The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-12-03 00:00:00

Army nub Nabp.

G KTTI NO TR' GUNBOATS Rs whole of the
screw gunboats attached to the fleet divinion of the
steam reserve at Chatham have been supplied with ous
100-pounder and one 40-pounder Armstrong pivot gun
on their upper decks; and several hundred cases of the
100-pounder and 40-pountler Armstrong shot and
coin nun aliell have also been given out.
Tax Auwnreoo Gus•.— Sir William Armstrong
has replied at great length to the strictures of Captain
Halsted on the Annatrong guns. Sir William Arm.
strong'. letter, which occupies four columns of the
Tanta of Wednesday, refutes teriatan the charges which
have been brought against the weapon, and unless he
has stated what is directly opposed to truth, an idea
which 'cannot for one moment be entertained, his oppo-
nents have been placed before the public in • rather un-
enviable light. The total number of guns proved are
1,1.22. About one-half of these have been issued for
use, anti the other half are retained in store to be ready
when wanted. About 796 gune of different calibre.
have been issued for actual service, sad, as a proof al
to the manner in which the arm has stood this practical
test, it is stated that out of this number not one gun
ha. burst. Twenty only have been returned for repair.
As to the vent pieces double ones were ia.ued, and only
five have been blown away, and thirty-two have been
rendered unserviceable, owing chiefly to the ignorance
or inexperience of the man working on the gun. Sir
William's letter demands an answer on the part of those
who have taken so much pains to defame and decry his
invention, and unleas the reply refutes his facts, and
shows them to be fabrications, the public, we think,
will have no difficulty in arriving at • conclusion as to
which of the antroversialista has the best of the
argument.
Tug WHITWORTH GUN. —Lord Palm•nitain and the
Minister of War, accomprnied by the Director-General
of Ordnance and other officers, went down to Shoebury-
ness on Wednesday morning by special train to witness
• eerie* of experiments to he made with the Whitworth
guns supplied to the Government. Mr. Whitworth was
present.
A rumour was prevalent at the head-quarters of the
Royal Marines, Chatham, on Sunday, that in addition
to the expeditionary force of Royal Marines which has
just proceeded to !lexica, the Government has decided
on despatching • battalion of Marines to Canada.
ll•ih.chan Vessel-N.—When the" reconstruction"
of our sailing feet was forced upon us we worked early
and late, and never imbed front our labours until we
could respire freely, from the satisfaction of knowing
that in screw liners, frigates, corvettes, and sloops we
had the start of our allies on the other side of the
Channel, who, while we were quietly resting on our
oars after the Russian war, so steathily added to their
steam nary. Another "reconstruction" is thrust upon
us, and with indomitable good will and perseve-
' manes, regardless of the pacific puff which has been
lately wafted to our shores, we are tptietly attending ki
our business. The Warrior has been pronounced •
"great success ;" the Black Prince promives to be the
same. The Defence and the Itesintance might easily be
niade ready for sea in six weeks, and the Hector and the
Valiant might join their iron friends in the course of
the ensuing summer, so, thanks to the Government
officials and contractors working amicably together, the
public need have DO fear Of OUT DI•THIU10 supremacy
being snatched from us while we call have such • powerful
squadron in the Cliannel.—A my and Nary Gazette.

THE GAME LAWS A DEAD LETECIL—The Earl of
Aberdeen has given his tenantry the privilege of doing
with the game on their farms as they please—making
the game laws a dead letter as far as be is concerned.

SEVIN DATI WITHOUT FOOD. —The Rock Ferry
steamer Nymph, which left the landing stage, Liver-
on Friday, at eleven o'clock, called alongside the
ship Blue Rock, lying in the river of the Rock Ferry-
pier, and bound for Sydney, to put on board a pas-
senger. When alongside • hey was rent on board the
Nyinpa, and the captain was told to take him on shore.
The steamer being on her way to Rock Ferry, of course
first took him there, and then to Liverpool. He was
almost naked, and little else than akin and bone, and
wade the following statement to the passengers and
crew of the Nymph :—He is • native of London. His
father and mother are in Melbourne, and he wished to
get out to them. Finding that the Blue Rock was
bound for Austral', he stowed himself away on board
her (when she was lying in the dock) on the 16th inst.,
tospecting she would very shortly go to ma. how-
ever, went into the river, and still remains there ; and
be. being fairly "hungered out," was obliged to collie
out of his hiding place on Friday. He mid the people
on board the ship gave him some coffee and biscuit, but
it would not remain on his stomach. Several gentle-
men on board the Nymph, on hearing his tale, gave
him money, and on bring asked what he intended I
doing be said lie did not know, but very likely "would
be in prison before night." When asked what he
intended doing on getting to Sydney. Melbourne being
• long way from it, he replied that he knew that, but
he intended walking from Sydney to Melbourne. He
said that when he went on board the ship on the
previous Friday he lied not anything to eat or drink
with him. fie had consequently been seven days with-
out food or drink. The lad's story was corroborated by
his appearance, for he looked more like a skeleton than
anythang else. He oho stated that another boy is
stowed as ay in the saute ship, hut that he did not like
to tell the captain, as lie (the bov) appeared as if lie
,uld hold out a little longer. The boy appear" to be
about 14 or 15 year' of age.
THZ CONVICT REDPATH.—Durieg the pest week the
Ray. H. Bostock. head matter of the Warrington Free
Grammar School, has received from his nephew (the
Rev. 0 J. Bostoek, of Freemantle. Australia) an auto-
graph letter sent to that gentleman by the convict 11.4-
path, the notorious swindler. The letter was socoic.
ponied by • volume of reins, which Itedpath has pub
fished. The following is • copy of the letter :—•• Rey.
and dear 1:1r.—Agreeably to my promise I send you my
book. Do not o:pat to find in perusing it any amount
of polish—it is all rough hewn; but 1 trust it will be
found to 'sprees the sentiments of • penitent heart.—
With every Christian sentiment. permit me to my, I
am, dear air, your faithful servant, Leopold Redpath.—
Rey. 0..1. Bostock, Freemantle, 10,9,1861." The Rev.
0..7. Boalock, in the letter to his uncle, says of Red.
path, as his pastor, "that he is most constant in his
attendance at church, and in his 'general conduce and
derneenour appears to be truly peutteut."