The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-25 00:00:00

RIFLE COMPETITION.

The competition trial of the rifles was continued
yesterday under considerably ler favourable circum-
stances for the *booting than on the first day.
The wind blew fresh across the lime of fire,
and consequently there were not quite snob good
diagrams made. Notwithstanding this, however, the best
diagram was made in yesterday's firing, so far as the calcu-
lated diagrams enable us to judge, and this was by the
small•bore Whitworth, which it will be seen by the sub-
joined tabular arrangement made in the number three aeries
'3B as the mean radius of twenty bite. If the measure-
ment be taken according to the inch emle, it might be
roughly estimated at about three inches as the mean error
from the centre, which ia an exceedingly good diagram.
Mr. Henry's rifle, it will be mon, did not quite
equal the two first diagrams made by it, though
it was said that the last diagram of the series
at 500 yards was a very good one, and the general
opinion seemed to be that this rifle would win in this com-
petition. Of course in this event it will be rendered prac•
tically evident that the increased weight of harrol does give
greater stentlinese of flight, awl necessarily increase of am.
racy to the ball ; and this is the point that the council have
eo wisely anticipated by the antics published yesterday. The
Storm rifle made better diagrams than in the first day's shoot-
log ; and the Whitworth large bore, with the ordinary S 5
grains charge, it will be observed, sheepartioularly well, being
very nearly wined in one diagram to the beet hitherto scored
for the Henry rifle. One of the competitors, Mr. Baker, re-
tired front the etioteek after having tired the fourth larkey
lig it was expected that Mr. Rigby would not save his
qualification to compete with the other rifles in the trial, at
the 1,000 yards range,
.which will be commenced this day.
As two of the competitors have withdraws, the number
is now reduced to three—the Henry, the Whitworth, sad
the Mont Storm rifles, with the Whitworth large bore, the
shooting of which it was determined to continue through-
out the trials, is order to show the capabilities of such a
rifle. The following shows the shooting ea far ea it has
been ascertained, of the six rifles

111138. No. 1. N 0.2. No. & No. 4. No. b. No. f.
Rigby, 20 foals& .be .78 .69 .70 .
Bok?r, ditto

PltrliO(TlOttWria6. :eh :87 .67
Henry. ditto
Whitworth, ditto GO 61 38

.48 .47
.53 .8.3

Do., large ion, 60. .6

The diagrams of rifles No. 5 and 6 scald sot all be ea.
called, se it is a matter requiring some considerable time,
but the goal result of the shooting at 300 yards may be
premised from the sambas above given. The trial of to-
day is looked to with pest interest, and is likely to be a
close contest between Mr. Whitworth and Mr. Henry ;
another great testing point will be in ascertainingwhether
the Whitworth large bore is ae good at long range as at
the comparatively short me. The shooting of the Pont.
storm breecli•loader has so far quite surprised Its own
party, and they, with all who hams watched the trials,
are curious to see how this weapon will perform at the
leas range.

The Danish frigate Niels Juel, 42, Captain
Gottlib, wee to have left Plymouth Bound oa Wednesday
at noon, far the Germs* Ocean, but the strobe easterly
wind set is has delayed her Miiiilf, sad she had sot left up
to a late hour Let night.

MAP or THI SPAT or Vt,"yld, of
Charing-cross, has just published a map on a large sails of
Duppel, sad the island of Alsen. The map shows the
Danish batteries sad limo of outpost., aed the position of
the allied armies.

FOREIGN-4071 C; Fss. 22.—Earl Russell, ber
Majesty's Prfoeipal Swretary of State for Foreign Affairs
km received a despatch from her Majesty's Coastal at Nor.
smiles, reporting that the Prefect of the deparlinsat of the
Moue's.. do Rhos. ham issued a decree closieg the Coneter7
of St. Charles at Maresilles, from the let of Juno, NM.
Gazette.

-----
MR. G. Tawtreox Ix Boetox.—On the 10th
lastest a number of meats were introduced to Mr. G.
Thompson, at the lJuited States Hotel. Bastes, Yam.
Hr. Thames= made a speech os the occesicie, is the comae
of which he expreieed hie thaoka to God for the motile po-
sition in which he found the Americans. At the close of a
lecture on the foliowiug evens& Mr. Thompson was called
upon to speak, and delivered as address. He hoped to see
the day " whet the priociples for which he was hated, per-
secuted, sod banished, would be the principles of the old
Bay_States."
BRITISH AND IRDIE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH COY-
PANT.—The annual meeting of the shareholders of this
company was held in the Clarenaloo.rooms, Liverpool, yes-
terday. In the 'blame of Mr. J. C. Emit, M.P., the
chairman of the company, Mr. William Langton presided.
In moving the sition of the report sod accounts, which
were taken se reed, the chaff mom said that the result of the
half year's busbies was highly satisfactory, sad they could
declare • dividend oe the sic mouths' work of 5 per mot,
the whole year's dividend being 4j per cent. against
46 per asst is the previous year. This was
the more gratifyiog from the feet that d
the past year they had to suffer both increased
competition sod a redact:foe of rates in their
most populous districts. la addition to this they hod to
charge upon the year's revenue the sum of 6,000/., the met
of renewing their two cables (under very disadvantageous
circumstanose so far as weather was concerned) between
England and Indeed. The adoption of the report sad
account, and several formal resolutions were agreed to sm.
eon. and the retiring directors and auditors were re-elected.
Before the meeting broke up the chairman alluded in feel-
ing terms to the dangerous illness of their secretary, Mr.
E. B. Bright, who he trusted would soon be in a coodition
to again give the company the basedt of hie valushie
lorries.

—Pear. —Accounts from Peru represent General
Peon, the President, as being mast active in the promotion
of venous uadertakinp which, if rely carried iota else.
will ardent the kighestimisour upon kis &dadaist/Mica. A
series of more or km importeat projects, sorbr for imams%
as those for the coosSructios of • lino of railway between
Lima sad Jests and the supplyisg at Piura sad Pinta with
water, u indicative of considerable progress cad energy as
the part of the Peruvian pooplo. The case of Pont, we are
glad to find, is by uo swam exeeptiesol, for them Is, we ere
told, " is all the South Animism Republica marked bin-
descry to stump is great sad useful works, sad to employ
carry* them lab ezemition those vital marries which still
remain after their exhaustion by the "ambitious efforts el
000dilloe or by the abasement of ~'gaanae. and suporsli-
tioe."—Bncit and River Plate Mail.

•


TROUSERS.--Special attention is sailed to the
new WINTER STOCK . am gentlemen who do not mind
min a fair peke fora good pair of Trousers can depend on
material and patterns that cannot he excelled, at
HAMILTON and KIMPTONB, 10. sr': \ND,
Opposite Exeter Hall.

TRELOARII COCOA - NUT MATTING
an EARIPITLICON
mos-cram WAREHOUSE,
Recoorod from No. 4f to
No. 10. LUDGATE-HILL. LONDON.

'FHE DEPOTS AIITHENTIQUES for SALE
of flu: SNUFFS, Tobaccos. and elms, mauulacturva or
HE CH GOVERNMENT TOBACCO ADMINISTRATION.

ale at

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THE UNITED LIBRARIES,
307, REGENT.STREET, LONDON, W.
Subectiptione from One Otunea.

WESTERTON'S
KNIGIMISRIDGE

LIBRARY,

IATHERE CAN WE MEET AFTER THE
PANTOMIME,.
My dear fellow! frentleoleu sup at EVAN °. Coreut-garden.

HOW COLD IT HAS BEEN.—NEGRETTI
and TAM KRA'S celebrate.' THERMOMETERS will cor-
rectly register the lowest tetriperstare. Price Ss 64.-1, Hatton-
garden SS, Cornhill ; 158, Fieti4ireet ; sad IE. Repot-street.
Agents wanted.

Ehe erpregigi.

70. 09. lIISPOICDKNIS.

lltteertfronente tat;idei for "fie London Zemin
Paper, wait be at the odegn, 10, Booverie-euvet, by Two
o'clock oo the UT of pablloottoo.

COVENT-OARDK?,I.

THD ETilinfO, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Ileum
W. H. tvelu, H Corti, G. Perm. and W. Harrison Misses L.
Pine and A. Wien—Conductor, Mr. A. Mellon—And the opening
of ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON.—Comusauce at 7.