The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-04 00:00:00

BOMBAY AND MAURITIUS MAIL

From the Paris Vamp et yoterday.)
The France laughs at the Monroe doctrine, and
wilt not admit that this display e 1 Aegisfinnen temper can
be regarded enviously. If the Proms had membered
that the Mom= doctrine we enneeited for the first time
'gain= the Holy Alliance at the moment when reactionary
Europe had just reostabliehed order in Francs--it would
bays seen that this Monroe doctrine has for us Frenchmen
a character which inspires anything but ridieule. It was in
fact against the Holy Alliance and its =ejecta that the
manifesto of Frarident Monroe was directed in 18x3; end
strangely enough it was an attempted monarchical restora-
tion in Maximo which occasioned it. Do not let us ridicule
this doctrine, therefore, even though we refuse to admit it.
But to judge it on its own merits, is it "absurd," as the
Prance pretends ; and admitting that it is sot well-founded,
Is that a reams for =peeing ourselves to a we or less cha-
fe= wee wit► the United States! This is the question to
examine. What, aft= all, is this Monroe doctrine? It
is the policy of non-intervention localised ; the Ame-
rican States do not mix themselves up la the
affairs of Europe, they do not enter into what is called the
European concert ; on the other band they wish to settle
their own affairs among themselves, and do not consider
that the European steles should mix themselves up more
in the affairs of America than the American States mix
themselves up in the affairs of Europe. This is the basis
of the Monroe doctrine, and in criticising it we have merely
to suppose our positions inverted. Let us suppose, them
tars, thee Nes= Await* dazing use wit tits revolutions
which have =mined in Spain, Italy, Gramm, or Belgium,
wished to interface under the pretext of re-establishing
order ; that she took possession of the capital id t►e oountry
Is a state of revolution ; that the suspended the liberty of
the press; and that, finally, she proclaimed a republic
with or without the cooperation of an assembly of
notables, what would the European powers have said,
especially those nearest the State in question! Would they
lave accepted the American intsrventioe, or would they
have misted ? It may readily be believed that they
would have invoked on such as occasion the doctrine of
European equilibrium, which, after all, is not more sacred
or more defensible than the Moores doctrine. Why
should not the United States do with regard to
Mexico what France would do with raped to Belgium ? . . .
Let us leave this parted the question ; let us admit that
from a lofty point of view the principled the solidarity of
satires is superior to the Monroe doctrine ; let us admit,
1009110.99, that to pewee its full value the principle of non-
intervention ought not to be circumscribed. But, then,
let us seriously examine the question of interests, and let
us ask ourselves what interest Preece con have in inflicting
upon American patriotism 009 01? these injuries that
are never forgiven, Is it merely the question of
founding a monarchy in Mexico! W. really see
no interests which justify our intervention, for
directly we have quitted Mexico an intervention in favour
of Juarez or some other would follow our intervention in
favour of the clericels. What reason should we have for
being astonished by such au intervention, and could the
most serious diplomatist gravely say that France, which is a
thousand leagues from Mexico, bas a right to interfere while
the United States could not do to without commit-
ting a crime? And yet, if we did not defend the
government established by us, to what end esta-
blish it ? At the bottom of all this, therefore, is
the French protectorate establishing itself at first in Mexico,
advancing step by step, now by the recognition of the Slave
Ellatet, paws, and now by wow:wave iaierveniiont among
the various Latin republics ; in a word, it is the French flag
opposed to the Unice flag, a conflict the consequences of
which are threlenbible. Either there is orthere is not some-
thing at the bottom of the Mexican question, and if there is
we do not ?imitate to say that we consider it deeply to be
regretted, and that in such an antagonism we see a source of
expense, of lose of life, of dangers of all kinds, which the
France has no right to treat lightly. Usder any circum-
stances we should be at the same time compelled to admit
that the America= are tot quite without justification in
feeling alarmed whim they me a gm anima= established in
Mexico whir► seems Whims rather an ardentsympathy with
the rebel states.
in-

Tho following telegram has been received at Mr.
Reuter's office from the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company :
MARSEILLES, Sign. 3.

The Veetis, with the above mails, arrived at
Marseilles at 7 p.m. Maila leave for London at
10.30 p.m.

THE FRANKFORT CONGRESS.

(7110 M OUR Mil COSILEISPONDENT.)
FRANKFORT, RAPT. 2.

In yesterday's sitting of the Congress the final
vote on the resolutions was to be taken. It
appears that some difficulties had arisen, which
had to be removed. In the first instance the
Austrian proposals had been accepted unanimously
as the basis of the debate, and thus the questions
involving a principle had been selected for the deci-
sion of the Princes, while the rest had to
be left for the ministerial conferences. The
vote is now to be taken in this sense,
yin, that all the Prison who assent shall be bound
thereby once for all, without any other reservation
than the sanction of their Chambers, or such cir-
cumstances as may arise should Prussia perms
nently refuse her acquiescence. If Baden, Weimar,
and Mecklenburg-Schwerin claim further reserva-
tions, the other Princes will not consent to
I them, but will insist on • distinct yes or no.
I was credibly informed yesterday evening that
the resolutions had been signed by a great
majority ; that the Emperor closed the
Congress with a speech ; and that the Princes then
shook hands with each other, binding themselves
thereby on their honour to abide by the decisions
come to. It has been further agreed, on the motion
of the reactionary governments of Hanover and
Mecklenburg, that the High Federal Court shall
not be empowered to make alterations in the con-
stitution as theyeaist in the presentday, the former
government having broken through its con-
stitutions, and the latter having called a feudal
assembly of the worst kind a constitutional chamber.
It was finally decided that the Federal Court shall
have no retrospective jurisdiction on questions now
pending. On Baden declaring that the resolutions
could only be valid after all the members of the
Confederation had given their assent, the Em
parer of Austria denied this ; and on the motion of
Mecklenburg, it was resolved by the committee to
which that motion was referred, that after the vote
had been taken, &protocol of the proceedings should
be handed to Prussia ; that the ministerial con-
ferences should only take place after an understand-
ing between Prussia and Austria, and that the
legislation of the Confederation could only be altered
by the unanimous vote of the States. Austria
insists, nevertheless, on the immediate commence-
. meat of the ministerial conferences.

EARL RUSSELL AND THE STEAM•RAMS

IN THE MERSEY.

The following answer to the memorial on the
subject of the steam-rams in the Mersey, addresaed
by the Emancipation Society to Earl Russell, was
received last evening :
rani/p.*B3ft, Augast 31,1863.

Yesterday evening the Duke of Coburg and
some other Princes left ; the majority of the rest
will follow to-day, and the Emperor probably to-
morrow, laat of all, according to etiquette, as all
came on his invitation. The bankers on whom the
Princes had letters of credit mention incredible
and enormous sums which they have spent here.
The prevailing opiniun is that by the new ar-
rangements the extermil security of Germany will
be increased, but that the Chamber* ought to
look very closely into all the stipulations
regarding internal legislation. A change of system
in Austria shall not endanger the liberty of
the other States. With such amendments the pro-

Gentlemen, —I have received your letter eSlling my atten-
tion to a subject of very grave and pressing importance—
namely, the fitting out and equipping of two powerful iron.
plated steens•rams, which you are Wormed are intended to
commit hostilities. against the government and people of the
United States of America.

My attention has long been directed to this subject. Both
the Treasury and the Home Department have, at my
request, made the most anxious inquiries upon the subject
of these steam-rams.

weals would be willingly accepted by all
moderate men. Of course the radical party
objects to everything that does not entirely meet
its views, but as this party fights for an imaginary
united Germany, against the real state of things,
and makes short work of Austria and Prussia,
without having one single bayonet at its disposal,
its struggle is that of a spectre against a living body,
and it will not prevent the arrangements from
coming into forte, if Prussia's assent can under
certain conditions be obtained, or perhaps even if
t cannot be. Still there are a great many " ifs" to
I be got over.

Another congress of quite a different character
will meet here in the course of the present month—
a
congress of the catholic clergy of all nations. It
is matter of astonishment how they could select a
protestant and liberal town like this, where they
cannot expect any sympathy.
This meeting here, so soon after that of the
Pilaus, throws rather a gloom over the Congress,
as the Austrian Concordat is still fresh in all me-
mories, and in fact to the present day is quite un-
altered as the law of the country. While this is
the case Austrian liberty is suspended by a very
fragile thread.

You are aware that by the Foreign Enlistment Act a ship
is liable to be detained, and its owners are subject to penal-
ties when the ship is armed or equipped for purposes of
war, and its owners lamed to nee it against some state or
community in friendship with her Majesty. It is necessary
to prove both the equipment and the intention. But in
order to prove the equipment and the intention it is nem-
stuy for conviction in a British court of justice to have the
evidence of credible witnesses. I was in hopes, when I
began to read your memorial, that you would propose to
furnish me with evidence te prove that the steam-rams in
question were intended to carry on hostilities against the
government and people of the United States of America.
But you make no proposal of the sort ; and only tell me
that you are " informed" so and so, and "it is believed"
eo and so.

You most be aware, however, that according to British
law prosecutions cannot be set on foot, upon the gtound of
the violation of the Foreign Belistaant Act, without al&
davits of credible witnesses, as in other cease of important
misilemeassoart and crimes.
Such, likewise, is the law in the United States of Awe-
rice.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obe-
dient humble servant. Rusam.
Mesas. Seam, Taylor, Malmo, sod ebeinon.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC. —The railway trains of the
United Megrim traversed le 1861 a total distance of
106,141,440 miles, se composed with 102,243,692 miles in
1880. le 1862, following the same unceasing, unwearied
progression, the total rose to 108,061,797 miles. This total
wee made up es follows :—The 'massager trains of
Englsod and Wales ran last year 47,193,544 miles, and
the goods trains 42,134938 mUss ; making • total of
89,329,482 miles. The passenger trains of Sootlasd ran last
year 5,638,915 miles, and the goods trains 4670,528 miles,
making • total of 12,399,443 miles. The peasseger Mins
of Ireland ran last year 4,710,379 miles, and the goo& taunts
1,712,500 miles, making • told ef 6,422,872 miles. It
results from this that In every second of last year the
urn trains ran nearly sy miles. The number of trains
rim in and Wales were :—Paseengers, 2,064573
pM, 1 6,343 ; total. 3,341,916 ; %Weed, plemlloros
299,710; goods, 288,814 ; total, 588,524; and Irelasd.
yamengen, 188,710; goods, 35.407 ; total, 224,317. The
aggregate number of tsaine ter the trailed Kingdom was
thus 4,154,757 (2,563,993 nemeses' sod 1,600,764 pads)
agairiat 3,881,990 in 1861 (2,352,339 passengers sod
1,529,661 goods), The sieves leading Eagle& companies
ecetributed as follows to time prodigious circulation of last
year :—Great Eastern, 174,956 trains, traversing 5,21.9,6311
soils* Greg Northern, 46,901 trains, traversing 6.188,128
miles; Great Western, E 18,608 trait's, traversing 8,517,969
miles ; Lsoceshire and Yorkshire, 300,186 trains,
I traversing 6,052,281 miles ; the Loodoe and North.
Westin, 504,482 Mies, tramming 15,745.908 miles;
the Loodou and South Western, 247,729 trains,
traversing 4,638,326 miles; the London, Brighton,
I and South Crest, 184977 trains, traversing 2,940.885
miles ; the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln.
shire, 94,743 trains, traversing 2,149.874 miles ; the Mid-
, land, 289,377 Mins. inserting 9,405,083 miles ; the
North &atm. 281,571 trains, Mammies 10,111,572 miles ;
and the South Eastern, 130,632 trains, travemlaß
, 3,627,700 miles. As regards the Scotch conipanies, the
I' Oiledosian_ yearrau Mt 152,377 trains, traversing 3,145,076
miles ; the Ehmo sad Glasgow, 58,762 truism, traversing
1,167,935 mike ; the Glasgow and South Western. 58.09.9
=2otrevereieg 2,W1,349 miles; and the NMI% Bstlishs
Mies. travervies 2,148,571 miles. Ames the
Irish companies the Great Souther' sad Western ran
17,946 Mink trimming 1,601,151 miles, and the Midland
Grist Wotan 111,848.1emias, taming 1,010,103

SLR W. ARMSTRONG'S EXPERIMENTS
AT WHITLEY.
NSWOASTLE, Tavaansr.
interesting
Although thew
excursions be Cleveland, Allesheads,The meeting of the British Association would have
there remain the thr
lad grwegw, kw& to • been incomplete without some practical illustration
be made may, its wee's' proper oe the Amman= sow- in gunnery, the newest, and certainly not the least
urinated with the decree of adionrsmeet be next September, iliportant, subject, to which science has for some
which was *molly pronounced by Sir Walken ArnistreaS I years been devoting all the energies of her most
at the pawl aieete4 of the "r•eietiee etieh took Pleee capable song, and one in which the president of the
yesterday. lllNZMilltiou is so distinguished an experimenter and
The ifsillematioal Section was wholly occupied yesterday ,___
in exarainbig the =deb of some ree.st ito.optiow. /trio aims ,earned so high a reputation. The Elawick
baroonsten qf peculiar oorttruction Wirt 1,1201111 by Ablini Orrlmmore Works, established so recently by Sir
Wolgeo. The sante pagers= exhibited meat miaow* William Armstrong, have sprung quickly into rivalry
Mere* ant by M. Dalleowrin the swam gvaltened with the great national establishment at Woolwich,
Daidannin‘r° turtbir with Vsuituww t•kgmPtils and perhaps none of the vest want of engineering
lac-alma* produced by Gasielli's method. Another cf
that are to be seen in operation around Newcastle
inventions sbown was Profaner Thompoon's DOW *intro- •
meter—an instrument which, if It at all answers expects- min be sour with them for Dally and por-
tion, will be of great Kasen& value in any future balloon feet machinery, for immense outlay of capi-
ascent. ' tal, and extraordinary enterprise. Some idea
Intheelbearical Seeds* Dr. T. Would reed a piper "On j of the importance of those private ordnance works
thridateembY °www." ab"Mg that "raked air was cap*- may be gathered from the fact, that a very large
sealrening eonboatisa more powerfully than commonnewn armament for the army and
air. Dr. lg. Thomson sabenitted some remarks on '• New I the
Zealand Lignites," sod Dr. Richter read a lengthened paper navy ta Armstrong guns has been furnished by the
os the Chemical sag phrorej principles in mewl= I Illswick works. At the present time, however, the
with the Specific Gravity ord Liget& end Solid flebetanosae government contract having been terminated, the
The Secretary, Mr. Elieveasee, read • report on "Be- works appear to be comparatively idle, though there
marches ca the Vornatien rd Minwals." A model of a . are perhaps a hundred or more of the now aide-
new form el gas battery was exhibited by Mr. W. Symons • ' loading 70 pounder, waiting in the sheds to be rifled,
seA Is NOM frEahareiArhipme, wee reed by the Snare
tau, (at a Nowica ream,* tro-mwwite make* Wilejr. upos the LeiMoove plan. Two
lion of the San's Rays." The Secretary also read another sorY kerirleome looking Sad 0114118, 124eeender
paper by the mine author, "Oa Misdeal Sounds produced mumle-loaders, upon a new plan of rifling known as
by Cobra." the shunt principle, and mounted on regular go-
peeerr wee gives Wei the Saint Fa'agt. el Dr' vernment carriages, attracted the notice of all artil-1
Richardson and Ws. T. W. Bessie& on the " Uses of Ford 'error, who visited the Armstrong works. These en
in Marine Boilers." Dr. Ricberdson and Mr. Bunning bad
been appointed to be present at certain experiments made the two guns which had been prepared expressly
with Hartley and Welsh coal ;aid, to represent the dif. for the experiments we are about to describe, and
forest intensities of the smoke, it was fouod that while the which took place on Wednesday last, upon the
Hartley made 30 marks sad the Welsh ell, an Kul mix. coast near Whitley, a place near to the mouth
oP
tun of the Hartley and the Welsh made only 1. Sines the Tyne.
these experiments, Mr. Banal" has racaaaad a 'attar from This shunt gun has for some time been familiar
the chief engineer of the Prince Napoleon yeast, belonging
to modern artillerists in a larger form, but we
to Prince Jerome, in which that gentleman slates, that for
ordinary running they need a mixture of one Hartley sod believe it hat not been brought forward before as
two of Walsh coal ;if they whited to go at • greeter speed a light field piece, iu competition with the twelve-
they used half Hartley and half Welsh; and whim they pounder service gun of the Armstrong breech-loading
wanted to go at Unlit pretest 'Peed the, need Huth/ principle. Briefly to describe the gun—it is in II
entirely, weight about the same as the breech-loader, with a
In the Geological Section, the Siel paper read was, " On
the Discovery of Rock Salt, st Middleabre, Cleveland,* carriage of about equal weight to the gun, which
by Mr. John Marley. Some other papers of interest were km been reduced somewhat of late by shortening
read. the gun front the muzzle. The rifling consists of
In the Ethnological Section, paper were read by Mr. three grooves cut in a peculiar manner with
Greenfield, on the "Extinction of gam r sod by Mr.
Crawford, on the "Commixture of Races," sad the " Origin two different planes of bearing, and the projectile is
provided with airtain studs of copper, which
of Gypsies ;" but the most interesting paper of the day -
Walt that in which Mr. Cott gave an account of his journey correspond to those grooves in form, and which
are screwed into the lace of the shot or shell.
at Dahomey.
THI7II.9IXtT NIGHT: There are, therefore, three rows of five studs each,
arranged in a spiral direction upon the projectile,
which serve to give the shot rotation as it leaves
the gun. The lead coating, which has long been
admitted to be objectionable, is consequently dis-
pensed with in these shot or shell; Ony pc2tlT...
what may be called a methanical lit, allowing them
to be passed into the gun when loading, only in
one part of the grooving, but leaving the gun when
fired upon the other bearing of the groove. An-
other advantage gained by getting rid of the lead
&Patin that the tun' of the rifling is shorter,
being about one in 5 feet II inches, in place of one
in 10 feet. The loading is a much more simple
affair than in the breech-loader, it is done quicker,
and, what is a very great improvement, there
is no sponging out required and no wads,
the shot coming at once upon the charge.
The elevating screw works very neatly upon a pro-
jecting part of the breech, and the gun is fired iu
the usual way by friction tube. In other respects,
as to the charge and weight of shot, we believe the
two guns are precisely similar.
The ground set apart for the experiments was
not, strictly speaking, the shore, but the higher
land immediately above the sands ; we found it,
though broken and covered with hillocks, al-
together a well-chosen spot. Here the three
guns to be tried were brought, two of them the
new shunt gun, and one an ordinary service breech-
loader. One of the muzzle-loaders was placed at a
range of about 2,500 yards from the target ; the
other was placed aide by side with the breech-
loader at a spot 1,500 yards from the target,
which could just be seen scram a small bey of the
sea upon rising ground. The two guns were served
by the men of the Royal Artillery, who took charge
of the breech-loader, and the Newcastle Volunteer
Artillery, who worked the muzzle-loader, the guns
in both cases being carefully laid by one of Sir
William Armstrong's foremen, taking his direo-
tiara immediately from Sir William himself, who
was enabled to correct the aim of the guns by means
of the line of field telegraph in communication with
the target. The arrangements at the target end of
the range were directed by Captain Noble, R.A.,
who is a partner in the Ordnance Works with Sir
William Armstrong, and Mr. G. Bendel,
The targets—for there were three of them—were
formed so as to represent in some measure the head
of a column of infantry ; they were made of deal
boards one inch thick and eight feet long, nailed iu
two layers crosswise, so as to make each section of
the target eight feet square and two inches thick.
Four of these were placed in each line, at an inter-
val between each row of about twenty paces, and
upon gradually rising ground, so that each rose
about half its height above the other. The
level of the highest target was marked by a small
piece of wood raised on a pole attached to the front
and lowest target, so that the man who laid the gun
could take this as a guide.
The firing began with the muzzle-loader, from
which, after one trial shot with a blind shell, six
rounds of live shell were fired, all of them the
Armstrong segment shell, containing 42 pieces of
iron fitting closely in regular circular layers inside
the iron case of the shell, and surrounding the
bunting charge. These formidable projectiles are
fitted with a peculiar kind of percussion fuze in-
vented by Sir William Armstrong, which explodes
on striking almost any object, even the body of a
horse or man. It was this shell which emptied the
saddles of the Tartar cavalry in China with such
destructive effect, and it lost none of its reputed
efficiency on this occasion, as the target showed.
Out of these viz shots five hit the target fair on
somepart, and one struck the ground infront, after-
wards bursting upon the target. The breech-loader was
now brought into action for five rounds, which were
not fired in quick succession, as it was necessary to
examine the target after each shot and to telegraph
the result. This was evidently a very necessary
arrangement, for the first shot missed the target,
and so did the next, the third fell short, tbefourth
struck low and to the right, and the fifth hit and
burst.
The two guns were then loaded and fired—ane
immediately after the other—the muzzle-loader
being No. 1. In this order 50 rounds were fired,
the general result of which was to show that the
muzzle-loader was the more efficient gun—sending
its shell with greater precision than the breech-
loader, the shell irom which frequently
fell short, and perhaps ricochetted upon
the targets, sometimes missing them entirely, going
either over or wide to the right. That this was
the case the ground in front of the line of targets
showed by the long deep furrows cut in it.
Some of theme were as much as 100 yards short of
the first target, However, on approaching the

The proceedings of the ensociation were concluded today
by a series of three ezenerioes, of which the most murk-
able was that paid to Middlesboro' and the Cleveland iroe
district. About 300 ladies and gentlemen made the journey,
inspected many el the important work+ of the district, and
were afterwards entertained at dinner by the mayor and
corporation of Middlesboro'.

targets, it wee seen that they were all very consi-
derably cut up ; and we have only to imagine troops in
this position to see what terrific havoc these shells
would do in actual servica The boards were in some
places pierced clean through by the shell, while the
whole surface was more or less broken and covered
with pieces of the shell sticking in, and with the
segment pieces, which in many places cut their
way completely through. The clean-cut round holes
of course represented the fair hits, ant: though it
was impossible to count all these accurately, in con-
sequence of the breaking up of the targets in some
places, about the centre more especially, yet it may
be stated that there were upon the front line of
targets six of these round holes, upon the middle
line seven, and upon tie rear line four. The last
line of targets appeared to have suffered most, as
was to be expected, from its having to meet most of
the missiles projected by the explosion of the shell.
In all there were 61 rounds tired at the targets :
at no time, however, during this firing were the
guns tested for rapidity of firing, and, therefore,
upon this important practical teat of real service
no conclusion could be derived from these experi-
ments as to which gun bad the advantage. The
vent pieces in the 12-pounder not having to contend
against a heavy charge appear to stand much better
than in the larger guns, and we beard of no mishap
with the gun on this occasion. The muzzle loader
is evidently a good gun, and there is this to be said
in its favour, that the whole French artillery is
armed with a gun of similar principle, and so is the
Spanish service, and some others. The French
ismer gesekeschmends.kbi Mir Surd. Douglas as
having 6 sesnieireelar grooves, 1130 in. diameter at
bore, 59 inches pitch, or very nearly one revolution
in the bore. The projectile is 5.5 inches long,
with an ogival (conical) top ; six buttons
placed in two rows of three each upon the projectile.
M. Xavier Raymond, in his work upon the Navies
of France and England, has told us that the French
artillery are not at all envious of our rifled guns,
and that they are entirely satiatied with their own,
which are nearly all old guns converted into rifled
guns upon this principle, without affecting the
budget of the year.
The great feat of the day at Whitley proved
unfortunately a failure. It was intended to blow up
a magazine constructed in the souldhank near
the targets, and here two barrels of powder were
buried, each containing 1001 b. The gun from
which the attack upon this was to have been
made was placed at the longest range, and, as we
have said, it was one of the new 12-pounder muzzle
loaders. But in making some trial shots to get the
rouge in the early part of the mornings the car-
riage of the gun was broken, and therefore it could
not be fired. No doubt there would have been
no difficulty in exploding the magazine by a per-
cussion shell at this range ; as an experiment it had
no real value, though, bad the explosion come off,
it would have added that eclat to the display
of the powers of the Armstrong field gun
which it was intended to give. Sir William
however could have had no reason to be disap-
pointed. His segment shell of 'this calibre and
the muzzle loader were decidedly successful,
although it was soinewbat as the err.; id the
the
reputatin.a C 4 U.:, .ereech-loader, a 7-4,-,Don
.lu :oh
•••
l it should seem we must mon
gm to speak of as
the Old breech-loader, notwithstuidiog it bar so
lately been nude the rei/ular artillery of the army
and navy. It only remains to say of these experi-
ments, which were witnessed by a host of means
and a still later gathering of country that
no accident happened. Those who have observed
the preceutions taken et such experiments con-
ducted by the Royal Artillery, must have been
amazed at the reckless way in which the people
walked near the line of fire, and even stood upon
the shore beyond the targets. By means of the red
bags and the telegraph, and thanks to the Volun-
teers, who area very smart body of men, and who
kept the line, the curious public came to no harm,
although one countryman was discovered smoking
his pipe seated on a barrel of powder, as innocently
as if it had been full of red herrings.
Amongst those who witnessed the experiments were
the Earl of Tankerville, Admiral Belcher, the Che-
valier de Parmentier, and Chevalier de Schaffer,
Austrian Consul General, who attended officially,
Professor Owen, Professor Tyndall, Captain Dou-
glas Galton, Captain Maury, and many naval and
military officers.
The immensely long special train? which was pro-
vided by the North Eastern Railway Company,
was most skilfully and successfully piloted, to the
great comfort and aoommodation of everybody, by
the personal exertions of Mr. /ionises, the chief
engineer, and Mr. Eglinton, the chief superin
tendent.

FATAL BOAT AOCIDENT 011 THE BILE 07 MAY.
—A fatal accident happened in Douglas Bay, We of Man,
on Tuesigny afternoon. The following are the particular'
of the melancholy event. Six young men (wisiton) hired
one of the slight rowing gig, named the Willie, which are
hired to persons desirous of visiting the numerous pie-
' twerne little meths which abound is the aeighbourhood
of Douglas Bay. The names of the young men are Meaty
Whiteside, of Liverpool ; Henry Holland', of Manchester ;
E. G. Henehaw, a tihrowthary ; Armstrong, of
Onnakirk ; Byers, el Ormakirk ; end J. S. Cooke (in
the employ of Meson. B. Smith and Sous, Back-
square, Manchester). At the time they rowed out
tato the bay it was blowing a stiffish breeze from the south-
wee& They proceeded to NW northern part of the bay, op.
posite theCastleMona Hotel, which portico of the bay, ander
the influence d the wind blowing from the quarter men-
tioned, In generally covered with short chopping see.,
peculiarly dangerous to small rowing boats, especially if
they are manned by inexperienced amateur boatmen, such
r these were. They were taring the little craft, scarcely
breeder than a plank, with a view of returnieg towards the
harbour, when, caught by a wave, she swamped. and the six
young men were thrown struggling in the water. Their
screams for help attracted the notice of • Mr.
J. P. Chorine, of Manchester, who was an a
sailing boat, about a hundred yards from the scene
of the disaster. He immediately steered his boat
towards the drowning man, flee of whom were endeavour-
ing to keep their heads above water by means of the oar
two being attached to one oar. while the other scrambled
on to their boat, which was tamed bottom upwards, bat
be was washed off three times, and as *Bee struggled hack
again. Mr. Thomas, with the aid of two harbour boat.
men, named William Hmaaniall John Talc!, who wen
to his boat, :inteeseded is up all the yoga ?nee,
except Whiteside, who six Wastes after the
accident, and did not rile spin. The
men, we are informed, wee an ensielamit Is the
branch of Meows. °epees. Ywcwr4.9lBwrenor and Car
The body has not vet woo rooovarod. ammo Ina& boats
have ruched thebay for it—Liver) ea Mercury.
Tag GALWAY PACKET Szavrtui—alloo Galway
earrespoodeat of the Dublin Doily Ilzprese eye very pain.
fal sensations were experienced on Tuesday after the Nailing
of the Adriatic, in imesepassee of an untowerti meet The
ships of this lies have, up to this time, aways err d them-
selves of the services of a pilot, out and in.. ,Ow this over
sir Mr. Oliver, a pilot of this port, was on board wheal the
vessel started, at which time a gale we. birders from the
west, with a heavy sea running. On starting, the pilot's
boat was stove in, but his yacht was down the bay a few
miles, prepared to take biro on board. The Adriatic stemmed
doers the bay the length of Blackhead, 'when Curia
Nicholson bailed • trawler, sod bovrto, to allow it to
come alouride to take the pilot off. This could not be done,
end to think of seeding net a boat was =elem. There
was no help for it lint to steam bask to smoother water, so,
when her head was tweed towards Galway, of course every
one concluded that something was wrong, and rumour was
rife as to the cause. Orsini bar to near the lighthouse,
• lifrboat, amosed by six men, was lowered from the
Adriatic, and the pilot placed is it. While waiting for
the return of the boat, Cerra Birchen saw it would be
a difficult task to get his rasa again on board ; so we bear
that he proposed to steam od ad leave them behind.
To this proposal, however, Captain Johnston, mail-
master, would sot resent. as the ship would be abort of
her complement of hands, as also of one of her boats.
About an boor we. lost by this delay, and, as all the move-
ment, of the vessel were visible from Galway, conjecture
would bass it that something serious wee astray. The
manager, Mr. Hoary Chapman, who was here at the time,
was as unable torrent for the delay as were his officials,
and it was not until the pilot tug had been sent out arid re-
turned with the facie of the case that the public miod was
quieted. The Adriatic steamed off in gallant style when all
were got safe re board, and if we may judge by her progress
does the batiliAasseened &AM muted to pan up for loss of
time. Mr. a says such an nopleraut nushap is not
likely to occur again, as he will not allow a pilot again on
board the' wok of the company.