The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-10-20 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

applied for and received these articles the trials duly
proceeded before the Ordnanoe Committee. A demand
was then made upon him for the sum of 1/. In. 2d. for
the material thus furnished, and it is affirmed that
the Government actually sued him and obtained judg-
ment against him for that amount. At that time
his experiments occupied about eighteen months.
Early in 1861 he went to the Continent to panne his re.
searches into the hest system of breech-loading. In
1863 he returned to England and first exhibited &model
of a gun which formed the basis of his przeent
lie was assured that the Government would
never ointment to look at a system of breech-loading
carrying its own ignition, but the scientific persona
having the subject in charge zealously met his views,
and after eight years of labour and heavy expenditure
he had the estisfaction to see his system practically
sucoeseful, and adopted by the State. But the further
pecuniary and painful part of the history is described
to be as follows June last he addressed Lord Hart-
ington, the then. Secretary for War, saying he
thought the time had now come when he should
be informed how he was; to be dealt with. The
'reply was that his claim must be considered
under three beads—first, reimbursement for ex-
pence.; 2, compensation for services while employed
in the department; and, 3, reward for the invention;
and it was added that the filet two point. cliuldmbe
without
.d waiting
.f o e
Snider accprdmgly 7 as the sum due to
him tor expepditure and services, whereupon he was
notiffetl that the matter had been left entirely in the
bands of Mr. Clesle, the Government Solicitor for
War, and that his decision was to give 1,000/. and no
more. -Harassed by creditors for debts incurred during
his long and costly proceedings, and at the same time
helpless from sickness, and being told that if he did
, not accept what was offered and give an acquittance,
in full he would get nothing, Mr. Snider, about •
fortnight back, consented by the advice of friends to
take the ame'unt, the whole of which went imme-
diately to creditors., not one farthing finding its way
to hie own hands. The only mitigation of the story
is that it is understood he has been informed that
when he shall be well enough to present himself at
the War Office the matter will be re-considered and
a more fitting allowance made. Such are the facts
as they have been conveyed in answer to inquiries,
but there may be some minor inscapaciee in them,
as Mr. Snider' in his helpless condition, is unable
fully to state his own case. Not unfrequently, the
sorrows of inventors are traceable to their own im-
providence or unfitness for business, and also to the
inevitable operation of the patent lawn; but in this
instance there is nothing on the surface to lead to
any such assumption. Apart from him labour, on the
Continent, Mr. Snider was, it is believed, inces-
santly engaged for eight munths in the service of
the department of Woolwieh, and, looking at
the expenses of bin previous models, drawings,
An., his charge of 2,7001. for actual time and outlay
will strike most persons as extremely moderate, while
the arbitrary cuttmi down of much an item to 1,0004
is sufficient to account for the existence of great
pecuniary distress. In all countries. .Nhere patents are
conferred the Governments have the legal power tome
such inventions free of cost; but this is merely for
sell protection, and can never be properly pleaded as
a bar to a liberal acknowledgent for benefits con-
ferred. Mr. Snider asserts that, in accordance with a
promise he originally gave, he has always faithfully
resisted indurements and offers held out to him by
other Governments to tarnish them with a copy of hie
gun, and in the absence of explanation the treatment
he has received seems calculated on every ground to
arouse • feeling which will not be allayed until upon a
statement of the precise merits of the case justice shall
have been fully satisfied.

they were opened on Tuesday sior-ing, which turned
out to be a fine specimen of what is called "Queen's
weather ;" and as the Deeside Railway Company ran
trains to Banohory from eight o'clock onwards, and
the people of the district about Invercannie turned
out in considerable numbers, between 4,000 and 5,000
spectators were assembled round the scene of opening
early in the forenoon.
Punctual to time, the Queen arrived from Balmoral
at a tempontry station on the ground, of Inclimarlo,
very shortly after 12 o'clock, and after the preliminary
Proceedings had been gone through, and an address
presented, her Majesty advancing to all ingenious piece
of machinery erected at the edge of the reservoir, was
graciously pleased to give several turns to the handle
thereof, and in an instant the water came dashing forth
pure and plentiful; then rung out again the cheers of the
spec tatoni, and the Queen declared the Aberdeen
Waterworks open.

assistance. Another labourer. John Syridd, gave
similar evidence. Mr. Woodfield Eagles, surgeon,
said no doubt the charge lodged in the cavity of the
chest, wounding the lung. The immediate cause of
death was the internal hemorrhage. The jury re-
turned a verdict of "Accidental death."

On Monday a fatal gun accident occurred on 'Haworth-
moor, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. That after.
noon, Mr. J. Bairstow, head keeper to Mr. Ferrand,
ex-M.P. for Devonport, ,was shooting drive a grouse on
R the moor in question, e was joined by Me. Clayton,
a keeper on a neighbouring moor called Banbury, who
cairied' a gun for Bairstow. Both Bairstow And Clay-
, ton were nested in one of the hiding-place., when a
flock of grouse fleW•past. Bairstow fired both barrels,
and then handed his gun to Clayton, who gave him
another loaded gun as other grouse were flying past.
Bairetow aimed at one of the birds and fired. On taking
his gun from his shoulder he saw Clayton laid on the
ground. Ile had evidently risen from his seat to watch
the bird: the shot had entered the back of his head, ,
r blown off the top of his skull, and killed him tautly. I
It is stated that Clayton had frequently bee warned
against raising his head when any person wiin the
act of firing, so that his unfortunate death may be
fairly attributed to his own want of forethought.

A most distressing accident occurred at about one
I Pm, on Tuesday, to Mr. William Henry Sargent, of
Red hill (surgeon to the Reigate Union and also to the
19th Surrey Rifles), which resulted in the death of the
unfortunate gentleman who was well known and much
respected. Deceased and • party of friends were chang-
ing their shooting ground near Bletchingley, and Mr.
Sargant, who was in a trap, was in the act of taking
his gun from an attendant, when it is supposed that
the cock of the gun caught in his gaiter, and, the gun
exploding, the contents entered his right side and
passed out at his left shoulder. Death ensued in about
two hours. Deceased's age was about 37.