The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 5, 1864.

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gun was of nearly 2001 b weight, double, the inventor said,
what it ought to have been. The first trial was at the 1,000
,yards target. The shot went in a good direction, and pitched
100 yards beyond the mark. The other two experiments
.were at-13 deg elevation for range, and 4 deg. for aim. In
reither case could the position of the shot be observed when
they fell. The tide was out, and doubtless on striking they
buried themselves in the mud. The experiments, as far as
they went, were ciinirdered satisfactory. When in the gun
the shot stands in a vertical position, and rotation is caused
by the axis of the chamber lying above the centre of the shot,
and by a small projection in the interior of the muzzle, at
the bottom, meeting the edge of the shot. From the short-
ness of the gun it possesses all the advantages of a breech•
loader, and from the simplicity of its construction and the
little metal used it promises to be a cheap and easily handled
weapon. The projector may be too sanguine, but he avers
that one weighing no more than the ordinary 68 pounder
will discharge a 6001 b disc. The carriage is fitted with a
number of galvanised indiarubber cylindrical buffers (in
contact by their sides, not extremities), placed in grooves on
the flanks of the gun ; these received the recoil. By a simple
mechanical arrangement the rebound was received in a
similar manner on a series of rings fixed below the gun.
This disposition of indiarubber the inventor prefers to any
compressors, as they do not make the'gun jump, to use the
technical expression.

with no more consciences—as I told Grundy—than por-
poises. There were the females (ladies, I suppose, they call
themselves), holding the great brown hands of the most im-
pudent looking bathing men, my dear, and actually—for I
saw it with my own eyes—actually learning to swim. I
don't think Mr Grundy will venture to take me to another
place like that in a hutry."
_ _

At Biarritz the visitor feels, in short, that although he
is bound to vindicate the originality of his mind by the ex-
travagant novelty of his cc stunie, he i 3 in a holiday plade.
It is a little amateur stage, where nautical pieces are in
voge. Everybody is dressed for his part early, when the
curtain of night is lifted above the mountains, and the sharp
screaming of the Sardine women cuts through the morning
air. The merry miners and actors come forth—not sleepy-
eyed, but with eyes as clear and fresh as dew drops. It is
impossible to lie abed. The light air buoys you from your
couch as soon as the sun has warmed it a little. You are be•.
times under the trees, in the street, where you will find
queer looking " boots" gaily polishing the shoe leather of
the hotels, keeping their work in a row, of Balmorals and
Bluchers, upon the benches.

Waking in Scarborough on a fine, brisk September morn-
ing is a very different affair. I am in state—in a state
hotel. Last night when I arrived the visitors were issuing
from the great dining hall, and proceeding in orderly,
quiet groups to their respective rooms. Many of the ladies
were in stately dinner dress. I peeped into the drawing
room—a long, effectively furnished apartment, of which
the atmosphere was heavy, and where every group seemed
to be absorbed in the reflection that the next group were
looking at them. There were two pianos ands, card table or
two. Perhaps Miss Smithson would oblige, if her cold were
better ? Was Miss Jasy inclined to take a hand ? Miss Jasy
frowns at Miss Smithson, who is giving herself airs about
her singing, and thinks how in her time ladies knew how to
behave themselves. Then there is the laughing, fast Miss
Smythe, who is everywhere known as " the soul of the
party." Of course she takes to the balcony, and her laughter
breaks upon the silence—as she declares this to be "jolly,"
and that to be "slow." There is a deliberation about all
these proceedings that oppresses the traveller hither from
Biarritz. The movements of the people are slower. In the
bar of the hotel, where the military gentlemen congregate,
and ask the young lady who directs the establishment for
" dwy sherwy," the slowness of the men's movements
strikes me forcibly. They lift a spill from the mantelpiece,
and direct it towards the light, as though they were guid-
ing the ,corner stone of a building into its place. A
Frenchman at Biarritz lights his cigarette in an instant.
To walk to the Spa, and on the Spa, is accomplished, to all
appearance, as a duty, and not as a delight. Tho men walk
up and down more like sentries than saunterers. In the
evening, when the two bands are playing, and all Scar-
borough is at the Spa, there is a lack of gaiety under the
festive lamps. The scene is a lovely one from the heights—
when the town, in ravine and upon rock, from the castle to
the shore, is powdered with twinkling lights, and it is
heard to tell where the lamps end and the stars began. The
mornings are of the freshest, and the sea that rolls hence
to the bleak Scandinavian coast dances the fishing boats
upon its unquiet bosom, and comes lapping the walls of the
Spa, and salting the air for the good of the buxom ladies of
Manchester, and Sheffield, and Bolton, as well as for the
high ladies. There is a fat, sweet, English land, hill and
dale, woad and lively trout-stream round about. ,The Forge
Valley is a rich and rare sight of leafy wood and emerald
pasturage. The lovely rides are many—to the mighty
rock, Flamborough Head; to Hunmanby, where there are
wild, furze-bestrewed sheep-walks; to the beautiful valley
of the Haybourn Wyke. Then there is Robin Hood's Bay,
where the fishermen have perched their humble nests in the
rocks. Whitby is within reach. To these places, over wold
and heath, by trout-streams and over bold hills, the stately
Scarborough visitors ride and drive, and get health and
strength, in the most orthodox and staid manner. Their
saunter on the Spa, when the band is playing morning and
evening, is occasionally relieved by a concert or a dramatic
reading, or a visit to the little theatre—or, when they feel
very lively indeed, by a ball. Their comings and goings
are duly chronicled in a broadsheet, to their great content.
Mr, Mrs, and the three Misses Tirebuck have arrived at
the Crown Hotel. Captain and Mrs Swashbuckler are stay-
ing at the Prince of Wales'. These are facts which aro of
interest to the citizens of Scarborough, and provoke a brisk
sale of the journaLin which they are recorded. At Biarritz
there is a newspaper devoted to the arrivals and departures,
but it ie more liberal and comprehensive than that of Scar-
boiough. Its list of arrivals include that of Jules Latour,
shoemaker, at Madame Cornichou's, and of Napoleon
Gauthier, carpenter, at the widow G tnache's. Who and

what are the Grubbinses ? or the Smales ? or the Reel•
dishes ? Are they people to be visited ? Have the girls
got any money ? Are they quite up to the mark— people
a follow can know in town, and that sort of thing ? They
don't seem to know anybody—anybody being flakes of the
upper crust. Thero is the solitary gay widow who has been
at Eaux Bonness, Ems, Baden, and has now actually turned
up at Scarborough I Does she know how the gossip about
her is stealing round the dinner tables ? She is pronounc, d
to be on a brisk matrimonial excursion. This is all very well,
but has she any money ? She is pretty and lively, and not
old—no, not more than 30, bnt why does she travel alone ?
She sc as alone at Eaux Bunnes ; she knew nobody at Ems,

and people fought shy of her at Baden. Of this material
is much of the conversation made up. Mrs Barker has a
new bonnet, and, positively, a new cloak. What is Mr
Barker's income ? That tall pale man, who is always reading
French papers, perched up on one of the high seats in the
Spa, is Count Lalanne ; his wife has—well, my dear, it's a
shocking story, and I quite pity the poor man." This by
way of enlivening a walk along the heights. " Mrs Grogan
has aged very much since last season ; her stories about six-
and-thirty will not do now." This by way of seasoning the
stretch across the bridge.
There is a sight at Scarborough, however, that Biarritz
cannot match. I grant the little Gascony village its great
gaiety, its thorough holiday look. I confess that its atmo-

sphere is lighter than that of the British queen of watering
P• laces The dresses of the Scarborough ladies look tame,
and generally dull after the fire-fiy tints which deck
madame at Biarritz., But in the morning, while pater is
finishing his paper at home, and while mater is perfecting
her toilet for her first walk, let him who would enjoy a
cheery sight wind himself down to the Spa. Here shall he
find troops of English children, with rosy cheeks, and clear
blue eyes, and mottled calves, running, laughing, and
shouting, as fresh as the sea, and as restless. And their
English mothers come down to see them build their sand
fortifications; and the ladies look better, it seems to me,
with their tender eyes fixed upon baby than the Biarritz
countess listening with an exquisite society smile to the
artful compliments of Monsieur le Baron. At Biarritz
there are no children.

The Spiritualists Exposed—The Davenport

Brothers.

(From the loronto Globe of Sept. 16.)
A short time since two men, representing themselves by
advertisement to be the Davenport Brothers, paid a visit to
this city, and performed what they claimed to be spiritual
manifestations. It will be remembered that the Music-
hall was crowded on each evening of their appearance, and
much speculation was indulged as to the real modus
operandi by which the tricks were performed, Some gen.
tlemen determined if possible to fathom the mystery. A
challenge was sent to the pseudo Davenport Brothers, but,
after delaying from time to time, they stated that they
would not give these gentlemen " a private seance, because
they knew they would not act with them in good faith."
After this the Davenports visited Hamilton and St. Catha-
rine's. In the latter town they were so closely concerned
for a private exhibition that they, fearing an exposé, sud-
denly left the place. It appears that Mr Fay has been
running the concern on his own account in Cleveland, but
has met his =itch and been thoroughly exposed.
Mr Fay had been gleaning a very good harvest there until
the appearance of a Rev, A. S. Dobbs, who did not believe
the spirits had anything to do with the " manifestations."
He challenged Fay, and said that what Fay would do he
would follow. The challenge was accepted, a night ap-
pointed for the trial, but we will let the Cleveland Herald of
the 28th August tell the rest of the story :
A fair audience, composed about equally, we should
judge, of believers in spiritualism and those who did not,
assembled in Brainard's-hall. About 8 o'clock Mr Dobbs
made his appearance. He remarked that plays and tricks
were all very well in their place, and were often a great
source of amusement, which was necessary to our happiness,
but no person had a right to use tricks and mummeries and
deceptions in the sacred name of religion. After a few more
remarks he proceeded to his exposition.
Fay and his wife came into the hall, apparently in high
feather, to all appearance confident of the utter failure of the
attempt to expose their manifestat ions. The same committee
that acted for Mr Fay—John S. Ryder and W. H. Mound
—wero chosen to act for Mr Dobbs. They examined the
box and pronounced it similar to the one used by Fay. Mr
Dobbs then entered the cabinet, the lights were turned
down, and the spirits proceeded to tie him fast, which they
did in an incredibly short space of time, The lights were
turned on, the doors of the cage thrown open, and there sat
the reverend gen, lemen, tied tight in hands, arms, legs and
body. The committee reported that lie was fully as tightly
tied as Mr Fay wss, although the knot was slightly
different. A manifest though not extravagant round
of applause greeted the report. The doors were then closed
and he went rapia►y forward,doing one after another all the
marvels ever attempted by Fay. Loud noises were heard
in the box, and the sound of bells, beating of drums. and
various other demonstrations. When the " spirit .hand"
was exhibited through the aperture the house came down
' with a perfect storm of applause. Several times during the
. evening Fay had attempted to interrupt the proceedings, but
he always answered good humouredly, and was told that
when the performance came to a close, if he was not satis-