The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-22 00:00:00

[Stamped, id. Additional.]

throw into the shade the proceedings of the
special committee, have added a series of
firings of the 600-pounder shunt gun to
the trials of experimental gone above referred to.
There is some sense in experiments which serve
to test the principle of large guns, and to show
what these enormous and costly ordnance are
eapable of, and how far they can be worked by
manual power, assisted with the ordinary mecha-
nical appliances of an artilleryman. Gigantic
smoothbores were made long before the Americana
thought of their slow moving but smashing guns, or
Sir W. Armstrong designed the immense piece whose
powers have now bean shown both in range and ac-
curacy, and in smashing in iron-plated ships.
There is nothing the least unexpected as yet in the
performance of the monster gun. As • shunt gun
on a large scale it has acted precisely as might have
been anticipated, and no one is disposed for •
moment to doubt that if its shot or shell struck
• ship it would do considerable damage. But
what is not so clear is, whether this gun
could be trained to hit • rapidly moving
object like the Rolf Brake or ordinary
gunboats, such as would be employed in pass-
ing channels, for which this kind of ordnance
is proposed as suitable. Is 'the recent trials the
gun was laid and aimed in about three minute',
but this at from 2,000 to 4,000 yards involves
rather a nice chance of striking the object, although
the accuracy of the gun may be good. As to the de-
structive effect of its shot and shell, the Ordnance
Committee seem to have gone upon a somewhat
fallacious calculation in estimating this by the ob-
served effect produced with less than half charges
at a close range of 200 yards. This is evidently
humouring the gun on two weak points—its aim
and its strength : the object easily hit at 200 with
a low charge would perhaps be often missed
with a full charge of 901 be. at 2,000
yards. However, granting the tolerably certain
aim and the effect, while we have yet to know what
can be done with guns of more moderate calibre,
we discover every time this enormous gun is fired
some fresh increase of destruction to itself. This
gun, which is entirely made of coiled iron, has from
the very first began to show the sewation of the
coils in the powder chamber, and now these fis-
sures, after firing 74 rounds in all, are from the
100th to the 50th of an inch in depth and from •
quarter to two inches long. Considering that the
cost of this gun was 4,0001., and that every round
costs from lb& to 301., it already represents • con-
siderable investment, and before it has fired as
many more shots it will have cost such a sum that
if, as may be expected, it should be consigned to
the museums, it will then indeed be a costly relic.
Of course the next 600-pounder will be made of
steel, as Sir W. Armstrong prefers this metal now ;
it will thee cost more, but last longer, and by that
time we shall be able to compare its effects with
powerful guns of smaller calibre. The 600-pounder
can only be regarded as an exceptional ordnance,
the real guns of the service we imagine must still
be sought in those of smaller calibre, and propor-
tionably far stronger, which have been submitted
to the special committee. The field artillery and
the corresponding armament of broadsides and

cupolas, so lone as it can be made to muter iron
ships, cannot but be provided from that system of
construction, riling, and projectile which affords
the greatest efficiency with this greatest economy.
The Armstrong and Whitworth special committee
have charge of these most essential points of
inquiry, and judging from the important results
already obtained they will not fail in any respect
They have shown us that a field-gun can be bad
that can either send its Shrapnel ballets through
rope mantelets that defied the Scuisid rifle at Sober
tovol, or explode its shell at a range of fin miles,
firing into bodies of troops or an arsenal, and bear-
ing this usage as perfectly as a mortar would, and
for thousands of rounds. This is what no field-
piece was ever expected to be capable of. We are
justified in anticipating also that a gnu of the same
kind will be found eligible for e and cupola
armaments, and that these guns will prove superior
in general efficiency and infinitely more durable
than the largest ordnance contemplated by the
Ordnance Select Committee.

THE MURDER ON THE NORTH LONDON
RAILWAY.
-•-

To allay the excitement which prevails in regard
to ths permit of the sapped murderer. Francis Muller, it
may be stated that it is eaceediagly probable that a sews
will be received for a mouth or Ave weeks. The Victoria
was lest mesa off Si. Point, Isle of Wight, is
Saturday aflame= The wind wee them favourable for her.
She carried oat about 10 peensagen. The City of Wash-
*ton. lueriag the dresertives and some of the whammies as
to Meller's identity on board, will, it is thruglit, pea bar at
sea ; but it is sot eonsidered at all likely that the Victoria
will be boarded. The aims will proomd on to New
York, where they will wait the wind of the lip
The average time occupied io a run from the Therese to
New York is 19 or 20 days. If the Victoria takes that
time, the EMI* and the return voyage will occupy at least
12 days more, and tbweforo Muller cannot be brought back
to &gland before the sod of August.
Mailer's cooduct while be has been in Eogl►kd he bees
ascertained to have bees that of a well cooducted man.
His manners are described as bsieg good, and even gentle-

manly. Mr. Hodgkinsoo, of Threactheolle-street, for whom
he worked for two maga, speaks favourably of him, and
Mr. sad Mrs. Blyth, with whom be lodged, sever omiceived
that be could have been the perpetrator of so ferocious •
crime. He was never known to be in liquor ; he generally
rearmed home straight from his work, sad it is
said that he never frequented public-houses. He
quitted Mr. Hodgkinson's service on the Saturday
previous to the murder M his own motion, on
accoaot of some alight difference se to time. He used to
work all day a the shop-board at the beck of the premises
is Threadneedle-street, along with another workman, a
German like himself, named Haifa. Whether he got any
*tiny employment during the week which elapsed between
the time of his discharging !desalt and the day of the
murder does not appear.
On the night of the murder he let himself law the house
in Old Ford-road, Bonner's-fields, by means of • latch-key,
Mahout Maria o'clock. Mr. Blyth being in bad health had
already gone to bed, as had the not of the family likewise.
Muller lighted a nada, and great upstairs to bed. Nothing
was beard either that night or sukeequently to excite
suspicion that anything was wrong. He came down
to breakfast as usual or the Sunday morning, and the family
observed nothing the matter with his clothes to lead
them to think that they had been washed, or that he bad
been in a struggle or a row. He had previously intimated
to Mrs. Blyth his intention to try to pt to New York or to
Canada, when he said he bad some friends, sad he had in-
troduced to her his shopmate Hells, to succeed him as a
lodger is the room which he occupied. On the Monday after
the murder Hells cam* to the house and slept there that
night. It was on the Monday afternoon that Mr. and Moe.
Blyth saw that Muller had got • new watch-chain, and she
jocularly remarked, "Some people get a in the
world ; I do not know how they do it.' Muller
made no reply to the remark, bat said that
he had bought the chain. She saw that he bad • watch,
but she had no opportuoity of looking at it closely. From
that time until the Thursday whin he aft the country she
observed DO alteration in his manner. She ha no real.
Isaac of the subject of the murder having been alluded to
by him. Hs complained of a spraia in bar leg, and he wore
a slipper, in which he walked into town ; but he had the
sprain and he wore the slipper before the day of the
warder. She is positive upon this point, and Muller's shop
mate, Hells, corroborates her ip the matter.
At no time was he ever known to have in his posairdow
each • thing as a lifeaseerver. The polio) simrehmt tie
Om woefully, bat found no weapon belonging to him. Mr.
Millar, who lodged l the game house, bad • life-praerver,
which be kept hanging up in hi. room. The accused muss
could have pensioned himself of this and replaced it. it has
therefore has subjected to close examination, but no treats
of blood or bait have bum detected upon its swiss..

[TWOPENCE

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ABUIBALTT, JULY 2L —APPOINTMENTS. —Staff
Oemmaaders W. J. B. Hilliard, to the Pembroke ; W. Bar-
rett, to the Oumberteed.
Sub-Lisettenaut P. N. Tyrwhitt, to the Bulldog.
Pa master B. F. B. Morrie" to the Urgent.
Assistant-Surge" N. J. B. Smart.
blabirema R. W. Fader, to tb• Aaron.
ENOMeril J. G. Barrow to the Rettimealra, for the
Pioneer ; F. Bastin, to the hastiachlrnette. Idea&
Assistant Engineers : W. B. ' to the Battle-
snake, for the Piewor ; J. IL Waiters sad G. H. Bare" to
the B.attleanake, for dispaeaL

PORTSMOUTH, JULY 21.
Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.8., the
cceimaader-la-chsef, visited the deg ship of the Turkish
squadron this more*. sad on lesviag was saluted with U
Ipllll.

CHATHAM, JOLT 21.
The War Department transport Bomarsund was
placed alongside the Ordeaoea wharf this anima% having
as board the armament from the Una-cased ships Research
and Enterprise, both of which vessels are to be armed with
rums ot a much heavier character, including the 100-pounder
tS tos smooth-bore gun.
Two °Mows sad 30 men of the Royal Regimes, have
bees selected to promed.to New Zealand, to augment the
6th company.