The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—ln the notice of the "Trial of Small-bore
Rifles at Woolwich," in The &Ili of to-day, it is
reported that Mr. Henry, of Edinburgh, " stated
that with his own ordinary rest he would regu-
late six rifles in the time which Mr. Whitworth
would require to adjust two only, and after ha had
furnished (finished?) he (Mr. Henry) would shoot
his six against Mr. Whitworth for any sum
which ho may choose to name."
We accept the proposition, and shall be happy to
shoot six Whitworth rifles against six made by Mr.
Henry at 500 yards, or any greater distance, for
£5OO or £l,OOO. The rifles to be the same weight
as those used in the competitive trials now going
on (9l maximum), each competitor to use " his own
ordinary rest," or any rest he likes, and the mean of
20 or any greater number of shots to decide which
is the winner.

In case our rifles should prove successful, We
would propose to hand over the amount realized to
the National Rifle Association. We would remark
that it is a mistake to suppose that the mechanical
shooting rest is used for the purpose of sighting
rifles ; it is employed solely for the purpose of test-
ing the efficiency of a rifle and its ammunition.
We are, Sir, your most obedient servants,
THE WHITWORTH RIFLE COMPANY.
Manchester, March 3.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SUN.
Sir,—ln the notices of the Woolwich rifle trials
which have appeared in The Sun, there have been
some inaccurate statements relating to myself which
I should be glad to have corrected. It is not cor-
rect that I have acted as the umpire in these trials ;
and I am not aware that the Council, of which I
am a member, have appointed any umpire, and cer-
tainly not any solo umpire.
I did not order any particular telescope or
y
telescopeth r
respect
ea: lt,
t 0
00
thebe suppliedinsinuation
that
sle
have
fa avtnehae
biasCou in favourWi of the Whitworth rifle, I beg to say
that I view with marked affection a really good
rifle, and have been always anxious to obtain the
best I can. The results show that my judgment
has not deceived me. But I challenge anyone to
mention an instance wherr, a rifle 1-m-maht to II.), tho
to be tested has not had all the. assistance I could
render, and been fairly reported upon. The quasi
imputation of partiality with regard to the compe-
titive trials at Woolwich is not worthy of being re.
futed. I had not the power, and certainly not the
will, to show favour to any competitor, least of all
to one with regard to whom it may be said—,
Non tali auxile, nec defensoribuS istis,
Tempts eget."

CHARLES HAY, Major-General.
United Service Club, March 3,

~, -------______—_4
Sonae little anxiety
TIIE AMERICAN oTEAMERS.—
prevailed in Liverpool as to the
no:a-arrival of the screw
steamer City of Baltimore, whicl was to sail from New
had been received in Liverpool up
York on Saturday, the 15th
ult. No intelligence of her
to four o'clock yesterday
afternoon. The prevailing strong easterly winds are con-
sidered sufficient to account for the delay, which it is pre-
sumed may have caused the stock of fuel to run short.
FATAL OCCURRENCE.—MANSLAUGHTER.----Yes-
terday Mr. Bedford held an inquest at Westminster Hos-
pital Hospital on the body of Thomas Mitchel, who ex-
pired in that hospital on Wednesday last. John Tyler said
he was coming from Westminster with a load of coke on
Wednesday last. He saw a light cart drive out from the
back of a cart and a cab on to the double road, It was
I going towards Westminster. The wheel of the cart struck
the deceased, and knocked him under his own horses,
was walking by the side of his horses. The cart which He
struck him was going about five miles an hour.e light c Art
He heard
'no one call out. George Gull, 160 A, saw the
was t',id to
• h-strcet, Bler,AisburY,
stop it. He had to run as far as Mg
the driver i ho knew
going rather fast. Directly afterwards he ,
before he could do so. He asked n
d llnocked against a
re-
member that, but he knew that hotetirli.
Mr. Conolly, the
cab. Witness took him to the station. that he he had run over any one.
had
said he did not
asdkmuiilt,ted, was suffer-
and he died in
of No. 6, Artichoke-road,
consequence. John Haeyini,
the driver of the cart which
Church-street, Cam
beaid he knew he had struck against a
tolifen"ol\rdi earnesdl a uLlavt ebre:
suffer-
ing house
onia surgeon,fr
ilc t suaried
of deceased,thceas: 0 0 f
the
caused the accidenawt,aere
ho had knocked any ono down.
cit John Haynes.
against
bjtyw then It return edThae
evoerrodniecrt
stody
detained in cu ,
to be