The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-17 00:00:00

Macbeth

Puritan ......... .
Madame Moot ....

Nine ran.
STEEPLECHASE.

--
Telegram ---
Gribmltr
Little Charley
Eleven ran. Tem° fell.
HUN I' CUP STEEPLECHASE.
_ _

Lothario
Longford
Odiham

Seven ran. The /lace in dispute.

BETTING. ON THE COURSE.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
7to 1 agst Gladiolus
16 to 1 agst Rio

CHESTER CUP.
16 to 1 agst Polestar

WITITIVORTIPS GUN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
- -

Sir,—Would you allow me an opportunity of
correcting the impression which I find has got abroad,
that cannon made by me have failed in practice?
As this impression may, perhaps be strengthened
by the report of the observations made in the
House of Commons last week, I feel myself called
upon to state the facts that have given rise to
reports which are really without foundation. My
experiments have fez some time past been mainly
directed to the subject of rifled small arms; but,
as the system which I have adopted is equally
applicable to ordnance of all sizes, I bored and
rifled several pieces of cannon, which were supplied
to me in the solid by the Government. Some of
these were brass guns, which have stood the test of
continued firing, and three were of cast iron, which
have burst. For the strength of these guns I was
in no degree responsible ; they were the ordinary
pieces made for the smooth-bored cannon used in
the service, and proved too weak to bear the strain
of firing long rifled projectiles.
I should most certainly not have undertaken to
rifle them if I had foreseen, or could have supposed
that their failure, which was caused by want of
strength, would have been imputed to my system
of rifling.
Being desirous of immediately rendering all the
aid I could to the service, I considered the experi-
ment of rifling the pieces, as they are ordinarily
supplied, worthy of being tried, and I think I may
venture to state that their trial has furnished re-
sults of no inconsiderable importance.
All the guns rifled by me belonged to and were
at the time at the disposal of the War Depart-
ment. I had not the means of firing cannon at
long ranges, but I hoped to have been furnished
with the results of experiments that would have
enabled me to form correct conclusions. I hope,
soon, however, to be enabled to make trial of two
guns which, on my own responsibility, I am
constructing of the requisite strength, and which,
I doubt not, will fully realise the expectations en-
tertained by those who witnessed the first experi-
ments in April, 1856, with the 24-pounder brass
howitzer which I bored and rifled. At that time pro-
jectiles, varying from two to six diameters in length,
having quick rotary motion, were fired with great
success.—l am, sir, yours most obediently,
JOSEPH WHITWORTH.

Manchester, March 14.

ROYAL LITERARY FUND.

The annual general meeting for the election of
officers and for other business was held yesterday,
at the chambers of the corporation, Great Russell-
street; the Earl of Stanhope in the chair. There
were also present :—Mr. Pepys, Sir H. Ellis, Mr.
Cabbcll, Mr. Nichols, Mr. Bell, Mr. Dickinson, Sir
John Forbes, Mr. G. Gruikshank, Mr. Bentley, Mr.
Gruneisen, Mr. Newby, Mr. Spottiswoode, Dr.
Guest, Bev. Dr. Major, Mr. Pollock, Sir Jas. Prior,
Mr. Purton Cooper, Mr. Masters, Mr. Clowes, &c.
Mr. HARRISON read the registrars' and treasu-
rers' reports, the report of grants during the last
year, the auditor's report, and an abstract of the
cash account. The following is a classification of
the authors relieved during the past year :—His-
tory and biography, 9 grants, £315 ; biblical lite-
rature, 2 grants, £7O ; moral philosophy, 1 grant,
£5O ; science and art, 8 grants, £330; periodical
literature, 5 grants, £175 ; topography and travels,
8 grants, £230 ; classical literature and - education,
3 grants, £9O; poetry, 8 grants, £185; essays and
tales, 7 grants, £165; drama, 1 grant, £2O; law, 3
grants, £123 ; medicine, 1 grant, £5O ; miscel-
laneous, 2 grants, £4O.

The following is an abstract of the cash account :
Jan. 1. Balance in hand, £382 lls. 7d. ; rents of
the Newton estate, £203 ; dividends on stock, £OOB
Os. Bd. ; subscriptions and donations, £364 17s. ;
anniversary receipts, £977 los 6d. ; total, £2,886
4s. 9d. Grants for relief, £1,840; rent, &c., £lBl
ls. 4d. ; salaries, &c., £225105. 4d. ; stationary, &c.,
£llB 19s. 5d.; anniversary expenses, £262 12s. ;
balance in hand, £205 is. Bd. ; total, £2,836 4s. 9d.
The CHAIRMAN then read the following repOrt
,‘ The general committee desire to state, for the in-
formation of the general meeting, that they have
received a communication from Mr. Chas. Dickens,
announcing the prospect of a certain offer to the
society,from a person not at present named, on cer-
tain terms and speculations. With these terms and
speculations the committee are at present ac-
quainted, but expect to learn them fully at an in-
terview which they have agreed to hold with
Mr. Dickens and another gentleman a few days
hence ; and they will then proceed to give
to them and to the whole subject their
most careful consideration. Meanwhile the
committee felt it their duty to communicate
also to the general meeting the following
extract from Mr. Dickens's letter on the subject :
The forthcoming annual meeting, therefore, I
shall abstain from attending. The friends who
have been associated with me on former similar
occasions will, yielding to the same reasons, also
stay away. But we confide it to the fairness of the
managers of the Literary Fund to make it known
to the corporation at that meeting, that we do not
withdraw our opposition ; that we hold it suspended
only until the matter shall have been fully con-
sidered.' " The chairman added, that the commit-
tee, not having had an opportunity of-learning the
details of the offer, were not able to make any
more explicit statement on the subject.
Mr. GRUNEISEN inquired whether, in the event
of the communication rendering a special Meeting
necessary, it would be called at once, or the matter
would stand over to another year ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that the committee had
not considered that point, but there was not the
smallest desire on the part of the committee to
withhold information.
Mr. GRUNEISEN
suggested the propriety of sub-
mitting the offer to a meeting before the committee
came to any decision on the subject.
The CHAIRMAN observed that he considered that
a very reasonable suggestion.
A ballot then took place for the election of offi-
cers. Two vacancies on the list of vice-presidents
were filled up with the names of Mr. Gladstone,
M.P., and Mr. Alfred Tennyson ; two in the coun-
cil with the names of Mr. G. P. R. James and Mr.
Edward Foss ' • two in the general committee with
the names of Mr. Justice Haliburton and Mr. An-
tonio Panizzi. The other officers were all re-elected.
The usual complimentary votes were given to
the registrars, treasurers,audrniitoirnsa,
taedndwoitthh a voteer of&
cers, and the proceedings terminated
of thanks to the chairman.

----------
Mr. Hyde Clarke, agent for the British Settlers
in the Darjeeling
Connry in North Bengal, had an inter-
at the East India
taanlneL,myoerisatlerdfraoym,
the inhabitants of
einter-
viewDarjeelingHouse, witht
FLuroersfdaen vtoSur of a guarantee to the Northern
Bengal Railway.
THE BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILLS...—.A
meeting of merchants and other traders took place to-
day, Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., in the chair, upon the
question of the amendment of the law of bankruptcy.
At a meeting in November last a committee was appointed
to consider the bills introdncrd into Parliament by the
Lord Chancellor and Lord John Russell. After a care-
ful examination of the provisions of the two Acts,
the committee are of opinion that the " Debtor ands
creditor" Bill of Lord Chelmsford exhibits many de-
ficiencies, and should be firmly opposed, while they
recommend a steady support to Lord John Russell's scheme,
which it was stated will receive some impOrtant additions.
The committee also propose to refer the bill to a select com-
mittee, under whose superintendence every proper amend-
ment may be introduced. After a short discussion, in the
course of which the evils of the present system were forcibly
pointed out by Mr. S. Morley and other speakers, a resolu-
tion was carried to present a petition to Parliament, em-
bodying the TWITS Of the Cordmittee.