The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-12 00:00:00

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on the track of the best gun, i f no better invention,
or what is claimed to be a better invention, turns up
in the interval to insist on another endless trial. in
the meantime the supply of rifled guns to the forts
and fleets stunds still, while all Europe and Ame-
rica are manufacturing them by hundreds. The im-
portance of the time we are now losing may not be
remembered if we remain at peace—it will never be
forgotten should we unfortunately become involved
in war. Rifled guns cannot be manufactured off-
!"and by scores like the cast iron rubbish of old ;
and the worst rifled gun is better than the best
smooth-bore ever cast. The most uncompromising
partisan of Armstrong or Whitworth witl always
admit that they are both admirable guns—the best,
certainly, that are known to exist in any country.
Is it too much, then, to ask, in the interest of the
public, that a certain number, say 100, of the 150-
pounders on each system should be ordered at once
and placed on board the large ships in commission,
there to be used with the other guns under all the
varying conditions of temperature, wind, weather,
and range which an ordinary cruise of six months
would be sure to develops ? The public who read
the marvellous results obtained at Shoebnry in this
competition hug themselves with the idea that all
is going well, and that the country possesses an
invincible ordnance. This is a fatal delusion. It
cannot be too strongly impressed upon their minds
that these guns are being tried not manufactured.
War to-morrow would find this country without
any recognized rifle gun in either service, and what
is worse, with no means of manufacture to supply a
fraction of the want in this respeot which hostilities
would instantly call forth. Nothing, in fact, can
be more unsatisfactory or even more dangerous than
the present state of our rifled gun question. The
old saying of " two stools" would have a fresh illus-
tration of its truth in the number of our ships that
would eome to the ground if war broke out sud•
denly.
One of the most recent stages of the competition
with the 12-pounder field-guns was made with their
trail buried in the ground, so as to enable the guns
to get the enormous elevation of 33 deg. Several
rounds were fired, and at this contest for range
Mr. Whitworth gained a most clear victory, as,
indeed, in the matter of range he has throughout
been more or less ahead of the shunt gun. 'this,
indeed, was to be expected from the much smaller
circular area, and therefore diminished resist-
ance, of his shot. But what at trials of 6,8,
or 10 %degrees had at most only been 400 yards,
at 33 degrees rose to a most formidable gain. In
rough numbers Mr Whitworth averaged the im-
mense range of 8,800 yards, or a little short of five
miles, and Sir William's shunt gun averaged about
6,700 yards, or short of four miles—an increase of
range to Mr Whit worth of nearly a mile and a quar-
ter. Even if we call it only a mile, this is a most
important advantage. It may be said that field-guns
are rarely, if ever, wanted to be used at this eleva-
tion, which is true enough, but it is equally true
that the gun which possesses it in addition to other
qualifications is in range by so much the better gun,
and unless the committee consider that what is
gained in superiority of range by diminished area
of shot is lost in efficiency as a shell gun, this vic-
tory of Mr Whitworth's must weigh seriously in
their decision.

As regards the trials against the armour with the
70-pounders, we have already expressed our opi-
nion as to their very unsatisfactory nature and
result. Two things, however, they have very
conclusively proved, if proof were needed, which
are—first, the immense importance and value of Mr
Chalmers's principle of backing targets; and, second,
that though there are no soft places in a target,
there are some which are very much harder than
others. Singularly enough, as regards Mr. (;ha:•
mers's principle, two shots, one from Sir Wil-
liam's shunt-gun, and one from Mr. Whitworth's,
struck full upon a plate where it was supported
behind by one of the horizontal stringers which
arc used at wide intervals in the Warrior plan of
building, but which, according to Mr Cha
patent, ought to be wsed at intervals of about
vino inches apart. All were astonished to see thLt
these two shots fired at 50 yards had faikd to
penetrate to little more than one-third of the depth
which on the previous day they had accomplished
at 600 yards. It was some minutes before this
apparent mystery was solved by finding that both
shots had struck on where, as we have said, the
plate was supported by one of the stringers pro.
posed by Mr. Chalmers, and all on the ground
could only look with astonishment at this unex-
pected proof of the value of an invention which to
this hour the Admiralty persist in depreciating. As
to striking upon hard parts, it often happened that
the shot struck on bolt heads or just in front of
where the plate was supported by a main rib, and
though, of course, in war there would be the same
chances to. contend against, yet in a trial of this
kind the widely differing results, according as the
shots strike on supported or unsupported parts,
make it exceedingly difficult to arrive at a good
general average of the performance of each gun.
Mr. Whitworth got a fine result from one of his
shells, which went clear through the armour plate,
and burst in the wooden backing, giving the target
a great shake and slightly, but very slightly bulging
the inner skin. With one of his shells, also, Sir Wil-

liam got a still finer result, drawing the lower plate
on which it struck with all its massive bolts bodily

forward, nearly 2in., knocking off the heads of 10
out of the 40 bolts, which fastened all the plates of
the target, and setting the target itself on fire. This
shell shook the target more than any which was
fired against it. With solid shot the result was
pretty equal—that is to say, all got more or less of
their noses through the plate, and some got through
it almost entirely, except when, as we have said,

they happened to hit on very hard places. It must
be recollected, however, that the small sections
area of Mr. Whitworth's shot has always enabled
it to penetrate iron:; it is in damaging effect that
his solid shot frequently fails. The sectional area
of the Whitworth is 23.75, of the Armstrong 31.17,
and the work to be done in penetration must be taken
inversely as the areas, that is if both shot penetrate
say 6in., the Armstrong would have done more by
reason of its having made the larger hole. From
this competition against iron Sir William withdrew
his side- wedge breech-loader, and, though it remains
to compete in other stages, it is by its withdrawal
from the armour contest virtually put out of this
competition altogether. From its lightness this in-
dividual breech-loader can effect very little worth
speaking of against armour, and Sir William per•
haps did well in withdrawing it, lest its failure might
have damaged the reputation of the principle of
this breech-loading system. This new principle of
closing the breech by powerful wedges of such
solidity that it is apparently almost imposs,ible
to break them, while they fit with such accu-
racy as to slide easily into their places, seems
to answer very well up to the present. It is most
earnestly to be wished that either this or some
other principle of breech-loading for our heavy
guns may be discovered by mechanicians, for with-
out some such appratus the use of very
he
e:i t
ordnance, which seems now absolutely eseatest
on board ships, will be attended with
difficulties. In the trials for rapid
• 120 rounds at a
week, when each gun was to fire
the. Whitworth
. in
firintgheingade last
, got through its
in 88 minnutte:un in 132 minutes.
hrget, this new breech-loaner
work splendidly
without Water, merely
127 minutes, and the shunt
odr twice there was some
and .
dArlyl thesponged,
were wnocreke
borne tn wedges of breech-
difficulty in getting
re covered we with thei white dry
phurons deposit sul-
loader, which We
!e
the powder. After it had got
its task a bucket of water was thrown
ul•rongh
into the breech' when
all parts instantly worked
with the most perfect ease. Once during these ex-
periments with the heavy guns Mr Whitworth's
shot jammed in the muzzle, and was not got home
without great difficulty and the use of a heavy

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4,
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metal rammer. This is the first tiOti:::rit I
occurred with Mr Whitworth's gun; bike,43:.3 ~...ver 4-1„.
occasions there has been great difficult
home the shot of the shuntf.gun, wliichlTEW'r..; Z.
been accomplished after continued blows. Alntes.3l.
hitches may, in a great measure, be said to arise
from the trials being conducted, with dry guns—that
is, no wet sponging allowed to remove the fouling..
Considering that these guns are intended entirely
for the naval service, where, as a matter of course,
a bucket of water can always be got on shipboard,
and where, as a fact, wet sponges are always used,

it seems curious that the:ordnareo at Siaoebury
should not all be worked with wet sponges:- How-
ever, it is indisputable that a gun which works well
dry will work still easier wet, and so far, therefore,
it is not an unfair condition cf trial; and, fair or un-
fair, it is applied with the most rigorous irnpar.
tiality to all.
Daring all this week trials will go on with. the
70 pounders for range and accuracy. The field
guns have now fired nearly 2,500 rouncis each. Im-
pressions taken of their bores last week show no
perceptible wear—in filet, fur war purposes they
are all as good as the day they came from proof at
Woolw ieb.

The Prince and Princess of Wales at
Clothworkers'-hall.

Yesterday the corporation of Clothworkers, one of the
oldest and wealthiest of •the ancient guilds of the city of

London, presented the freedom of their order to the Prince
of Wales, and afterwards entertained his Royal Highness
with the Princess of Wales and a select company at lun-

cheon in their hall in Mincinglane. In February, 80,
at a special meeting of the Court of Assistants, as the
governing body is designated, his Royal Highness was

unanimously elected a freeman of the company, on the

motion of Mr Justice Willes, seconded by Alderman Sir
John Musgrove, the Court desiring thereby to manifest its
loyalty and attachment to the Throne and its esteem for his
Royal Highness. The resolution electing him to the freedom
recorded the fact that his illustrious and lamented father had
conferred upon their ancient and loyal corporation the honour
of accepting a similar compliment at their hands, and also

of becoming a liveryman. The Ciothworkers were incorpo-

rated by Royal Charter in 1480, in the reign of Edward IV.,
and the guild at different periods of its history has enrolled

kings, princes, statesmen, and other distinguished persons

among its members. In 1607, during the mayoralty of Sir
John Watts, himself a Clothworker, James I. was admitted

to the brotherhood and entertained era grand banquet in
the hall, in consideration of which his Majesty was pleased

" of his princely bounty" to order that two brace of bucks be
presented to the company yearly for ever—a behest which

,s observed to this day. Again, in 1662, Sir John Robinson,
then Lieutenant of the Tower of London and Lord Mayor,

entertained in the hall of the company Charlas 11. and his

Queen, the Queen Mother, and their Royal Highnesses the

Duke and Duchess of York. ' On the 25th of March, 1814,
the Mikes of Kent and Susses honoured the company with

their presence at a banquet, as did also in 1844 the then
Premier, Sir Robert Peel, and the rest of her Majesty's
Ministers ; and in 1860 his Royal Highness the late Prince
Consort. Secretary Pepys, the author of the famous Diary,
was a member of the company, and presented them with
magnificent thinking cup of silver gilt, which they retain

to this day and are justly proud of exhibiting.
The ancient hall of the company, then upwards of 180
years old, was restored after the fire of London in 1666, but
having, nearly 200 years later, become dilapidated by time
and unsuited to the requirements of the corpqration it was
taken down, and the present stately edifice was erected on
its site in 1859. A memoir of the company states that " the(

associations of the old hall were venerated. Kings, Princes,
and nobles of the land had assembled there, and met men
eminent in every station of life. It was decorated with the
effigies and records of the bequests of the good and great,
and it had an aspect of comfort as well as of state." The
present hall is one of the most magnificent of the kind in
the city of London, though as yet but little known. Situated.
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• - - -
in a crowded thoroughfare and among a Class of modem

edifices, some of them more like palaces than places devoted
to trade and commerce, its exterior, handsome though it be,
is apt to escape notice. The most imposing feature of the

interior of the building is the banqueting hall, which is of
stately proportions and elaborately decorated. The roof,
_ _

divided into small compartments, is supported on pillars of

polished granite and splendidly embellished with gold. The
arms of the twelve principal civic companies are emblazoned
on the walls, and those of eminent past masters, in stained
glass, ornament the windows. The banqueting hall is ap-
proached by a spacious vestibule and a noble flight of stairs,
which is lighted by a lantern in the roof of elegant propor-
tions and design. A spacious court room, a reception room,
and two drawing rooms make up the rest of the interior of
the building.
The ceremony of yesterday took place in the court room.