The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-26 00:00:00

NO MORK MEDICINE.

DU BARRY'S HEALTH RESTORING FOOD,
the REVA LENTA ABABICA.—We find it to be ad-
mirably adapted to restore a healthy action of the stomach,
liver, and bowels, and thereby to remove dyspepsia (Indiges-
tion), habitual constipation, flatulency, diarrhoea, dysentery,
nervousness, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds,
noises in the ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions,
hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidit',
palpitation, heartburn, headache, debility, despondeney,
cramps, spasms, nausea and sickness, sinking, fits, cough,
asthma, bronchites, consumption, also children's com-
plaints, restoring, at about a penny per meal, perfect diges-
tion, strong nerves. sound lungs. refreshing sleep, and func-
tional regularity, without mi-dicine, inconvenience or expense
to the most disordered or enfeebled. Dr. Andrew Ure, M.D.,
F.R.S., Dr. Shorland, Dr. Harvey, Dr. Bright, Dr. Campbell,
Dr. Wurzer.

(From the Morning Post )
DR. LIVINGSTON'S EXPLORATIONS IN TUE INTERIOR OF
AnircA.—The indefatigable researches of Dr. Livingston
have suddenly made us acequainted with one of the happiest
people in the world, of whose very existence little
was hitherto known in civilised Europe generally.—
The province of Angola, Dr. Livingston writes in the "Jour-
nal of the Royal Geographical Society," possesses great fer-
tility and beauty, and its capabilities, both agriculturally and
commercially, are of a very high order ; indeed, I do not fear
contradiction in asserting it to be the richest in Western
Africa. The great scientific traveller, who spent 16 years
among this favoured people, has had ample opportunity of
studying their physical and moral condition, and his details
are most curious, They appear indeed to enjoy an Elysian
felicity, requiring. neither physic nor the physician, for Dr.
Livingston found their staff of life to be the Revalenta Ara-
bica Food, which keeps them perfectly free from disease, "con-
sumption, scrofula, cancer, &c., being scarcely heard of, and the
small-ox and measles have not been known for twenty
years." In England also the Revalenta Arabica has produced
a wonderful improvement in the health of the people, remov-
big cough, consumption, asthma, debility, indigestion (dys-
pepsia), constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver coimplain is,
and restoring the faculty of digestion, and nervous and mus-
cular energy to the most enfeebled, as proved by testimonials
from the many thousand well known individuals, whose
health has been restored by this useful and economical diet,
after all other means of cure had been tried in vain for many
years, and all hopes of recovery abandoned. We extract
1% few expressions of gratitude from invalids thus cured.
of Dyspepsia, from the Right onourable
Stuart de Decies H"
I have derived considerable
benefit
's Revalenta Arabica Food. Stuart de
Lord
Decies."—Cure /So. 49,832 : "Fifty years' indescribable agony
from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation,
flatulency, Curet
loiC
from 71 o(ispasms, sDu liarryickness at the stomach and vomiting,
have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Food. Maria
Jolly, Wortham Ling, near DNA, Norfolk."—Cure No. 52,087:
Field-;Marshal the Duke of Pluskow, of a gastric inflamma-
tion of the stomach.—Cure No. 51,614: Baron de I'olentz,
Prefect of LaIWCIIRIL of many years' horrible sufferings of
the nerves and an obstinate zonstipation. Cure No.
48 721 : General Baron de Zuluskowsky, of many
years' fearful disorders of the digestive functions.—Cure
No. 47,121 : Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Nazing Vicarage,
Waltham Cross, Herts, a cure of extreme nervousness,
indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—
Cure No 45,314: Miss Elizabeth Yeoman, Gateacre, near Li-
verpool : a cure of
nervous irritability.—Cure No.
.18,216 : Dr, Andrew Ure, of
constipation, dyspepsia, nervous.7ritability.7Cure No. 34,210:
Dr. Shorland, of dropsy and debility.—Care Np. 36,212:
Cap-
tain Allan, of epileptic fits.—Cure 42,116;Maj0r Edie, of
enlargement of the liver, and total prostration of strength.
—Cure No. 3 ;,418 : Rev. Dr. Minster, of cramps, spasms,
and daily vomitings.—Curs No. 26,118: Dr. cramps,
of
diarrlicea and debility.—Cure NG.
_39,618: Dr. Wurtzer, of
consumption.—Cure No. 32,880: illiam Hunt, Esq., Bar-
rister, of paralysis.- Cure No. 46,270: Mr. James Roberts,
timber-merchant, of Frimley, Surrey, 30 years' diseased
lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangement, partial deafness.
—Cure No. 51,816: Mrs. Holze, aged 107 years, of dyspepsia
(indigestion), debility, irritability and nervousness, which had
tormented her for 70 years.—Cure No. 46,814: Mr. Samuel
Laxton, Leicester, of two years'Aliarrheea.—Cure. No. 52,412 :
The Dowager Countess of Castlestuart, of many years' ner-
vous irritability, bile and indigestion, Cure No. 54,812: Miss
Virginia Zegners, cured of consumption, after her medi-
cal advisers had abandoned all hopes of recovery.—
Cure No. 180: "Twenty-five years' nervousness, ()con-
stipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I have
suffered great misery, and which no medicine could re-
move or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du
Barry's Food in a very short time. W. B. Reeves, 181,
Fleet-street, London."—No. 4,208: "Eight years' dyspepsia,
nervousness, d -tinily, with cramps, spasms, and nausea, for
which my servant had consulted the advice of many, have been
effectually cured by Du Barry's health-restoring Food. I shall
be happy to answer any inquiries. Rev. John W. Fla Yell,
Ridlington Rectory, Norfolk." No. 32,836: " Three years'
excessive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm,
and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable,
has been radically removed by 1)u Barry's health-restoring
Food. Alex. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereen."
Cure No. 3,006: Thirteen years' cough, iadigestion, and gene-
ral debility, have been removed by Du Barry's excellent
Food.

In Canisters : 11b. 2s. Od., 21b, 4s. Gd., 121 b, 225., 241 b. 40$.
Superrefined quality: 51b. 225., 10Ib. 335. The 101 b., 121 b., and
241 b. canisters carriage free on receipt of Post-office Order, by
Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, itment-street, London ; Fort-
num, Mason, and Co., 182, Piccadilly; Abbis, 60, Gracechurch-
street ; also at 6.3 and 150 Oxford-street, 330, Strand, 4, Cheap-
side, London ; and through all grocers and chemists.

AT R. and MRS. GERMAN REED, TO-NIGHT,
IVAL and EVERY EVENING (except Saturday), at 8,
THURSDAY and SATURDAY AFTERNOONS, at 3, will
give their NEW CHARACTERS and SONGS, in their
Popular Illustrations from Real Life, " OUR HOME CIR-
CUIT," and " SEA-SIDE STUDIES." Admission, ls., 25.,
Stalls, 35., secured at the Gallery, and at Cramer, Beale, and
Co.'s, 201, Regent-street.

ROYAL ALHAMBRA PALACE CIRCUS,
Leicester-square. Two Performances Daily.
The Educated Bull DON JUAN, will shortly leave. The
Comic Harlequinade must soon be withdrawn. THIS DAY,
all new Scenes in the Arena, and the entire troupe of artistes
will appear in a brilliant series of Equestrian and Gym-
nastic Performances. Morning Exhibition (especially re-
commended) at Two; Evening, at Half-past seven.
Proprietor Mr. T. M'COLLUM.

RGYLL ROOMS, Windmill-street, Grand
L CASINO, open every Evening, with the celebrated
Band. Established 10 years. Conducted by Mons. Lamotte ;
principal cornet-a-piston, M. lloulcourt. Doors open at half-
past 8, commeno,3 at 9. Close a few minutes before 12. Ad-
mission, Is.

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ROOMS,
rimif ITOLBO lIN,
This Establishment, pre-eminently distinguished for the
elegance and matchless beauty of its decorations, combined
with the perfection of its management is OPEN EVERT
EVENING. The celebrated band, muler the direction of Mr.
W. M. Packer, plays a nightly-varied selection of the most
approved classical and modern music. Doors open at half-
past R. Overture at 9. Closing at 12. Admission, One
Shilling.
N.B.—Mr. W. M. Packer's grand annual benefit Bal Masque
(positively the only oue this year) is fixed for Thursday, 23d
February.

DR. KAHN'S MAGNIFICENT ANATO-
MICAL MUSEU3L Top of the Haymarket (acknow-
(edged by the whole of the Press to be the most useful and
instructive of any in existence), is OPEN DAILY (for gentle-
men only), from 12 till 5, and from 7 till 10. Admission,
One Shilling. Descriptive handbook gratis. Dr. KAHN'S
Popular Lectures on the "Philosophy of Marriage," daily at
and 8 o'clock precisely. SYLL ABUs.—Happy and Unhappy
Unions, and their causes—Youthful Vices and Indiscretions,
and their results -Disqualifications for Marriage, and their
cure—the Physiology of Reproduction—Self-inflicted Miseries
-Sterility and its causes—How to secure Moral and Physical
Happiness.
N.B.—Dr. Kahn's Treatise on the above subjects, entitled
"The Philosophy of Marriage," Ben:: post-free on receipt of
twelve 4tamps. direct from the Aathor, 17, Harley-street,
Cavendish-square. W.

PURE RE-CARBONATED FLUID MAG-
NESIA (l'atent).—As one of the Cheytical Directors of
the processes recently patented for re-carbonatiug and satu-
rating the FLUID MAGNESIA of Sir JAMES MURRAY,
M.D., I can testify that, as perfected at his London Works
(Mr. Linder's, 104, Strand), it forms a sparkling, agreeable,
and most effective antacid and, when taken with the Acidu-
lated Syrup, a gentle aperient. It will also be found useful
In the uric acid deposits, Po common in cases of Rheumatism,
Gout, and Gravel. ARTHUR HILL HASSALL,
Analyst of "The La. cet" Sanatory Commission, Au-
thor of "Adulterations Detected," "The Urine in
Health and Disease," &c.
Wimpole-street, 20th Jan., 1860.

GLENFIELD PATENT STARCH,
USED IN THE ROYAL LAUNDRY,
4,-ND PRONOUNCED lIY HER MAJESTY'S LAUNDRESS to be
THE FINEST STARCH SHE EVER USED.
WIIEN YOU APR "FOR
GLENFIELD PATENT STARCH,
SEE TIIAT YOU GET IT,
As inferior kinds are often substituted.
Sold by all Chandlers, Grocers, Ac.,
WOTUERSPOON & CO.. GLASGOW AND LONDON I

TEETH REPLACED.-DECAYED TEETH
_I.. RESTORED. Mr. A. EWELL, Surgeon Dentist,
s patented Incorrodible Teeth without extracting
Teeth or stumps, on his never-failing and painless principle
of Self-adhesion, rendering detection impossible. Articula-
tion and mastication guaranteed. Decayed Teeth rendered
insensible to pain, and stopped with his Osteoplastic Enamel
—of the same colour as the Teeth, permanently useful, and
lasting Enchanged for years (a most important discovery in
Dental Science !). Loose Teeth fastened, A/c. Hours, Ten to
Six. Consultation free. Charges strictly moderate, 314,
REGENT-STREET (opposite the Polytechnic), and Ben-
nett's-hill, Birmingham.

QURE CURE.-LAMBERT'S ASTHMATIC
ki BALSAM, without confining the bowels or affecting* the
head, truly etficacigus and pleasant, is admitted to be the best
medicine for immediately relieving coughs, colds, confirmed
eases of asthma and consumption. It frequently cures per-
sons whom the fanilty pronounce incurable, admirably allays
the tickling which provokes frequent coughing. In approach-
ing consumption its effects are truly beneficial. Persons de-
prived of sleep, or even lying down for fear of suffocation,
may depend on reliefin a few minutes after taking it. Pre-
pared only and sold by W. Lambert, chemist, 20, Jermyn-
street, Haymarket, and by all druggists in bottles, 13i
d.,
2s. 3d. and 4s. 6d. each. Be particulVand ask for Lambert 's
Asthmatic Balsam. The name and address is engraved on
the stamp.

MEDICAL FRIEND AND MARRIAGE GUIDE.
TO—Sent free on receipt of two stamps,
THE NERVOUS AND DEBILITATED.
for postage, kc.,
by Dr. RAPIi EY, 27, Alfred-place Bedford-square, London,
W. C., " T EIE GUIDE TO SELF-CURE."
" The first man of the day in these complaints."—Medical
Review.
Those about entering- the Marriage State should peruse
the Author's invaluable little work, as the advice he rives on
health and disease reflects much credit upon him as a sound
siedical philosopher."—Critic.
" The true Guide to those who desire a speedy and private
;ure."—University Afazazine.
"The • NEW AMERICAN DISCOVERY' demonstrates
the absurdity of the English mode of treating such com-
plaints, will prove a blessing to the afflicted, who may safely
and easily regain pristine health by adopting the means pre-
•iented."—Evening Star.
CAUTION.—As a duty due to the profession and the
public generally, Dr. Rapkey advises all persons having
doubts of the legal qualifications of their medical attendant,
or parties whom they may be about consulting, to procure
from the Royal College of Surgeons, London, the Official List
of Registered Members, price is., or Dr. R. will, on receipt of
the price in stamps, gladly assist and protect the afflicted
public by forwarding, the same

PLYMOUTH, Tuesday—A heavy gale from S.S.W.
Was blowing all last night; it is now more moderate from
W.S.W. The ship Annandale, belonging to Messrs.
Nicholson, of Annan, has just put into the Sound. She is
117 days from Whampoa, with over 9,000 chests of tea for
London. When approaching the Azores, on the 10th
inst., Captain Aitcheson died of dysentery, and Mr. Green,
chief officer, took charge from the 14th to this date. She
experienced strong westerly gales, and on the 21st, in lat.
48 50 N., long. 14 16 IV., was struck by a heavy sea, which
carried away yards and sails, bulwarks and stanchions, and
two boats, and swept overboard two seamen, Edward Stan-
ley and John Campbell, who were unfortunately drowned.
• [AnviurrlsmalexT.l—Du Barry's delicious Revalonta
Arabica Food saves 50 tunes its cost in other remedies, and
cures indigestion (dyspepsia), habitual constipation, ner-
vousness, biliousness, and liver complaints, flatulency, dis-
tension, acidity, heartburn, palpitation, nervous headaches,
hysteria, neuralgia, noises in the head and ears, pains in
blood, scrofula,
of the stomach and between the shoulders, erysipe-
las, eruptions of the skin, impurities and poverty of the
scrofula, cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, 'rheu-
matism, gout; nausea and sickness during pregnancy,
aftear eating, or at sea; low spirits, spasms, cramps, epi-
leptic fits, spleen, general debility, inquietude, sleeplessness,
irritability, paralysis, tremors, dislike to society, unfitness
for study, loss of memory, delusions, vertigo, blood to the
head, exhaustion melancholy, groundless fear, indecision,
I
wretchedness, t is, moreover, the best food for infants
and invalids generally,• as it never turns acid on the
weakest stomach, nor interferes with a good liberal
diet, but imparts a healthy relish for lunch and
dinner, and restores the faculty of digestion, and ner-
vous and muscular energy to the most enfeebled.
In tins, at ls. 6d. ; 11b., 3s. ; 21b., ss. 9d. ; 51b., 125.; 121 b.,
265. The 101 b. and 121 b. tins carriage free, on receipt of post-
office order. Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London'
Fortnum, Mason, and Co., 182, Piccadilly; Abbis, 60,
Gracechurek-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63, and 150 Oxford-
street; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 60, Bishopagate-
street ; 85, Tottenkam-court-road. Also at Dublin.
Rewley and Draper ; at Edinburgh, Raimes and Co. ;
at Liverpool, Nixon and Thew; at Manchester, Sharp and
Scott ; at York, Raimes, Blanohard, and Co. ; at South-
titniPto32l Randall and Sou.

711 E ARNSTRONG GUY.

(Conelocitd from The Son of the 21th.)
The article which appeared in our columns of
fuesday last merely described the routine of pro-
cesses followed in perfecting the manufacture of this
remarkable engine of modern warfare. But the
public, in order to appreciate the value of the in-
vention fully, have yet to learn somewhat of its
relative weight, cost, range, accuracy, and the rate
at which it can be produced compared with the
old-fashioned, smooth-bored artillery—in short, all
its essential qualities as a working gun. These
qualities, of course, are the main facts of import-
ance connected with ordnance of every kind; in-
formation, therefore, concerning them may not be
without interest at a time when the indefatigable
activity of the War-office is bringing about a scien-
tific revolution even in our old muzzle-loading
artillery. Now, as to the rate at which the Arm-
strong guns can be produced, it has been already
stated that the Government, 10 months ago,
pledged itself that the united exertions of the fac-
tories at Elswick and Woolwich should enable them
to complete 100 guns within the last year. Before
the close of 1859 upwards of 100 guns had been
completed at Woolwich alone, where the work has
been so constantly and so successfully urged for-
ward that the rate of manufacture has risen from 5
to 23 guns perweek. Up to the present time 113 12.
pounder field guns are already finished there, and
in all 220 are more or less advanced towards com-
pletion. All of these are 12-pounders, but as be•
tween Elswick and Woolwich a sufficient number of
guns of this calibre has either been already manu-
factured or is nearly finished to re-arm the whole
of our field batteries, no more of this size are to be
made, and both factories will in future concentrate
their efforts on heavy, or at least much heavier
ordnance. Supposing Woolwich to be able to con-
tinue at its present rate of 23 a week, we ought to
have from this source alone upwards of 1,100 of
the new guns before the close of the present year.
Allowing for the delay consequent upon the
heavy forging of the 25, 40, 70, and 100-pounder
guns, such as are now soon to be begun, still
Woolwich ought, and we have not the least
doubt will, complete its 1,000 guns before next
Christmas. From Sir W. Armstrong's own works
at Elswick, in addition to a few heavy guns, two
complete 12-pounder field batteries have been sent
to China, with 21 12-pounder guns for boat service,
for which from their extreme lightness they are
most admirably suited. In addition to this 40 12-
pounder guns for the field batteries are ready and
only waiting to be forwarded to Woolwich for
mounting. Two 40-pounder guns are being made
per day; while the manufacture of the heavy ord-
nance has commenced with a 100-pounder, 10 feet
6 inches, gun, which is expected to obtain a range
of 61- miles. Like Woolwich, the Elswick works
have risen also in their rate of production, from
about three: per week to 14, and there is no doubt
but that at a pinch, even with their present staffs,
Elswick and Woolwich could easily :turn out 40
completed gnus each week.
To double or even to quadruple this weekly num-
ber the War-office would simply have to increase
the machinery employed in every stage of the ma-
nufacture, which might so be extended to an almost
unlimited amount. The rate of production at Wool-
wich is one gun for every three and a half working
hours, and one for each four and a half hours at
Elswick. At both places, however, a single gun,
from the time the rolling of the. No. 1 coils com-
mences till the finished piece is proved and paused
examination, requires from six to seven weeks of
constant and skilful labour. A great deal has been
both said and written as to the expense of the
Armstrong gun, which, it has been urged, is so
excessive as almost to preclude its general adop-
tion throughout the services. Such reports are
quite unfounded. It is, and always will be, an
expensive process to supersede an immense amount
of comparatively new artillery merely to substitute
in its place a more efficient weapon ; but this is
a tax always entailed on progress in any branch
of manufacture. Gums of all kinds, no matter
whether cast iron, an Armstrong, or a Whitworth,
are manufactured solely to attain certain essential
results, and the piece which attains these in
the greatest proportion must of necessity
always prove the most economical in the end.
But, setting aside this obvious truism, the
Armstrong gun is in every point of view, except,
perhaps, that of mere first cost, the cheapest
weapon that has yet been produced. Thus an ordi-
nary 12-pounder field battery gun costs, in metal and
labour, about 1:200. Its utmost really accurate
range is 1,400 yards ; its weight is 19 cwt., requir-
ing six horses to draw it in the field. his capable of
firing 800 rounds of shot under favourable circum•
stances, after which number, if it survives so long,
it is always condemned and broken up, realising
about half its cost as gun metal. The Armstrong
12-pounder gun costs about £250; its aim is accu-
rate at much more than 5,000 yards ; its weight is
only 8 cwt., and it therefore only requires four horses
to move it with the utmost rapidity. Some of those
already made have actually fired upwards of 3,500
rounds of shot and shell, and are still new guns.
For the number of shots in proportion to the cost of
the gun, the old muzzle-loader cost ss. for every dis-
charge, the Armstrong only ls. 3d., though the
former is ineffectual at three-quarters of a mile, and
the latter unerring at two. The chief and most
important saving, however, is in the smaller number
of men it requires to work it, and, above all, in the
-axing of horse labour. Only those who have seen
he difficulty with which artillery is transported
with an army can properly appreciate the import-
ance of reducing this the most formidable of all its
many impedimenta. While still retaining the same
strength the Armstrong gun could easily be reduced
to almost half the weight at which it is now manu-
factured but there are limits to the amount of light-
ness which is desirable in these guns. The back-
ward recoil of the gun is in exact proportion to the
velocity and force with which the shot leaves the
breech, and even the 8 cwt. 12-pounder " kicks" to
an extent that may render it necessary to strengthen
considerably the present form of carriages for field
artillery.
It may sound strange to our readers, though it is
nevertheless strictly true, that up to the present
time Sir W. Armstrong has not manufactured any
gun with a view of attaining a long range. The
range of all the guns on this principle is of course
immense, but Sir William's main and almost only
object has been to secure perfect accuracy of aim.
That this is attained, to an extent almost incre-
dible to those who have not seen the practice with
it, is now admitted even by old artillery officers—
the very last and most reluctant to confess that the
gun was worth anything at all, or that a civilian
could know much more than the difference between
the breech and the muzzle of a cannon.
Yet, in spite of this unfavourable opinion, so
loudly pronounced at one time, the gunners who
are used to the Armstrong declare that with it they
would undertake never once to miss a man at a mile !
At one of the factories a strip of board is shown,
22in. long by 9in. broad, which, when the gunners
were practising, was whitened over and put up as a
target at a distance of three-quarters of a mile.
Though only just visible at this great range, it was
hit three times in four shots. At the Elswick works
at Newcastle, a 100-pounder, about 11 feet in
length, is being manufactured with almost the
ex-
press view of attaining a long range. This piece, it
is anticipated, will have an effective range over six
miles and a half. All these tremendous results, it
must be remembered, too, are accomplished with
little more than one-half the charge of powder used
with the present muzzle-loading cannon. This is
due not only to the size of the shot itself, which al-
lows no windage, and so receives the whole explo-
sive
force of the powder, but to the peculiar mode
and pitch of the rifling. The Armstrong shot is of
course conical, and about 23 diameters in length.
At the shoulder of the cone is a ring of lead dove-
tailed into the iron, and a similar one at the base.
These are both made about 1-16th of an inch larger
than the diameter of the bore of the gun, so that
the finest lines of the rifling are filled up, and no
windage whatever takes place. With an ordinary
muzzle-loading 32-pounder, weighing 56 cwt., it
requires 101 b, of powder to hit at 3,000 yards' dis-
tance. An Armstrong 32-pounder, weighing 20
cwt., only takes 51b. of powder to send its ball
nearly 10,000 yards.
About this time twelvemonths the Government
had a very large factory at Woolwich for the pur-
pose of casting the ordinary iron guns, which had
previously been mostly obtained from private firms,
more particularly from the Low Moor and Gospel
Oak works, the guns from which were always con-
sidered the very best. Misled by false economy,
the Government in an evil hour undertook to com-
pete with the private trade, and of course, they did
so with precisely the same result that has always
attended such competition in this country, from the
time of Elizabeth's monoplies down to the present
day. £90,000 was spent in erecting a factory at
Woolwich, which was opened amid a tremendous
flourish of trumpets as to what it would accomplish.
But at the very outset the Government factory
found, to its dismay, that it was not in possession
of the secret of mixing iron used by the Low Moor
people in making their guns, and that in conse-

quence of this trifling deficiency the guns so made
at Woolwich mostly burst in proving. Low Moor
was courteously invited to impart its secret, which
Low Moor, with the utmost sagacity and prudence,
as courteously declined to do. So the Government
set to work to analyse ores, &c., with a view to dis-
cover a secret of manufacturing skill, and much of
which was also mainly due to the peculiar coal
used at Low Moor works, which made theireeast-
lugs almost equal to the best charcoal iron. It is
needless to say how utterly the attempt to pierce
this secret by merely analysing the iron failed, and,
the factory being at last discovered to be nothing
more than a most costly and unproductive experi-
ment, the Government very wisely determined to
put an end to it at once. The gun foundry accord-
ingly disappeared from among the large items in
our army estimates, and the whole place was given
over to Sir William Armstrong.
Under his care, and backed by the zealous cup-
port of the permanent heads of the War-office, the
whole of the immense plant and machinery, steam
hammers, turning lathes and boring machines were
at once converted at small expense to assist in the
various processes by which the Armstrong gun is
brought to perfection. So carefully and economi-
'cally.has this been done that every single portion of
the machinery is now converted to its new purpose
at the cost of only a few thousand pounds. Thus
then, as we have said, with this old plant renewed,
Woolwich ought this year to turn out at the least
1,000 heavy Armstrong guns and Elswick 650—an
immense addition (when the range and accuracy of
this formidiable artillery are considered) to the de-
fences of the country. In the meantime the War-
office is turning its attention towards devising some
method by which the immense store of old iron ord-
nance may be utilized to a certain extent by rifling
them after the manner of the Freracb.---How the
French have managed to succeed in this process it
is difficult to say, inasmuch as all the guns that
have been rifled in England (and they have been
rifled after every known conceivable plan) have all,
without a single exception, burst before their ex-
perimental trials were concluded. These repeated
mishaps turned the attention of inventors in another
direction, and it was sought to devise some method
to strengthen the east-iron muzzle-loading guns
now lying in thousands in all our arsenals, so as to
enable them to bear rifling, and the immense addi-
tional shock created by the increased resistance to
the projection of the conical shot. To this end a
number of cast-iron guns of the ordinary size have
been hooped round with rings of wrought-iron,
shrurk on while hot. The effect of these two inches
of w rought•iron outside the cast has been literally toincrease the strenth of the gun more than four-
fold. Thus, a 96 cwt. 68-pounder from Low Moor
not unfrequently briaks at the proof charge of 281 b.
of powder and one shot. A gun of exactly the same
size and weight, only partly constructed with hoops
of wrought-iron, bears a 281 b. charge of powder,
and blows out a long iron roller weighing no less
than five cwt. without bursting, and when they
have burst under this tremendous test it has always
been exactly at the spot where an opening or
fissure was left between the wrought-iron hoops
in rolling them in. There experiments have led
the Government to require certain results from
all inventions for rifling our common iron ord•
nance, such as strength, comparative lightness,
accuracy in aim, and length of range, though the
latter is very wisely placed :ar subordinate in im-
portance to accuracy. There are now six new in-
ventions under the consideration of the War
office, which all profess to attain, and which all do
more or less attain, these essential conditions—viz.,
a gun of Sir William Armstrong, one by Comman-
der Scott, RN., one by Mr. Whitworth, one by
Mr. Lancaster, one by Mr. Bashley Brittain, and
one by Mr. Jeffries. Which will be the invention
eventually chosen we, of course,. cannot pretend to
say, though it is generally understood that the
struggle rests between Mr. Whitworth and Sir
William. The former gentleman has himself in-
vented a breech-loading cannon which for strength.
simplicity, range, and accuracy is said to surpass
even the Armstrong ; but this point will be set at
rest in a few days, when a public trial of the gun
will be made near Liverpool.
But, whatever plan is adopted for the conversion
of the iron ordnance into rifled cannon, it is known
that it must be based upon the principle of hooping
it with wrought-iron. The War-office, therefore, is
taking time by the forelock, and, pending the de-
cision as to which of the many plans is best, is
erecting a splendid range of foundries at Woolwich,
for the purpose of working in the wrought-iron
bands, while a large number of lathes have been
constructed to be ready to proceed at once in turn-
ing the shot or shell, which, of course, will be of
wrought-iron, and made with mathematical accu-
racy as to size. All these efforts are very praise-
worthy on the score of economy, and also as intended
rapidly to place at the disposal of the country a
large store of the most formidable kind of guns. But
it is a more than doubtful question how far these cast-
iron guns are capable of being rifled at all, and it is
well known that even with the addition of strength-
ening hoops only the solid 68's and long 32-pounders
can be so treated. There should be no mistake on
this head—that we, for the sake of a little economy
in working up these old guns, should produce an
inferior article at a very superior price. The gun
must be above those suspicions of bursting which so
unpleasantly attach to all cast-iron guns which have
hitherto been thus tinkered, else our soldiers and
sailors will be more afraid of their own ordnance
than of the enemies'.

Of these two greatest breach-loading guns which
have yet been constructed—those of Armstrong and
Whitworth—the latter, it is said, cannot be burst,
while it is certain that no one has ever yet succeeded
in bursting the former. Su immense, indeed, is the
strength of the Armstrong gun, that a piece of iron
cut from it at any part bears a tensile strain of no
less than thirty-three tons to the square inch. It
is a gun of such strength as this which is required,
and which, if mere economy and the consumption
of a large store of very second-rate material is the
only object in view, it is doubtfal that we may get.
The NV ar-office may depend on ono thing—that the
only great danger they have to avoid is making
second-rateno
m a t
ter weaponhow
frem anything
merelygreat the inducement or how reasonable the hopes
of better results. Let them seek only to attain the
best weapon which can be obtained under the cir-
appercooa ncjoiimnigca ltomotives, a
cir-
cumstances, and both the public and our naval and
military service are sure to be satisfied. Judging
of the future by the past, and looking to the im-
mense results the War-office has already achieved
with the Armstrong gun, the matter may be con-
sidered to be in the best train, and we have not the
least doubt but that the decision it arrives at will
be one which the country and the services will en-
dorse. A few weeks will at the latest determine
what kind of rifled cannon, in addition to the Arm-
strong. will be used, when our readers may depend
on having early and accurate information on the
whole subject. The attention of the public cannot
be too often or too strongly directed to this ques-
tion of the improvement of our ordnance—a ques-
tion not inferior in national importance to the
volunteer movement which this journal has done so
much to originate and forward. The Government
should neglect no effort to get, if possible, even a
better gun than Armstrong's, and, if that is not to
be accomplished, they must turn their energies to
seeing that the country has an abundance of the
artillery which their experience has proved to be
the best.—Times.