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

population. It would bring into effect a vast num- '
ber of votes now lying by utterly useless—votes
now never given in at the polling booths, though
carefully (and very idly) inscribed upon the books of
registration. It would effect yet more than this in the
way of virtually increasing the franchise forthwith
—the acquisition of the Egis of the Ballot would
induce thousands, even, it may be said, hundreds of
thousands, to register—who, without the Ballot,
now never dream of registration. If our liberal
reformers generally would but yield to the com-
mon-sense cry for—
The Ballot ! The Ballot ! The Ballot !

there would be no need then for the after-cry, once
raised by Sir ROBERT PEEL, of—
Register ! Register ! Register!

The undergraduates of Oxford have a pleasant
knack of throwing up straws to show which way
the wind blows upon the occasion of each annual
Enccenia or Commemoration of Founders and Bene-
factors to the University. There—under the roof
of the Old Sheldonian Theatre—may be heard,
audibly enough, as the day comes round, the opi-
nions and sentiments of the New Generation.
There—as Bon Gualtier sings—

"both our Young England's penny trumpet blow I"
Shrill and immature though the sound—it has its
significance. In testimony of the truth of which
it is only necessary to glance for a moment
at some among the many salient points in yes-
terday's demonstration. Was it not signifi-
cant, for example, that Lord DERBY'S name was
greeted (we quote the Palmerstonian organ, the
Morning Post) "with a round of cheers that shook
the very building !" -Whereas (we are still quoting
from the Morning Post), "by way of contrast,
Lord PALMERSTON drew down a concussion of
hisses and groans, but comparatively mild," (still
the Morning Post) "to those which greeted the
mention of Lord JOHN RUSSELL !7' The once
popular name, down there, of Mr. GLADSTONE ap-
pears to have elicited cheers from his supporters
—cheers immediately drowned, however, by over-
powering groans from his opponents.' Notwith-
standing the defeat recently experienced by the
Marquis of CHANDOS in the last University Elec-
tion, his name was, on the contrary, welcomed as
that of an undoubted favourite. A cordial greeting
of admiration was vouchsafed immediately upon
the mention of the heroic GARIBALDI. There
were groans for Mr. BRIGHT, groans for the Times
newspaper, groans mingled with cheers for the Em-
peror NAPOLEON. There were cheers varying
in cordiality for the Bishop of OXFORD
for Dr. PUSEY, for Lord STANLEY, for Mr. HENLEY,
for Mr. WALPOLE, for Sir JOIIN PAKINGTON, and
" especially" for Mr. DISRAELI—the honest anti-
Derbyite organ, our contemporary the Post, adding
frankly to this—" and loud and long were the
plaudits lavished on the late Chancellor of the
Exchequer." As the straws flew hither and thither
yesterday in the Sheldonian Theatre—even the
ladies, the non-politicians there assembled, might
readily enough obtain an inkling of the popularity
or unpopularity of our public men, and obtain for
the moment, and that, moreover, agreeably enough,
the clearest insight into the " situation."

TEE NEW IRON STEAM RAM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Six,--Observing that several metropolitan journals have
made descriptive allusions to the "steam ram" now in
course of construction for the Government, will you allow
me, through the medium of your valuable paper, to state
a few facts in regard to a matter of so much public interest.
Assuming a steam ram armed with guns of the heaviest
calibre on the Armstrong principle and rendered shot proof
and incombustible, we must now consider what effect such
a vessel would have in overcoming the resistance of a
powerful and intelligent enemy.
The iron steam ram will prove a failure, unless used as
an incendiary engine of war, as the object for which she is
principally designed, is that of crushing in the stern or
quarter of an enemy by her beak, and is supposed to sink a
line-of-battle ship in three minutes, or the whole of our
fleet now in commission in one hour and a quarter, all the
men on deck retiring to the stern to avoid injury from fall-
ing spars. The peculiar shape will be concealed under the
usual figurehead and forward gear, so that, apparently, the
vessel will be an ordinary large-sized frigate. This at first
sight may appear feasible ; but, on a little reflection, the
absurdity of such a proposition will be apparent.
In the first place, supposing the steam ram crushed in
the stern of a ship-of-the line, how long would it take to
extricate her bow ? which must be done before the ship
can sink, the "ram" being entangled by the spars and gear
of her opponent falling aft, and whose crew, to save them-
selves, would fly to the " ram," or throw themselves into
the sea, and would be rescued, if possible, by the " ram's"
boats, as it is the usage in naval warfare to save the crew
of a sinking vessel, a usage that requires time and space.
Secondly, allowing that she is extricated and preparing for
another plunge, before she could get sufficient way on her
(as she now attacks in her true colours), the' crew of her
adversary could construct a fender, out of hammocks—
which is a material well suited for the purpose—and
which would greatly modify if not altogether annihilate
the blow.

The advantages of such a vessel used as an incendiary
engine of war would be as follows :-
Ist. She renders all timber vessels useless for war except
as transports, which must trust to the highest degree of
velocity for safety, as the steam ram would discharge my
incendiary shells, setting fire to vessels and men, and, in
fact, to everything combustible ; also producing a gas per-
nicious to life.
2nd. Such a vessel may enter or lay off a port with im-
punity, and throw into the town the above shells, rapidly
destroying all combustible material, and rendering the
town uninhabitable.

3rd. She would be admirably adapted for using my in-
cendiary compounds in attacking sea-face batteries, by
enveloping them in a dense suffocating vapour, the attack-
ing vessels bearing down from windward and bringing
their broadside guns to bear upon tha works already ren-
dered untenable. . .

4th. Such a vessel would be a fearful antagonist against
a fleet of wooden three-deckers and ships of the line, run-
ning at them and discharging the inflammable material,
instantaneously engulphing them in flames and an impene-
trable fog, speedily destroying life and material without
any risk to the " ram."
The war in Italy clearly demonstrates that strategetical
generals and the point of the bayonet carry all before them.
How long are we to continue the barbarous system of de-
stroying our enemies .by mere mechanical effects, such as
cutting, stabbing, maiming, or blowing them to pieces ?
The agents of war that I would employ produce totally
different and much more rapid and destructive effects. The
objection raised on the score of humanity may be answered
by the fact, that in proportion as the destructive power of
warlike agents has been augmented the proportion of life
lost has decreased, and the nearer we approach to that de-
sired state—peace among nations.
Incendiary shells, when exploded, scatter fragments of
iron in all directions, with a shower of inflammable mate-
rial, which, falling on masses of cavalry and infantry,
ignite spontaneously, causing their immediate disorganisa-
tion and destruction.

Fired into thickets, harbours, dockyards, cities, or fields
of grass, the result is alike destructive and decisive.---I am,
Sir, yours truly,

J. MACINTOSH