The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-17 00:00:00

SELF-LOADING RAVOLVER.

The New York Courier and Inquirer describes a
newly invented revolver and self-loading rifle made by
Colonel P. W. Porter of Tennessee, and said to be capable
of discharging 60 loads in a minute and a half. The rifle
is a little over the ordinary weight, and, although a revolver,
can be used as a single gun—the revolving agent being the
guard of the gun instead of the hammer, as in other re-
volvers. The guard after revolving the cylinder, returns
to its place, and firmly fastens by means of a spring in the
stock. The cylinder which is perforated with nine cham-
bers on the exterior rim, tuns in the breech, presenting in
rapid succemion tech loaded chamber to the barrel for dis-
charge. 1 he part that comes directly in contact with the bar-
rel is protected first by the cylinder pressing firmly against it
and next by springing plates which catch and turn off any
fire that might penally escape through the junction. The
ordinary trigger is used, and the rifle is discharged
by percussion caps, nod primes itself by an arrange-1
meat which presents itself to the hammer in
succession. The caps are placed in a rim and the
hammer is on the side of the gun. The nine chambers
mentioned above being discharged, another cylinder, which
may be kept in the pockets of the person using the gun,
may be inserted in place of the one deprived of its con-
tents, without a lose of more than three or four seconds,
and nine additional discharges made in succession. Then
by placing over the top of the cylinder a flask which con-
tains both powder and ball (or shut if nceesaary), the cham-
bers are loaded by every revolution of the cylinder, so that
the supply is Only exhausted when the flask is empty, and
in this mane? 60 discharges are made in the short space of
a minute and a half. The flask or magazine over the
cylinder is water tight, and affords good protection to the
works it covers. The flt_ can be discharged u long as the
magazine containing the ammunition holds out, and by
manufacturing a gun with proportionate arrangements, the
magazine would consequently be larger and capable of con-
taining fifty or one hundred charges. Shot can also be
placed in the magmata, and would, by charging the
barrel, which is often done, be equally available. By
these means the newly invented gun will answer all the
purposes of the fowling pieces, besides having the advan-
tage over the latter of discharging about forty times per
minute. The priming part is so arranged that the fire, in-
stead of setting off the powder at the bottom of the charge,
ignites it on top, but under the bell, thus burning all the
powder inserted instead of destroying some end throwing
the residue out of the gun in its crude state, and having •
greater resisting effect. The charged used is very small,
yet this rid, has been found to carry a great distance, and
in all experiments made drive its bullets deeper into timber
than any other tested against it. The gun in question is
the only env of the description as yet manufactured, but in
the cum of • few days several will be completed. Colonel
Porter is at present having 10,000 manufactured at Tann
too, Massachuseats. The experiments made were very sue
tented and highly satisfactory to those who attended the
exhibition.

-
RELICS Or THE SPANISH AUMADA.--Our raiders
(says the AratalA Grariliss) know as a matter of history
that several ships bilangla to the great Spanish Armada,
destined foe the museftef England, were driven away by
stens te the wee use Ireland and wrecked. We Ind
her Kr. Woodhouse, of NMI= that he has now
assert keel that ewe ef these are /ying off the
west emit d Demesel, see of them at Mallagliderg, in
the Beene. mil tie ether arse mike northward. It
=Kat abseil slaty ye= tTaii‘ementry people
eem el the Wu amass to the reseds,
aemodsz: limn brakes and said. This ea the
ef a very low tide and a asellesrly
wind. whale blew of the sand; bat their autism
weas distethed by the warn of the molthery tide and
changing of tbe ward. The cuss wise merited with the
royal arms of Spa* and showedplotialy easegh that
anise
Seised beleaged to a alp of war. The -ualemeal and num-
ey
Seised Wediffes ed the emery all piste proveshM the
ship kid belonged tow Amnia. Abu Mae maths
espe Kr. Beard, of the Osethgesed, saw the alga ea the
emeeks ef ama low tide lad the aittleg of eased
ia
width they lie onabsolded. He diabsedy saw We halls of
the moth keen the liessembe the seem The hrs.
oaalla lehigh, mad NMI se we me es parade's of ships
VKm yelp of Mambo*; anr: Mr. Heard snail on
a Wlllket of dui mass lying on and about :the
heitende. Be reseeded aa seeker, whale
is s Ksel sethelly, mai is saw sent .ever to
laatha, by liar ei the Adeledegth be depeiled in
veered
ay Kamen. The gravel sad smidebent Magyar band
ay Mit the less in am solid sum. Abu a peel ad of
WOK, en the sabjest, Mr. Woodbines Wm me doubt of
the meek baffles belonged to the amide Armada ; sad
he kiss& at the nest spring tidos, rasa the ember rands*
endleks*. W make an attempt at raising ROM the can.
nos I bailee thinks if the mattes were takes up by the
'abate, sad • divine bell, or wee a MUM sack ask now
used by dime, were preeared, the Wide of the vessel
might be pt at, and MON ef the 611•611161 raised. We
seed hardly my how ma amities and finer the arti-
stes la the held and cabin nest be, paella ry after
Wks hie maks water kr a petted el surly three bun.
di.
g CiIINHAM AT WAEHINOTON.—Mr. Pack-
eahms British Minister Sea 'Wales. us ens_ thy
di at the mddleass ef flawarrie ienew, of Iwat-
slaes ashes Meesr. and he the absentee if his
boot trompth
steellopety's Aas or wee moseted
by an old mimed man, who was in the amt.
ment, Mae W rights," with—" Kra, leroe
name Pinar "Ys," said the Matisse. "Wes
dat you' Wader dat was killed et Odom% kde peon
battle dar ?" "Be us," replied the Ambeesathe. " Well,
dere !—I seen MO I= obis mil ply ewe eyes. Greet
fight dat, masse!" at dinner, Kr. Paskseimm said
to Mr. Barrow : " Your ma ails no, sir, that he was at
the battle of New Odessa" " Ile wee," amid Kr. Denew,
"and acquitted him ar ethethily in that segegemeno I"
bat at the same time be "leaked daggers"- at the rid
" seneschal" for having breathed melt a subject le Ipses=
mane of his pest. "He tells me, too," mid Mr.
ben, "that be saw my brother fall." The frown am
the host's fees grew darker, and the subject was adroitly
changed. The nest day "Sam" came in to Mr. Barrow
with a note: "Mains, dare's a note, and dey say dat it's for
me. E'yah! e'yah !" And owe ener4b, it was for hin;
moreover, it was an invitation to dine dm neat day with
Mr. Paekenbam, which he dal, end was listened to with
intense interest while he rehearsed the meats of the great
battle "all of which he maw, andw, part of whisk he mg."—
/CPI icionleater.

•
EIUGIIATIOS FILM SCOTLAND.—The tide of emi-
gration lows ea with unabated vigour, and in all likelihood
will maws le do so. America and Australia are domes
the Assartles, the latter mere to, la cessequeum of is
gall hada, mad the sepsis, advantages it offers to farmers,
meshaaks, sad servants. At present there an several lug*
Wail lying at the Broomielaw, anarmaced to sail for both
ermisses which we observe the Cerra Linn, Bennoek-
sedllerah, for America, and the Typhoon and BS-
=ha anesseded by serval others, for the gold regions.
these, there ere several ships for the East ladies,
Sae& Ilasseisa, aad the West India colonies. The greater
paper*. of the amigreab leaving ear shares is composed
of mem of war beet workmate'. We wish emigration to
pressed vigemsly, bat we would and rather me a larger
amber of weavers, and others who san esusely tam a
sulaisteses at their trades at home, seeking to improve
their asedllisa abroad.—Wasgero Coesetiturisesat

17, 1452.

DESTINIES OF THE AMERICAN coN TINENT.
The following is an extract from a speech mode
to several thousand of beaten, et Rutland, Vermont, t nited
States, on the Sad inst., and given is the Item lark
Time:

_
Let me urge this (the duty of self-improvement) by a
consideration of the nature of the great national nuns
through which we are passing. One word describes it—ex- '
passion. Expansion within our borders, to people and
organise not less than forty sittin, each as great and popu-
lous as those which sow constitute the union--expansion
beyond our borders to bring in states more numerous than
one dare to conjecture. Do you question the existence of
this crisis? Recollect, then, hew soon you have become
miliar with the yet new states of Wisconsin, lowa, Florida,
Texas, and Cantered& ; and how fast the territorial fors of
government, only preliminary to that of new states, is ex-
tended under names before unkn nen In Minnesota,
Oregon, New Mexico, Utah, and Nansaka. Do you
doubt the tendency of expansion beyond your present Bor-
den ? Oaly linty years ago all our settlements clustered
between Cape Ann and St. Mary's River, on the Atlantic
Coast ? Where are they now ? On the east and north
they overhang tho Bay of Fundy and Lake Superior ;
southward they stretch away quite around the Peniusuls of
Florida to the banks of the Rio Grande . • on the west, their
setting sun eatinguishes his fires la the waters of the Paci-
fic. By purchase and conquest, the boundaries of the re-
public have been made to advance equally with this Risen•
tie but volantary expansion of population. And are we
now content? Not at all. On every side there
are signs of the chafing of the people against
the rigid and unyielding frontier. What do these con-
troversies with the maritime British North American pro-
vices about the fisheries, and with the inland provinces
about rntraints on trade, indicate, but discontent ? What
these ill-suppressed and desperate expeditions from Louisi-
ana and Florida against Cube, but covetousness of the sugar
plantations and coffee-grounds of that beautiful island.
What this new and ominous diplomatic controversy with
Mesice, about a route for a railroad actor the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec, bat a further dismemberment, if not a com-
plete absorption, of that prematurely declining republic?
And lastly, what these explorations and expeditions about
Japan and the Sandwich Islands bat the necessity of
naval stations in the Pacific Ocein ? Mark, also, that
in nearly ell these coveted countries, not only have
the principles of American Republicanism worked
out practically institutions substantially similar to our own,
but then are already organised in the native populations,
parties straw enough when seconded by efforts on our part,
to deliver them into our hands. !Low significant indeed
are the facts that Great Britain has practically relinquished
government, in the Provinces next to us, to their inhabi-
tants, and that simultaneously with the fixed establishment
of society in Australia, indications of the rise of a republic
appear. It is happily true that these desires for immediate
annexation of adjacent regions are local, and in some mea-
sure, what we call sectional, and so counteract and balance
each other; and that the expanding forces are also fur-
ther modified by conservative apprehensions widely pre-
vailing in the country. Nevertheless, these are only checks
—nokabsolate restraints. Aliso& restraintshave ultimately
given way heretofore, and must do too sooner or later
hereafter. Nor may it be believed that any American
colony, planted beyond our borders will contentedly
rennin without, or will, with the national consent, be lett
to remain independent of the republic. Experience has
taught us nothing well, if it has not taught us that who re-
ever the American people go, they will draw the American
government over them; wherever an American colony
establishes itself, there the American people will extend the
constitutional roof over them. Indeed, there is nothing
. new in all these movements, neither those within nor those
aerobe the national borders. Expansion and incorporation
were laws impressed on the American people two hundred
years ago; and they yield to those laws now just as they
have hitherto dune, because they have arisen out of cir-
cumstances above national control, and are inevitable. Let
me not, however, be misur.deratood. I advocate no head-
long progress, counsel no precipitant movement, much less
any one involving war, Melva', or injustice. I would not
seise with haste and force the fruit which, ripening in time,
will fall of itself into our hands. But I know, neverthe-
less, that the stare will rime out, even if the moon delay
her rising. I have shown you, then, that a continent is to
bo peopled, and even distant islands to be colonised by us."

STARTLING SCENE IS A CIIIMCII.--Lrmt Sunday
afternoon, in the " First Congregational Clesreb," in North
Chelsea, during the singing of the MOW hymn, a rabid
dog of enormous aim rushed up a side side sod
an attack upon the pew of Mr. Jonathan Harrington.
Failing to effect an entrance, be sprang with a spasmodic
leap to the pulpit, beating furiously against the doors, until
he fell upon the head stair exhausted, and frothing with
impotent ray. The audience were instantly thrown into a
great confusion, and a general, and perhaps fatal, rush (or
the door seemed somewhat to ensue. They were somewhat
reassured, however, by a caution from the pastor, the Rev.
Norwood Damon, " to be composed, and remain in their
seats, as the surest means of safety." At this crisis, Mr.
Ephraim Pierce, a youth of 18, and a son of Captain John
Pierce, stepped from his place, seised the animal by the
back of the neck, and, notwithstanding several attempts to
bite, succeeded in dragging him from the house unlearned.
The doors were closed, and the dog fled to the adjoining
graveyard, where he was subsequently shot. After quiet
was restored, the choir finished their hymn, and Mr. Damon
pronounced a sermon on death. A member of the congre-
gation had died during the previous week. Mr. Damon
took occasion to illustrate ono of his points—the instinc-
tive fear in man of death, and of dangers tending to death
—by the occurrence of the hour. U. also cautioned his
audience against panic in sudden supposed or real dangers,
instancing the School disaster in New York, and the de.
struction of emigrants on board the Atlantic. Ile spoke of
the necessity of self-possession to the exercise of sound dis-
cretion and the prompt selection of available means of
safety or remedy. He concluded with a well-merited com-
pliment to young Pierce, " to whose heroism," he said, "too
much praise could not be awarded," and by a reference to
" the great source of deliverance and preservation in all
times of danger."—Salon Journal.
THE MILITIA IN THE EAST RIDING.—The whole
of the volunteering militia force in the Hull district sp-
peered fur one day this week, to gBo through the usual legal
form of attestation before the magistrates of the Hull bench.
The " force " consisted of one pewees only ; and we may
take this occurrence to be a fair ettantple of the absolute
failure of the scheme upon which it may be said the present
ministry attained dim Diiadtfr maleseesea sea an-
provided for, have, in fact, whim, whisk bid tar to reader
the volunteering pest priestly nugatory. Besides the
immediate effect eta kip deemed he labour in more pro-
ductive and ',midmost' eumpetiems them that of playing at
soldiers, we have the egeratien of a newiy-discovered ob-
stacle to the emisedimeM of a national amps of volunteers.
It seders of tlyp peculiar provisoes home( In the rules of
seeteliss. seeatieftd fee the relief of members in ease
of Mumma :2mrseedi relief to who may
false either the may, the • or the militia
fens. The meta aloha eseesitete the
awe hem wheat it was =posted that the volunteer levy
would be MAW ; sad the obits= Mead snob
mere them eeMbelancing the very mega. indaoemant
eared in the shape of pay, has no doubt calmed the Whirs,
so he as voluntary enlistment into the militia is emeresed.
Clubs or societies, sash as we allude q. will. tines lb their
dkees, denies mem of meting the flMltsyelualling,
se to speak, the rotes of lasureses spaiests l bet aloes es
the individual disedvantage exists--end it 11111111110 i be de-
steeped—it makes one of the molt formidable dilleslties to
tie establishment of a permanent militia Mw--
Canadian HareM.

UNITORILITY or TIME IN THE PROVINCE&—At a
%.lel the town council of Bristol, held yesterday
it was resolved by a majority of 27 to 3, "That,
el7irver Cr obviate the inconveniencies resulting from the
weir of uniformity in the time kept by the public clocks
end the railway, Greenwich time be kept by all the clocks
under the mer.agennent of the council, and that a committee
be appointed to confer with the persona in charge of the
various other public and private clocks."—ln the course of
his observations, the mover of the resolution remarked
that he understood the municipal bodies in Exeter,
mouth, and Devonport were welting the result of the
meeting in Bristol previously to their deciding on the
count they would pursue.—Ehrter Flying Post.
E.7LCLIASION TRAIN ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT
Wirraitif UNION RAILWAY. BILIMSOO3IB7I, ?MAN
8711.0 CD, WawiraliDAT.--Last night, about 12 o'clock, an
accident happened on this line of railway, near this
place, which created smeiderable alarm and no slight
loconvenimsee to an samersion train, heavily laden, on
its way from Olotesester to 8 winder. It appears
that the weal main geode rein from Olonmater to
Swindle left the Amor place at about half-past four
eels& yeeleseley aftersema, end emu after it bed slowly
pined through the &ppm= tassel, by MN Mesas
or ethic aft yet satisfectorily explained, a poetise of the
trucks get of the whisk were Si. up to seas extent.
One or two of the treks were imam! to Seer, and the
contents, osaililleg *My of sane hem Cr of eftr, were
strewed alms tbe Des. By this mem the se-lire elf mils
was blesked up ami isedered kayessale. The lam peer
serer rein, brewer, whisk losses Oisesearer er 1•11-past
five o'clesk, la& parmil tbe_gesile rale et ere of the ma-
tions laurvaiss between Oismesstsr sad Dehmermbe, but
on as enemies mein up about midnight it was
stepped by the deli en the though • selliaion was for-
tanately preeented by the prmantionury measures which
1.4
6".
Vr. weekTer .C:lll7l.7wllluw*L'imi,....°
samiderable delay, and the exennissiste
meshed bens this Miliralag, after having emementseed ggrreeaatt
It is believed that no injury to Ills was omeeefaeed
db;lagessidest.
SUDDEN DEATH AT THE LONDON-BRIDGE RAIL-
W Alf Tialltiftri.—Yeaterday, upon the arrival of the 11.10
a.m. Dever train at the London-bridge terminus, anumget
the were a mother and daughter, the latter sup-
ported by meeker is awe .k sinking state to a bark In
the statism, where, after sitting a very short time, she Ml
appereetly in • Innen* present hastened to the
pear glereasehlense, but it we mesa evident that the hand
of death woe um her, and ere new siestas elapsed, she
aspired. TINS michee elated that assess& red Woolf had
been hop-pick* is Kest, at whisk deemed, who was
Islabourinsa mmier ememnption. continued until her strengthher, wire she (the warn) hastened up to
.t7en with bet 'brighter la the hope of obtalaizzllical
aid ha her. The who were by
the seem, raised a that enalrite meeker to
coney her dead thud te bar regime in Desmasidesy.
ACCORDING too esecture received hes the West
ladle, steamer Parses, the assideat whisk kappemsd to her
as ohs was yeesesditig Jemmies wee KO se seders es wet
temente. le the -Awnless juries. It swum that after
the accident, it had net been lewd anaray Minsk the
engines, and, she travelled at the pis slain mike an bear.