
department ; as also the numerous contributions of
Messrs. Dandoy-Maillard, Lueg, and C0.,0f Mau-
berge, the establishment of whose firm ates from
the year 1816. The specimens consist of detached
parts of power-looms, weaving-frames, spindles,
corrugating cylinders, crushing-rollers (of a new
construction), and other metal-work, down to car-
riage-springs, axle-trees, punches, wire-drawing
tools, &c., all of them remarkable no less from the
excellence of their workmanship than for the in-
genuity and novelty of their arrangement.
Foremost in the exhibitors of the " Ist Class"
(Mechanical Engineering) we may mention Mr.
Scott, of Rouen (the last of the representatives of
Hall and Co., who established themselves in Rouen
some twenty years ago), who continues to manufac-
ture the Dartford form of Woolf engine, with great
success ; proof of which is apparent in their present
specimen, which, as a production of engineering
skill does him great credit. The engine set up by
Mr. Scott is placed at the end of the gallery, con-
taining " Machinery fixed and in motion," com-
prised in the First Class ; and it sets in motion
one-half of the shafting and gearing of this depart-
ment. It is, as we have before intimated, a vertical
Woolf's engine, with variable expansion-gear and.
condensing apparatus ; to this engine and its con-
densing apparatus we shall hereafter refer.
Messrs. Cail and Co., of Paris have, in the same
gallery, and for the like purpose,—that of impart-
ing motion to other of the various machines and ap-
paratus, contributed a horizontal steam-engine (1
cylinder, variable expansion-gear and condensing
apparatus).
Whilst on the subject of the various steam-
engines exhibited, we must notice, as worthy of
favourable mention, that of M. Bouldier, con-
structed at Rouen, in which Woolf's engine is made,
by an ingenious modification of steam-supplying
apparatus, to work horizontally ; as likewise those
of M. Duvoir, of Liancourt, and M. Theureux, of
Rouen. In M. Cail's fixed engines the boilers are
on the tubular system, the water, before entering
the boiler, being rarified by a simple apparatus
specially adapted to the purpose.
Amongst the machines in motion is an automa-
ton " Métier Renvideur' " of 1,200 " brooches," or
" spindles," constructed by M. Chourvade Dauguy,
of Rouen.
In the " Casting and Metal Work" department,
the specimens of drawn or wrought-iron tubing,
contributed by Messrs. John Russell, of London
(who, by the way, are about to establish a branch
establishment at Rouen), are remarkable for even-
ness and closeness of workmanship.
The " Annexe" (supplemental department) to this
gallery is devoted to agricultural machinery, &c.,
naval inventions, and the building arts ; here, too,
we find locomotives by M. Calla, of Paris, Messrs.
Cail and Co., M. Artige, and M. Duvoir, respec-
tively.
In the " Marine Section," we notice the anchors
and chain-cables of M. David, of Havre • as like-
wise the life-boat of M. Moue, of Havre. ilere, too,
we have specimens of the " Industrial Incombusti-
ble Buildings" of M. Eugene Burel, consisting of
cast-iron girders, following the same radius as the
vault in masonry.
The sawing-machine, on a new principle, of M.
C. B. Normand, of Havre, offers this peculiarity—
namely, that, in addition to its to and fro motion
in a vertical plane, another is imparted to it, by
which its lower portion takes a backward run,
whilst its upper portion makes a slight thrust for-
ward,—the result being, that the teeth of the saw,
instead of taking into the entire verticle height of
the wood operated upon, cut, in succession, into a
short division of it only. Further, at the return
stroke, the saws recede from their line of work, so
as to free themselves during the up-stroke. These
varied motions, which are exactly those of the
human hand, are obtained by a very simple arrange-
ment—a modification of the parallel motion.
In copper-plates and coppersmith's work, the
immense copper tank from the Romilly establish-
ment of M. Letrange is conspicuous. Nor can we
here omit noticing the copper and brass plates
manufactured and exhibited by M. Cubain, of
Rouen, successor to M. Boucher de l'Aigle, and
which, as specimens of excellent workmanship in
this department, are well deserving of remark.
In forgings we have an iron shaft 25 metres (81
ft. 3 in.) in length by 22 centimetres in diameter,
from the forges of Mertian, of Montataire. Like-
:ism very fair specimens of forging from the vari-
ous ironworks of Rommaire, Montataire, Rasnes,
Otshier, of Eure, from which last, indeed, the spe-
cimens contributed are highly creditable to M.
Albon, master of the forges ; and in plate-work,
the copper a
exhibited by and brass
brass plates manufactured and
N
Cubain, of Rouen, successor to M.
Boucher, de-
l'Aigle, are specimens of excellent
workmanship ; as is likewise a length of tin-tubing,
615 metres (nearly 2,000 ft.) long, 9 millimetres in
millimetre diameter, and but limoetre thick; exhibited by
M. T. Lepan, of Lille.
M. Martin, of Rouen, f articles in aluminium,
contributes some excellent
specimens. His exertions in this direction have
brought down the price of
the new metal to 200
francs the kilogramme.
In the " working-in-metal" division, our attention
is attracted to the contributions from the foundries
übain, of
and rolling-mills of Romilly, and of M. c
Rouen, and more especially to the specimens of the
wrought-iron work (exhibited by M. Potier-Fer_
eiko) from the Rasnes Forges, l'Orne. In these
specimens, the iron is twisted, re-twisted, and bent
back upon itself in such bold and complex contor-
tions, as clearly to demonstrate the extraordinary
toughness and pliancy of the metal emplOyed, not
the slightest flaw or opening being perceptible
throughout the entire series, which may be charac-
terised as an assemblage of the most elaborate and
complicated knot-work.
The specimens of Glass Work (in France a most
important branch of national industry) indicate the
rapid strides which, it is well known, have been
, 1 ately made in this direction. From the glassworks
of MM. Renard, of Fresnes, exhibitors at the Rouen
gathering to a great extent, the annual production
c metres superficial of glass is 800,000, the
1 vorks comprising seven melting furnaces and four-
,en annealing furnaces, requiring 300 workmen.
G f the furnacea the most ancient date from 1710.

This firm were the first in France to substitute coal
for wood in their annealing ovens. Another glass
firm, that of Messrs. Wagret, E. Sertet and Co., of
Excoupone, Fresn es, and Anzin (North), contribute
specimens of window-glass and bottles of superior
quality. This firm has nine melting furnaces,
six for window-glass and three for bottle. In
moulded and cut glass, MM. Vue Dupire et
Dumont, from the " Gars Potteries" (Nord), exhibit
splendid specimens, more especially in cut glass.
We have before alluded to the very great extent
and importance of the glass manufactures of France
—an importance, indeed, of which, in England, we
have scarcely a sufficient idea. For the formation
of a more practical estimate of the (commercial)
value of this branch of trade we have ample data
in the galleries of the present Exposition. to which
the leading glass-making firms have so largely
contributed.
In addition to those already mentioned, there are
specimens from the firm of MM. Patoux and Drion,
well known in the European trade, who have car-
ried the glass manufacture in the Northern Depart-
ment to a high state of perfection, empoying 600
workmen, and consuming daily 600 hectolitres of
coal. The glass works of Vauxrot, near Soissons
(also contributors of moulded-bottles), have three
melting furnaces constantly at work (coal-fed), and
producing annually 3,000,000 bottles and 70,000
garden-bells—cloches a jardin. The Masniere
glass works, near Cambra (Nord), also contributors,
have an extensive connection, both home and
foreign, chiefly confined to bottles, carboys, dames-
jeaunes, &c. ; they can produce 600,000 bottles per
month. Recently, this firm supplied a London
house, at short notice, with three millions of
bottles, of a shape not used in France, and close-
moulded. The glass works of Follembray, Depart-
ment de l'Aisne, have some handsome specimens of
their particular branch, chiefly champagne bottles,
for which, up to 1848, they had an almost exclu-
sive demand, from their then well-known title of
" Royal Glass Works." They have since then en-
joyed a fair share of the orders from Champagne.
These bottles, the weight of which does not exceed
one kilogramme, resist, usually, a pressure of from
twenty-five to thirty-two atmospheres. The Fol-
lembray Glass Works have produced, in the last
few years, four millions of champagne bottles and
half-bottles.—The Artisan.