The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-09-11 00:00:00

Arm) anb Nauu.

A tillizsledoadinz gun, of I irge dimensions, weighing
about live toot, M. 1,4 1.,.t week received in Woolwich
arsenal. irom Sir William Arm4roiifs fectory, at
El.wiek, awl is onlerid hr experiments at Shoebury•
he.... Th.. weiAltt niiil proportions of the projectiles to
ih: it... 11 will lite gen hare not helm decided on, but it
a, 1,r..b..1.1e. that an elongated shot and shell,
to he .:mfactured in the Itoyal Laboratory. weighing
,4111,, will be eitsphtyed in the experiments.
ki:• :Ito ; to an hleedete principle rerixed, and the
rr,. :-• ef the pia.: ait byftt on of Sir William
I. I.e. i u hot and shell are grooved. while the
(hr. e hues in the lore
• :•._1,...1,, ,orte.;:oiel with the rill. .1 shot. Much
h a, to it, amtptability, awl the ci-
t. ••.: • :...tke.l forward to with gre:d interest.
V. : • ::. A imit:her of ison•coutnussioned
oyel Attllery bare ism-I:idly been diir

vi...
,•• , a t II- 1.. ;.; la.. I.r a:ter many ',rani' Se Mice.
~..; I. c 111 jr It. . i t,.. i, l'l I $Olll cou•luct mid other
;II •I .' . S ~- il . r 4. .:I' . .•1 Cie corps hare also been
.i. t ~•: el f , 11, p.. , 1.. c ..1 acting as adjiitsids to
• . i .1, , .• ~ i •I. : y ~..1... and numerous applications
II .1 :IV I. :.f •jr Cl.ateral Sir R. barren, -
a ~..I .ir., f, r .. et ,:.iy oiatiuctors. By a recent order
lii ter Oilier Ye ala 1,:loWallee of siispence per day
flf inst Mel jug the volunteer corps to which they are
.II tie; ea, a n-I.lii a•Liitikilial tWupilice tierday for instruct-
ing ail utiii•r corps.
lii con-e.0.m.-, of the demand for lads for the naval
serti• e, an additional number will be entered weekly on
the loi .10s of the Fiagsril Itig allip. A number of able
nuslAeti are now reiluircil for vessels fitting out.
TOE A ITEmprb:o SlLiit, OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM,
Pit:pare:ions on an excemiingly large iicale have been
11l pr. g•c,o4 by the Kippers and Miners of the Royal En-
iiieers bor some tune past for the removal tif a lofty
, lilt t Cotton, a short iliatance from Rochester, by an
iiiiUNUally large Maid ilif nearly u tin weight of gunpowder.
Ile milt owleete•l to he operated mein rises to the lieigl•t
.4 upwards of lit) feet, and is composed of flint and
.1,111; ; awl mom: idea may be formed of the nature of
the siege oh-eritioas intended to be carried out when it
4. stated that the ,111, tatty of cliff to be 'moused was
.alcolateii at i 0 aI ly :01.11(A) tons. To facilitate the ope•
ration..., t.v. o sl aft, running to • great depth, were exc.-
vote I from tiw .lii 1111 l it of the cliff, from the babe of each
.4 whieh sii,ite. were rani; .I into the ;la to a consider-
able diatAire ; mei to these Were deposited the charges
of gi,ilito,Cticr, eoutalueil in Lags, each weighing fifillis.
Every air ingetio nt fir the siege uperatitnix having been
•41, oritera were given for the explosion to be
made on Thursday last, mill acconlingly a number of
pact:q.v., together with all the ~dicers of the Royal
old lii ;hill Ligineers, were assembled to witness what
a A.. •is I tea to be a apt ctacle of great grandeur. At
il.llf- fad two the aignal gun wini fired for the explosion
4 the liaises, the . hole of tire arraugementa being under
Nlajor ',Vett, C. It. 1)1111 of (Irovra's laiwerful VollAie
o Merles who Aceotilit:gly brought into communication
with the wires for euliVeying the spark to the powder,
.itit (ruin soup: Unto -countable cause the charge would
0.. t btlide. An attempt was then made to fire them by
mealoi of one of Pickford's fuses, but this likewise failed,
as did al.i another attempt to ignite the powder by
lit 10* of a still more powerful battery. All this tbue
tilt. public, who did nut appear to understand the reason
for the delay, were waiting in breathless expectation.
titer sp oiling two hours in their effort' to fire the
•liiirgea the ottierrs desiated, to the great disappointment
.4 the spectators. The 0110ers and men of the Royal
~..tigineers continued their efforts to remove the cliff al
•iixton fir MIMe time in the evening, and fortunabily
sith more satisfactory results. After repeated attempts
0 ignite the charge) by means of the voltaic battery
without effect, the apramtut WAS removed to about 50
leet friini.the miner, and at this distance all the charges
were fired most satisfactorily. The Earl of Darnley and
'vend other eMitors of distinction retuained to witness
he operations.

A portrait"( Hobbes°, Malinesbury has been recently
idol to the National eurtnit Gallery, together with e
ortreit of Dunning, Lord Ashburton. by Reynolds—the
Liner presentmd by Mr. T. Baring, M.P.