The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-20 00:00:00

MEDICAL ADVICE.

LA'MERT, Registered L.S.A., Honorary
1, Member of the London Hospital Medical Society, M.D.
at the University of Erlangen, tire., may be CONSULTED
on all cases of Debility, Nervousness, and on the Secret In
tirmities of Youth and Maturity, trom Eleven till Two, and
from Six till Eight, at his residence,
37, BEDFORD-SQUARE, LONDON
Dr. La'Mert has just published, price Sixpence, with nu-
merous Engravings and Cases, a New Edition of his Work,
SELF-PRESERVATION,
which will be sent tree, in a sealed envelope. by Mann, 39
Cornhill, London, or by the Author, for Eight stamps.
CONTENTS.
SECTION I.—The Physiology of the Generative Organs.
SECTION ll.—Puberty- Manhood -The Morale of Genera-
ive Physiology—True and False Morality.
SECTION lll.—Marriage in its Moral, Social, and Physical
deletions—lts Expectancies and Disappointments— Advan
tages of Physical Contrasts in scenting Healthy Offspring.
SECTION IV.—Spermatorrhcea and Impotence—The causes
41 Sterility in both Sexes—Self-inflicted Miseries.
SECTION V. -The Vices of Schoo!s—Effects of certain per-
nicious habits on the mental and general faculties.
SECTION Vl.—Treatment of Nervous and Generative De-
bility—lmpotence and Sterility—Dangerous Results of
various Hazardous Specifics -The Author's Principles of
Treatment ; Medical, Dietetic, and General, derived from
Twenty Years' successful practie,
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(From the Correspondent of the Times
SOUTHPORT, FEB. 17.
During the greater part of yesterday the experi-
ments to test the range and accuracy of these ad-
mirable pieces of ordnance were continued, in the
presence of a number of military and scientific gen-
tlemen and others interested in witnessing the
great results for which Mr. Whitworth has toiled so
long and indefatigably. Gen. Sir J. Burgoyne,
with Col. Campbell and Capt. Wrottesley, came
down from London expressly to witness the prac-
tice. Col. Wolford, Capt. Elgee, Mr. Er twistle, Mr.
Pender, Mr. T. Fairbairn, Mr. Longworthy, and
other visitors from Manchester and the surrounding
neighbourhood, were also present, in what might
almost be termed considerable numbers when the
exposed an d inclement nature of the practice-ground
is recollected. The firing commenced soon after 11,
but, in order to give the visitors time to go, if they
chose, to the extremity of the long range (six miles
and a half distant), the practice was begun with the
3-pounder at its greatest angle of elevation, and
therefore longest range. The day, though dull, was
milder, and the wind generally speaking seemed to
be more in favour of the practice than on Wednes-
day. Nevertheless every now and then it came in
sudden gusts from diverse points of the compass,
and threatened at times to interfere materially with
the correctness of the long range aim. The termi-
nation of the day's trials, however, gave, on the
whole, even better and more astonishing results
than those of Wednesday last. Before proceeding to
describe the trials we must correct an inaccuracy in
our accounts of Wednesday's experiments, when we
stated the pitch of the rifling of the 12 and 3-
pounder guns to be alike in both. This is not so,
the former having one complete turn in 5 feet, the
latter one in 3 feet 4 inches. This difference is of
far greater importance than might be at first ima-
gined, inasmuch as the 3-pounder, with the most
rapid turn in the barrel of any fieldpiece yet made
for service, has achieved in its first trial such re-
sults in range and accuracy as completely outstrip
the greatest yet attained by Armstrong. The pitch
in the rifling of the latter is only one in 10 feet.
With Mr. Whitworth's guns the pitch varies ;
thus the 80-pounder has one turn in 8 feet 4 inches,
the 12-pounder one in 5 feet, the 3-pounder one
in 3 feet 4 inches. The extreme length of the 80-
pounder is 9 feet 10 inches, its weight 4 tons, arra
its diameter of bore at muzzle 5 inches. The
length of the 12-pounder is 7 feet 9 inches, and its
bore 31 inches, and its weight Bcwt. The length of
the 3-pounder is 6 feet, its weight 2081 b., and its
bore 11 inches. With this latter, as we have said,
the greatest results have been obtained—a striking
commentary on the opposition on the part of all our
artillery officers to a rapid pitch of rifling in gun or
firearm of any kind. The practice of yesterday then
commenced at 35 degrees of elevation with the 3-
pounder, loaded this time with Boz, of powder in-
stead of 71, and pointed, as near as could be calcu-
lated by the distance posts, in line with a mark on
the low shore, which was far out of sight of the best
telescopes. The first shot touched the ground at
9,688 yards' distance (more than 51 miles), and only
34 yards to the right of the true line. The second
lodged in the sand (of course without ricocheting) at
9,645 yards, and 31 to the right of the mark; the
third at 9,611 yards and 89 yards to the right of
the mark ; the fourth fell at 9,503 yards, and 72
yards to the right, and the fifth and last at 9,453
yards, and only 55 to the right. The difference be-
tween the shot which fell nearest and that which
was widest was only 57 yards, and this at a range
of more than five miles and a quarter. The constant
deviation to the right arose from those working the
gun allowing too much for the influence of the wind,
which came in gusts from the left, or rather crossing
diagonally the line of flight of the projectile. As a
matter of course, at such an immense distance there
are no means at Southport of signalling to those in
charge of the piece whether the shots at the 51-
mile range fell either to the right or left of the
true line, and the gun once laid is not, therefore,
altered till another degree of elevation is chosen for
nearer practice. One shot was next fired at an ele-
vation of 33 degrees, and attained a range of 9,547
yards, falling 57 yards to the right of the mark.
'lle third trial was at an elevation of 20
degress, and at this angle the most wonderful
practice, both as regards range and accuracy, which
has yet been witnessed with any artillery in the
world, was effected. The gun was laid by one of
Mr. Whitworth's people, who it must be remem-
bered are ordinary mechanics, and before these ex-
periments never laid or loaded a gun in their lives.
The first shot, fired with Boz. of powder, fell at a
distance of more than four miles (7,073 yards), and
only four yards to the right of the true line of fire !
The second fell at 6,985 yards, and 41 yards to the
right of the true line. The third dropped at 6,960
yards-41 yards to the right of the mark ; and the
fourth and last, at 6,8i2 yards, but 27 yards right
of the line of fire. The unusual degree of diver-
gence in the last shot we were informed was purely
accidental, and caused by a slight inadvertence in
loading the gun, which it was supposed shifted the
stand. But even counting this as a fair shot, the
greatest amount of divergence from the true line,
at a range of 7,000 yards, is only 221 yards to the
right, a deviation so slight as to appear almost
incredible. With a regiment in square at such a
distance, or even among a cavalry out-picket of a
dozen mounted men, nearly every shot would have
told, as the line of flight is low beyond all compa-
rison with other projectiles. The angle of eleva-
tion was then lowered to 10 degrees, at which four
shots were fired. The first pitched 16 yards to the
right, at 4,269 yards' distance; the second was 10
yards to the right, at 4,281 yards' distance ; the
third went 29 yards to the right, at 4,193 yards'
distance ; and the fourth, 18 to the right, at 4,015 •
yards' range. These shots concluded the experi-
ments with the 3-pounder, the practice of the whole
day giving much -greater results than has ever been
attained with any artillery. It is a curious fact
that the first shot at each angle of elevation always
attained the greatest range, and that each round
after that, point was reached showed a steady di-
minution in its length of flight of nearly 40 yards.
This gradual decrease is worth notice, as our
readers can see by casting their eye over the sub-
joined table, which gives the order in which each
round was fired, the angle of elevation, charge of
powder, and length of range :

3-POUNDER.
No. Powder Elevation Rng. No. Powder Elevation Rag.
1 Boz. 35 deg. 9,688 8 Boz. 20 deg. 6,935
2 do. 35 „ 9,645 9 do. 20 „ 6,960
3 do. 35 „ 9,611 10 do. 20 „ 6,822
4 do. 35 „ 9,503 11 do. 10 „ 4,269
5 do. 35 „ 9,453 12 do. 10 „ 4,281
6 do. 33 „ 9,547 13 do. 10 „ 4,193
7 do. 20 „ 7,073 14 do. 10 „ 4,615
It is difficult to compare these results with the
greatest which Sir William Armstrong has attained,
as Sir William does not use so small a gun, so slight
a charge of powder, or so low an angle of elevation
for long range. The nearest data which we get for
comparison is the result of some experiments which
Sir William made with a 5 pounder at 6 and 11
degrees' elevation. a
nAgse
.complavrehditwwoirtthh.Whitit:sovaonorgtyehd.:
3-pounder the results are thus :
FArmstrong. R
5-pr. gun, 6 dog. 2,000 yards 3-pr. gun, 5 deg 2
11 „ 3,000 ~
17 If 10 „ 4,281 „
We are not certain as to the precise amount of
powder Sir William used but believe it was 12
Tuhepoeuxnpdeerri:
ounces. Mr. Whitworth's was for the 5 degrees 7
firaetdafinvaengtilme times
omuennctess ,wfeorre the
tli e
nlO
continueddegrees
with
the
tines was
10 deg. The results were as follow :
Angle of Yards Deviation from
lavthai cnh
a,
nwgilteh
ofa charge adregge. of
an
dl•ilvbe.,
Elevation. Range. Line of Fire.
4 yards to the loft.
2 .... 5 deg. .... 2,321
1 yard to the right.
3 .... 5 d0g..... 2'326 '''' . * 2yards the
4 .... 5 deg. .... 2,333
1 .... 5 deg..... 2,342
5 .... 5 deg. .... 2,298
7 .... 10 deg. .... 4,120 l3 If
8 .... 10 deg. .... 4,011
6 .... 10 deg. .. .. 3,942 ...... 15 yards to the right.
9 .... 10 deg. .... 4,002 ......16 I/
10 .... 10 deg. .... 4,059 ...... 9
10 deg. gained a range, it will be seen, of two miles
1 tThe best shot of the five at the low elevation of
and 600 yards, or nearly
y 21 miles.
The Armstrong practice with a gun of this
calibre is as good as the above. In fact, though as
regards range and accuracy, Mr. Whitworth's
ordnance have as yet distanced all others, the dif-
ference in these respects between his guns and Arm-
strong's, though not very great, is in truth, of the
utm3st importance. The superiority, we believe, is
due to the form of projectile and pitch and manner
of rifling adopted by Mr. Whitworth ; and it is
upon these points and upon the simplicity of ar-
rangement of the breech-loading apparatus thatthe
contest between them will turn. In the breech-
loading plan there is scarcely any superiority worth
speaking of on either side, what Whitworth gains
by having no breech-piece to remove being coun-
terbalanced by having to pull out his tin cartridge
case, and the time he saves by not sponging out
being consumed in making three turns of the screw
handle to open the breech and shut it. It is, as we
have said, in the shape of projectile and manner of

Sir,—Allow me a place amongst your numerous
correspondents to raise my voice against the unequal
pressure and unjust imposition of the income-tax.
Poor curates and poor clerks have great reason to
complain of the heavy burden, but not more so than
poor schoolmasters. I am one of the latter; my
salary is a hundred pounds per year, and I am the
happy father of eight children. lam expected to
bring them up in a respectable manner, both as to
their education and their appearance. hly wife and
myself must also appear as becomes our important
position, and, not to speak of the many incidental
expenses naturally occurring in a large family, all
this is to be effecttd upon a salary of less than £2
per week, and even this small income is to be re-
duced and my difficulties greatly increased by the
unequal burden of the income-tax. Why should
single and married men, large families and small,
be taxed in like sums ?

If we must be taxed, why not according to our
family responsibilities ? The larger our necessary
domestic expenses the less should be our tax liabi-
lities. Surely the man with four children is better
able to pay than the man with eight ; and the man
with one than he with two ; and if we have the
same incomes, it is therefore truly unjust that we
should be obliged to pay the same amount of tax.

I am sure there is no one who loves his country
and its institutions but would gladly, in time of
neei, help to defend them as far as he is able, both
by his pocket and his person ; and schoolmasters
are not less loyal than any other of her Majesty's
subjects; but to be unjustly pressed and burdened
by a tax greater than they can bear, and thus to be
driven into difficulties unbecoming their position
and hurtful to their character, should not be required
by any Government, and therefore should not be
quietly submitted to. If a system of equable taxa-

tion, moderate and efficient, could be devised and
adopted, I am sure everyone would at this time
willingly submit and cheerfully pay it.
Although greatly experienced in domestic re-
trenchment, I know little or nothing of Political
Economy ; bmt it has occurred to me that a plan of
assessment might be made which would relieve us
of the unequal pressure, and distribute the burden
according to the power to bear it. This, I think,
could be effected by calculating the value of the
amount that each man's income bears to his neces-
sities, and tax it accordingly.
For instance, take t% o men, each having five
children to provide for; one has £lOO per year,
and the other £l,OOO ; now it is evident that the
value of the £lOO is far greater to him whose in-
come it is than the £l,OOO is to the other ; because
the £lOO, being scarcely sufficient to provide re-
spectable necessities for the one family, there
is nothing left, every pound scrupulously doing
its domestic duty, and therefore extending its ut-
most value ; while the £l,OOO provides ample means
for the other family to live in affluence, with an
accumulating balance at the banker's in his favour.
The sovereign here is but a unit in the multitude,
unimportant in itself, unnoticed by its owner, and
therefore very different in comparative value to its
brother the pound above, who is an exceedingly
important personage in the household of its pos-
sessor. It is here looked upon as a friend of the
family, and when through sheer necessity they are
obliged to part, it is' with the utmost regret,
although it is to return again in some form of con-
venience or necessity ; but when it is roughly torn
away from the family with unjust bands, to return
no more in any form whatever, it is then that the
poor man feels its value, and seriously deplores its
fate.

Considering, then, that the incomes should be
rated according to the domestic value of their
amounts, I propose to assess incomes of .£lOO an 3
above at a penny in the pound, £2OO and above at
twopence in the pound, £3OO and above at three-
pence in the pound, £4OO and above at fourpence
in the pound, and so on increasing a penny per
pound upon every additional hundred; thus the
tax would be greater as the amount of income in-
creased its value, and less as the diminished amount
decreased its value; by this means the burden would
fall according as people were able to bear it, the
present unequal pressure would be relieved, people
would pay willingly and cheerfully, because justly
levied, and (last though not least) the Chancellor
would find his exchequer greatly increased.
The following table will show the proposed scale,
together with the present :
Proposed System. Present System.
Incomes. Rate. Tax. Rate. Tax.
d. £s. d. d. £.s. d.
100 at 1= 0 8 4 at 7= 218 4
200 ~ 2 = 113 4 ~ 10 = 86 8
300 " 3 = 315 0 ~ 10 =l2lO 0
400 „ 4 = 613 4 „ 10 16 13 4
500 „ s=lo 8 4 » 10 = '2O 16 8
600
7/ 6 = 15 0 0 // 10 = 25 0 0
700007 =2O 8 4 » 10 =29 3 4
S 7/00 8=26 13 4 11 10 =33 6 8
900 „ 9=33 15 0 » 10 =3710 0
1,000 „ 10 =4113 4 ,t 10 =4113 4
1,100 „11=50 18 4 » 10 =4516 8
1,200 „12=60 0 0 » 10 =5O 0 0
1,300 „ 13 =7O 8 4 „ 10 =54 3 4
1,400 „ 14 =Bll3 4 „ 10 =5B 6 8
1,500 „ 15 =93:5 0 /7 10 =6210 0
1,600 „ 16 = 106 13 4 » 10 =6618 4
1,700 ~ 17 = 120 8 4 » 10 =7OlO 8
1,800 ~ 18 = 135 0 0 » 10 =7i 0 0
1,900 ~ 19 = 150 8 4
2 000 ~ 20 166 13 4 1 10 =79 3 4
» 10 = 83 6 8

1,195 16 8
973 )5 0