The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-09 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENT ON TEE MINIE BALL.

Mr. Samuel Rummell (of the firm of Buxton and
weep, manufactarers of Britannia metal waxes, Duke-

Must, ilikediald-comor), has perfected a new projectile ...-
whisk, if it do mat entirely supersede the Minis rifle, bids 70,3
fair to NM the purpose of that effective engine of destine- yo
time to Miell On extent as vutly to mitigate the ineontc-
doses seesioned by the impracticability of maaufecturing 13
jibe sash numbers as to keep pace with the demands of the i 0
army. The Minis bullets., in the hands of the allier, hare 111,„
bees &lag formidable ezecution in the Crimea, and their
same and fame are Mania to all. Their form, with which a
few, perhaps, are acquainted, is that of a cone. The have is St.
coat:eve, like the bottom of • wine bottle. This is the part 6$
which in the rifle presses on the powder, the conical top 25
pointing towards the muzzle. The bullet is inserted into list
one end of the cartridge, the bcttom of the concave being go
upwards smiths pointed end towards the powder. la loading, to
the powder is floored into the rifle. The cartridge is SO
then reversed so u to bring the hollow end of the hall 20
dawn, and the cue of the cartridge being at the top serves
et
sea wad to cover all. Thus the hollow part of the built t
Ike ea the powder without any intervening paper, which
would prevent the expansion of the bullet. Toe Minie
10
rifle barrel and the ball are grooved in a corresponding man- tit,
acr, consequently the plain barrel of the ordinary tireiock 00
is inapplicable to the Minis ball ; and to afford our army lA-
the advantage of the new weso,n would require not only 20 •
an inconvenient length of time, but an enormous outlay of es
money. The great merit of Mr. Russell's invention is, the 33
;meant adaptation of • ball, practically as good as the Minis 20
bullet, to the common gun of the army—the old " Brown
'
Bess," with which every regiment requiring the use of the co
firelock is supplied. Nothing bat the ball, therefore, has N
to be made, and on Mr. Russell's plan it call be produced et
• cast scarcely eaceeiing that of the grooved Minis
cons. An unmoved conical ball has been attempted,
but is, we understand, not only impracticable but
dangerous, owing to • portion of the lead adhering .
to the inside of the barrel every time that a shot ,61
is fired. Mr. Russell overcomes this obstacle by partially st.
coating the ball in such a way as to give it the steadiness Is
which is afforded by the grooves' and also to clean out the 4,
barrel at every discharge, thereby saving time and dimi- 61
nishing the risk of explosion from went of cleaning. We .„
are restrained by motives of patriotism from describing the
plan with greater minuteness. This new Sheffield ball bas Bt.
been experimented upon during the present week at the Shot- 61
field barracks, with very satisfactory results, and the testing el
process is to be resumed this day, after which a report on the 10
merits of the invention will be made to government, accord- !
ing to previous arrangements. Mr. Russell is likewise the
inventor of a cannon hall on the I:ke principle, which cm- et.,
bins peculiar and perfectly novel qualities, and which if St.'
it prove as successful in practice as it is promieng in theory, fn.,
will inflict incalculable destruction on any forces upon
et
whom it may be brought to bear, and will in fact inangu-
'
rate a new era in the science of war. Short and sharp in- aa
deed will be the strife in case land rinciple involved in st. I
thee, inventions ie rucensfoUy speedily matured.— St.
SAeffield Tim*. St,

EXTRAORDINARY INQUEST.

An inquest was held by Thomas Taylor, Earl., 20-
coroner, at the Ship Inn, !airfield, last Friday afternoon, IS
on view of the body of Sarah Ann Lamb, who was 15 years IPt.
old, and the daughter of a farmer residing at Marsden. It et.
appeared from the evidence that on Thursday the 14th ult. 60
the deceased left her home about 8 o'clock in the eveaing, 11i
the weather being very boisterous, and having gone shout 121
300 yards with • schoolfellow, she turned back, and is sup. V,
posed to have accidentally walked into the river Coble. •
Samuel Whitehead, of Marsden, builder, deposed that de- 1241
ceased was his niece; that her skirt was found in the river it.
on the 15th ult. about a quarter of a mile below Marsden, 1.11
and that her shawl was discovered on the following Tues. „a;`
day, her flannel petticoat on the 24 h, and her drys thin 11,.,
on the 28th ultimo. Advertisements were published offering eLI
• reward for the recovery of the body, and witness, at the St;
request of deceased's friends, bad been to Holmfirth to eon- li
salt • wise man, who, however, could give no information. SO_
Ingrid*, were made at Huddersfield, Dewsbury, istt
and Wakefield without success. However, on Tame 2e
day lest, the witness received a letter stating that lit.'
Captain Hudson was meametising persons in Hudders-
field, and last Wednesday he accompanied Mr. Jeshus Far- 9
rer, a spinner, of Marsden, to the mesmerist's lodgings. 4
The captain on being asked if he knew of any person who ae
could give information respecting a ycuog woman who was et.
missing, mentioned the name of • female miding at Mold 20
Green. The witness sent for her and brotkght her back in 24
a cab, Out did not tell the purpose for which she back
in
6
quired. She was immediately mesmerised, and then asked
if she knew what the twogentleman bad cowl about. She
replied, "Yes, about the young woman who was drowned
at Macedon." She was then asked if e
ssh knew the shawl 10
there en • chair; she said " yes it is the hswl that young
wens= bad on her head when le was drowned." She also et.
identified the dreshekirt which was very much torn, and ~
was told tease where the miming woman win. The mesme- ""
flied person appeared to be asleep for about nee [Dinette, and E.
then gave a description of the progress of the body down toe
river, and ended by saying that the body was covered with 2.6
mud except her feet w.thin 100 yards of the recohd bridge in
?Airfield, where horses go over. In consequence of this 1,)
statement the witoess went to Mirfield last Thursday, and in!
I
commenced searthiog in the river Calder near Leds.ird 11l
bridge, but was told that Shepley bridge was the second,
and be accordingly bad the workmen removed to the latter, es
whcro after three or four throws deceased was found in the 51".
mud about 20 yards above the bridge, and her feet did not At.
appear to have been buried. The distance by land he- is
tween Marden and Nliflield is shout 14 Mies. A post
ninrtem esamivition proved that des
as
returne d d had mime to her $
death by drowning, and the jury an oicd verdiet. "

A PROPOSAL TO BINGE TUE TRUNDERERSUch i 6
.
was the indignatim caw et by the atrocious leader in the o
Times of Tceso.,y last, attacking Lied Itsglin, that the 25
frequenters of the Bristol Commercial Rooms proposed to I
put all the coll. aof that pry punnets od the tire ; end ft 12i
was with difficulty those who ccorideredact mama bi
n& " p ***** ttd the threat being carried out.—Brieol
Timis of Saturday.l
60
12 I
MR. BENtow, M.P.—We are desired to contradict
the port of t`,e death of Mr. Haub in, M. I' I, r Da.rey,
re
which hes gained currency during the bin tan or three 26
days. Yr. Benbow, we winformed, Is in exceltest I et,
hod*.