The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-07 00:00:00

LONDON,

to Bs. For Bacon much better demand exists, and of
prime supply has become small. Prices are firm. Irish
small meat at 523 to 629, heavy 553 to 575, and Hambro
siaPable 543 to 554. In bale and tierce middles purchase
have been limited at 50s to 545. For Navy Provisions the
market has a dull aspect; supplies are getting larger and a
desire is evinced to sell Pork—rich India at 71 103 to 8/
per tiercs; Mess 80s to 85s per barrel; Beef, Ilemburgh,
prime mess 1103 to 120 s; American ditto. 1153 to 1209,
and India, 135 s to 140 s per tiercs. In Hamburgh pur
chases have been small; there are sellers of Irish
at 601 to 68s, and English at 689 to 70s. For
Lard the demand has much fallen off, and Irish
bladdered is offered at 60s to 653, keg and firkin 56s to
58s, and bladdered 62s to 653. There is a firm market
for Cheese, and a good business is doing; Edam at 32s
to 41s, Gouda 293 to 375, Kanter 17s to 17s 6d, and Ame-
rican 30eto 40s per cwt.

IMPROVED RIFLE MUSKET.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—l have seen a letter in your paper of the 2d of
September, signed by " A Contribator to the Quarterly
Review," in reference to my letter published in the
Times of the 28,h of August, by which it appears I
have been criticising an article in the Review of which
he is the writer. I had no intention of criticising
any one, but, because I happen to differ from him
while stating facts and experiments, the contributor
says "that I do not understand what I have
been writing about." It is possible that sore :e
of your r,,aders may think differently as to my capabi-
lities and ignorance, and as to his assertion " that the
rifla will certainly not keep its ground in the
end, and that it is bad, both as a musket and rifle."
He accuses me of impugning the accuracy of his
statement, as it "carried conviction to the minds of
the highest military authorities." Surely this is hardly
fair, because, having a decided opinion of my own, I
stated in your paper the results, by impartial experi-
ments, of the comparative powers of the improved
rifle musket and the old musket. However, I must
comfort myself in my ignorance by the Duke of Wel-
lington having given an order since the article of the
contributor was published in the Quarterly Review to
issue to each British regiment 100 stand " of the Minis
rifle, which will not keep its ground in the end, and
which is bad both as a musket and rifle!" My °DIY
object in giving information regarding the improved rifle
musket was to benefit the British service, and to arm
our brave fellows with a firelock better than the pre-
sent one; and for their sake I will surrender to the
contributor his assertion, " that the Minh& riflo has ne
point blank range whatever," such assertion being
either a matter of opinion, or a discussion regarding
technical phrases. But, while I say this, he Will
pardon me for using in my favour what be
meant as the contrary ;—I mean the statement
"of one of the most accomplished and scientific
officers of the British army," to supply the de-
tects of the supposed want of point blank range of the
Minie rifle, which statement shows how the rifle musket
can be made quite as efficacious at short distances as if it
had or had not a blank point range. This officer, in
his statement to the contributor, says that the Min:e
rifle at 100 yards was correct as to its line of fire' 1
believe the same cannot be said of the old musket. He
further states, that at 100 yards the ball generally hit
tyro feet four inches above the point aimed at. If an
enemy's line is within 200 yards, advancing quickly
against another line, there is not much time on either
side for taking aim through sights.
Ia good regiments the order has always been to level
low, or at the lower part of the knees • and, if this old
regulation order with regard to Brown knees;
be continued
with the rifle musket, the heads and chests of the attack-
ing party would be hit, or the heads of the horses, and
thighs and bodies of the cavalry.
An intelligent soldier soon knows the faults of his fire-
lock, and how to remedy them, and this is why a soldier
before the enemy prefers to fire with his own firelock to
that of another. _ _ _

I have seen nothing in the letter of the 2d of Septem-
ber which has altered the opinion expressed in my letter
of the 3d of January, 1852, " That this new firearm and
ammunition would make a complete change in the system
of warfare."
That great improvements in the destructive powers of
firearms will take place is certain, and he who shows,
that by these improvements "war is not to be child's
play" is, in my opinion, the best preserver of peace, and
consequent friend of humanity.
Sept. 4.
_ AN AMERICAN EXECUTION.

CHARLES SHAW.

PHILADELPHIA, Aua. 6.—This morning the exe-
cution of Matthias Skupinski, for the murder of the
lad Lehman, in January last, took place in Moyamen-
sing prison. The number of persons present to wit-
ness the condemned man expiate his crimes on the
gallows, as prescribed by the Act of Assembly, was
limited. This arrangement having been announced in
the Ledger of Wednesday, had the desired effect in
preventing an immense crowd within and without the
prison walls. Those admitted besides the officiating
officer was Deputy Sheriff John Miller, the Execution
Clerk, Stephen Kingston, nine other deputies con-
nected with the sheriff's office, the Deputy District
Attorney, William B. Mann; Recorder Lee, the
throe interpreters ; Henry:Shawinski and Towsig, who
bad been with the condemned upon several occasions ;
Drs. Wall, Burden, and A. C. Bournonvill, the inspec-
tors of the prison, one reporter for the press, and the
jury of twelve men, composed of Messrs. Daniel Deal,
e'red. Gaul Smitb, Banner Thomas, Martin Vat
Dusen, jun., Henry Delany, George K. Childs,
Charles Wartman, Peter Fisher, Albert Coffin, Alex-
ander Hazlett, and A. G. Duhammel. These por-
sons entered the prison at nine o'cclock, and son
after the Sheriff visited Skupinski, with a view to
prepare him for the doom which awaited him. Mat-
hias was with the two Roman Catholic clergymen,
Rev. Messrs. Etthoffer and William, with whom he
had spent Thursday night in religious exercises. lie
expressed himself willing to die, and as the Sserifl
was about to leave him he kanded him a paper, of
which the following is a copy :
" I, Matthias Skupinski, in the name of God, beg and
implore, as a last request, that when William Deal, Esq.,
High Sheriff, shall have executed the law upon my body,
and when I shall be so long hung by the neck that m)
body shall be dead, then my body shall be committed to
the care of Rudolph Etthoffer and Celestin William,
the Roman Catholic clergymen who have been my con-
fessors when living, that they may see my body in-
terred. " SKUPINSKI MATAISZ.
" Friday morning, eight o'clock, August 6, 1852."
The place of execution was then duly examined b 3.
the proper authorities, and the rope placed round the
beau', which was ten feet from the ground.
Everything being in readiness there, some time
was allowed the condemned man before he was exe-
cuted. At ten minutes before eleven o'clock, Sheriff
Deal and his deputy, Mr. Miller, went to the
cell, and adjusted the cord about his arms, and at
eleven o'clock he was conducted from that place of
confinement, dressed in a blue frock coat, black pants
and black silk vest. He walked down to the gallows
with a degree of firmness that surprised all who no-
ticed him, with nothing to disturb his apparent deter-
mination to boldly suffer the penalty of the law, ex-
cept when he met the gaze of Mr. Skawinski, the
Pole who some weeks ago made an affidavit before
Mayor Gilpin. Then he seemed agitated, but for an
instant, and, passing Mr. Skawinski, proceeded calmly
to the place of execution, followed by the offieers and
jury. Upon arriving at the stairway leading to the
platform he ascended in the same firm manner, accom-
panied by the sheriff and Catholic clergy.
Rev. Mr. Etthuffer asked Matthias repeatedly in
the Polish language if he had anything to say, to
which he replied, " Nothing ;" but, turning to the
Rev. Mr. William, gave a nod of his head, and that
gentleman read from a paper as follows
The criminal who stands before you desires me to
say, before he undergoes the extreme penalty of the law,
that he begs pardon of all whom he may have injured or
wronged by his crimes. From his heart he forgives all
mankind the injuries they have done. He is ready to
submit to the severe sentence to which offended justice
dooms him. He bears no resentment or ill-feeling
to those who were instrumental in his arrest and bring-
ing him before the tribunal that passed sentence upon
him. Already he has made his peace with God, and
like the penitent Prophet, he has wept over his crimes
in the bitterness of his .soul. And before he is launched

into eternity—before he appears before his God, and
your God—his Judge, and your Judge—ho wishes to be
reconciled openly to his fellow mortals. He begs me to
request your prayers for him, that when his soul leaves
this prison of clay, the Almighty God may be merciful

unto him, and may admit himi into the company orthe
blessed."

The noose was then adjusted around the neck of the
criminal by Sheriff Deal. After the clergy and
officers had taken leave of him, and the two outside
props having been taken from under the drop the cord
apt?tratcehde dt
he to
drop,the
centrew as
pulledprop ,
by whichthe sheriff was alalttphraeteissueply
m-
nineteen minutes past eleven o'clock, and Matthias
Skupineki was launched into eternity. Thus he suffered
the requirements of the law, and after the lapse of two
minutes and a half life was extinct. There was not a
single motion of the body for several seconds after it
fell, and the only evidence of life was severe twitches of
the legs and arms. Nothing besides this was recog-
nised. The body was suspended 37 minutes, and was
then cut
. down by Deputy Sheriff William S. Mann,
quiteiage of warm,the
n eacnkd
and delivered over to the clergy in accordance with
the request of the executed criminal. The back part
warm. ILI.; i
wtaisi eb
rbookdeyn ,wbaus tatt
vertibras was neither broken nor dislocated.
A cast of the face was subsequently taken by Dr.
of the hTeahcle
A. C. Cournonville and Mr. Vannucci, an Italian, of
this city.—Neu' York Tribune.