The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-23 00:00:00

THE PRUSSIAN NEEDLE-GUN.

The ninth grand morning concert which took 1
place last Satur&y at the Crystal Palace was supplemented
by an interesting description of thenow-celebrated Prussian
needle-gun, by Mr. Rochusaen, in the lecture theatre in 1
the tropical department. A needle-gun similar in every '
respect to those which have been recently used in '
Germany with such deadly effect was lent for the
purpose of exhibition and explanation by General Peel,
the head of the War-office, and was examined with curious
attention by thousands of persons during the day, it
having been placed in • conspicuous position in the nave
of the building. The simplicity of its construction is one
of the most remarkable features in the weapon. The
needle is attached to a bolt, which is pulled back by •
spring ; and after the ball cartridge has been placed in
the breech and the orifice closed, which is only the work of
a second or so, the spring is released by pulling the
trigger very much in the fashion of • toy gun, and the
needle is propelled through the cartridge, and comes into
contact with the fulminatingmaterial, which explodes from
friction in the same manner as a Inciter match. In order
to give elasticity and to prevent recoil the end of the
bolt near the needle is tapered off, so that there is always
a small chamber in the lock, which is vacant when the
charge is by the action of the bolt pushed up into the
breech, and to some extent the explosion would be analo-
gous to that of a rocket, the fire burning backwards and
the small vacant chamber having the effect of producing
perfect combustion, and burning up the paper of the car-
tridge. The portion of the breech in which the car-
tridge is jammed by the bolt being a little wider
than the barrel, the compression of the wad against
the internal sides of the barrel in the act of pro-
pulaion has the effect of keeping it perfectly clean.
Mr. Eisobwisen explained that the invention was originally
that of • Frenchman, named M. Pauly, who hit upon the
expedient of exploding a cartridge by the propulsion of •
needle in • muxxle-loading gun, and submitted his inven-
tion to Napoleon the First, in 1811 or 1812, but the Em-
peror was then so much engaged that be could not give
his attention to the subject of a change of small arms,
and after the battle of Waterloo and the consequent
restoration of the peace of Europe, although M. Pauly
submitted his invention to the government, the na-
tions of Europe were so thoroughly exhausted with
war that little attention was paid to it, and
the invention was allowed to sleep until it was
taken up in 1827 by an ingenious mechanician named
Nicolas Drays*, who made some improvements in it,
and two years later submitted it to the Prussian govern-
ment, who immediately perceived its importance, gave
private instructions to Dreyse to proceed with his experi-
ments and improvements, and supplied him with money
for that purpose ; the result being that the weapon was
from time to time improved, until 1841, when it was con-
sidered perfect enough for employment on a large
scale, and accordingly • sufficient number were
manufactured to arm the Prussian army with,
and these weapons were distributed to 100 men in
every battalion. In 1865 the Prussians possessed 665,000
needle guns, and a power of production to the extent of
120,000 a year. The barrel was about 32 inches long and
the whole weight of the gun 11lbs. The Prussian govern-
ment kept as secret as they could the ingredients of the
fulminating powder which was placed between the ball and
the gunpowder, but he believed it would be found to con-
sist, to a large extent, of chlorate of potasse, and it
appeared from experiments that had been made that it
would keep for any length of time.

PUBLIC FEELING IN ROlti. —A letter from Rome
says "It was necessary to have been a witness of the
explosion of feeling here on hearing of the cession of
Venetia to understand the patriotic sentiments of the
Roman people. There was an extraordinary excitement ;
men stopped each other in the street and embraced.
Several hours passed in an indescribable anxiety as the
intelligence was feared to be a deception—a manoeuvre of
the enemies of Italy. When night arrived an immense
crowd hastened to the printing-office of the Osservatore
Romano. Groups not less numerous besieged the shops
where the journals were sold, but the semi-official journal
did not contain the news so impatiently expected. The
national committee hastened to publish the article
inserted that same morning in the Monifeur.
The evening was somewhat agitated. The cafés were
full of people ; promenaders abounded on the Corso,
and it was remarked that more than one feminine toilet
was distinguished by the assemblage of the Italian colours.
The police, who feared a great manifestation, had given
orders to repress it by force, and had put all its agents on
foot. The French army took no part in these measures,
and not one of the soldiers left the barracks, except the
ordinary rounds, composed of three men without guns,
guided by a gendarme. The people were calm and digni-
fied, evidently obeying a word of order. If the fears of
the police were real, they ought to have promptly vanished,
and if there was an intrigue, it was foiled. The next day
the journal reproduced the famous note of the Moniteter.
The joy of the ROmlnil was a little less lively than on the
previous evening ; it had been modified by reflection."
Tux Crams Prrour.—From the return of
the reported cases of cattle plague in Great Britain, issued
by authority of the Lords of the Privy Council, it ap-
pears that during the week ended July 14th the number of
attacks officially reported in Great Britain was 304 ; viz.,
295 in England, 7 in Wales, and 2 in Scotland. The
number, viz., 304, shows a decrease of 9 on the previous
return. Correcting the total, by adding an estimate of
attacks commencing during the week, but which may be
subsequently reported, the number for the week will be
342. The following V counties have from the com-
mencement remained free from the disease, viz.,
Westmoreland, Monmouth, the six counties of South
Wales, Montgomery, Merioneth, Carnarvon, Anglesey,
Wigtown Bute, Argyll, Banff, Elgin, Nairn, Ross and
Cromarty, Sutherland, Caithness, and Orkney and Shet-
I land. In sixty-six counties no cases have been reported
las occurring during the week. Ten counties and two
I ridings of Yorkshire show an increase of sixty-nine cases ;
and ten counties and " the metropolis " show a decrease
of 78 cases. One animal in every 20 of the ordinary stock of
cattle in Great Britain has been attacked, and to every
1,000 attacks, whose results have been reported, 861
animals perished. A considerable number of sheep
continue to fall within the influence of the epidemic;
up to the date of this return 5,446 of these animals have
been reported as attacked, being an addition of 373 to the
number returned up to the end of the previous week.
The flocks in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, and
Norfolk have suffered severely, and every precaution
should be used to prevent the further development of the
disease. A high temperetnre has prevailed during the week,
the mean at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, being
68 deg. 2 min., or 11 deg. 9 min. above that of the pre-
vious week, and 6 deg. 3 min. higher than the average
of the corresponding week during 50 years. No rain fall
was registered during the week.
Sup= Br, tlyzwroym RESTONZD BY Du BABBY's
mamas itzrAiaest ANAISCA loop which cares without iro-
Meths or Inconvenience dy•oepale(fedkessioc, oink asthma,
consumption, debility, oonnipailos, a...rrbasa, palpitation, DOI,
VOUS, bilious, live, sn4 stomach oomplaints eaves fifty times
Its oast in other .weinedisk and is the beet food for in
60.000 cures enntudly.—lh..7erry sad 77. lesent. street,
London, W. In tins, et la id. ; On, S. ed. ; ;
; goo Oranichan:s.etreet ; Cbesp, sidirsintala,
end Oi&rd40•114 ; and at all Waren —(Ad