The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-23 00:00:00

times for the shunt. With segment shell the total
sum for the breech loader is about 99 times its mini-
mum area in this category. For the Whitworth it
is 330 times ; while for the shunt the sum of its own
areas is no less than 700 times the smallest amongst
them. The superior tendency to regularity which
we thus find existing in the practice of the breech
loading gun fully accounts, in our mind, for the
advantage it ultimately gains, and for the anomaly
that we meet in its losing more frequently than
gaining, when its parallelograms are taken in detail,
and yet coming out foremost of all when the areas
are summed up. As a proof we are not wrong in
entertaining this opinion we need only examine the
amount of difference that passes between the smal-
lest surface of error and the largest, for each gun
and each projectile separately. We then find that
with common shell the breech loader makes a maxi-
mum surface equal to about 29 times the minimum,
the Whitworth makes the former 450 times larger
than the latter, while the greatest of the shunt mea-
sures 50 times its smallest. With solid shot the
breech loader attains a maximum area 13 times
greater, the Whitworth 21, and the shunt 68 times
larger than their respective minumum area. With
segment shell the breech loader's maximum error is
about 21 times its least, the Whitworth's 78, while
the shunt's largest rises to not less than 200 times
the smallest area it can show with this projectile.
Here again we have numbers which speak for them-
selves, and though the method may be novel yet we
trust its operations, as well as its conclusions, may
appear clear enough to confirm our views of tt,,e
case, and explain how it is that the sums of the
parallelograms assign the least amount of error to
the breech loader, though it did certainly lose much
more frequently than either of the other two com-
petitive guns in detail. Thus, by the method of com-
paring the minimum area to the total sum for each
category of ammunition and each gun, be it well
understood that the co-efficients are, for the breech
loader, 85, 81, 99 ; for the Whitworth, 1,520, 81,
330 ; and for the shunt, 125, 215, 700 ; the sum of
the first being 265, of the second 1,931, and of the
third 1,040. By the second method of comparing
the largest to the smallest area for each gun and
projectile used, we End that the co-efficients are for
the breech loader 29, 13, 21; for the hexagonal
450, 21, 78; and for the Armstrong muzzle
loader 50, 68, 200; the sum of the first being 63,
that of the second 549, and that of the third 318.
These details may at first sight seem elaborate and
uninteresting, but we feel sure that the question is
of itself so popular, the liability to be misled by
specious arguments so great, and the interests
involved in the choice which public opinion may
help in making so vital to the country, that we
could not hesitate entering into such explanations,
though endeavouring all the while to render them
in the best shape to convey persuasion, and captivate
the attention of our readers.

have decided on rejecting or on admitting It, we
must keep it in abeyance. The difficulty that has
arisen with regard to this practice is due to some
irregularity in the bursting charges made use of
for the shrapnels. Thee° experiments do not sup-
pose one cognisant of the distance at which the shell
bursts from the line of troops they are fired at, in
which case it might be possible to modify the charges
according to circumstances. Their main object is to
ascertain what the effect of the rival shells would be
should their explosion chance to take place at the
stated distances, very properly supposing that the
range had been mistaken from 10 to 100 yards nearly.
In the course of this target practice, ever since it
began, shells have frequently burst at the muzzle of
the Armstrong gun. Naturally such rounds had to
be gone over again, for the object of getting the
same number of hits out of each field-piece; but the
fact of the shell bursting easily at the muzzle is far
more serious than the stripping off of the lead in the
case of the breech-loader, and of which we have
heard so many complaints. When firing time fuzes
we remarked and noticed the premature exploding
of shells from the shunt; the cause of this has been
attended to, and apparently with success, in a slight
but most important rearrangement in the external
part of the fuze. Now, however, it is through the
concussion fuzes that this evil arises. It is thought
that the shells broke up occasionally in the bore,
but experiments have proved this fear to be un-
founded. At present it is imagined that the dry
wad which Sir W. Armstrong introduced at an
advanced period of these competitive trials may, by
being forced between the surface of the bore and
that of the shell, cause a sudden jerk, as the prin-
ciple of the shunt rifling comes into play. Tiis is
quite
suggests an improvement in the
wad
front face with a resisting disc.
by possible,
lining andit s
Bat we should not be surprised if the jerk were
caused by the grooves haring been deprived of their
perfect form in consequence of the great number of
rounds they have bad to go through. Be this as it
may, no such thing should happen, no more than it
does in either the Whitworth or the breech-loader.
—Telegraph.

The Royal Military Adademy, Woolwich.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge yesterday
attended at Woolwich in his capacity as President of the
Council of Education and Governor of the Royal Military
Academy, and distributed the midsummer prizes to the
Gentlemen Cadets of the establishment. The Duke, who was
attended by Colonel the Hon. R. W. Penn Curzon, Grena-
dier Guards, aideedeecamp, entered he garrison soon after
10 a.m., and was received within the grounds of the
Academy by the Lieutenant-Governor Commandant, Major
General Sandham, R.E., Colonel Ycrke, and Lieutenant-
Colonel Gibb, Second Commandant and Inspector, and
Assistant-Inspector of Studies, and the entire Staff, to-
gether with the company of Gentleman Cadets, drawn out
under arms, 210 in number, and the full regimental band
of the Royal Artillery. The usual salute, hoisting the
Royal standard, and "God save the Queen," having been
gone through, the Duke was joined by a brilliant Staff of
general officers from the Horse Guards and others, among
whom were General Sir John Burgoyne, G.C.8.,
Director of Works—Major-General Blomfield, Inspector-
General Royal Artillery—Colonel Gambier, Adjutant-
General
Royal Artillery—Colonel Chapman, C. 8., Deputy
Adjutant-General Royal Engineers—General Sir George
Pollock, G,C.8., Commandant of the C Brigade, wearing
the " Star of India"—Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Jones,
G.C.8., Governor of Sandhurst—Major-General
Ward; C. 8., Commandant, and the garrison Staff of
Woolwich—Major-General Hamilton and Sir Fre ierick
Abbott, the Vice-President, and one of the members
of the Council, and many others. Dr. Eden, Bishop
of Moray and Ross, whose son is a pupil in the
Academy, and Sir Thomas Head, were also present, Soon
after his arriving on parade, the Duke commenced an
inspection of the company, in which he was accompanied by
the officers abovenamed. After marching past in slow and
quick time, in command of teolonel Yorke, they changed
front by the wheel, countermarched by subdivisions round
the centre, and marched past in quarter distance columns,
formed on the original ground, and deployed on the front
company; wheeled in open column, left in front, and formed
line on the leading company; charged front on central com-
pany, formed square, re-formed column, and opened out to
wheeling distance from the front, left wheel into line, and
fired at 200 yards. The drills were commanded by Gentle-
men Cadets Macdonald, Georges, and Greenstreet, and, as
remarked by the Duke, without a mistake. Hie royal high-
ness then called upon Mr Tiede] to prove the company,
which ho did by close sections, subdivisions, and forming in
fours. The tompt.ny then drew up at the grand entrance to
the weed?nky, where in conae4uent, of the tinenes's of the
weather, the prizes were latd rat on a table for distribution.
The Duke and staff in the meantime proceeded to an lust:se •
ion of the drawings of the cadets dttrirg thop;st half-year,
and on their return Major-Get. Hamilton read the report
of the council, in which they stated they ;lad the honour to
submit to b_is royal highness ;fie result of the examination
they had recently teid for alvarding commis ions in the
Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. There being 56 can-
didates on this occasion, and it having been decided that
one-third of that number shokid be appointed to the Royal
Engineers,the names of 19 geetlemen cadets first in order of
merit, of those who skated to be commissioned, if possible,
in that corps, are reported inthe returns in the usual man-
ner. The report expressed fpprobation to his royal high.
msLess) D',) to the result of the examination of the council,
Lie..l, they pronounced satis'actory, both as shown by the
nigh marks gained, and by the fact that no gentleman cadet
has failed.
Then followed the reading, by Col. Yorke, of the follow-
ing report of the lieutenant tovcrnor :--
"Royal Military A3ademy, Woolwich, June 22.
" Sir,---I have the honouree reportto your royal highness
that the gentlemen cadets )f the first class who from the
results of the recent examination have been reported quali-
fied for commissions by the Council of Military Education
are equally qualified in cmduct, military exercises, and
discipline.
"The monthly returns of this term show that the emula-
tion and exertion in the clasies so favourably reported upon
at the end of the last term his in no way relaxed.
"The results of the exanailation of the junior classes on
the whole are favourable, alhough the examining master
has reported that among thelast joined cadets he has found
a want of correctness and eractitude in working by loga-
rithms, and in the solution f arithmetical and algebraical
questions.

In the next instance, it is a serious mistake to
mix up flatness of trajectory with "range ►.ccu-
racy," because, on reflection, one cannot fail to see
that they are, and must ever remain, entirely inde.
pendent the one of the other. In fact, if the flat-
ness of trajectory had anything to do in the crea-
tion of inaccuracy, then we should see the parallelo-
grams getting longer as the angle of elevation
diminishes, and, vice versa, shorter as the angle of
fall increases. In mortar practice we have extreme
curvature, yet we have bad parallelograms, in
smooth-bore practice, where we have flat trajecto-
ries, the parallelograms greatly improve; with rifle
guns the trajectories improve still more, while the
surfaces of error sink down into comparative insige
nificance. A glance at the Plate E, in the report
on ordnance, fully sets this matter at rest. On the
contrary, far from the flatness of trajectory inter-
fering with accuracy, it diminishes inaccuracy, for
the simple reason that deviating itfluences have
less action as the time of flight is shortened, or the ,
angle of fall is lessened. That, in point of fact,
swiftness is an element favourable to the probabili-
ties of hitting is well known; indeed round shot at
high velocities and two trajectories give better
results than when fired at low velocities, and con-
sequently with higher trajectories to attain a given
range. We cannot therefore see the wisdom of
questioning the merits of low trajectories by attri-
buting to them an evil influence on the length of
parallelograms, when we know that they are pur-
poiely sought not only on account of their late
portance es a means ot partly making up for the
i mpoasibility of correctly estimating distances,
but also in eiew o: the greater chances they give
with regard to accuracy in all respecte. It; how-
ever, independently of these considerations, ac-
curacy, as it is asserted, should be determined by
firing exclusively at vertical planes, where low
trajectories are not supposed to be harmful, then
surely it is tacitly felt that the latter cannot affect
the results attained on the hosizontal plane.
The causes which do really affect regularity of
fire in rifle guns are many, and it is to them that
reference should be made for the object of ur'
standing and explaining the reasons why
worth gun does not stand out sat;-
parallelograms. Firstly, the
whereby the front lay-
fore those of the

~rr9

Whit-
.aractorily in the
position of the vent,
~rs of powder are ignited be-
g-ear, giving a too immediate rise
-a the projectile. Secondly, the shape of
..ore, which does not surround the cartridge
with the closeness of a cylinder. It follows that,
through these causes, the density of the gases is
very liable to vary from one shot to another, to
the prejudice of a constant initial velocity. Thirdly,
the smallness of the cross section area entails the
necessity of greatly increasing the length of the
projectile for shell purposes ; this adds to the sur-
face, on which the vertical component of resistance,
which is due to the air, acts ; and thereby submits
the projectile more fully than otherwise to the dis-
turbing effects that spring from variations of mimosa
pherical pressure. These causes, two internal and
one external, are of themselves sufficient to cause
serious fluctuations in the height of the trajectory,
and thereby to considerably modify the ranges, par-
tfcularly when firing at high elevations. In the
shunt Armstrong the density of the gases will not
be to an equal extent .fable to oscillate, and thence
the initial velocity will depart less from its norms'
amount. Moreover, the projectiles having d greater
sectional area, their length is shorter, the difference
between the solid shot and the shell is reduced to
smaller proportions, and these peculiarities must
necessarily suffice to give the vertical component of
the resistance to flight less disturbing power. The
height of the trajectory will, therefore, fluctuate
within narrower limits than in the case of the
Whitworth, and thus more regularity will be
obtained for the ranges. Bat. in the breech-
loader, the retardation to motion due to the slugging
of the shot contributes in the most efficient way to
keep the gases from acquiring various various
degrees of density. The layers are furthermore
ignited from the rear to the front, whereby altoge-
ther the volume within which the gases expand
prior to sensible motion is reduced to a minimum,
and so guarded from variation that it may practi•
cally be considered constant. It follows that this
latter gun will naturally possess great regularity
of ranges, and in this respect—we mean that of
range accuracy—will stand ahead of its rivals. It
also follows that the Whitworth will be endowed
with the greatest amount of irregularity, especially
at shell practice; while the shunt will take an in-
termediate position. This is the very order in which
I the gunsstand, in accordance with the total area of
the parallelograms. So far, then, practice agrees
entirely with the conclusions we should have been
led to infer from an accurate examination of the
conditions we have just referred to.
tioDa
o was
sg theear firstried fouonwritdhaytshoof
~tihoe.plaausnt
aweersektoprtahce-
extent of 90 rounds each, and 3 and 6 degrees. The
accuracy of these guns was beautiful, the shots
falling much about the same spot. The shunt seemed
ahead of the breech-loader by about 200 yards;
while the Whitworth at three degrees had the best
by about 60 to 70 yards.
On Tuesday the old 12-pounders were fired for 10
rounds each at 15 degrees elevation, the Whitworth
gun attaining nearly 5,000 yards range. The prac-
tice at 800 yards, through screens so placed as to
explode the shell at 10, 25, 50, and 100 yards dis-
tance from the line of targets, at two series of
Thehei reghtssulfrt was,
ornt
we believe,
h egronn was
Boxer's shrapnel; but until the committee. %shall

:o motion

;he 1-

"I cannot report too higlly of the attention and zeal ex-
hibited by the officers, the
Irofessors, masters, and military
instructors connected with every branch of study, and of the
officers, the responsible and subdivision under officers, on
whom the discipline so maticially depends; the duties have
been carried out by them with firmness and judgment, and
their example and manner have tended much to uphold a
military and satisfactory bearing among the cadets them-
selves.
" The drills, gymnastic; and riding have been carried out
as fully as time could be devoted to those exercises.

" I have the honour to be, Sir, your Royal Highness's
most obedient hu table servant,
"H, EANDHAM, General, Royal Engineers,
Lieutenant- Governor,"
His ROYAL HIGHNESS then addressed the assembled com-
pany, and informed them that ho was exceedingly pleaded
with the result of his visit, He hal no cause now, he said,
to find fr.ult, but, on the contrary, he had manifest proof
that they had profited by the wholesale advice which he
gave them on a former occasion, They would never regret
their observance of good order and discipline in the outset
of their career in a military life, especially while under pro-
bation in this important institution. "You have," ho added,
" been well guided, and you hare acted up to your guidance
with spirit and emulation. As I have so often repeated, the
times in which we live are eminently scientific, and it be-
hoves you all to be on ycur guard. Some of you are not so
forward as I could wish. I would counsel those not to relax,
but to make up for lost time, which can be done by steady
application and perseverance. I am sorry there are no com-
missions vacant, This is one of the inconveniences you will
have to bear. You .will have to wait a short time, and
although I cannot enter into explanations I have reason to
believe that you will nut have to wait long. You can make
that a period of scientific research and study, and the time
may be well and profitably employed."
The return of the Gentlemen Cadets recommended by the
Lieut.-Governor of the Academy as deserving rewards and
prizes for exemplary conduct and acquirements was then
placed in his Royal Highness's hands, and the prizes were
awarded accordingly. Mr Menzies received a regulation
sword; Mr George the Pollock gold medal, which the duke
requested Sir Geo. Pollock himself to place in the recipient's
r hands. Then followed the delivery of the prizes, according
to the following list of names, each of those named receiv-
ing an elegantly bound book, a microscope, barometer,
telescope, or case of instruments :--Mr Macdonald (two
prizes), Mr James (two prizes), Mr Dodsworth, Mr Nichol-
son, Mr Alexander, Mr Chadwick, Mr Awdry, Mr Boyce,
MrPulford, MrWashington, Mr Hart, Mr Jacob, Mr Taub-
man (one prize each), Mr Beresford (two prizes), and Mr
Hildyard (one prize). His Royal Highness then expressed
his intention of taking a small class for examination in Ger-
man, and retired to one of the class rooms for that purpose.
A squad proceeded to the school of arms, and awaited the
duke's arrival to go through a course of athletic sports, and
the remainder of the company broke up and dispersed. His
Royal Highness thereupon returned to London, to be in
attendance at her Majesty's Levee.

Persons in debt may obtain instant protection against
imprisonment or seizure of their goods, and an entire release
from all debts and liabilities without publicity, by application
to Messrs. Marshall, solicitors of the Court of Bankruptcy,
Charges under £5 payable by easy instalments. Offices_
(established 1830), 12, Hatton-garden. City branch 6, Moor
gate-btreet, Baulc—Anvr.

rHE S'u'lV, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JIM 23, 1864.

The Franchise.

Last evening the " unenfranchised masses" were invited
to a meeting in the Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen-street,
to claim the franchise for all not morally or intellectually
disqualified. Mr E. Beales, M.A., occupied the chair, and
he was supported by Mr Nicholay, Mr Washington Wilks,
Mr George Jacob Holyoake, Mr Odgers, and others well
known in connection with political and trade agitation.
Letters were read from Liberal members of Parliatnent Vrho
had been solicited to attend, but who, from various causes,
had not accepted the invitation. Among these letters was
one from Mr John Bright, who said "I think you are quite
right to move for manhood suffrage, for that is what you
must approve, and it would be absurb for working men to
propose a scheme which would exclude three out of four of
them from the franchise. I think the people everywhere
should ask for what they want, but at the same time 1 would
recommend that they who ask for much should not regard
as enemies and opponents those who ask for less. By a com-
bined and friendly movement we shall get something, and
that once gained is never lost again, but becomes an additional
power to obtain more. I think the time is near when we shall
see another step in the path of reform. The present Govern-
ment lives only on the name of its chief Minister. If it can
survive his time of office, it can only be by adopting liberal
principles and by keeping to them and acting on them. We
are every day nearing the time when the House of Commons
must undergo another change, and that change will be
largely in the direction of what is popular. In this I see a
botter day for our country and for the great people' hitherto
excluded from political rights. In the contest which is ap-
proaching, I hope I need not say you may calculate on my
hearty exertions in your favour." These views were loudly
cheered, as were those given by Mr Potter, M,P., Mr W.
Cox, M.P,, and other gentlemen. The chairman,in the course
of a lengthy speech, expressed his hearty sympathy with
the causerof the unenfranchised, and said that in his belief
the government of the country would be carried on better
than it is if the working classes had a greater amount of
power. Mr Leno, a working man, in the course of a tempe-
rate speech, proposed the following motion That this
meeting is of opinion that the existing limitation of the
right to vote in the election of members of the House of
Commons is most unjust to the people of this great country,
and a gross violation of the true principle of representation,
by depriving of the franchise millions who contribute to the
real strength and wealth of the nation, and who, as liable
to the duties and obligations of citizens, have as well founded
a right to the franchise as those to whom it is now caprici-
ously restricted.' Mr Nicholay seconded the motion, and
said this was the time for this agitation, as Parliament was
about to die a natural death ; and he urged the working men ,
to mark well the names of those who had voted against Mr.
Baines's motion on the franchise and against the ballot.
The present Government, he reminded his hearers, had
come into power pledged to reform—a pledge, he said, which
had been forgotten. His motto was—' No taxation without
representation.' He urged that if the working men could
as volunteers be intrusted with arms, they could be trusted
with the vote ; and, in conclusion, he expressed his willing-
ness to take his seat in the Senate-house' for the sake of
the working men. Mr W. T. Malleson supported the mo-
tion, and said the fact of Mr Coningsby, of Penge, writing
to the Times declaring that ho did not want the franchise,
was the exception which proved the rule that the working
men desired it. The resolution was then carried unani-
mously. Mr G. Howell, another working man, proposed
the second resolution, which was as follows That in
the opinion of this meeting, the time has arrived when the
unenfranchised masses of the people of this country should
be admitted to a share in the right of election of members
of the House of Commons, by that right being extended
to all resident and registered male persons of sound
mind and unconvicted of crime.' The mover quoted
Blackstone' to show that, in the opinion of that great legal
authority, every man was entitled to the vote, an opinion,
the speaker said, which was also held by Jeremy Bentham.
He added that the working men, though they had not agi-
tated in lawless assemblies for the vote, had not the leas
thought of the injustice which kept them from their right.
He said he had read Plato,' as well as Mr Coningsby, but
had learnt a different lesson from that learnt by the person
named, for he had been taught to take his stand as a man
for the right to which he was entitled. Capt. D. Rogers
seconded the resolution, which was supported by Mr Wash-
ington Wilke, who in the course of a long speech argued
that to debar the working man from the iranchise was to
lower him in his own eyes, and degrade him in the presence
of his fellow-citizens. The resolution was then carried
unanimously. The concluding resolutions laid down steps
for organising committees to confer with ruernbersof Parlia•
Emit on the opinions expressed in the first two resolutions
A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings,