The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-25 00:00:00

RIFLED ORDNANCE.

The competitive trials at Shoeburyneas of the
rifled 3'2-pounder service guns have been brought to • sloes
by the Ordnance Select Committee without any very satis-
factory reaulte. At the final trial lancaster's (oval bore),
which had previously fired about 90 rounds, stood the
57 competitive rouoda without serious wear, but every
shell had to be rammed down with a heavy metal rammed
by two or three men, and wend were cracked or broke
up in firing. Scott'. (three groove centric*" bore) had
already stood 300 r, ainds. but this gun bunt at the 10th
round from a flaw in the bore. Hadden's (eliptical three
groove), which had fired 130 rounev, was cracked at the
vent after rounds. Jeffrey's (five groove segmental
bore) had fired 50 rounds, and stood the 57 rounds without
apparent injury. Britten's (seven square groove) bad fired
3C3 rounds, and stood the final trial, but r f the grooves
showed considerable wear. Armstrong's improved shunt gun
burst at the 45th round. The gun rifled upon the French
plan (three groove) was rendered unserviceable after 42
rounds. _ _

The Lancaster and Armstrong shells fit tight ; Scott's
centres against the groove, but allows a windage of about
1-12th of an inch ; the others have more or lees windage,
Britten's as much as 1-7th, which greatly reduces
the strain on the gun. With two degrees of elevation
Scott's and Lancaster's and Jeffrey's ranged 1,000 yarda,
Haddon's 000, Armstrong's LOC), and Brittea's varied
from 750 to 1,000 yards. The simple iron shells of
Lancaster, Scott, and Hidden have lees wearing effect
on the bore, require no covering such as the others
necessitate, and the velocities at effective breaching distance
appear to be decidedly in favour of the simple Iron pro-
jectile. The trials have been conducted under the super-
niteodence of the select committee, whose report will be
looked for with much anxiety, as the Whitworth and
Armstrong heavy guns. as well as the marries guns tested at
Shoeboryories, have all failed to answer the expectations of
the inventors, and none of them appear to be calculated to
meet the requirements of the navy.—Tian.

The Madrid journals of the 20th announce that
General Miramon, ex.l'resident of the Republic of Mer'co,
bad left that capital for Cadiz, to embark for his ou a
country.
Accounts from the Spanish provinces of Ali-
cante and Murcia are ver► sad. In the former, owing to
the long-continued drought, the fields are parched up, and
the populations are emilrating to mane from inab"ity to
obtain water to d-ink. In Murcia, with the exception of
the renowned plains watered by the SegJ-a and its tan-
tariee, the fields are completely Merle, and no sowings can
ba made.

--
A St. Petersburg letter of the 19th says :
“ During the last few days the position of the studento
Imprisoned in the fortress has been improved. They are no
limier dressed is convicts' clothes, their ellowshoe has been
Increased from 8 to 25 copecks a day (from about act. to
nearly 10d.), and they are permitted to smoke ; but they are
Mall kept in solitary soot nement, and they are hot allowed
the use of books The attempt to iz the sharp of ems,
apiracy upon them is said to hays s'-tody broken down."
.

Visitor. from Boulogne declare (says the Critic)
that the Lord Chanel:Bon New Bankruptcy dot is the
most popular reedit( in that city d sairtaary. It is eve.
said that Mr. Merridew (the local /India) has had to pro-
vide 400 oopies of that interesting work to Inset the
made upon kiln.

Tun MAIM —Yesterday, the Quebec and Mon-
treal Royal Mail etaameMp Jura maa despatched from Liver-
pool for Quebec, with the Canadian and United Slates mails,
a number of passews, Re. Yestanky, also. the Atria.
Royal Mad steamship At
wee dispatched from Liver.
Koolefr7ffr the Wout
sod iltosst el Atria, with the ma
the re Madeira,
d Atrima
Coast. °ilia Athenian, In addition, tonook an average cargo
and piseespre. Tomorrow (Saturday), the Ounard Royal
Mail steamship Persia will Lave Liverpool for New York,
with the North American and United States mails. The
letter.lion at the Liverpool Pent-edies will close at II a.m.

MUSIC.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT GARDEN.

Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Harrison have n— ..72e
a good beginning of their winter campaign. No theatrical
managers have ever deserved success more than they have
done. They have from first to last laboured most conscien-
tiously in doing their duty to the public ; and the public, in
requital, owe them every encouragement and support. Their
present company is even stronger than it has hitherto been ;
they:have made an ample and varied provision of new works
by our most distinguished composers to be produced in the
course of the season. Their chorus and orchestra
are superior to anything we have ever heard in
an English theatre ; they have provided all the
means of giving splendour and magnificence to their per
Cormance ; and in Mr. Alfred Mellon they have a musical
director whose ability and energy are not to be surpassed.
The theatre opened with Mr. Howard Glover's new
opera, Ray Blat. Much was expected from this work, and
no disappointment has ensued. On the contrary, it was
performed to an audience who crowded the theatre to the
doors, and from whom it met with an enthusiastic reception.
Its success, indeed, has been triumphant, and such as
will give it • permanent place among our standard English
operas.
The opening scene, of the Pic in honour of the King's
birthday, is a most happy mixture of brilliant music, gay
spectacle, pretty dances, and lively action. It pre-
pared the audience for being amused and excited by
what was to follow. The first of the dratestie Immense who
appeared was Don Salluat, personated by Mr. Swaney, who
was received with the honour due to so excellent • per-
former. His air, "My heart with rage is swelling," was
greatly applauded. When Mr. Harrison appeared shortly
afterwards, he was greeted with acclamations from all parts
of the house. He performed the part of the hero, which he
sustained most admirably, showing the powers of a great
tragedian as well as of a great singer. His ballad, " Beside
her lattice every night," a charming melody (the theme of
which we had already heard in the overture), created a great
sensation. It was loudly applauded and encored, but
though the call was persisted in, it was not responded
to. We afterwards found, to our satisfaction, that
both Mr. Harrison and Miss Louisa Pyne bad adopted the
resolution to decline all encores; • resolution which we
hope they will have the firmness to adhere to, and thus con-
tribute to do away with a senseless practice which has become
an absolute nuisance. The duet between Don Sallust and
Don Cesar de Baran (Mr. Eantley and Mr. St. Align) is
dramatic, and was delivered with much spirit, but it is too
long, being too full of words. In the scene which opens
the second act there is an exceedingly pretty part-song for
female voices, " We have wandered through the gardens,"
which had • meet pleasing effect, and ought to become
popular wherever part-singers "do congregate." Miss
Louisa Pyne now made her first appearance, in the cha-
racter of the Queen. She was exquisitely attired, and looked
both charming and queenlike. The sight of her produced
• tumult of enthusiasm m the house, which was heightened
by the manner in which she warbled her delightful ballad,
" A trusty heart in sorrow's need," which, though
applauded loud and long, was not repeated. In the same
scene there was a playful trio. " Beauteous lady," sung by
Miss Thirteen as Casilds, Miss Jessie M'Lean (a most pro-
mising dibutante) as the Page Oscar, and Miss Susan Pyue
as the antiquated Duchess of Albuquerque, the Queen's
duenna—very comic and clever, and admirably sung.
Casilda's subsequent air, "'Tis sweet to roam," &little
Spanish ditty, redolent of Andalusia, enabled Miss
Thirteen to appear to great advantage ; and Miss Susan
Pyne was equally happy in • lively song, " Where •
husband's eye must fail," which she sang with great spirit
and quaintness. When the curtain fell there was the usual
ovation which attends • successful performance. After the
principal performers bad appeared before the curtain the
author was loudly called for, and on presenting himself
was greeted with the warm and unanimous plaudits which
he so well deserved.

THE BUILDERS' BENRvozufr INSTITUTION.
Last evening the ntetrepoiitan builders, in these
times a numerous and influential body of men, dined together
at the London Tavern, iu commemoration and aid of an in-
stitution, set on foot about fourteen years ago, for affording
relief and granting pensions to decayed members of the
various branches of the building trade and their widows,
and also for affording temporary relief to workmen in case
of accident. The Lord Mayor, the president of the society,
acted as chairman, accompanied by Messrs. Cockerell and
Twentyman, the sheriffs of London and Middlesex. On the
right and left of the chairman were Mr. W. Dunuage,
Mr. George Plucknett, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Rogers, Mr.
Lee, M.P., Mr. George Myers, Mr. George Spencer
Smith, Mr. W. J. Gardiner, Mr. Jay, Mr. R.
D. Masts, Mr. Stanley Bird, Mr. E. Blatchley, Mr.
G. Corderoy, Mr. R. Bennett. Mr. Harwood, Mr. J. F 4.
mends, Mr. W. Higgs, Mr. Joseph Peters, Mr. J. R.
Freeman, and several more of the leading builders in the
metropolis. The report of the society for the peat year,
ending on the 24th of July last, stated that the subscrip-
tions and donations during the year amounted to 1,326/.
odd—viz., the annual subscriptions to 8411. As. 6d., and
the donations to 4841. 12s. ; showing an increase in the
former of 331. Ae. 6d., and in the latter of 1111. Is. 6d. as
compared with the preceding 12 months. Since the com-
mencement of the institution, in 1847, 6,2371. odd has been
paid to pensioners, of whom 28 have died during that
period, and RI are now dependent on the funds, making
the whole number relieved by the charity 61. The
directors have made • further investment in the
Three per Cent. Consols of 7011. odd—namely, 6171. 11.
for the relief fund, including the profits of a ball held in
February last, and WI. 12s. 6d. for the building fund,
which raises the funded proper( yof the institution to 7,8121.
odd, with a talent* at the bankers of 4661. Two elections
of pensioners had been held during the past year ; the first
in November last, when two were chosen ; the second in
May, when four were elected. The deaths of pensioners
dining the year were two. The society has recently esta-
blished a brunch at Brighton. Mr. Robert Forest, of Mon-
tagu-place, Clapham-road, who died recently, bequeathed
',MN. to the charity, to be paid on the death of hi, widow.
At the last election of pensioners the directors were pateed
to see so many applicants whom they were obliged to send
away with heavy hearts from want of funds to elect more.
What funds the society has at its command it dispenses to
the decayed members of the trade sod their widow., pri-
vately, to assist them to live among their friends and ac-
quaintaooes, wherever they may be, without collecting the
recipients together in an almshouse. Mr. George Bird
having lately resigned the office of treasurer, Mr. Pluck-
nett, a leading member of the eminent firm of builders in
(hay's-inn-rued, has been unanimously appointed his suc-
cessor in the office. The Lord Mayor, in proposing the
toast of the evening, feelingly commended the institution
to the support and countenance of the trade at large, as well
OM the ground of common charity as of the precarious cha-
racter of their vocation. Several complimentary toasts
were proposed and drunk in the course of the evening, and
at the clues of the festival Mr. Harris. the secretary, an-
nouneed that the subscriptions during the evening amounted
to about 450/.

Mr. Guildford Onslow addressed hie constituent*
at Guildford on Wednesday night, There is no man in
England who can boast of so remarkable a connexion with
a borough, Mr. Widow's ancestors having represented
Guildford for a period of 166 years, ending with 1830.
The hon. gentleman vowed bin attachment to all the leading
ineeaures and principles of reform, and was able to point
to his votes during the late session in proof of the sincerity
of his profassiona Mr. Dillwyn has also addressed his
constituents.

Yesterday Mr. Adderley attended a meetinc in
the Potteries, and assisted is the distribution of the prizes
given by the North Staffordshire Society for the Promotion
of Education. The right hon. gentlemen, while guarding
himself against concurring in all the details of the education
minute, expressed his opinion that some change in the pre-
sent system was required in order to render managers of
schools more responsible than they are at present, and to
stimulate schools generally.
The Earl of Erue has set an example to hi■
brother landlords in Ireland who own property in districts
visited by the floods. At the annual exhibition of stock
and agricultural produce belonging to his Gifford tenantry,
which was held at 13allindrate on Saturday, he stated that
he would remit the rent on all the land that had been
flooded. He and Lady Ems had visited every family on
the estate, and he said that be had never known his
tenantry to be so comfortable. He earnestly impressed
upon them the necessity of draining their land. His lord-
ship has been a diligent instructor of his tenantry is all the
improved modes of agriculture for the last thirty years. He
has extended the indulgence with regard to flooded land to
hie tenantry in Fermanagb.
. _

His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Con-
stantine of Russia embarked from Ryde pier yesterday on
board her Majesty's steamer Fire Queen, Master• Commander
Paul, and crossed over to Portsmouth to visit the doeklard.
On landing at the King's Stain be was received by Ties.
Admiral Sir H. W. Bruns, Rear-Admirals Hon. O. Grey
and J. E. Erskine. He retuned to Ryde In the Pin guise.
That portion of the Channel Squadron which in
at Plymouth is nearly ready for sea. The Revenge is
lying inside the breakwater, and may proceed to-day to join
the Warrior at Portland.