The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-27 00:00:00

TRIAL OF SMALL BORE RIFLES AT

W 0 OL WIC U.

A number of gunmakers of well-known celebrity
yesterday assembled in Woolwich-marsh, and went
through a course of firing, commencing over a
range of 500 yards, for the purpose of enabling the
National Rifle Association to determine the rifle
with which the second stage of the Queen's prize
shall be competed for on Wimbledon-common this
year. The time named for the commencement of
the proceedings was half-past 10, at which hour the
competitors, six in number, %ere present, either in
person or by a representative—namely, Mr. Joseph
Whitworth, Mr. John Rigby, Mr. Charles Ingram,
Mr. Edward Burdett for Mr. Thomas Turner,
Mr. William Terry, and Mr. Alexander
Henry. A large number of the members com-
posing the council of the association and many
distinguished visitors interested in the proceed-
ings were likewise in attendance, including Lord
Eleho (chairman), Captain St. John Mildmay
(secretary), Major-General Hay (acting as umpire),
the Earl of Albemarle, the Marquis d'Andigne
(French Military Attache), Lord Bury, Lord Col-
ville, Colonel Nowitzky (Russian Attache), the Earl
of Lichfield, and a host of others. After some de-
lay in inspecting the range, firing sheds, &c., the
competitors were summoned to the spacious engine-
room supplying the machinery in that branch of
the Royal Arsenal, where, by the courtesy of Col.
Boxer and Col. Franklyn, C. 8., of the Royal La-
boratory, every arrangement for facilitating the
contest had been prepared. On examination of the
slides and rests from which each rifle was to be
fired, it was admitted by Mr. Whitworth that his
slide, 371 inches in length, exceeded the others by
1/ inch. This was a dilemma which occasioned

some considerable delay, and which entailed a con

Isultation among the members, by whom it was de-
cided that Mr. Whitworth had forfeited his right
to the competition. The privilege was, however,
waived, and Mr. Whitworth was permitted to
shorten his rest according to the length prescribed
by the rule which accompanied the printed regula-
tions issued to each competitor, as follows :--
" 1. Each maker will furnish six rifles, which
will be weighed before trial, to ascertain that the
limit decided on by the council is not exceeded. 2.
Three of each description of rifle will in the first
instance be taken indiscriminately for trial ; these
will be numbered from Ito 3, and sealed. The num-
bers will be continued through the remaining three
rifles from 3to 6. 3. The order of shooting will be
decided by coloured slips of paper marked from
I to (according to number of competitors being
drawn for). The maker will retain this letter
throughout the trials. 4. As only two rifles can be
shot exactly at the same time, the trial will com-
mence with letter A, No. 1 rifle, and so on in suc-
cession until No.l rifle in each letter has been tried.
No. 2 letter will then commence with No. 2 rifle,
and so on. The distance fired at will be 500 yards
and 1,000 yards, commencing at the first range.
Diagrams of 20 shots for each rifle, trial shots,
which should not exceed five at 500 yards and eight
at 1,000 yards, not included. The mean radial devi-
ation, taken as at Hythe, will decide the figure of
merit of the rifles. 6. When diagrams of 20 shots
of each rifle shall have been taken at both the
ranges decided on, the mean radial deviation of all
the rifles of each description fired will decide the
merit of the rifle, and determine the successful
competitor. Competitors are requested to be pre-
sent themselves or by agent, at the target when the
diagrams of their respective shootings are taken off.
and to satisfy themselves that each shot is faith-
fully placed on the diagram, the keeper of diagrams
signing also. One of the council will then initial
the diagram, unless it can be taken by photography.
No cleaning out during the recorded 20 shots, nor
after trial shots. No gun maker competing will be
permitted to withdraw from the competition who
has begun firing."
The above was agreed to and signed by each of
the competitors in succession.
-

On account of the above named delay, and the
time necessarily consumed in various preliminary
matters, the firing did not commence until three
o'clock, and only four competitors were enabled to
fire—namely, Mr. Rigby, Mr. Turner, Mr. Ingram,
and Mr. Terry. The firing was exceedingly good,
notwithstanding the intense severity of the north-
easterly wind, which blew across the range and
seriously damaged the effect. Two other intended
competitors attended, but could not enter the lists.
The first, Mr. Parsons, civil engineer, of Black-
heath, is the inventor of a breech-loading rifle,
highly approved, but, not having sufficient time, as
he stated, to make the required number, six, he
could not compete. The rifle, as examined by Lord
Elcho, contains the breech sufficient for all the
purposes of loading, &c., without moving the barrel,
and is closed by a sphere which acts on the princi-
ple of a ball and socket. The sphere is in the form
of a bolt, the tail end of which lifts up, and is closed
by the fall of the hammer. The second rifle, that
of Mr. Key, could not be admitted, on account of
its being four ounces over the prescribed weight—
namely, 91-lb. The proceedings, which did not
terminate till nightfall yesterday, will be continued
to-day and probably to-morrow.

ANOTHER FATAL COLLIERY

ACCIDENT.

Another fatal accident has to be added to the
already black and terrible list which has occurred
during the present year—an accident which has
come nearer home than any of those which we have
been called upon to record within the last couple
of months—and whilst there may not be so many
sufferers, either directly or indirectly, as in the other
cases, yet life has been lost, and one family has at
least been thrown into a state of gloom by the loss
of a son who was rapidly approaching manhood,
and who was looked upon as an example to those
in a similar position to himself. At first rumour
greatly exaggerated the extent of the accident;and
it was stated in this city that a great loss of life
had been occasioned at Easton Pit by an explosion
of gas. Of course considerable excitement was
manifested among the citizens, and many wended
their way to the spot, anxious to ascertain the truth
of the statements which were being freely circu-
lated. Upon visiting the colliery, however, those
fears were greatly allayed-by the knowledge that
only one life had been lost, althoegh that loss was
one life too many. Au immense concourse of
people was gathered about the place, the news of
the accident having spread with great rapidity
through the neighbourhood, and most of those
living in the district having relatives at work in
the mine. It was at first stated that an explosion
of fire-damp had occurred, but this was not credited
by those at all acquainted with the pit, for it is one
of the best ventilated—if not the very best—in the
entire kingdom, and the utmost precautions ate
taken by the proprietors and managers in order
that no such accident may occur. Upon the crowd
learning the facts of the case they gradually dis-
persed, but it was not till some hours after the acci-
dent that the last group left the neighbourhood of
the pit. The cause of the accident is shrouded in
mystery, and, as is too often the case, the only per-
son who might naturally be supposed to be able
Easton, and in close
to state exactly how it occurred has been cut off
by the fell destroyer. From facts which have
come to light since the melancholy occurrence we
details.
e—one being 180
contiguity
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city, gather
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Messrs. Leonard,
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o
Boult,fathom aanddeoCpo;anldtthhaos two seam
1
qeamso
fathoms. Alto-
gether there are nearly 400 persons employed on it
—a great number of them being boys. On Tuesday
ctl o ck,
work, a youth whilst the men in the 150
named Isaac
Howarn, of Gothic Cottages, and aged about 17
mfaothrnomin
eyears, was sent by one of the men to a box for the
purpose of getting some nails. In the same box
morning,
leet wereB ea'
where the nails are kept the gunpowder is also kept,
but it is put up in tin canisters, and the boys have
no right to touch it. Shortly after the lad left the
person he was working with heard a terrific explo-
sion, and, as might be expected, the greatest excite-
ment was created in the pit. The men at once sus-
pected that it was gunpowder which had exploded,
and they came from all parts of the seam to render
assistance if it should be required. It was then per-
ceived that the surmises of the men were correct,
and it was nearly impossible to remain in that part
of the workings, so impregnated had the air become
with the fumes of the powder. The men, however,
were not to be driven away by the stench, but at
once commenced to examine the spot. They had not
long to search before they came upon the shockingly
mangled body of the boy Howard, and a few yards
off another young. man, named William Brittain,
was discovered lying in an insensible state. Life
was found to be quite extinct in the former; but
the other being alive, as evidenced by his groan-
ing, he was carefully carried through the work-
ings to the shaft—a distance of nearly 500 yards—
and upon being hoisted up in the cage he was at
once conveyed home, where he was attended by Mr.
Mayor, and there is now every hope of his recovery.
He is suffering from severe burns about the face and
body, and he has not been able to give any account