The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-05 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Special tickets of admission to view the Royal
Arsenal at Woolwich having been accorded to.the
members of the Mechanical Engineers' Institution
by the War Department, a large number, amount-
ing to 180 scientific gentlemen, subscribers to the
institution, foreigners as well as English, yesterday
took advantage of the privilege, a large proportion
arriving at Woolwich early in the morning. Their
principal object appeared to be to inspect the royal
gun factories. Having visited the shell foundry
and some other branches of the establishment, they
proceeded to the museum and designing room be-
longing to the royal gun factories, where the entire
party partook of refreshments at 1 o'clock, at the
invitation of Mr. Anderson, the resident superin-
dent. Three hearty cheers and one more having
been given for their considerate entertainer, they
proceeded to the proof butt, and witnessed the
proving of 10 110-pounder Armstrong guns, five
40-pounders, and one 12-pounder—the latter on a
new principle, and ordered to be proved to destruc-
tion, according to the technical phrase—viz., to be
fired until it should burst. This gun, mounted on
a gun carriage, and loaded with 31b. of powder, and
a cylinder weighing 1201 b., extending about 10
inches beyond the muzzle, was fired in one of the
cells built for that express purpose. The gun was
fired by electricity and some of the fusees failed to
ignite. To break the recoil the platform rises to an
acute elevation, at the summit of which, however,
the gun was discovered, twisted off the traversing
frame, and lodged in the sand of the butt. The call
was hurriedly crowded by as mazy visitors as could
gain admittance, who expected to find the fragments
of the gun strewed about the spot. They could with
difficulty persuade themselves that the gun was still
whole. Every scratch was minutely inspected, and
magnifying glasses were brought into requisition,
each part was carefully and scientifically examined,
and the gun pronounced intact. They then returned
to the gun factories, and examined the forge and
steam hammers, ranging from 15 to 35 cwt. each,
the whole of which were in active use. Having
witnessed the entire manufacture of the gun, they
left Woolwich by the 4 15 train, to dine at the
Crystal Palace at Sydenham.

THE GRAND NATIONAL RIFLE

CONTEST.

Nothing more favourable than the weather yes-
terday could be desired. The visitors were more
numerous than on the first three days of the contest;
gay and many coloured streamers for the first time
floated from the summits of a hundred flag staffs,
the red, white and blue—emblem of military and
naval glory—showing itself in all directions, while
the band of the London Scottish marched on to the
ground at midday, filling the plains of Wimbledon
with the echoes of that martial music which had
before been wanting, and without the accompani-
ment of which no mimicry of war or military pa-
geant can be considered perfect. To-day the com-
missionaires' band will attend, and probably there
will be a second band on the ground. And indepen-
dently of this, the competition to-day will be of a
more exciting character than anything which has
preceded it. The firing was resumed yesterday at
half-past nine for the Queen's Prize, at 600 yards,
the Association Cup, the All Corners, and the extra
prizes, and was carried on with unabated vigour
throughout the day. Some good scores were made,
and among these was that of Major Moir, 12th
Stirling, who in the contest for the Association
Cup beat the score made by Captain Heaton, of theh
3d Manchester, of whom we yesterday made Such
honourable mention. At the ranges of 200, 500,
c
600 yards, Captain Heaton made up a total score of
54 points and hits, no more than 60 er is
ego r
w o possible,uld
and odds were freely offered that thevi?se:y
esterday
not be exceeded. Major Moir,
hgwCaptain Heaton
attained a score of 55, thus beaitizin
himself be beaten
by one point. Whether
he
w re was made up of
foe BO
remains to be seen.
two centres at 200 yards;
and ire at 500 yards ; and three
three bull's eyes
thus
four bull's eyes and a on
two centres at 600 yards
eaton's
bull's eyes and
dl5 hits. Captain
points anf
three bull's eyes and two
making 40
score was made 'IP °
200 yards; two bull's
centres ateyes, two
centres, and one outer at yards and five bull's
eyes at 600 yards ; thus making 39 points
and 15 hits. Both of these gentlemen used a
neory's rifle. So far this is the best shooting of
the contest, and doubtless Major Moir congratu-
lated himself upon his chance of carrying off the
cup value ; but a little later in the day he in turn
was put out of the field by a Mr. Smith, about
whose particular corps there is some doubt, who
made up a score of 56.

The grievance of the rejected rifles was again
discussed upon the ground yesterday, and, if pos-
sible, with additional acrimony upon the part of
those who are disqualified by the decision of the
council, and who consider themselves in the light
of so many injured individuals. Merely premising,
for the information of readers who may have over-
looked our remarks yesterday, that some 40 compe-
titors for Queen's and other prizes were on Thurs-
day pronounced to be disqualified for further com-
petition, upon the ground that their rifles were too
small in bore to take the plug applied to Govern-
ment Enfields, we may say that General Hay, In-
spector-General at Ilythe,
and as the umpire with whom the final decision re
mained, decided peremptorily that rifles which did
not receive the plug—whether issued by the Ge'
vernment or by private makers—should be rejected;
thus upholding, and even exceeding the decision of
the council. Naturally this decision failed to re-
concile the disqualified competitors to their fate ;
and one ventured, to ask General Hay whether it