The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-22 00:00:00

LOIZDS' SUMMARY CONCLUDED.

After some observations from the Duke of Wellington
and the Marquis of Salisbury, the Address was carried,
.and their Lordsh ps s'lortly afterwards adjourned.

SIEGE OPERATIONS AT
CHATHAM.

CHATHAM, JAN. 20.—This day, Tuesday, the 20th
inst , was witnessed au experiment of considerable inte-
rest in the field works of the Royal Engineers, near to
the Casemate Barracks, Brompton, under the direction
of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frederick Smith, K.H., It.E,
and in the presence of the Inspector-General of Forti-
fications, Sir John Fox Burgoyne, K.C.8., who c ime
purposely to witness the evolutions. There were also
present Sir Thomas \Villshire, Bart., Commandant of
the Garrison; Colonel Weare, K. 11., of the Provisional
Battalion ; Major of Brigade, Capt. O'Brien, and a
numerous assemblage of the officers of the garrison.
The first military movement was that of breaching a
stockade of a most substantial construction, consisting
of a number of pieces of solid timber, united together
with ribbt,ns of oak plank, top and bottom, firmly nailed
with ten inch spikes. It was thirty feet in length,
each piece of timber being a foot square, and about
twelve feet long, and firmly rammed into the earth about
three feet. This stockade had two rows of loop-holes
for musketry firing, one so as to enab e soldiers to fire
standing on the ground, and the other near to the bottom
to fire as if the men were standing in a trench. The
whole had been so arranged as to represent the same
sort of obstruction as our troops encountered recently in
New Zealand, when so many lives of British soldier,
were sacrificed, in attacking with only their muskets
and bayonets ; indeed every pains had been taken to
make this stockade as substantial as it could possibly be
put together. The first trial of making a breach was an
experiment of 301bs. of powder placed in a bag opposite
to the top ribbon of the stockade, by slinging it at the
end of two pieces of slight timber in the shape of a tri-
angle placed against the structure, and on its being fired
it was found to have no other effect than that of re-
moving out of their places at the spot a few pieces of
the timber about four inches out of their line towards
the top. A second charge of 301bs. of powder in a bag
was then laid on the ground in the centre of the
stockade, closely clamped with four damp sand bags,
and on being fired it made a breach of a space of
two feet nine inches, driving one of the piles out
of the earth, and breaking another asunder like a twig.
To effect a total destruction of this strong-build stockade
two charges of powder well tamped with sand bags were
placed in bags, one consisting of a bag containing 701bQ.
of powder and another of 501b5., in equal distances close
against the building, and on their being fired, they had
such an effect that it raked the piles of timber out o
the earth, and drove some of them to a distance of 150
feet from the spot, scattering the timber to a very con-
siderable distance. The report was tremendous, and it
produced a most magnificent sight. A pass having been
made, a number of Sappers and Miners, to about 200,
passed through, representing the taking of the place.
The object of destroying the stockade was to ascertain
the minimum quantity of powder necessary for that
purpose, and frem the result of those experiments, it is
evident that a barrel of gunpowder containing 901bs.
will destroy any stockade, however firmly put together,
provided the action of the powder is confined by being
surrounded by three or four bags of earth about the size
of a bushel each.
The next scene of attraction was that of the mining
operations. The first was the firing of a countermine,
containing a charge of 150Ibs. of powder, lodged in s
chamber of a gallery several feet under ground, and on
being fired it produced an explosion with a loud report.
causing a strikingly perceptible effect in the earth, felt
by persons standing on the glacis on the opposite side of
the trench, and throwing the earth up a considerable
distance, and forming a crater of nearly twenty feet in
circumference, and about 'three feet deep. This was
followed in a few moments by another
_explosion of a

charge of 1701b5., thereby causing an explosion of a most
magnificent description. The earth and fragments were
blow❑ up into the air, forming a crater of 33 feet by 16
feet, and a depth of 6 feet. The earth seemed to tremble
for some distance. To witness this mode of weave, the
troops of the line and the Royal Marines were present,
besides ti vast number of civilians. The weather was
particularly fine.
At the conclusion a few experiments were tried with
globes of compression at the end of holes bored in the
earth by means of a boring apparatus, with small charges
of gunpowder placed at the end, and well rammed up
with earth. These experiments were tried to ascertain
the size chambers that small charges of powder would
make in solid earth being applicable to defensive mines.
The whole of the arrangements commenced at two o'clock
P.M., and closed at four o'clock p M.

THE ARmr.—The 2d (Queen's) Regiment of Foot,
lately returned from India, and now at Chatham, has re-
ceived its route for Chichester, where barracks are ordered
to be prepared for its reception by the 26th inst. The 58th
Light Infantry and the 74th. Highlanders are, it is expected,
n
to leave this district dung the next month ; the former re-
giment going to Leeds, and the latter to Edinburgh.
Redfo r 1111 oeu sse ooiPier,
o f
on c e
,
a
STEAM-BOAT COMPETITION ON TUB THAMES.--,—II
is the intention of one of the steam-boat companies to com-
mence
nhotertlhasevea,relicitonomgLpboannetdywmehle-asubritrdhegedtheir fare to Greenwie,
to throe-ponce.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—Last evening,
the students of University College Hospital entertained Wil-
liam Davy, Esq., one of their number, at a dinner, on the
occasion of his receiving an appointment as a surgeon in the
Hon. East India Company's service. The dinner took place
at the Arundel Hotel. There "%ere about sixty gentlemen
present, and H. Morgan, Esq., occupied the chair. The
chairman eulogised in glowing terms the character of their
guest, and congratulated him on the success which had so
early attended his professional exertions; at the same time
expressing his regret at the loss the College would sustain
by the removal of a gentleman who had proved one of its
&tightest ornaments. The health of Mr. Liston and the
other Professors of the College were afterwards drank with
enthusiasm.

SUDDEN DEATH.—This morning between eleven
and twelve Mr. Windslane, a master builder, residing in
Duke. street, Bloomsbury, suddenly dropped down in his
pounting-house.- 'When ho was picked up he was found to
be dead.