The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-08 00:00:00

'WHITWORTH'S CANNON SHOT.

from which it will be perceived that the actual
surface of contact between the projectile and the
barrel is very small; and the firing of such a pro-
jectile leaves the question still unanswered whether
the abrupt rifle pitch—so strenuously advocated by
Mr. Whitworth, and necessary to maintain the
polarity of extremely elongated shots—be not, as
artillerists assert, productive of enormous friction
in proportion to the area of frictional surface. • Mr.
Whitworth avers that he tapered his bolts fore and
aft to the end of giving them a shape better adapted
to cleave the air; but he has not given that shape
to his small-arm pickets ; and, being within our
knowledge, we vouch for it as a fact, that some of
that gentleman's ordnance projectiles, not tapered
fore and aft, actually crushed to fragments in the
act of firing, and came out almost in the state of
powder.. What should have been the cause of this
but excessive friction ? We lay great stress upon
this point, feeling that the adaptive inventor who
works with borrowed data—one relying on adjust-
ments and conciliations for achieving points of
seeming success—is very apt to come out with
masked propositions. Obscurities of this kind
must be torn away, and naked truth revealed, be-
fore the real value, if any, of an adaptive invention
becomes evident. Now the opponents of abrupt
rifling say "rifling means friction, not range, other-
wise than collaterally and subserviently," wherefore
the practical minimum of abruptness should be
given, Mr. Whitworth would seem to have it in-
ferred that rifling means range ' • that a screw may
work in a screw with no more friction than a cylin-
der in a plain tube, He says, "My shot can be
pulled. out of my ordnance by the traction of a
string." True, but why veil the propoSition, and
create a suggestio falsi by concealing the fact of the
diminution fore and aft ? Why conceal the other
fact, that, until this tapping was accomplished, all,
nay: more than all, artillerists said would happen
did happen—the shot' crushing in the gun ? Why
not give prominence to the fact that each shot is
accurately planed and turned, and the barrel
polished to such a finish that one slides within the
other like glass upon glass ? Why not state (as is
a fact) that on trying some shots not thus planed
and polished, then the only achievement to which
Mr. Whitworth can point as having accomplished
—range, furnished nothing to boast of?
A good number of questions equally pertinent
might be asked by way of demolishing the absurd
mystification with which the records of Mr. 'Whit-
worth's ordnance have been brought before public
notice. Once for all, we would protest against the
absurdity of denominating rifled ordnance-accord-
ing to the weight of their missiles. A round-shot,
weighing any definite number of pounds, can only
be got into, and shot from, a tube of definite size;
but a long shot of any imaginable weight might
(length enough conceded) be made no bigger across
than a knitting-needle. Mr. Whitworth knows
perfectly well that maximum range involves mini-
mum diameter. The public do not know it, or at
least are apt to lose sight of it. We therefore hold
it incumbent on a man of science to have explained
this matter to the public. What is the result ?
Why, simply this : Mr. Whitworth waits until
Sir William Armstrong has published records of
experiments with guns nominally as so many
pounders; and he makes guns nominally equal, as
-to weight of projectile, but practically less than in
diameter. Not stopping here, he makes an inch-
and-half gun (a scarcely larger bore than an ele-
phant rifle); he fixes it, ordnance fashion, to a ear-
lriage, so that it may withstand any amount of re-
coil ; and he sets forth the practice of this toy as
comparable with the practice of a cannon. Making
a gun of smaller bore than Armstrong's, it was
bound (weight for weight of projectile) to shoot
farther than Armstrong's; but Sir William would
compromise no principle involved in the construc-
tion of his gun were he to diminish the bore of these
guns to a less calibre than that of Mr. Whitworth's;
under which circumstances he is bound to surpass
that gentleman's ranges. Finally, the point must
be mentioned (and we are sorry to have to do so),
that, in comparing range against range, Armstrong's
shells have been set against Whitworth's solid shot.
If the records of Mr. Whitworth's experiments be
carefully examined, the ranges of neither of his
guns, save the three-pounder, give any results to
boast of; and the ricochetting of his projectiles late-
rally, and the great allowance necessary to be made
for the influence of wind upon them, are much to
their disfavour. Mr. Whitworth, in a printed let-
t6r, states The practice with the sinollest gun,
the three-pounder, proved.all I wish to-establish in
point of range ; it was therefore not requisite to
surpass it with the heavier cannon fired at a high
elevation." Will artillerists concur in this ? We
think not. Why, here 'is another veiled proposi-
tion—another suggestio falsi. The small gun shoats
far; granted. Is this because of the small bore or
because of the Whitworth construction ? The pub-
lic generally believe the latter; seeing they have
had to do with a veiled proposition. The suggestio
firlai is that of begetting the assumption, that be-
C 2 use the small cannon shot far, the big cannon would
have shot farther. Now we say this is a non sequitur.
It is really big guns, fired with big charges, that
will put the breech-loading ordnance on their
trial. 'We have purposely said nothing in respect
of the Whitworth small arm. What need P The
Enfield has beaten it. Mr. Whitworth, we know,
has said—" My small arm has beaten the En•
field." Well, take it thus. Whitworth's small
trns, with bores less than half-an.inch in dia-
meter, beat the regulation Enfields with bores of
more than half-an-inch in diameter. Was that any
marvel ? That is what Mr. aWhitworth means
when s " I have beaten the Enfield.' But
the notion occurred to Mr. Gunner, of Enfield,
director of the small-arm factory, a gentleman who,
as his surname proves, was born into the world on
purpose to be where he is. Ile said—" Let us start
fair, Mr. Whitworth. I will make a musket in
every respect like the regulation Enfield rifled
musket, only its bore shall be the same as that of
your gun." Well, this was done; and the Enfield
beat the Whitworth. We have not stated, and we
cannot find space to-day, some points relative to
the loading of the Whitworth ordnance. These
points must be deferred. Meantime; so far as in us
lies, we will not permit the notion to go forth that
Mr. Whitworth is a victim of prejudice or neglect.
His guns, large WO small, bee had a fair trial ; r.o
far as be has cheaen them to be t: ied. The Ord-
nance Select Committee have attentively noted
what his guns have done, and will attentively watch
for the performance of many tl4n4e they yet have

f

to do, before they can seriously rival the preten-
sions of either Armstrobg or Lancaster.
Our desire is that every inventor may have fair
play. Free interchange of views between the
War-office and civilian life is a novelty; it should
be an advantage. But, speaking for the civilian
public, as one of its daily organs, we tell them that
newspapers have other duties to fulfil than merely
chronicle the self-made statements of inveLtors or
their partisans; or disseminate veiled propositions
—half-way stepping-stones between casual error
and voluntary mystification. Newspapees have to
tell the whole truth ; not a part of it. That, at
least, is our rule, and we shall follow it; even in
the matter of big guns. We won't' have the Ord-
nance Select Committee too hardly dealt with by
any great gun inventor. Those poor gentlemen
have enough to suffer, day by day. What follows
is a fact—the principal in the narrative himself
related it in our presence some years ago :
" I have been grossly insulted by the Ordnance
Select Committee," said he, in our hearing, one
day.
" What did you propose to them ?"
'• That I would throw a projectile, heavier than
any used—a projectile of enormous weight—
amongst the enemy."
" And how ?"

"As thus :—I take a gun—a cannon ; I thrust
an iron bar, fitting its bore, into the ground at an
angle. I fix the cannon, which becomes, you see,
the projectile. Off it flies, and in amongst the
enemy it goes.".

" What did the chairman say to you, my little
man ?"

'• He said, ' Pooh, pooh !" I was never so in-
sulted."

TEE NAVY.

The Rodney, 91, is being fitted with her engines
and machinery at Chatham by the contractors,
Messrs. Maudslay and Co., after which she will
join the steam reserve squadron in the Medway.
Her Majesty's Dew screw steam corvette Barrosa,
intended to carry 21 guns, and constructed on the
same principle as the Jason, recently launched at
Devonport, will be launched at Woolwich on Satur-
day next. She will be floated round to the fitting-
basin immediately afterwards to receive her engines,
of 400 horse-power, and, from her peculiarly sharp
build, she is expected to have unusual speed. The
preparations are to be complete, so that she may be
in the river about five minutes after three o'clock
p.m. Mr. Turner, master-shipwright, recently
appointed to Woolwich from Devonport, has been
indefatigable in his exertions to complete the
Barrosa in order to effect the launch during
the present high tides, which were yesterday at
two o'clock three feet higher than usual, and
ranged twenty-three feet, the wharfs in Woolwich
dockyard, being completely flooded ; insomuch
that precautions were taken in caulking the mast-
house and store sheds to prevent them from being
inundated. Her principal dimensions are :—Length
between perpendiculars, 225 ft. ; ditto of keel for
tonnage, 179 ft. 7-tin.; breadth extreme, 40ft. Bin. ;
ditto for tonnage, 40ft. 4in. ; ditto moulded, 39ft.
Bin.; depth in hold, 24ft. 2in. ; burden in tons,
2,623 43-94.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. Loftus C. H. Robinson,
to be Flag Lieut. to Vice- Admiral Bruce, Comman-
der-in-Chief at Portsmouth ; Lieut. F. bl. Prattent,
to ' the Centurion ; Lieut. Arthur H. Gilmore, to
the Donegal ; and Edward H. Stanton, paymaster,
to the Falcon.

TILE ARMY.

Captain Green, 77th Regiment, proceeds from
Bombay to China as Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-
General to General Mitchell's division.

Dr. Gibson, C. 8., has been appointed Director-
General of the Army Medical Department.
Four troops Ist Dragoon Guards, under command
of Colonel Sayer, with Major Slade, Captains Brad-
bury, Mitchell, and Wingfield, are to embark at
Madras in the present month for service in China.
A party of 200 men and six staff sergeants, under
the command of Colonel Hay, have left Warley
barracks for Halleybury, near Hertford, the depot
at Warley being fully occupied.
Major-General Henry Charless Russell, Royal
Artillery, expired yesterday at his residence Rose-
cottage, Charlton. The deceased officer was a
veteran in the service, having entered the regiment
as second-lieutenant in April, 1802. The subsequent
promotions were—Filst-lieutenant in September,
1803, captain in July, 1808, major in May, 1825,
lieutenant-colonel in January, 1837, colonel in
November, 1846, and major-general in June, 1854.
Although of advanced age the deceased had not re-
tired from the corps, and would have been appointed
to the command of one of the new batteries as
staff-officer.

Government having decided on establishing a
School of Musketry for the North of England at
Fleetwood, with that object have purchased, for
£20,000, the splendid range of buildings, well
known as the Euston Hotel, which will be con-
verted into accommodation for the troops who will
be sent to Fleetwood for instruction and practice
in musketry.—Cumberland Pacquet.
Two of Capt. Grant's military cooking-waggons
were yesterday delivered over to the commandant
of Woolwich garrison, Major-Geneneral Sir R.
Dacres, K.O 8., at the recommendation of the
select committee of the Arsenal, with directions
from the Minister for War to travel them a dis-
tance of 600 miles. One of these waggons is
fitted with an ambulating boiler for cooking
while troops are on the march, and the other is
fitted with a set of the pontoon kettles for cook-
ing in the field. Each waggon is 'said to be
capable of cooking for 800 men, and, as they have
been specially constructed and fitted for the pur-
pose of being deposited as patterns in the Royal
carriage department in Woolwich Arsenal, they are
considered to be good specimens of the excellent
work of that establishment. Independently of the
facilities afforded for cocking, the consumption of
fuel for the ambulating boiler is not one eighth part
of the present Government allowance. Sufficient
apparatus upon this principle has been shipped for
the service of 5,000 men in China.

Vice-Admiral Charner, the new commander of
the French forces in China, sailed on Thursday
from Marseilles in the English steamer Panther,
for Alexandria, on his way to his destination.

ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE.—The theatrical
public and the profession generally will hear with much
gratification that the tenth and last house has been pre-
sented by Mr. John Knowles, of the Theatre Royal, Man-
chester. This act of munificence will, we are sure, be
highly appreciated and gratefully remembered by every
member and lover of the drama.
From South Australia the advices reach to
Levi
generally
r Ca
10l
oJfaAnudaerlyaidleB;
it lins
stthaetecdirtchualtabr
uosfinMessestsrrasn.
were limited to actual requirements. Although the colony
sPac.tios
had suffered from a severe drought, it was expected that
the crops would not be much below the average for the last
few years. The pastoral and mining interests, especially
the latter, are represented as making strides. It was feared
that great mortality would take place among the sheep and
cattle in consequence of the long-continued drought. The
general monetary position of the colony remained sound.
The price of Burra Burra shares was £l5l ex-dividend.
Copper remained firm at £lOO per ton, at which price there
was a good demand. Tallow was quoted at £6O per ton,
and fleece wools is. sd. to ls. Bd. per lb. Bank draughts
on London, at 60 days' sight, 1 per cent. premium.
With regard to the mixtures foisted on the Lon-
don public as butter, the duty on which is now to be abolished,
it is stated by respectable houses in the trade that the usual
consumption of Irish butter at this period of the year in Lon-
don and the surrounding districts is about 10,009 casks
weekly ; but that this year it is under 3,000 casks,—" a
fact attributable entirely to the immense importation of
stuff, called butter, from Holland and other foreign coun-
tries." In summer, when the make of butter is at its
largest, these countries shipped from 6,000 to 7,000 casks
weekly. At present they send from 13,000 to 14,000 casks
a-week, when it is impossible to produce that quantity in
its genuine state. Of these 13,000 casks more than two-
thirds are adulterated with farina, beef suet, and other sub-
stances, to the extent of 30 to 50 per cent. The true and
only remedy for the evil will be found by the public select-
ing respectable shops, where detection in false practices
would be ruin, and acquainting themselves with the lowest
price at which the genuine commodity can be honestly
sold.

The announcement that the French Emperor has
agreed to remove the prohibition on the export of rags
from France has created a very favourable impression, not
only in the paper trade, but among the general public, the
feeling being that thus
far the Emperor has mani-
fested a desire to make concessions on most points of
the treaty where cases of peculiar injustice or inconvenience
have been pointed out. There are several articles on which
relaxations are still hoped. for, and one of the principal ap-
pears to be beer. Messrs. J. and R. Tennent, of Glasgow,
who are among the largest exporters of bottled malt liqnor
in Great Britain, have addressed a petition to the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer to procure its admission into France
and her colonies at a moderate duty--a point on which,
notwithstafilling the course taken by England with regard
to wine, no provision has yet been made, and Mr. Glad-
stone has replied that he will use any influence in his power
to attain this object.
Mr. William Brougham, in whose favour her
Maje,ty has been so graciously pleased to extend the re-
mainder of the Barony of Brougham and Vaux, was formerly
a Master in-Chancery, and sat in Parliament as M.P. for
Southwark in the sessions of 1831-32, and 1833-4. He is
the youngest and (with exception of Lord Brougham) the
only surviving son of the late Henry Brougham, Esq., of
Brougham Hall, and was born aeout 1786. He married in
1834 Emily Frances, only daughter of the late Sir Charles
William Taylor, Bart., M.P., of Hullycombe, Sussex, by
whom he has issue three daughters and also two sons, Henry
Charles, born in 1836, and Wilfrid, born in 1842. Lord
Brougham's other brothers were James, Sometime M.P. in
the unreformed House of Commons for Tregony and Win-
chilsea, and M.P. for Kendal in the first Reformed Par-
liament, who died in December, 1833 ; Peter, an officer in
the army, who was billed in a duel by the late Mr, Camp-
bell, of Sha,wfield, in 1801; and John, who died in 1829.
Lod Brougham's only sister, whose name by some unac-
countable mistake is omitted from the peerage, died at an
advanced age in 1847 or early in 1(58,

PARLIAME'VTARY ELECTION
COMUTTRES.-(THIS DAY.)

DOVER.

This committee re-assembled this morning, and the
hearing of evidence having closed,
Mr. Phinn, Q.C., "proceeded to address the committee on
the part of the sitting member. The learned gentleman,
in his opening remarks, commented very strongly on the
absence of Mr. Bormingham and Mr. Stockwell, from
whom, if he had been placed before the committee, he
thought he could have something very material. His
learned friends, however, on the part of the sitting mem-
bers, had, with their usual judgment and discretion, ab-
stained from bringing them into the eommittee-room, and
he (Mr. Phinn) had no doubt there was a very good reasen
for it ; for he must confess that a gentleman who had got a
hundred guineas for his services might perhaps be led into
making statements which might possibly have a very
damaging effect upon his employers. That the
committee would report that Welsh, Whitto, and Giles had
been guilty of taking bribes he had no doubt; and the next
question to determine was, by whom were they bribed. The
sums given to these parties did not appear in the auditor's
report, and everything pointed to Stockwell, who he thought
was clearly proved to have been an agent of the sitting
member. With reference to; the Folkestone cases, no less
than 13 or 14 of the immaculate freemen of that locality
had been clearly proved to have taken money for their votes.
It was not a large amount, it was true, yet it was as illegal
as if they had received £lOO a piece. He could not doubtfor
a moment that the committee would in their report state such
to be the case, for what other meaning or construction
could be put upon the proceedings that had taken place.
The marking the figure 28 on the table one night, and being
refused, and the rumour that prevailed in the locality the
next morning that " Stocks has risen to gO," inconteatibly
proved the fact.
The learned counsel was proceeding with his speech.
when we went to press.