The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-07-15 00:00:00

firma anti NOD.

The 300-pounder Armstrong gun,which,sinee its proof
with 90th. of powder, has been in *dangerous state, was
on Monday again U. 804 at Bhoeburyness against iron
plate* at a range of 200 yards. The target represented
a portion of the side of the, new class of steam frigates
to which the Minotaur belongs. In these frigates the
armour is 51 in. thick, instead of 44 in., as in the
Warrior, but the thickness of the beak backing is
reduced from 18 in. to 9 in. The inner akin,and iron
framing are the same as in the Warner. For the
first three trials tho shot was of east-iron, and the
charge was 501 b. as usual. No. 1 struck and pierced
the centre plate, damaging but not passing through
the inner skin and framing. No. 2 streak the
upper plate, and went completely through srmonr,
timber, and skin. No. 3 was directed against the
lower Plats,and like No. 2,piumed quite through the target.
The fourth shot was of wrought iron, and the charge
was 5016., as before. At this round, however, the gun
gave way, the breech being blown backwards to a
distance of 30 or 40 yards. The gun did net break
Into fiagments, and no one was hurt. The experience
gained by these extreme tests will doubtless be made
available in the construction of the new gun of this
description now nearly ready for service.

GUAPOWDIII SUTLIESTDEIj. The Germans have a
prOverb, aecording be which people of limited talent
arep at down as not having invented gunpowder—or, in
plain English, as not being likely to set ths Thames on
fire. If the saying implies that the invention of that
destructive material must be the work of genius they
may now boast of having produced the fourth of the
kind. Apart from the ancient discovery of Berthold
Schwarz, and the more novel invention of guncotton
by Professor Schonbein, the feat has jut been repeated
in another way by two officers in the Prussian and
Austrian service. Of these Haaptioann Schmidt. a
saptain of artillery at Berlin, is the original discoverer,
whose idea was subsequently imitated and improved
by Colonel von Halation. The latest explosive material
consists of the flour of starch, which boiled in a
peculiar way with nitrie acid, possesses • for greater
projective force than tha gunpowder in ordinary use.
It has also the advantage of not fouling to any appreci-
able extent, and, from the nature of the materials used,
,is produced at • far cheaper rate. Another point in its
..composition which recommends It especially for
foMrasses and inagazines in the facility with which the
ingredients are mixed together, thus rendering it
possible to keep them aeparate until wanted for actual
ore. In this state the powder is non.explosive. The
experiments new in course of progress in Vienna and
Berlin are said to leave little doubt as to its general
adoption in the Austrian and Prussian armies.
' Ittriza AT WHI3LIOOII.-11. Delvigne has brought
to Wimbledon • rifle constructed upon a principle
.directly conflicting with all existing ideas as to the
manufacture of fire-arms. Instead of a barrel 39
Antibes in length in this new invention its extent is
restricted to about 14 inches, a feature which is further
remarkable, being that the barrel is not supported by
the stook, but projected in advance of it, and attached
to the wood by two metal prongs, shaped so as to pre-
°serve the appearance of a rifle barrel of ordinary length.
The nipple is placed at the aide of she barrel, just clear
of the wood, and, when duly capped, is fired by a
'sliding rod, driven forward upon the head of the cap by
the action of the hammer, which, with the lock and
trigger, is in the ordinary place. The advantages of
this new weapon ere said to be that, while equally
effective at long ranges, it is leas in weight by 211,. than
the ordinary military rifle; the column of air being so
much shorter, offers leis resistance and causes less
recoil; while it ie obviously aa improvement to remove
the explosion of the cap to smh a distance from the
eye. The rifle can be handled in the usual manner,
and supports • bayonet of average site, but with • quad
raple instead of triangular form. This latter addition
entirely removes the boyish appearanee which the
weapon otherwise presents. In so exciting • match it
Is • point of some interest to notice the weapons seed
by the different competitors. With the representa-
tives of England the Whitworth rile was move in
five out of the eight gentlemen using the! arm.
Mr. 134:aeley shot with • Whitworth rifle manufactured
by himself, baying obtained the requisite permission
from the inventor. Seven of the Scotch competitors
and three of the English used Henry rifles, the other
member of the Scottish eight, Mr. Anderson,
ehoosiog • native weapon, produced by Crockhart, of
.131sigponte.

"serve

CAInOi NOT ISO GOOD NOW An THEY Will FIFTY
YIABS Arao.—lt is generally conceded that sines the
coal measures of the earth have been evened, and coal
so generally used in the smelting of • iron ores, the
cannon and other ordnance so made are neither so good
nor so strong as formerly, when woad ooly was em-
ployed; this is becsuse all Dog contains, to a greater
or boas degree, a sulphur pyrite, generally is the form
attic bisulphate of iron, which, as an atoruie pert of
the metal, is generally destructive of its tenuity and
strength. Besides, all cannon and other ordnance, of
wbstever or by whatever principle they are cut, are
only in a crystallised fume.
NATAL COURT•MASTIAL.---A court-martial assembled
on board the flog-ship Victory, at Portsmouth, on
Monday, to try Henry li'day, of the sailmakene crew
of F1.M.8. Rapid, for having, es or about the 28th of
Jane, struck and bitten George Bird, quarterinsater of
the above ship, his superior officer, in the execution of
his duty. It appesred from the evidence that prisoner
pulled Bird's nose, bit hint under the eye, and struck
him. Prisoner pleaded provocation. The court, found
hiss guilty, sad ordered him to receive forty-eight
lakes, to be imprisoned for six months in Lewes
Gaol; and to be dismissed from her Majesty's
service,