The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-26 00:00:00

THE SUN. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 26, 1864.

Now ready all at the Libraries, in 3 vols.,
A. T T I E. A STRAY.
By the Autho" of "No Church," "Owen : A Waif," &-c.
" There is great ability in this book."—Spectator.
" A very at'ractive, interesting, and naturally told tale.
It wall sustains the author's high reputation."—Sun.
Hurst and Blacke t, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

Now Ready, in Crown Svo.,
F aOTPRINTS ON THE ROAD,
By CHARLES KENT.

Chapman and hail, 193, Pi_cadilly.

This day is published, post Bvo, price 108 6d.
pORNELIUS O'DOWD
‘1...1 upon MEN AND WOMEN, and Other Things in
General. (Originally published in "Blackwood's Magazine.")
Wiliam Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

Thies day i$ published, cltavo, price 14:3.

WHAT LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

By JOHN BANNING SPEKE,
Captain H.M. Indian Army,

Author of "Journal of the Discovery of the Source of the
Nile."
With Maps and Frontispiece.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

New Novel by the Author of " Sir Victor's Choice," &c.
At all Libraries.

TIER TIE BR A Y
1, London: John Maxwell and Co., 12?, Fleet-street.

This Day, never before Published, price 25..
rip H E WOMAN IN RED.
Bk. Whoever has seen Madame Celeste in the " WOMAN
IN RED " should read this story.

Also, uniform wi h the above, price 2s. each,
BEL DEMONIO. I THE DUKE'S MOTTO.
LEAH, THE JEWISH MAIDEN.
N.B.—The popular Dramas are founded upon these Novels.
London: Ward and Lock, 158, Fleet-street.

This Day, never before Published, price Is., complete,
THE WOMAN OF MYSTERY,
Forming the new issue of Shilling Volume Library.
Also, uniform with the same, price Is. each,
MAKE YOUR GAME. SHIP CHANDLER.
ACCEPTED ADDRESSES. COMIC GRAMMAR.
CAPTAIN SLYBOOTS. LADY LORME.
_ _ _

MR. W. S. WOODIN'S
ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDINARY,

and
BACHELOR'S BOX,

an Entirely New Entertainment, at the Polygraphic Hall,
King William-street, Cnaring-c,oss, EVERY EVENING,
at eight (except Saturday); Saturday Mornings at three.—
Stalls, and box stalls, 3s. ; area, 2s. ; amphitheatre, ls. A
Plan of the Stalls may be seen, and Seats secured at the Hall
from e,even to five.
Next Morning Performance, Saturday, May 7, at three.

M R
J. 0
randN PARRY,NTr R. GwEilltl MAN
in their
with Mr.
EGY P T lAN ENTERTAINMENT,
be followed by THE BARD AND HIS BIRTHDAY, a
new musical tercentennial seance, by William Brougu, Esq.,
sustained by Mr. and Mrs. German Reed; and THE SEA-
SIDE, or MRS. ROSELEAF OUT OF TOWN, by Mr. John
Parry. Every evening (except Sat rday), at 8 ; Thursday
and Saturday mornings, at 3.—ROYAL GALLERY of IL
LUSTRATION, 14, Regent-street. Unreserved seats, ls.,
2s;; stalls, 35.; stall (spring) chairs, 55., can be secured in ad-
vance at the Gallery without fee.

11 H
0 X F OR D,
6, OXFORD STREET, W.

THIS EVENING will be performed the new and success-
ful Opera, by M. Guonod, FAUST, with augmented band
and chorus, supported by the following talented principal
artistes :—Misses Russell, Fitz-Henry. Tyrrell, NI, almsley ;
Messrs. Morley, Tivoli, Green ; and UN BALLO IN
MASCHERA. _

Director. Mr. F. Jongrhmans.

To-morrow Evening, TIIE MERRY TV IVES-OF WIND
SOP, by Otto Nicola'.

Comedy by UNSWORTH and EUGENE, Mr. T. Maclagan,
W. Randall, G. Hutchenson, G. W. Jester, Miss Nelly Power
(the juvenile comedienne), &c., &o.

Admission—Area, 6d. ; stalls and balcony, le. ; private
boxes, 10s. 6d.

Open every Evening'.

CANTERBURY HALL,
Westminster-road, London.

THIS EVENING,
Will be produced, with alterations and improvements
in production, the New Illusion, surpassing anything yet
attempted, entitled THE TERCENTENARY ; or,a NIG-HT
SHAKSPERE, written expresslyby W. F. Vander-
veil, Esq., in which Mr. W. Randall will re-appear.
ALSO, PRINCE BLOSSOM;

OR THE FAIRIES OF THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN AND THE
FOREST OF SHADOWS I

"The figure of Fame, winged and trumpeted, passing and
reprising through the Magic Fountain, i•s so complete an
Illusion that it wellnigh ceases to be illusory."--Morning
Star, Feb. 19.

Prince Blossom, Miss Townley.

In addition to the usual Entertainments of the establish-
ment, supported by the whole of the talented eonarany, in-
cluding Arthur Lloyd, Miss Nelly Power, Mr. T. Maclagan,
U. W. Jester, tc. &o

A dmisslon—Area, fid.; Stalls and Balcony, Is.

ANTHROPOGLOSSOS.-NO NV OP E N.-
This extraordinary mechanical phenomenon, rivalling
Nature herself in its vocal and elocutionary powers, will be
exhibited DAILY at 12, 1,2, 3,4, 5,6, 7,8, and 9 o'clock, at
the ST. JAMES'S HALL Piccadilly. Admission, One
Shilling.—The Press has pronounced it to be the Wonder of
the World.

Important Military Rifle Competition.

Although the National Rifle Association struck its flag at
Wimbledon on Saturday evening, and returned with a well
filled treasury chest to headquarters in Pall-mall East, the
prize list this year was so very lengthened that there was
one important competition which could not be fitted into
the proceedings of the past fortnight. It therefore re-
mained over till this week, and must last some days before
it can be decided. The prize in question is one of £lOO,
given by General the Marquis of Tweeddale, for military
rifles carrying 550 ammunition. With a view of attracting
the best weapons in either class the money offered was di-
vided as follows—Xso open to muzzle-loaders, and £5O open
to breech-loaders, the latter tender being accompanied with
a notification that where any cf the breech-leading rifles
competing were constructed upon a system that could be
applied to existing service rifles, it was desirable that a con-
verted service rifle should be tried. It will be seen at once,
in the present unsettled state of the small-arms question,
what importance attaches to a double competition of this
nature, open to all gunmakers, except those whose
weapons have smaller bores than were hitherto thought
consistent with the military service. The conditions under
which the contest took place were well calculated to
test the qualifications of the respective rifles. The Council
of the association waived the preference which they them-
, and allow the competitors
n of rest and in any posi-
tst
ioeol
nv
shootes en
whichwt e entertain ieenyh fymo roi
gthhetmachinersde
leesce
select.
restsip t
ihe rifles were all requiredo
to be full stocked, not to exceed Eilb in weight, having metal
ramrods and military sights, pith a 61b pull of trigger;
mechanically fitting ramrods were prohibited. To prevent
any arrangement of a private nature allowing one or two
competitors to walk over the ground, the conditions stipu-
lated that in each of the competitions there should be at least
three entries representing three different systems, otherwise
the match would not proceed. The proceedings yesterday
with an interrup-
tion me
seonsceedd
bayt ahne
aevayr ys
hho owuerr
sa, nude
ti l lasted,elos e
en 7 0
'clock. In
the afternoon the atmosphere of Wimbledon entirely changed
its character from that which was presented last week. The
tropical heat which then necessitated a resort to cap covers
Y disappeared, and
partly across
iaenditsalsltmesadnnsesrterfocnegoldinamg
pdrwinikhsdcobmlepwleetepl
‘,
the range, rendering an overcoat by no means an undesir-
able possession. For each of the prizes several well-known
inventors and gunmakers had entered their names, and the
order of proceeding, which was similar at both the ranges,
was as follows—Each competitor, or the marksman selected
to act for them, fired 100 rounds continuously at 550 yards,
as fast as he could load and fire, the officer in charge timing
the number of rounds per minute, and taking note of all the
misses as well as hits. After this test of rapidity of firing 1
the target was painted afresh, and from the same rifle, with-
out being cleaned, and without reference to the time occu-
pied in aiming, 10 shots were fired to test the accuracy of the
weapon, which was then handed over to the council for safe
keeping. Capt. Page, Adjutant of the London Scottish, and
executive officer of the National Rifle Association, had
charge of the range at which the muzzle loaders were tested.
Capt. Knight, musketry instructor to 3d Depot Battalion,
Chatham,most
remarkablesuperinten theatudfeedre in h
bretece dahly,s proceedings loading competition.
The
was
the performance of the Whitworth rifle in the hands of Mr
Leace. In his 100 rounds, which were fired in the incre-
dibly short space of 24 min. 35 sec., being at the rate
of
results
rather moreachieved, than
to 4 shots
theent
astonishment
toh minute,ish mof the spectators :
the following were the
Bull's -eyes, 34 ; centres, 40 ; enters, 23 ; ricochets, 1;
misses, 2 ; total marks, 304. That is to say, that a muzzle
loading gun, fired from a stand representing the ordinary
sand-bag rest, with shot after shot poured in so rapidly that
taking aim seemed out of the question, actually made a score
better than that achieved by any breech loading rifle tried
in the course of the day, besides pressing them all closely in
point of time. The rifle with which Mr. Leace shot was a
short large bore Whitworth, and the perfect preparation of
all his appliances was only less remarkable than the suc-
cess attending his efforts. The next muzzle loader tried
was the Turner rifle. It completed its 100 rounds in 41
min. 2 sec., and the score which it made was as follows.—
Bull's-eyes, 9; centres, 32; outers, 30; ricochet, 0; misses,
29; total marks, 194. Unlike the Whitworth rifle, with
which a prepared cartridge was used, the Turner rifle was
loaded with loose powder from a flask. The next name upon
the list was that of Mr Boucher, whose peculiar disc bullet
has given rise to much controversy in print and elsewhere,
The shooting of this rifle was accordingly watched with
much interest, but something evidently went wrong with
it internally, for over 20 of the bullets in their course gave
out a very uncertain sound, and the following score was
considered so unsatisfactory by Mr Boucher himself tha

he withdrew from participation in the future stages of the
contest :—Bull's-eyes, 2; centres, 3; outers, 10; ricochets
3; misses, 82; total marks, 37.

In the shots which were separately fired with a view to
determine the accuracy of the different weapons the follow-
ing were the scores respectively :—Whitworth, 29, Turner,
26, Boucher, 4.

At the range immediately adj ,ining the trial of small bores
proceeded simultaneously. That known as Green's was the
first taken up. Of its 100 rounds, which were completed in
21 minutes, the following produce was recorded :—Bull's-
eyes, 4; centres, 14; enters, 26; ricochets, 6; misses, 50;
total marks, 110. The number of na:ssfires being considered
an important element in the performance of breech loaders,
note was taken of the fact that there were three such with
this weapon in the firing of the 100 rounds. Henry's rifle,
using cartridges carrying their own ignitions, discharged its
allotted number of shots in 17 min. 12 sec., and made, Bull's
eyes, 24 ; centres, 41; outers, 20 ; ricochets, 3 ; misses, 12—
total marks, 259. Three missfires also occurred with this
weapon, but they were all connected with the same charge,
which was then drawn and replaced by another, when no
further difficulty occurred. Bearing in mind that the Cooper
rifle, unlike its predecessors, had to be capped before every
discharge, its 100 rounds were got through with wonderful
rapidity. They were all fired in 15 minutes, but the pace
9 ; outers, 13; ricochets, 19 ; misses, 55 —total
told on the steadiness of aim, for the score made when the
rounds were exhausted was the following: —Bull's eyes, 4;
centres,69. A fourth competitor entered and began his 100
shots,
found there was soniethingdefective in the spring
ofthe
hammer, which it was necessary to remedy before
marks,
but
proceeding further. Other guumakers were on the ground,
but the state of the weather deterred them from comment-
ing till this morning, when the competition will be resumed '
at 9 o'clock.
Lord
Eon c h
A meeting took place last week in one of the large tents
of the Volunteers of all Yorkshire, now present at the great
national rifle contest. The object of the gathering was for
the purpose of organising committees for selecting " teams"
1 theo and n d
part General
of the
Council.
Hay attended to watch the pro-
ceedings
to represent that important county, boasting of some of the
crack shots of the kingdom, both in the small bore and the
Enfield national rifle contests at Wimbledon. Lord Bolton
Bedale.
was called upon to preside. His lordship adverted to the
advantages and the desirability of s.,_,
"en, an organisation,
and made some pertinent remarks, Which
met the cordial
owm...ek.se,fieulda;lifeCxarain Har-
moiutttees for the several
approbation of all present. It was agreed upon that the
of the object :
Captain
rison, Rotherham;
ridings,following
view should o u
theld forme.
err
y_cloomag.
For the North Riding--Captain Scrooge,
Ewen, York.
East Riding—
J.Hull; Liait, Thos, garland, Brid-
J. Thorney, Escl t
West Riding—CaptaiEnul\eliagcukieT,h
lington. Captain Harrison, hon.
secretary. After these
was adjourned until the York
appointments the meeting
Danby Hall ; Lieut. F, Chapman,
contest, which takes place next month. Doubtless, under
such auspices, the association will commend itself at once
to the notice and support of the whole of the Yorkshire
Volunteers, and more especially to the crack shots of the

great county.
Among the various telescopes which we noticed in use at
several of the targets, and which attracted considerable at-
tention by reason of the clearness with which it showed the
mark of the bullet on the disc, was the new achromatic one
manufactured
which
weby
were
informed Messrs.
Solomons, of Albemarle-
street, is published at a very low
price by this firm, in order that it may be within the reach
of every volunteer for rifle contests and observation.

IN A PARISR CHURCH.
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE
—On the forenoon of Sunday last a rather unedi-
fying and indecorous scene occurred in a parish church not
far from the banks of the Dee. The clergyman had
en-
tered early and was seated in the pulpit, quietly glancing
over his MS., and the was practising
precentor the tunes
fcr the day with his choir, the church otherwise being as
yet unoccupied except one pew, the congregationapart
ht having
not yet assembled. The occupant of this particular pew
had, it would appear, a reason for being early,
the commendable habit cf promptitude for its own sake.
He is the new tenant of a farm, and his predecessor in it
had not attended the Established Church, and consequently
did not require the pew, which had, however, continued to
be occupied by the tenant who was his predecessor in the
farm. This latter,who had quitted the farm 19 years ago,
had shown no disposition to give up his occupancy at the
call ( f the new tenant, who. having duly certified himself
as to the pew that belonged to him as tenant, had gone
early to church, in the spirit of the maxim that " posses-.
sion is nine points in law." Tho old tenant, however, came
into church when matters were going on as described, and
ordered him to clear out. This he refused to do, where-
upon the old occupant seized him by the throat, and pro-
ceeded to drag him out by sheer force. In the scuffle that
ensued, the new tenant's collar and shirt front were torn
and damaged, and are now in the hands of the fiscal of a
neighbouring county town, forming a sort of corpus delicti
in whatever civil or criminal proceedings may be deemed
necessary as a fitting wind-up to this rather unseemly
ecclesiastical encounter,—orikaken ,Fro ,tress.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

RAILWAY BILLS.

Yesterday the committee of the House of Lards
concluded their labours by passing the bills for the
metropolitan district railways, the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Steamboat Traffic Bill,
the Dubl:n Trunk Connecting Railway, and the
London and North Western and Charing-cross
Railway.

I LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST.
The auditors of this company (Mr. J. Pileiter and
Mr. J. C. Fitzmaurice) report that after checking
the bankers' balances by personal inquiry, and the
stores accounts by being present at the half-yearly
stocktaking of the several depots, also comparing
the dividend warrants issued with the capital on
which they are payable, and after a careful exami-
nation of the sums charged off to capital at the end
of the half-year, they have certified the accounts
appended to the report as being in accordance with
the books and documents of the company, and a
true abstract of their monthly audit of the past six
months. They also state the Parliamentary charges
for the session of 1863 charged to capital account
amounted to £28,724, of which the sum of £28,803
was incurred in opposing the Beckenham, Lewes,
and Brighton Bill, and £4,921 in opposing the Tun-
bridge Wells and Eastbourne Bills and other
schemes. They repeat their former opinion that all
checks should be drawn payable to order, and every
one of them crossed. The locomotive superintendent
and resident engineer have certified to the auditors
the efficient state of the rolling stock and of the
permanent way, and that the latter is being
strengthened by the introduction of additional ,
sleepers.

MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN.

SHIRE.

It appears that during the past half-year the
locomotive engines of this company were in the
aggregate 203,628 hours in steam, of which 100,672
hours were spent in running with the trains,
60,230 hours in shunting at stations, and 42,726
hours in standing. The quantity of coke consumed
was 3,483 cwts., and the coal consumed 501,859
cwts,; against 20,248 cwts. of coke and 416,808
cwts. of coal consumed in the corresponding half
of 1863. The cost per hour working, in conse-
quence of the increased price of coals, was 15.36 d.
against 12.38 d. for the corresponding period of last
year. The total mileage run by the engines during
the half year was 1,478,288 miles against 1,400,241
miles for the corresponding half of 1863, showing
an increase of 78,047 miles run, the cost per mile
being 1.674, caused by the strike in the South
Yorkshire coal district, against 1.41 d. in the corre-
sponding half of 1863. The working of the trains
during the half-year showed that 34,087 passenger
trains were run, of which 26,829 trains arrived in
time, and 7,174 above five minutes after time. The
number of goods trains was 10055, of which 6,373
arrived in time, and 3,143.mb0ve five minutes after

time. The number of coal trains was 6,849, of
which 4,916 arrived in time, and 1,774 above five
minutes after time. The average number of car-
riages in the passenger trains was 61, the average
number of waggons, &c., in the goods trains was
39-1, and in the coal trains 28*.
••••••M•••• I.••••

PNEUMATIC DESPATCII (LIMITED).
The report of the directors states that they fully
expected to have been able to announce to the
shareholders that the first portion of the line from
Euston to Holborn was completed, and the system
in operation upon a large scale with the full-sized
tube. The necessary works will, however, yetre-
quire from a month to six weeks to complete; and
under these circumstances the general meeting,
whicn must, according to the resolution of the Ist
of August last, take place in the month of July, will
be held on the 30th inst. pro forma, and adjourned
until a day to be then named, when the first portion
of the line will be finished, and the directors will
be able to submit to the shareholders complete state-
ments of the costs, and the result of the working of
the first section of the large tube.