The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-12 00:00:00

ti
_Pii3~'

A new rifle has made its appearance at Wimble-
don, which obviously possesses great merits. It is
the invention of Major Fosberry, V.C., and is one
of the nine weapons now under official trial at Wool-.
wich. The breech-block, which contains the piston
by which ignition is effected, is hinged on the fore
end, and is locked in its place by a bolt worked by
the lock, on the same principle as in the Mont
Storm. The great novelty and merit of the inven-
tion is the mode in which the breech-block is opened
and closed, and the cartridge-case is thrown ont. A
knob, working in a channel at the right side, when
pushed forward by a most ingenious, simple, and
strong mechanical contrivance, turns over and throws
forward the breech-block, at the same time with-
drawing and ejecting the empty cartridge-case.
When a cartridge is inserted, pulling back the knob
brings the breech-block into a closing position, and
the gun is ready for firing. The act of firing locks
the breech-block securely in its place. Major Fos-
berry, who has been an instructor of musketry, has
had in view the production of an arm that would
enable men to work in the rank without jostling
each other, no matter how much they might ba
crowded, and in this he appears to have succeeded
perfectly. No elbow room is required to work, and
fifteen rounds per minute, when it is simply a ques-
tion of rapid firing, can be sustained for two or three
minutes. At present the gin has not been tried here
for combined rapidity and accuracy, but it may be
safely predicted that it will hold its own well against
any competitors.
The fine score of Sergeant-Major Cooko (not
Rooke, as given in yesterday's scores) for the Daily
Telegraph Cup was not tied, and therefore, as the
competition closed last night, he becomes the winner
of a handsome memento of an admirable piece of
shooting. Contrary to general expectation, Mr.
Edward Rosa's score of 37 for the Asaociation En.
field Cup was tied yesterday, and indeed beaten by
Private Marsh, of the 12th Norfolk, who made two
marks less at 200, but two more at 500.

THE PALESTINE EXPLORATION FUND.

The General Committee of the Palestine Explo-
ration Fund held their second annual meeting on
Wednesday, in the Jerusalem Chamber, Westmin-
ster. In the absence of the Archbishop of York, the
chair was occupied by the Dean of Westminster.
Mr. Grove, the honorary secretary to the fund, read
the report, of which the following is an abstract :
The second exploring party of the association,
under the charge of Lieut Warren, R.E., had left
England early in the end of January, and were
now in Jerusalem, which they were instructed
to make their head-quarters. Lieutenant War-
ren had continued the map of the country by care-
fully surveying the districts north-east and south-
west of Jerusalem, left undone byWilson and Ander-
son in 1865-6. At Jerusalem itself a very important
discovery had been made outside the south wall of
the sacred enclosure (Haramesh-Shereef)—viz., that
the live rock of the hill overlooking the Kedron was
no less than 53 feet below the present surface. The
great south wall of the Haram had been traced down
to that depth at the corner, making it in all 130 feet
high. In addition, the east wall of the Haram bad
been found to run on beyond the present south wall;
and a second south wall had been discovered, 20
feet distant from that already known. These dis-
coveries were the most important that had been
made in that part since the finding of the well-
known arch by Dr. Robertson, and of the northern
arch by Capt. Wilson ; and they were also interest-
ing as showing what a great amount of unknown
topography is probably hidden under the immense
mass of debris which covers the hills and valleys of
the Holy City. In the valley separating Moriah
from the traditional Zion, opposite Dr. Robinson's
arch, foundations of piers and other works had been
found at a great depth. At the northern extremity
of the town, close to the Damascus Gate, founda-
tions of massive walls and of a tower had been un-
covered. All these works are being prosecuted by
Mr. Warren with all possible energy. It had been
the wish of the committee to procure a finnan
authorising investigations inside the sacred en-
closure, and Lord Stanley had been good enough to
endeavour to obtain this; but on the arrival of the
letter at Jerusalem, it had been found to exclude all
sanctuaries. The committee were anxious to send out
two other expeditions, one fur geology, under Mr.
Prestwich, F.G.S., and a second for botany and na-
tural history generally, under the Rev. 11. B. Tris-
tram. The expeditions would go out as soon as
funds were obtained. Meetings had been held at
Oxford and Cambridge, the former of which had
resulted in a grant of £5OO. The Syrian Improve-
ment Fund had granted £250, and the British As-
sociation £lOO-150 for general purposes and £5O
for four sets of meteorological instruments, which,
having been tested and certified by Mr. Glaisher,
were now on their road to Beyrout to bo distributed
among four selected places. The committee forming
a Biblical Museum reported that they had arranged
to locate the museum at South Kensington, and to
open it in the early part of next year. Several im-
portant contributions have been promised, and there
was every prospect of success. A conversation en-
sued on the advantage of endeavouring to obtain a
more favourable finnan during the visit of the Sultan;
also on the means to be taken to make the public
better aware of the existence of the association, and
of the valuable series of photographs, many of them
entirely new, which had been taken by the officers
of the fund. The executive committee and officers
were re-appointed, and Mr. Walter Morrison, M.P.,
was elected treasurer, in the room of Mr. R. C.
Hanbury, M.P., deceased. The meeting separated
with a vote of thanks to the very rev. chairman.