The Press. — London, England, 1856-09-06 00:00:00

operating, and literally "backs out." Perhaps the most interesting and ingenious of the whole machines in this department is that by which the entire lock is let into the stock—a work involving much time and labour when performed by hand. This beautiful instrument is provided with five vertical spindles and appropriate cutters, mounted upon a kind of revolving reel, which are brought sound in succession, and trace the figure of a guide or copy which lies alongside the stock beneath the cutters and guide pins. A small fan-blower is attached, by which the chips from the tools are blown away as fast as they are made. The machine is also furnished with a clever automatic action for throwing the driving belt on and off the pulleys of the spindles as they are brought round in succession to perform a new part of the process. By this machine a lock can be completely let into the stock in about three minutes. Indeed, the whole process of making and perfecting the stock does not occupy more than half an hour, and the only band labour employed upon it is that which causes the friction of a little sandpaper along its surface after its removal from the last machine. Colonel Dickson and Mr. Burton say that they are able to make in this way 200 stocks a day, at a cost of little more than Is. a pine, whereas, an expert workmen, singlehanded, would not be able to make more than eight or nine in a week, at a cost of 12s. ed. a piece. In estimating the price of making a stock at Enfield at Es., no allowance is made for the original cost of I lent and tools, or their subsequent deterioration by wear and tear; but, at the same time, there can be no doubt that the saving effected by machinery such as this will, in a short time, repay its whole cos; if, indeed, it has not already done so long ere this. The whole establishment is under the immediate eontrol and supervision of Colonel Dickson, of the Royal Artillery, assisted by Mr. Gunner, inspector of small arms ; and the first engineer is Mr. Burton, an intelligent American gentleman, formerly Master Armourer of the Government Small arms Factory of the United States at Harper's-terry, whose services have been permanently secured by the Government to superintend the setting up and working of the machinery. At present about 430 mom and boys are employed on the different operations, but when the works are complete the numbers will probably be doubled. The whole of the plant when fully laid down and brought into operation, it is contemplated, will turn out in a perfect state, ready for use, some 50,000 rifles a year, or about 1,0(0 a week ; but this is, probably, a too sanguine view of its capabilities. The advantages of producing muskets by machinery are described by those thoroughly conversant with the system in the United States as being cheapness in the manufacture ; an exact similarity in the several parts, so that they may be readily interchanged and replaced ; and, above all, the facility of rapidly producing this important military arm, and of in creasing or reducing the supply according to the re • quirements of the time. MARSHAL NARVAEZ has late'y been the subject of rather an unpleasant discus-ion in the Spanish papers. The Leon Espanol asserted the other day that he had never enriched himself while he was in the Queen's service, anti that all his fortune was in herited from his lather. This statement seems to have made quite a sensation at Loja, his native town, for a citizen of that place at once wrote a letter to La Naeion, in which he denies the statement of El Leon dowutight, and adds a few odd particulars about Narvaez himself. The letter affirms that Narvaez, who is a younger son, never possessed the smallest real property at Loja until after he had been appointed the Queen's Minister, when he purchased immense estates from one of the heirs of the Countess of Alcudia. Subsequently, in 1852, when, after his lest retirement from the Ministry he betook himself to Loja, he bought up everything which was offered for sale, to such an extent, says this letter, that if he had remained at Loja gcing on in the same way, he would have become the sole proprietor of the town. At the same time, he lived in a style of unheard of luxury at Lois, making a strange contrast to his earlier life ; since it is there well known, says the letter, that the person who is now entitled the Marshal Duke of Valencia, formerly was a contractor for the collection of the taxes upon certain articles of conomption— amongst others upon brandy—which office he re tained until his departure to join the army. CAPTAIN GRAVES, Superintendent of the Port of Malta, was assassinated last Monday week while entering a caleche in Strada Beale. The murderer was a Malte.e boatman, whose licence harl been taken away for some offence by Captain Graves. The murder was committed in open day, and in the brief struggle Captain Graves received two wounds in the stomach. They were at first considered slight, but the gallant officer is since reported dead. MR. WILLIkR BRUNTON, superintending engineer of the Scinde Rtilway, accompanied by a carefully selected staff of s►x assistants, left Southampton on nut sday, for Bombay and Kurrachee, en route for the Punjaub, to p►osecute the preliminary survey of the country between Moolten, Lahore, and Unutteer. THE PRESS. LORD STANLEY UPON AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS. LORD STANLEY, in the course of his speech at thu North Lancashire Agricultural Show last week, made some important remarks upon the requirements of agriculture in England. Alluding first to the im perfect system of drainage and the smallness of the fields, particularly in Lancashire, he continued : I would extend what T say to all England, and T venture confidently to affirm that what has been done throughout the country in the way of ('raining, is a mere trifle to what manta doing. I have seen various calculations on that subject ; they do not precisely agree—estimates seldom do, but they nearly all agree in this, that there is room in the matter of drainage alone, for a profitable investment, within the United Kingdom, of one hundred millions sterling That seems a large sum, but if you recollect that statisticans have computed the yearly savings of our people, the yearly addition to the national capital, at fitly millions, and if you recollect how, within the last fifty yearn, a sum of nearly three hundred millions has been invested in railways, leaving the country, on the whole, not poorer, but richer than it found i►—if you recollect those two facts, neither you nor I need trouble ourselves much in asking where the money is to come from. But there were other and important points in agri cultural science open to improvement : But, after all, draining is not the only possible branch of improvement ; there are two others, the one manure, the other machinery. Now. as to manure, we have a great problem to solve ; it is very well, no doubt, and it pays just now, to bring it from the ends of the earth, to send for it from out•ot be way islands in the Pacific, or else. where, but that is a resource on which you cannot calculate for ever. That supply may be, probably must he, ex• Initiated one day, and then, though pertain not till then, we shall be driven to the resource to which we ought to have applied long ago—l mean that saving of the natural manure which we waste. 1 saw it stated the other day, on good authority, that the British farmer is paying every year a million and a half for artificial manures. Now, I da not say that that is money wasted, for I do not believe it is. I have no doubt the investment is profitable, but a great deal might be saved if people w mild only remember that in nature nothing is destroyed, that there is no such thing as destruction—that what comes from the earth returns to it again, and that all that is necessary is to restore to the soil that which originally comes from the soil—that which we throw away in the shape of the sewage of our great towns. I know there are difficulties in the way of doing that ; there is k difficulty in deodorising that soil, in rendering it not offensive ; there is a difficulty also in not concentrating the solid part of it into so small a bulk as to bear and reward the expense of transp rt. Ido not duly the existence of these obstacles; I only say that, serious Is they are, science has surmounted obstacles far greaser. I have heard a calculation made by competeut persons that what we waste—the sewage of the Thames valley alone—in poisoning and polluting that river, is worth five millions per annum. Ido not pretend to give any estimate on the subject, but I believe that if the ob stacles I have spoken of are once overcome—l will say rather, when they are overcome, and when it becomes as much the practice to save those natural manures as it is now the practice to waste them, you will save a sum which will equal probably from one half to two thirds of the taxa tion of the country. The noble lord then touched briefly upon the immense advances made within the last few years in the employment of machinery for agricultural pur poses, and came at once to the question of agricul tural statistics : There is an impression, I know, in some minds that either the Government or the landlords are anxious to obtain information as regards the farmer's private concerns, which there is no fair reason that he should be called upon to give. My answer is simply, that there is no other occu pation in this country with which the State does not alrealy interfere in an equal degree, to ascertain what is doing. Every bale of goods that comes into this country, the age and occupation of every one in this empire, are minutely registered for the public benefit. I do not, and never will, ask fur returns that will be vexatious or inquisitorial. But I believe the farmer would gain by knowing a little more about the state of the market. As matters stand, he buys and sells almost in the dark. He takes the market value of what he sells from the dealer, and does not know what amount of stores there may be in the hands of other persons, nor the real wants of the buyer. He is in the hands of the dealer, who, notwith standing the superior information which he obtains, some times at a great expense, is not unfrequently himself misled. It is really a case of the blind leading the blind, and I only wonder that they don't tumble much oftener into the ditch. These agricultural returns should, how ever, be as simple and slightly troublesome as possible. Llrd Stanley then briefly but warmly advocated the principle of agricultural education, and the estab ;ishment of colleges, such as il.at at Cirencester, in vhich thonry is taught and tested on the grounds where the practice of farming is carried on. He zihiciutieu Let us all remember that in promoting the progress of agricultural improvement we are not merely developing the national resources, lightening the national burdens, adding .o the strength and power of England, or increasing the veilth of those who are wealthy already, but we are indi ectly engaged in one of the highest and nohlest tasks ,vhich human enterprise can propose to itself. We are en gaged in relieving the angering, and in elevating the con dition of the labouring classes of this country. (Cheers.) SATURDAY, That is a consideration which gives this whole subject of agricultural progress an interest to my mind which other- wise it could not possess. The higher your farming becomes the more machinery you employ, toe less need will there be of mere brute labour, and the more you will require skilled intelligence. You will make a less demand upon your labourers' muscles, and a larger demand upon their brains. Coat alto Her Majesty the Queen and Royal Family left Holyrood at an early hour last Saturday, and travelled direct to Balmoral, arriving there in safety the same evening. The Royal Family have, since their arrival at Balmoral, enjoyed daily rides or drives in the neighbouring woods. H.R.H. the Prince of 'Wales will leave Osborne house shortly for Balmoral. His Royal Highness visits Manche%ter en route. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, ac companied by Colonel the Hon. J. Macdonald, has left St. James's Palace for Gordon Castle, on a vi-it to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond. H.R.11. returns to town early next week. H.R.H. has in spected For George Fochahar, N. 8., during his stay at Gordon Castle. The Duke of Beaufort has left Badminton for Gopsall hall. The Earl and Countess of Wilton are at present on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, at Tanragee Castle. The Marquis of Ely, Lieutenant-Colonel Lord West, and Lady Elizabeth Hope Vere and Miss Hope Vere, are among the recent arrivals at the Lord Warden Hotel, Dover. The Earl and Countess of Westmorland are receiving a select circle at Apthorpe•park, Northamp tonshire. Lord Panmnre has arrived in town from his seat in Scot!and. Viscount Palmerston left town on Thursday for St. Leonard's-on-the. Sea. Miss Florence Nightingale is at present staying at Malvern for the benefit of her health. THE QUEEN OF CUDE. THE royal family and suite left Southampton on Saturday night for Harley house, London. Daring the whole of the day the native attendants were busily engaged in packing up, and early in the even ing a number of vehicles accumulated in the front of the Royal York Hotel for the purpose of conveying them and their goods to the railway station. A con course of persons was of course attracted to the spot, and long before the time appointed for the leave-taking that portion of the High -street facing the royal residence was literally blocked with specta tors. The natives seemed greatly to enjoy the necessary preparations, and, although there were sufficient cabs called into requisition to supply each one with an inside berth, yet the roof of the vehicles seemed to be the place selected in preference to the more retired accommodation in the interior. One cab succeeded the other down the High-street in rapid succession, each conveying on its roof one or more of the Oriental visitors, who, as they passed through the streets to the railway, made signs indi cating their farewell. During the removal of the baggage, one of the workmen, it is said, entered the Queen's apartment inadvertently. In a moment he was hurried out by a eunuch. He had just time to notice the Queen, who, dressed in white, was promi nently seated among a number of native ladies. At the railway station every proper arrangement was made for the comfortable departure of the royal party. A train, consisting of two first, two second, and one third class carriage, was provided. For the time being the general public were not admitted, although a few friends received the privilege. About half•past seven the scene inside the terminus was a most animated and laughable one. A number of the pariah class had got into the third class carriages, and were smoking and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Others were busy carrying and stowing away Hindoo bedding, mats, carpets, and curious culinary and washing utensils, &c. Cabs were racing into the terminus every minute with the moon: sheer and gentlemen of the Court. The Hindos tanee of the natives, the slang of the cabmen, and the noise of the crowd, formed a Babel of tongues. Towards eight o'clock a rush was made to see the princesses and maids of honour. This was the signal for the eunuchs to display the nature of their duties, and, having requested the spectators to make room, the ladies, "closely veiled," made their appearance, and were ushered into their carriage, the blinds of which were immediately drawn, the exterior from that moment being carefully guarded. The " ladies • of the harem, with their heads also entirely covered, next arrived, and were treated in a similar manner. These, however, were less careful of their privacy, for upon being seated the curtains were slightly opened. The King's brother and the heir-apparent,