The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-16 00:00:00

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

The business connected with the Royal Agricultural
Show at Manchester is gradually getting into shape. The
trial of implements commenced on Tuesday beforo a good
muster of spectators. The mowing took place on land lying
near the Altrinclunn Railway, and the reaping wagon a farm
near Stretford. The grass on which the mowing implements
were set to work is a stiff and old seed grass, that would be
easily mowed by almost any implement, and will not there-
fore enable the judges so to discriminate as to lead them to
make a final selection. Some of the machines will leo
selected for a second trial, where there is softer and better
- grass. The crop on Mr. Taylor's farm is a light barley,
perhaps scarcely ripe. The competition amongst the reapers
will be an exceedingly keen one, and the extent to which at
will go may be judged from the fact that the judges have se-
lected 84 machines for trial, of which 25 are combined reap-
ing and mowing machines ; 13 are reaping machines, with
self-delivery in swathe; 18 with self-.delivery in sheaf;
nine are without self-delivery, and 19 aro one-horse
reapers. All the principal makers are represented,
and the competition will occupy the whole of the week.
Twenty-five mowing machines were selected for trial ou
Tuesday, and for each machine half an acre of land was
allotted. Messrs. Hornsby and Sons, of Grantham, com-
pete with new patent Manchester mowers. Messrs. W.
Wray and Son, of Bedale, with a machine made entirely of
iron. Mr. Walter A. Wood, with two American mowing
machines. One has two driving wheels, which are fur-
nished withintornal gearfordriving the cutters. One of these
wheels has stationary arms, and the periphery and geartnrn
round the arms on friction roller; and the bar is placed
opposite the centre of the driving wheels. In this machine
the cutters are fixed ou the top of the knife bar, and can be
raised or lowered by a lever worked by the foot. Mr. A. 0..
Bennett, of the Vale of Mowbray Work; Thirsk, competes
with a two-horse mower of his own invention. The frame
is constructed of wrought and cast iron, and the machine
has a large swivel wheel. Messrs. Samuelson and Co., of
the Britannia Ironworks, Banbury, compote with a new
patent grass mowing machine, arranged on a new principle,
so far as the draught is concerned. The draught chain is
attached to the pole bracket at a point below the attach-
ment of the pole to the body of the machine, and that point
is so adjusted as to neutralise the downward strain on the
pole. Mr. James lligson, of Manchester, and New Hall
Farm, Pendleton, competes with a two-horse mowing ma-
chine invented and manufactured bY Kearsley, of Ripon. Ia
this machine the knife works on plates of steel, and has a
particular lowness of cut. The driver has every part of the
machine under the control of his right hand. Messrs.
Wilber, Stevens, and Co. of Poughkeepsie, New York, com-
pete with a two-horse mowing machine, called the Eureka,
which will probably att.act as much attention as any machine
in the fields. The wheels aro large and sot at the back of
the ends of the cutter bar, which is directly in front of the
machine. TLe cutter bar is six feet long, can be set to
any required height, and can be raised by the driver
to pass obstructions. The machine has no bovil gearing,
cpur gear being used throughout. The "pitman" works at
right angles with the knife, consequently there is not the
jar which is found in all machines where both aro in the
same line. It is always in the same relative position to the
knife, and works equally well whatever the position of the
cutter bar. The horses are placed far apart with a long neck
yoke, and the machine is driven backwards and forwards on
the same Fide of the piece. One horse walks in the stand-
ing grass entirely beyond the cut, pressing it down in the
direction from which the next cut will bo made. The
other walks in the cleared track, outside the standing glass.
Messrs. Burgess and Key, of London, compete with a now
mowing machine, in which an entirely new arrangement is
adopted. The frame which carries the gear work is placed
outside the travelling wheels, and traverses the clear track
between the cut grass and tho standing crop. This
plan admits of the cutter bar projecting nearly in
the same line as the axle, and enables it to follow
the undulations of the ground. Messrs. J. and P.
Howard, of Bedford, compete with two patent ltraish

behind the wheels and attached to th 3 strong iron frame-
work by a drag-bar, that can be controlled by a lever. The
makers claim that this form of construction is very advan-
tageous when the mower is changed into a self-delivery
reaper. Mr. William Lewis, of the Salopian Ironworks,
Shrewsbury. competes with a new "Star" combined mow-
ing and reaping machine, made entirely of malleable iron or
steel. It is mounted on two strong wheels, both of which
combine in driving the knife. The finger bar is of steel,
perfectly flexible, and so constructed that tho driver
can by the aid of a lever, and without leaving his seat, raise
the bar and allow it to pass over obstructions. Messrs H.
and G. Kearsley, of Ripon, compete with a new patent mower
(No. 185), which has all its working parts encased in iron.
This machine won the first prize at Berlin last year.

THE ROYAL VISIT TO MANCHESTEE.—The
arrangements in connection with the proposed visit of the
Prince and the Princess of Wales to Manchester next
week have already undergone some alteration and modifi.
cation. It is understood to be the wish of their Royal
Highnesses that their visit should be considered as much
as possible in the light of a private one, and therefore much
of the public display, such as triumphal arches and similar
demonstrations of loyalty, will not be encouraged. The
day has also been changed for the visit to Manchester
from Tuesday to Wednesday.

A PARISH MARL —The Birkenhead guardians
(the Liverpool Mercury says) have been sorely troubled by
the vagaries of a sable mare which they purchased some
time ago, chiefly for the purpose of drawing the workhouse
hearse. This eccentric animal, which is familiarly known
as " Black Bess," has, since her connection with the work-
house, behaved in a most, reprehensible manner, for
(and here we are simply quoting the language
of one of the guardians), whether on a mis-
sion of pleasure or a journey to a funeral, she
has invariably come to grief. One of her last exploits
was to capsize the hearse whilst on a journey to the ceme-
tery ; and as such outrageous conduct as this was simply
intolerable, thoughts of getting shut of her altogether
entered the heads of several of the guardians. The matter
was discussed at a meeting of the board on Tuesday, and,
after the tricks and caprices of the mare had been duly
recited by a gentleman familiar with them, the guardians
resolved to dispose of her as soon as possible.
THE EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES IN THE
Housx or COMMONS.—The select committee appointed to
inquire and report whether any further provision should
be made for the examination of witnesses on oath before
the House of Commons have agreed to their
report. Both the Speaker and Viscount Eversley
are of opinion that " the power of examining
witnesses on oath is one which the House ought to
possess," and that procedure by bill would be
the proper course to take for obtaining it. Sir Thomas
Erskine May is of the same opinion. The committee,
therefore, recommend that provision should be made by
Act of Parliament for conferring on the House of Com-
mons the power of examining witnesses on oath, and that'
the said power be further extended to select committees
whenever the House in its judgment shall deem fit. A
bill introduced by Sir John Esmonde has been read a
second time and referred to the committee, who approve
its provisions.

TESTIMONIAL TO GENERAL PEEL.—A testimonial
dinner was given on Wednesday afternoon in the Corn
Exchange, Huntingdon, to the Right Hon. General Peel,
on his retirement from the representation of the borough,
of which he has been one of the members for upwards
of thirty-seven years. The company, numbering nearly
200, was presided over by the Right Hon. the Earl
of Sandwich, and amongst the guests were the Duke of
Manchester, Mr. Fellowes, M.P., Mr. Foster (the
Mayor), &c. Mr. Baring, M.P., was unable to be
present, in consequence of the death of Lord Taunton.
The memorial formed a beautifully illuminated
volume, which included the names of the subscribers to

. .
the testimonial. It was at first intended that the testimo-
nial should consist of a handsome piece of plate, with
a suitable inscription, but General Peel stated that it
would be most agreeable to him that the money raised
should be devoted to some additional accommodation for
patients, or in some other way for the benefit of the
County hospital. The committee had therefore placed
at the disposal of the trustees of the hospital a sum suf-
ficient to purchase £l,OOO Consols, hereafter to be called
the " Peel Testimonial Fund." General Peel, in a
speech of considerable length, thanked all present for the
honour which they had dune him, and assured them that
although separated from. them politically he should
always feel a deep interetit iu everything connected with
the borough with whic4he had so long hAd_the honour to
be connected.

FHE THIRD EDITION OF THE SUN,"
Riving all the SPORTING NEWS of the day. may be seen
0 JEM NiY MA N TON 'S house, "The Swan and Horse Shoe,"
Little Britain, City, E.C.