The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-04 00:00:00

PALLISER'S SHOT.

Some very interesting firing at armour-platesfrom
a 7-inch muzzle loading wrought-iron rifled gun,
with Palliser chilled elongatedshot, fired with powder
charges of 121 b, 141 b, and 221 b, took place on board
the Thunderer, experimental target ship, yesterday,
in Porchester Creek, near Portsmouth, under the
superintendence of Capt. A. Hood, of her Majesty's
ship Excellent. The armour plates fired at were
specially selected for the experiment from having
exhibited unusual excellence of material and of ma-
nufacture in a former trial, to which one end of each
of them had been subjected with iron and steel bolts
from the same description of gun as was used for
the trial yesterday. The two plates were bolted in
the usual manner on the testing bulkhead of the
LASAUW, tIIL Vl ZVIIIA L 1 ;111Jtil
ported at the back by massive iron knees and timber
struts and tail pieces of immense stoutness. Thegun
was mounted in the iron-faced battery built across
the ship's deck, opposite the testing bulkhead, and
the distance from the muzzle of the gun to the face
of the plates fired at was 25ft. One of the plates
was manufactured by C. Cairn-nen and Co., of Shef-
field, measuring 16ft. in length by 3ft. 2in. in width
and Gin. in thickness ; the other was manufactured
by John Brown and Co., of Sheffield, and measured
16ft. Sin. in length by 3ft. 41in. inbreadth, and was
Tin. in thickness. _ .

The first course of firing took place against
Cammell's 6-inch plate, as follows :
No. 1 Shot—Palliser chilled, or " hard pointed ;"
weight, 1151 b ; powder charge, 121 b. This shot
broke up in the hole, after penetrating to half its
length. Front of shot left in the hole, and the after
end of the shot thrown back into fragments.
No. 2 Shot Same description of shot as before ;
powder charge, 141 b. The result of this shot in no-
wise differed from the previous one. Neither of the
shots had done the work due to the gun.
There were no cracks in the plate from either shot,
and in each instance the metal was only squeezed
out in a lip round the indent of the shot.
No. 3 Shot—Same description of shot ; powder
charge, 221 b. This shot was the most remarkable
one of the series fired. It passed through the 6-
inch plate and also through the 45 inchesofaitnismt an
backing behind the plate, and broke up against
iron bulkhead built up in the rear of the timber
bulkhead to check the further progress of such stray
missiles. This was the first instance of any shot
from any gun having performed such a feat on board
the Thunderer. There was, however, no crack in
the plate, and the hole was cut through sufficiently
clean to allow of its being easily plugged from the
outer face of the plate. No bolts
were started by
any of the three shots. This last shot concluded the
firing at Cammell's plate,: and the remainder of the
firing was devoted to John Brown's 7-inch plate,
-which was carried in the following order
Ist Shot.—Palliser's chilled, or " hard pointed ;"
weight, 1151 b ; powder charge, 121 b. This shot
penetrated the plate 5.63 inches,
and fell back on
the deck broken up.
2d Shot—Same description of shot ; powder
charge,
141 b. The penetration of the shot in this
case was just so much greater than the last as was
due to the extra powder burnt, the depth of the in-
dent being 6.9 in., or within one-tenth of the plate's
entire thickness. As was the case with the first
two shots fired at Cammell's
plate, neither of the
first two shots at Brown's plate bad done the work
due to the gun—a penetration of 7in., in equality
with the diameter of the
gun's bore.
description of shot ; powder
charge, 221 b.
3d Shot —Same descri
polaftethaet
palnateaanigmleedowatingantod
thethisposition sh ot struckof
f the thepar t
blow was somewhat mit g .
it was, therefore, conaild. eraeteddthTathetpheeneefftreacttiooni
was
inchhalf
an be yi
no
enhd
beyond the
back
ao
tf
the plate, and alf nearlyan
7.45 in., or nearllsyoha
due from the gun in its ordinary work.
Thewas ssibinYoPtibroke up. The blow took effect at one end
of the plate, and a crack opened through a bolt-hole
to the plate's edge. As it was considered this shot
had not possibly delivered its blow as fully as it
might have done, it was determined to fire another
shot of similar character and weight, with a similar
powder charge, at another and uninjured part of
the plate.
This, the last shot fired, only partly made its way
into the plate, the rear part breaking up, and the
fore part remaining stuck in the face of the plate,
and preventing any exact measurement being taken
of the indent.
The general results of yesterday's firing at Ports-
mouth may be thus summarized the seven
shots fired, one only sustained the Palliser character
as given by Shoeburyness results. The remaining
six shots produced no results beyond those of the
ordinary character.

The Admiralty have ordered Messrs. J. Brown
and the Messrs. C. Cammell each to manufacture
one large iron plate, of a special and harder nature

NEW'
firtif-AA
a the dVic,:tl
[lined PkiOlif

'SPAPER

than is usually observed in the
plates, with a -view of testing :
bility of breaking up these ch LOW
orle,
-
Ya
as the Pallisers, before they can effect-pftetralV
of a plate. This will be a difficult problem forfite
Messrs. Cammell and Messrs: Brown to solve, and
especially so if they are to make the attempt with
hard iron plates only. All our past experience goes
to prove that hard-made armour plating is the most
easily destroyable of any, and even with ordinary
cast iron shot each single blow will " star" it with
deep fissures iu a startling manner. The Admiralty
have put a premium upon the skill and judgment of
the two firms named, And there can be no doubt
they will each do their utmost to excel all their
former work of the kind on the present occasion.
The War-oliice has intrusted to the Messrs. Cam-
mell the contract for the manufacture of 20 iron
shields for the embrasure; on the sea-face of the for-
tifications at Malta and Gibraltar.

Royal Institute of British Arohitects.

A nmetilig of this association took place last even -
ing at the rooms of the institute, Conduit-street,
Regent-street—Mr. Ecresford Hope, m.P., the
president, in the chair.

Professor KERR read a paper " On the Problem
of Providing Dwellings for the Poor." The learned
gentleman comnienced by reminding, his audience
that they had already model dwelling-houses which
presented many features which he thought were ad-
vantageous to the interests of the labouring classes.
They were comfortable and wholesome habitations,
and were fitted with appliances to meet the require-
ments of the poor ; and, so far as these conditions
went, they had been highly successful and extremely
creditable to the present age. But a complaint had
arisen from those persons who had become the te-
nants that the rents were beyond their means, and
the builders of the tenements complained that, in a
business point of view, they received inadequate re--
turns for their money, 'These dwellings were se-
cured by a class altogether superior to the class for
whose accommodation they were intended, so that
the poor people, properly so called, were at the pre-
sent moment as unprovided as they ever were. It
was only by continuous efforts in various directions
that they were enabled iu the course of time to ar-
rive at a solution of the question, and he had brought
the subject forward on this occasion, because the
problem was one that could best be solved by archi-
tects if they would consent to give their attention to
it. In his present paper he would confine himself to
the dwellings of the poor in towns, but would re-
mark, in passing, that in the country wooden dwell-
ings were built for about £3O each. There were two
divisions of the question as regarded towns, because
there were two sections of the labouring portion of
' the community in towns—the superior and the in-
ferior class. He now called attention to statistical
returns, which showed that the results of the visita-
tion of 1,500 houses in the parish of St. George,
llanover-square, were that families occupying three
rooms and upwards amounted to 85 per cent. ;
two rooms, 28 per cent. ; one room, 634 per
cent. From this he naturally drew the conclusion
that a very large proportion of the working classes
occupied single rooms. The persons
possessing three
beds and more were 13 per cent. ; those occupying
two beds, 44 per cent. ; and those possessing one
bed, 43 per cent. The idea that three bed-rooms
were the most encouraged in those dwellings was
therefore not a correct dogma ; and urged that
model plans were seldom adapted to the superior,
and never to the inferior, class. In his opinion the
argument was in favour of the adoption of single-room
accommodation at a rent not above 4s. a week. If
a labouring man was asked what lie wanted hepointed
instinctively to a single room, and it was only right
that they should consider that the habits and wishes
of the labouring people were extremely simple. The
plan he would suggest was to constructsinglerooms
of large space, 20 feet in length and 17 feet in
depth, with a balcony in front 4 feet wide for access,
and a balcony behind 8 feet wide, as a back yard,
which would be serviceable for drying clothes and
useful as a play-ground for the children. There
must be one common staircase for all, and when
necessary they could have shifting partitions for
t les° rooms, without cross partitions, could be built
for £7O, and he calculated that his plan would pro-
duce 9 per cent. to the capit list—a consideration
which was doubtless of much importance, seeing
that people were not often satisfied with 5 per cent.
for their money.

A vote of thanks was passed to Professor Kerr
for his interesting paper, and the discussion thereon
was adjourned till the 17th inst.

Agricultural Prospects.

Last week opened with a wet morning up to 8
a.m., when it cleared, but was showery again in, the
afternoon. Monday morning was of a doubtful
character, but the weather held up, and no rain
fell. Wind N.W. ; thermometer, 42 deg. ; baro-
meter down to 29.60 in. Field-work has progressed
where in late districts it had not been finished ;
while the wheat first got into the ground has come
up well, with a strong and healthy appearance.
Some very flue samples of Chidham have always
been met with, and of the red sorts Nursery has
been very prime ; both these descriptions are now
very valuable to the millers, and from the advanced
rates, strong efforts have been made to plant as much
as possible, in anticipation of such paying well
another year. The farmers are now thrashing more
imports
of and with larger deliveries and larger
t
of foreign a pause in the hasupweartidmteeutdeeen,cfyoralittle
been
experienced. It is just h
dulness, and the course the trade will take must
between this and Christmas, when large
wwoasrkstwaeteri
"The weather since our last nt
required for various purposes of the farm. Tuesday
depend on the extent of the supply from thesufamrsmaerres
on well generally. In nrldladteit
report has, upon the
was a thick but favourNabolrethduamy,baean
west coast of Scotland the weather was reported to
I
whole, been fine for the time of the year." On the
have been very
unsettled. Thursday was dull ande Id, inclining to frost. The weather in Warwick-
schire has been variable during the week—heavy
fogs, a few hours' rain, and changeable winds ; but
on the whole favourable for out-door work. Now
that autumn sowing is nearly completed, we may
look for better supplies from the farmers. As re-
gards barley, those growers who succeeded in secur-
ing any samples without rain, of a fine and bright
colour, can command their own prices ; for the pale
ale brewers will have such, be the rate ever so high,
and so long as any can be found. Intermediate
sorts are more plentiful, and these sell at irregular
rates, and mostly on lower terms than of late. The
deliveries of this corn have been 6,380 quarters more
than those of wheat, showing that the farmers are
anxious to bring it more freely than any other,
and with the present prices they must be at least
satisfied this season. The brewers complain, how-
ever, of the high prices of malt, and are finding
out a substitute to bring the cost of beer down to
about the usual rate. Many of them have resorted to
the purchase of sugar, and the use of this extending
among the large metropolitan brewers as more suit-
able for porter than forlaJe. Farmers should meet
them as much as possible, and secure them as good
customers for the remainder of the season. Friday
proved a fine day, sunny at times, nicely closing the
nonionothe November,foafrm.s:aurday morning and being suitableregster forregistered
d 5 dall
evg o
work
on the farm. Saturday morning registered 5 deg. of
frost, wind E. ; thermometer at noon, 35 deg., and
barometer down to 29 70 in., and still falling.—
Mark Lane Express of yesterday.

prepare folTlleiltir)a short erialyacllt theAigle has been ordered to
is said that this order voyageisco
nonne
cttlei the Italian
with t
hceoals,to
Home of the Empress Eugenic. Her :Majesty is ex-
pected to embark on the 4th of December. ii t
:M
LADVERTISEMENT.-1 —Holloway's 0111 Uncut and Pills.—
The Joys of Home. —How of ton-does it happen that happi-
nossis driven from our hearths by illness? Sickness and
sorrow aro constant companions; though in most cases
their tenure is short when Holloway's remedies are used to
dispossess them. These medicaments can be confidently
and heartily recommended to all invalids as the most easy,
safe, and certain means of preserving all that is good, and
casting out all that is corrupt externally and internally.
They are universally applicable to both sexes in every dis-
ease.. Holloway's medicaments do not deteriorate by being
kept., nor aro their properties changed by climate. They
can be purchased everywhere, and the price at which they
aro F sold is moderate.

THEATRE ROYAL DRLRY-LANE.— 1
Solo Lessee and Manager, Mr. P. B. Cam Elms.
s.
TIIIS EVENING, FAUST. Mr. Phelps ; Messr
Edmund Phelps, W. Harrison, and Johnstone ; Mrs. Her-
mann Vezin, Miss Poole, and Mrs. li. Vandenhoff.
To conclude with the Comedy of KATHARINE AND
PETRI:TIRO. Petruchio, Mr. T. Swinbourne ; Katha-
rine, Miss Isabel Adams.
Doors open at half-past six; performances commence at
Satien o'clock.

rr 11 EAT R E ROYAL, HAYMARKET,
ole Lecsee and Manager, Mr. Buckstone,
TH .E
IS VI,.NIN, l, A Cr.Mbl OF :•.'•PECUogers, Clark.
LATIO.:`.T.
Messrs. C. Ma hews, Chippendale, Kendal, R
Braid, Sc. ; Mesdames PlaWil ii Val, Laws, Wriglit, Sidney.
Followed by ANTONY ,AND CLEOPATRA. Mr. Chas.
3latliewe, Mr. Coin;
Mathews,ton, Mr. Rogers, %Ir Clark, are
C.
es-
dames Mathews, Hill. Wright, Colman, Sidney,
Compton
SL.
C
To conclude with FISII OUT OF "ATE K.
Mr.
Commence at Seven.
--

ROYAL LYCEUM TIIENTRE.—
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Feebler.
TILL', EVENING, BR
UTUS AND
II acie.
At a Quarter before 8, the new Drama, in Four Ac's, THE
LONG- STitlliN, written by Dion Boucicault. The New
Seene, yby Mr. 1. Greive and assistants. Messrs. S Emery,
Widlieowb, itzpatriek, Dalton, D. Evans, Anderson,
ewbound. Stanley. Lomas, Moreland, Andrews, Reynolds,
and J. C. Cowper.
To conclude with TWEEDLETON'S TAIL COAT.
Acting aanager, Mr. Barnett. Stage Manager, Mr. W
West.

Miss