The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-17 00:00:00

ITALY.

_
The Grand Dukes of RUSSIA. were remaining at
Rome on the Bth. The Russian envoy, M. BOUTE.-
NIEFF, on the 7th, gave a splendid file in their
honour, at which the cardinals, the prelates, and the
French officers were present.
In the sitting of the 11th of the Chamber of
Deputies of Turin, the Bill on the tax on per-
sonal property was passed by 85 votes to 37. The
Chamber then proceeded to elect a new president.
The contest was obstinate ; M. Ratazzi, the leader of
the Left Centre, and candidate of the fusionists-of the
Right and Left, obtained at first 56 votes ; Chevalier
Boncompagni, the candidate of the non-fusionist
centres 23 ; Count Revel, the candidate of the ex-
treme Right, 20 ; and M. Tecchio, supported by the
extreme left, 22. No one having obtained the abso-
lute majority of 65, a new ballot commenced, in
which the numbers were :—Ratazzi 58, Boncompagni
32, Tecchio 23, Revel 13. The ballot between the two
candidates who had obtained the largest number of
votes at last decided in favour of Ratazzi, who ob•
tained 74 votes against 52 given to Boncompagni, who
nevertheless was afterwards elected vice-president by
77 votes against 36, given to Tecchio.

CHASSEUR, RIFLE AND SWORD.

WooLwicu, MASt: 15.—Messrs. Pritchett and Son,
who have fur many years supplied the Board of Ord-
nance and the Hon. East India Company with small
arms, attended in the Marshes here in the early part of
the week with a new rifle, similar in principle to the ce-
lebrated rifle of the Chasseurs de Vincennes. The prac-
tice was remarkably good, the following being the result
of the firing:—The target fired at was 18 feet high by 12
broad, and of the first 16 rounds fired 14 bit the target
at 700 yards' range, and two only did not hit.
The range was next extended to 800 yards, and of 17
rounds fired ,at that distance 14 hit the target, and
three did not hit. Fifteen rounds were fired at 900
yards range, 'and out of that number 12 hit the target,
ono catering the bull's eye, and the other three did not
hit. The trial , was completed by firing the last 15
rounds at 1,000 yards' range, and at that distance 13
of the balls entered the target, and only two did
not hit. The eiperiments may be considered a very
fair test of the. Chasseur rifle, as the wea-
ther was bad, with occasionally a Scotch mist or driz-
zling rain. Tho Chasseur rifle is 2 feet 10 inches long
in the barrel, or five inches Shorter than the barrel of
the Minis' rifle, the latter being 3 feet 3 inches in
length. To place the Chasseur riflo in an equelly ad-
vantageous position for cicse quarter defence, a sword
of the same description as those used by the
French Chasseurs and artillery is fitted to the muzzle
in a strong but similar manner as the bayonet,
and the sword being 1 foot 11 inches in
length, the Chasseur rifle and sword is exactly equal in
length to the Mink rifle, or common musket and bayonet.
Tee weight of the Chasseur rifle is sib. 7uz , and the
each of taking the sight when firing exactly on the
same plan as has been adopted in the Mini 4 rifle. The
ball used is on the same principle as those used in the
MinhS rifle, and each ball weighs liez , and the charge
of powder is two drachms. The Chasseur sword is a
most powerful weapon when fixed on the end of the rifle,
and being sharp on ono side, with a slight curve near the
point, the wounds inflicted by it would be of a most
destructive nature, and it may also be used with th,
hand with great effect, the blade being 1 foot 101-inches
in length exclusive of the handle. Tho following com-
parative statement of the result of the experiments with
the Chasseur rifle and the Min:6 rifle will exhibit their
respective merits. Out of 200 rounds fired from the Minie
rifle at 900 yards 28 hit the target 6 feet high and 36 feet
long. Out "of 15 rounds from the Chasseur rifle, at 900
yards, 12 hit the target, ono of these entering the bull's-
eye. Out of 200 rounds fired from the Minh" rifle at 700
yards range 37 balls hit the target, and cut of 16 rounds
fired from the Chasseur rifle 14 hit the target. The great
majority of the balk from the Chasseur rifle hit the
target in a straight line with the bull's eye, but mostly
above it. Tho weight of the lgin:6. rifle is 91b. 10ez ,
and the charge of powder 21 drachms. The weight of
the ChaSseur rifle is 81b. 7i z and the charge of powder
2 drachms. The weight of the old musket is 111 b. 7ez ,
and the charge of powder 41 draehou.

SURREY THEATRE.
Miss Glyn is performing at this well-managed theatre
with grent eclat, and supported very efficiently. Tc-
night she is to appir as Constance in King
John. The
part of Hubert, iu which Mr. Ryder has achieved such
a signal triumph at tho- Princess's, will be, we doubt not,
ably sustained by Mr. T. Mead, a careful, judicious, and
impressive actor. On- Wednesday the School for Scandal
will be played for the benefit of Mr. Shepherd, who de-
serves the most cordial support of the public for the ex-
cellent management which has signalised his possession
of the Surrey Theatre, and enabled it to compete fairly
with themoss favoured Cis-Tamisian houses.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPEE.A.—His Royal Highness the
Duke of C.i.rmbridge honoured the performances at the Royal
Italian Opera with his presence on Saturday evening. The
Queen's box was occupied by Colonel the Hon. C. 13.
Phipps, Lady Caroline Barrington and Miss Barrington, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Biddulph. Among the fashionable com-
pany present in the theatre we remarked the Duke and Du-
chess of ,Norfolk and Lady Adeliza Fitzalan Howard, the
Duchess of Montrose and the Ladies Graham, the Marquis
of Douro, the Earl and Countess of Beauchamp, the Earl of
Cardigan, the Marcliesa Brancaleone and Mdlle. de Branca-
caleone, the Count and Countess de Morella, Viscount and
ViscountesS'Torrington., Viscountess Villiers and Miss Doyle,
Viscount,Exmouth,. Lady William Powlett, Lord and Lady
Carington and the Hon. Miss Carington, Lord and Lady
Foley and the , Hon. Adelaide Foley, Lord Alfred Churchill,
Viscount LasCellec Lady Jane Lepton and Mr. Ilepton,
Lady Macfarlane and Miss Macfarlane, Lady Lynd-
hurst and the Hon. Miss Copley, Lady Elizabeth Bulteel and
the Misses Bulteel, Lady Virginia Sandars and Mr. Sandars,
M.P., Lord John Hay, Lady Peel and Miss Peel, Sir Henry
Webb, Sir John Campbell, K.T.S., and Lady Campbell, Sir
Thomas Hare, Sir William de Bathe, lion. John Fortescue,
M.P., Hon. E. W. Russell, M.P., Sir Geo. Armytage, Mr.
H. Greville, Mr. St. Leger Glyn, Captain Meyrick, Captain
de Bathe, Mr. Lloyd. Clayton, Captain Grant, Captain Mey-
nell, IZ.N.' the' Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and Mrs.
Horbert, Mr. Mitchell, M.P., Mr. 'W. F. Baring, Captain
Stanley, Mrs. Hatton and the Misses Batton, Major the
Lieu: .tames Macdonald, &c.
Miss LOUISA. PYNE'S BENEFIT.—The English
nightingale takes"her benefit at Drury-lane Theatre on Wed-
, nesday evening next,_ and unless taste and appreciation of
vccal excellence be utterly departed from the metropolis the
house Will be crowded to overflowing.

• ..
ROYAL COLLEGE or SURGEONS.—The following
gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations
tor the. diploma, were admitted members of the college at
the meeting of • the Court of Examiners on the 14th in-
stant :--Alessrs. Richard Clarke, Beccles, Suffolk; William
Ashton Shepherd, lion. East India Campany's Service;
Henry Septimus Beddome, lludson's Bay; Godfrey Bingley
Robert Wadsworth,: Warwick-street, Regent-street ; Thomas
Sowerby, Loughborough ; George Prowd Lambert, En-
field ; Harrison Hanna, Belfast ; George Thomas William
Mugliston, Westham, Essex ; James Pratchett Drinkwater,
im,reeesttientnglairdxii
io:oottutrrtttii,s
Jl3l:Lam,reos,isrC(si.uanirAt
Shrewsbury; James Graham Hildige, Dublin; Richard An-
thonyFFederick Gurney, Lilburn, Northamptonshire; and
ti Cambridgeshire.
Richard
er
hAatr
d examinationst he
Richardsa n; e
ebtriadusgsseteusdisl
for naval Burg
been admitted: members '
c
These gentlemen had previously
bearin • , members of. the • ollege, their diplomas
g date respectively F
1846. ebruary 20, 1846, and July 17,

DEPARTURE OF THE CAMERIA.—At about five
o'clock on Saturday afternoon, the Royal Mail steam-ship
Cambria, Captain Stone, left the Mersey for Halifax and
Boston, With the mails for the United States, Canada, New-
foundland. &c , a fair average freight, and about 60 pas-
sengers. On leaving the river, the Cambria met the Asia,
inward-hound, and exchanged salutes on rounding the Rock
lighthouse.

-POWDER MAGAZINES.—In consequence
and
Waltham
fdtthhaeaar:
me-
lancholy explosions otthe magazines at-Tri
low escape from a similar accident last weel,
Abbey, a " panic seems to have been created at Liverpool,
where an immense quantity of gunpowder has been just
el'
ordered to be moored within three or four miles of that
town, and a considerably shorter distance from the densely
populated south suburbs of the town. Holbree Island,
about eight miles from Livoenrapoll,iiiiisarnyol strongly recom-
mended et the 15th
-
Ltd. for p‘.tlfet.Y."7l‘:c")-(4.1
._