The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-07 00:00:00

REVENUE OFFICERS! DISABILITIES

REMOVAL Acr.

TO THE EDITOR OF TER REMO&
Siit,—This Act, the '3lst and 32nd Viet., c. 73,
is to relieve officers employed in the collection and
management of the revenue from an
almegal disability to
vote at elections of members of • ent. It repeals
the foil enactments—viz., d George 111., c. 41,
which that no pesos employed in the Excise,
Customs, Stamp-office, Assessed Taxes, Post-offioe, and
Mail Packet Service in England and Scotland, should
be capable of voting ; the 43rd George c.
26, which provided that no person so emploiyed in
Ireland should vote ; and the 9th section of and 8
George IV., c. 63, which provided penalties for
voting. All persons relieved from disabihtp imposed by
the acts now repealed, and who being householders or oc-
cupiers are not in the list published by the overseers on
the let instant, and now on the church doors, or who,
u lodgers or otherwise, are qualified to vote, should on or
before the 26th instant send is a claim to be registered.—
I am, &c. C. GRAHAM C.AB.TTAR, Hon. Sec.,
Metropolitan Conservative Association,
11, Parliament-street, 3. W., August 6.

We learn by telegraph that at the Banbridge
petty sessions, yesterday, the trial of the rioters was pro-
ceeding when a procession of several hundred Orangemen,
with about twenty drums, surrounded the court-house,
and drowned the voices of the magistrates and witnesses.
The proceedings were brought to a dead lock for about
two hours. Disturbances expected.

CANERTDOE.—A sensation of profonleetemet
was prevalent amongst all dares in Cambridge y,
owing to the almost sudden death of the Rev. William
John Beaumont, M.A., Fellow of Trinity College, and
peigrcurate of St. Michael's.
IWEALEYAN CONFERENCE AT LIVERPOOL--
There was no sitting of the conference yesterday morning,
most of the members being present at the ordination
services.
__

~
.TAE NEW ACT TO ABOLISH COMPULSORY
CIIVRCII-RATES. —Yesterday this set was printed, to
abolish compulsory church rates in England and Wales.
No suit in any court can now be instituted to sompel
the payment of church rates.
THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.—Worirmen were
yesterday engaged in making ready the Thames Embank-
ment eferroaelem at Hungerford and Waterloo bridges.
There n a prospect that they will be available for pas-
senger traffic next week.
Ezra OSION IN AN LION WINE.-A mine pit
explosion took place at one of the Plymouth iron mine
pits on Monday, by which three were bad=
not fatally, burnt, one home sad Sues
severel injured
WATy ERING TOBAOOO.—At &Kaki, nine to-
bacconists have been summoned by the maps authorities
for havingin their poesseston a quantity of tobacco which
had been adulterated with etareh. The effect of UM add-
taration wear:bat the tobacco was aide to &moth burger
quantity ot water. The tobeere, trae *O4 bed noi
been adulterated by the persons 111411111107104 it wm in
the came state as When received trews the wholesale manu-
facturers. Each of the nine defendant* was Sued in the
mitigated penalty del., and the tobeeeo Mead Was for-
feited.
Rzoucnos in Tux DllTT.—Elorniman's
EVlZlLffelrh:qlMreglr4=l4o,lstrease:
approved tausdell 04 psolos6L—fAitveliwarmatj .

(STAMPED Id. ADDITIONAL.]

NATIONAL ARTILLERY ARBOCIATION.

The sudden change in the weather which took
place yesterday morning had rathcr en un-
favourable effect on the Armstrong gun practice
of the volunteers. The increased density of the
atmosphere rendered the aim more difficult, and
the high wind and rain turned even the conical
bullets from their track. The practice began at
half-past 8 in the morning, under a drizzling rain,
and in a fog so thick that the gunners could
scarcely see the target. We have before men-
tioned that this year was the first in which tho
volunteers were allowed to practise with the
Armstrong guns, and as a matter of fact the
majority who were assembled at Shoeburyness had
never handled one of those pieces until they had
arrived in the Damp: Notwithstanding this draw-
back the practice was excellent; the intricacy of
the gun offered no obstacle to rapidity of
loading, and the aim was, as a general rule,
far above the average. The Queen's Prize,
100 f., was won by the sth West York,
with a score of 38, obtained in 8 min. 58 secs.,
but in estimating the goodness of this score it
must be remembered that when firing with Arm-
strong. no shot reckons except there which hit
the target. Each hit counts twelve, so that the
winners in this case must have hit the target three
times out of five, firing at 1,5e0 and 2,000 yards
alternately. The scores were pronounced to be
excellent, and the facilit with which; the amateur
artillerists handled the guns—an diffe-
rent in every particular irgas the old-fashioned
smooth-bore, elicited general commendation.
Singularly enough, the winners were tied in score
by the 4th detachment of the Mid-Lothian Court
Artillery, and also by the 2nd Rent ; the supe-
riority being only in the time taken to load
and fire. The time of the Mid-Lothian
was Bmin. 8 seconds, and the 2nd Kent the same,
so that three corps tied in score and two in time,
an example of close which was rather re-
markable. We should adfiring d that even the lowest
figures were deemed by the experts to be exceed-
ingly creditable, especially as the men were work-
ing for the first time with Armstrong guns.
The contention for the Queen's Prize was to be
followed by the running target competition for
the badges of the association. The object of this
shooting was to accustom the mon to firing at
sea, and when in chase, and for this purpose a
rope, 150 yards long, was attached to the target,
and the whole was to be drawn along by a
horse at the rate of seven miles an hour.
A good deal of fun, as well as of in-
terest, was expected to arise out of the appli-
cation of this crucial test of volunteer efficiency.
The shooting for the Lords and Commons' primes
terminated late on Wednesday evening, the win-
ners being—first prize, Ist Sussex ; second, 12th
Kent ; third, 3rd Essex ; fourth, 2nd Sussex.
To-day will be occupied first by the firing for
the Consolation Prizes, and in the afternoon by
the presentation of the prizes by Lady Spencer,
and an address on the merits of the Association by
the Earl of Longford. Saturday will be the
" breaking up, and general resume of the labours
of the week.

NAVAL AND MILITARY.
PORTSMOUTH, Arnow 6.
The Lord Commiesioners of the Admiralty
arrived at the.doekyerd i 4seeeine, and proceeded an
board thtrlsanewm stew-yacht, Staff-Coormander
John k . They will COISMICAQII their annual inspec-
tion at theeposttoeacerne%
The Dement el, scam!,
•Mit 01.711111 Yellows,
sailed from Spatheed W night for the mit-
ered.

Liff 36 *um kW"' attain inane. Johnion,
arrie, thie worwaing from Cowes.• .
?ha , earew-erinettel, captain Thomas M.
& Peslfficiir dilly evened** irietteir we Spithead, Irma
the East Ineties, to pay off.
Avouer 6.
It war announced at the garrison to-day that
his Royal Highness Prince Arthur' X. 0., will terminate
his course of studies at the Royal Engineer establishment
at the close of the present week, and take his departure
from Chatham in the early part of the ensuing week.
A court of inquiry, under the presidency of Colonel
J. A. Smith, C. 8., assembled at Chatham garrison this
morning for the purpose of • .W.Mg on a full investiga-
tion of the circumetances attending the recent fatal oocur-
reuce at the rehearsal of the siege operations.
A divisional order has been issued by Major-General
F. Murray, in which he conveys hie best thanks to the
whole of the officers and troops for the manner in which
they acquitted themselves on the occasion of the siege
operations yesterday.
The funeral of Private William Merchant, Royal
Marines Light Infantry, who was accideutally killed
during the rehearsal of the siege operations, took place
this afternoon, and was conducted with full military ho-
noun. The body of deeeased was followed to the grave
by the entire battalion, with Colonel Commandant Lam-
brick and other officers.

ADMIRALTY, Atrorcr 6. Arrournrorre.
Lieutenant Herbert F. (lye, to the Rodney Navigating
Lieutenant Herbert D. Walker, to the mind ; Navi-
gating Midaltipman James Wm. Ammar, additional, to
the Victory, for ; Paymaster Coorbet C. Edwards,
to the Myrmidon ; Asdetant n Geo. R, Lawreneon,
to this Dromedary; Aims ant Faustus John Y. Bruce,
additional, to the Rattlesnake, for disposal ;• H. Myds, to
the Malabar; Charles D. Lee, to the Pembroke ; Francis
Y. 84ms, to the Crocodile ; and Edward Pye to the
Terrible.