The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-22 00:00:00

FINIS POLONI4E.

The famous mot, Finis Polonice, attributed to
Kosciusko, after the battle of Maceiovice, and which
in all probability prompted Campbell's celebrated
line—

" freedom shrieked when Koscinsko fell,"
is now, after the lapse of more than half a century,
proved to have never been uttered. M. Chodzko,
a Pole, residing in Paris, has communicated to the
Pays the following interesting letter, written by
Kosciusko himself to the historian De Segur

Paris, 30, Brumaire, an xii. (Oct. 31, 1803.)
Monsieur le Comte,—Besides the paper which I gave you
yesterday relative to M. Adam Poninski and his conduct in
the campaign of 1794, there is another matter connected
with the unfortunate battle of Maceiovice, which I am
anxious to clear up. Ignorance or bad faith insists upon
putting into my mouth the word " Finis Polonite," which I
am said to have pronounced on that fatal day. In the first
place, I was almost mortally wounded in that battle, and
only recovered my senses two days afterwards, when I found
myself in the hands of my enemies. Moreover, if such a
word as that would be illogical and criminal in the mouth
of any Pole, it would be doubly so in mine. The Polish
nation, in calling upon me to defend the integrity, indepen-
dence, dignity, glory, and liberty of our country, well knew
that I was not the last of the Poles, and that although I
might die on the battlefield, or otherwise, Poland would not
therefore come to an end. What the Poles have done since
with those glorious Polish legions, and what they will in
future do to recover their country, sufficiently proves that
although we, her devoted soldiers, are mortal, Poland is
immortal, and that nobody is justified in repeating the base
epithet, .Finis Polonice. What would the French say if, after
the disastrous battle of Rosbacb. in 1737, Marshal Charles
de Rohan, Prince of Soubise, had exclaimed, Finis Gallice,
or if such cruel words had been impugned tohim by his bio-
graphers ? I shall therefore be obliged to you if you will
not repeat the .Finis Polonice in the next edition of your
work, and I trust the authority of your name may prevent
any one from attributing to me in future a blasphemy
against which my whole suul protests.

T. KOSCIUSKO.

NEGRO EMANCIPATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

—Tho following memorial is now circulating in the free
States of the American Union :—" Memorial of the People
to Congress. ' Proclaim liberty throughout all the land;
to all the inhabitants thereof.' To the Congress of the
United States.—The undersigned, citizens of —, State
of —, respectfully submit,—That, as the present for-
midable rebellion against the general Government mani-
festly finds its root and nourishment in the system of chat-
tel slavery at the South ; as the leading conspirators are
slaveholders, who constitute an oligarohy avowedly hostile
to all free institutions ; and, as, in the nature of things, no
solid peace can be maintained while the cause of this trea-
sonable revolt is permitted to exist, your honourable body
is urgently implored to lose no time in enacting, under the
war power, the total abolition of slavery throughout the
country, liberating unconditionally the slaves of all who
are rebels, and, while not recognising the right of property
in man, allowing for the emancipated slaves of such as are
loyal to the Government a fair pecuniary award, as a con-
ciliatory measure, and to facilitate an amicable adjustment
of difficulties, and thus to bring the war to a speedy and
beneficent termination, and indissolubly to unite all sec-
tions and all interests of the country upon the enduring
basis of universal freedom."

GLASGOW, Oct. 19.—Cotton.—We have again
had an active market this week at advancing rates. The
quantity on sale is very limited. Yarns and Goods—The
speculative movement in cotton has extended to yarn and
cloth, and a large business ha been done during the week
at an advance of fully ld. on yarns up to 100, while goods
such as 12 jaconote and the like are up 3d. Goods and
yarns are still, notwithstanding the advance, such a losing
trade to the manufacturer that we hear daily of more short
time; and, as cotton is daily creeping higher and higher,
unless some unexpected relief should come, the prospects of
our manufacturers for the coming winter are gloomy in-
deed. Iron—The pig-market has shown rather more firm-
ness this week, and prices have fluctuated about 9d. per
ton. Yesterday the tone was flat at Ds. Gd. cash, but to-
day there has been less pressure, and after business at 495.
71d.; holders stood out for 495. 9d. prompt, at which the
market closed steady. Iron in makers' hands is in fair re-
quest, and exports are going 014 briskly. Gartsherrie. No.
1,58 s. ; No. 3,50 s. ; g.m.b., No, 1, 495. 3d. ; No. 3,48 s.
3d. ; No. 1, Coltness, 535. Gd. ; Calder, 51s. ; Glengaxneek,
51s. ; Eglinton, 51s. ; Forth, 505.; Kinneil, 50s.
The advices from Paris show that the tendency
of the exchange is still strongly in favour of this country
The Bank of France have advanced their terms for their
bills on London, and all that they offer are taken directly.
At present, however, they sell only moderate amounts. It
is alleged that on Thursday last the directors wished to
advance their rate of discount to 7 per cent., but that the
Government would not consent, A renewed rise has
occurred iA the price of flour.

WARRIOR—EXRERIM.ENTs AT
SHOEB URYNESS.

Some very im7,crtant experiments in connection
with armour-coated vessels were made yesterday
at Shoe uryness, on the Essex coast, by the direc-
tion of the Government. For several weeks past
there has been in course of construction, in the
practising ground of that garrison, a large target,
representing a perfect section of the Warrior's side,
in build, thickness, and strength, with the view of
testing its resisting power to 68-pounders and the
largest Armstrong guns. This target having re-
cently been completed at an expense of about

£2,000, the Duke of Somerset, the First Lord of
the Admiralty, fixed yesterday for an official visit
to witness its behaviour before an onslaught of the
new artillery. The noble duke, accompanied by
his private secretary, Capt. Mcore ; Admiral the
Hon. Sir F. W. Grey, and Rear-Admiral C. Eden,
and Captain the Hon. J. Drummond, Lords of the
Admiralty, Rear-Admiral Robinson, and the mem-
bers of the Government special committee on iron,
headed by Sir J. Hay, the chairman, started from
the Fenchurch-street railway station at an early
hour in the morning for Southend. The same train

contained a large party of gentlemen interested

in the experiments, including Mr. Rolt and Cap•
tain Ford of the Thames Iron Works Oompany,
who built the Warrior; 111 r. Fairbairn, of Man,

chester, whose target upon a different principle
has recently been tried at Shoeburyness ; Sir
William Armstrong, the inventor of the guns.
which bear his name ; Mr. Scott Russell, and
several military and naval officers of eminence.
At Southend there was a great muster of vehicles of
various descriptions to convey the company to their
destination, a pleasant ride of about six miles. It
was a fine autumn day, with a rather keen breeze
from the sea, but in every respect favourable for
the operations. Having passed through the garri-
son, in which a series of blocks of handsome new
buildings for the artillery have far advanced to-
wards completion, the visitors alighted at the
entrance of the practising-ground, where strict pre-
cautions were taken, but very courteously, to pre-
vent the admission of any one not properly autho-
rised by the Admiralty.
The " Warrior target" is 201 t. long, by 10ft.
wide, having in the centre a port-hole 3ft. 3in. by
2ft. in dimensions. It stands close to the shore, and
of course faces the battery which is inland, at a
distance of 200 yards. As already stated, the
target presents an exact copy of the side of the
magnificent ship which is now proudly riding on

the sea at Portsmouth; but in order that the effect
of the day's experiments may be properly under-
stood, it may be as well to give the details of
construction. Upon the exterior there are only
four armour plates, each being 41in. thick,
and composed of the best scrap iron, ham-
mered by the Nasmyth hammer. The top and the
lower ones run the entire length of the target-
20ft.—the former being 3ft. sin. wide, and the
latter 3ft. 13in. The two middle plates, which are
shorter in length by the extent of the port-hole,
show a width of 3ft. 7in. Behind these plates
comes a " backing" of teak 18in. thick, and then
the iron "skin" five-eighths of an inch, making
altogether a thickness of 23 in. The whole of this
solid mass is completely pierced by bolts, screwed
on to substantial iron ribs or frames in the interior.
The target rests against an immense mass of brick
and stone, which probably no amount of shot could
shake from its base.

Prior to the first firing, the Duke of Somerset and
the officials and spectators present narrowly in-
spected the target, and then retired, some into huts
and caverns in the immediate vicinity, and the rest
300 yards or more off, in order to avoid the splinters
which on these occasions are somewhat alarming.
It has naturally been remarked that these experi-
ments ought to have preceded the building of the
Warrior, and that to make them after she is afloat
and ready for sea is about as useless as closing the
stable-door when the steed has gone. In justice,
however, to the Admiralty, it must be said that
experiments were made to guide them in preparing
plans for the Warrior; but at that time the merits
and extraordinary power of the Armstrong guns
were not fully understood or recognised. Now,
however, other vessels on the same principle, which
will entail an enormous cost upon the country, are
upon the stocks, and it becomes a matter of the
greatest importance to ascertain whether that prin-
ciple of construction is the best that can be adopted.
Hence the decision of the Admiralty to resort to a
test on an extensive and satisfactory scale. As
might be anticipated, different theories have
been advanced by shipbuilders, engineers, and
men of science as to the most effectual
mode of building an iron-clad ship to resist shot.
The chief points of controversy relates to the
"backing" of the iron plates, and the fastening of
them to the ship's side. With regard to the
" backing," acme contend that it ought to consist
of a solid elastic substance like teak, as in the
Warrior, which would deaden the blow, and thus
diminish its effect better than a harder substance ;
while others assert that a layer of wrought iron,
to the entire exclusion of wood or any other equally
yielding material, would offer a greater amount of
resistance. As to the question of fastening, some
object to the plates being perforated, and to the
bolts coming right through to the outer surface, as
in the Warrior, on the ground that this increases
the liability of the plates to crack under the in-
fluence of shot, and to bend or bulge. How far a
solution of these and other moot points has been
obtained by yesterday's experiments will be best
ascertained by a narrative of the firing and its
effect. The battery consisted of six pieces—three
100-pounder Armstrong guns, two 68-pounders,
and one of Armstrong's 120-pounder " shunt guns.'
First of all, the three 100-pounders and the two
68 pounders were separately fired with shells filled
with sand, the spot aimed at being a large white
mark on the left side of the target. The first shot
was so nicely accurate as to entirely obliterate the
mark, but apparently without doing much injury.
The other two 100-pounders went very near the
same place ; the two 68-pounders seemed to do
more execution, the parts struck remaining fot a
few seconds red-hot, and emitting much yellow
smoke. A splinter from one of the latter went
whistling in an erratic manner along the coast, and
warned those exposed on the field to retreat further
back. Upon the bugle signal that firing had ceased,
every one rushed anxiously to the target. It was
found on inspection that the Armstrongs had made
only slight indentations on the plates; one of them,
however, exhibiting a minute crack. The two 68's
had made round holes—one, lin. and 6-10ths, and
the other lin. and 5-16ths deep—both being be-
tween 3 and 10in. broad. This singular disparity
between the effect of the guns is accounted for by
the fact that at short distances the 68's go with
much greater velocity than the Armstrong's, the
' full power of which is only seen at ranges of 700
or 900 yards. The only other damage done was,
that in one of these two holes a bolt had been
smc ea
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isnlisgidhetlywasstartotetdaily
shaken. The next round promised a little more de-
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struction. Live shells, with percussion fuses, Were
discharged one after another from the same five
guns. These, at a distance, seemed to have done
little more than blacked the plates ; but upon ex-
amination it was discovered that the eye had been
deceived—one of the 68-pounders had indented
considerably the lower side of the upper plate. The
hole varied in depth from 11, to 3 4-Bth in., the
side of the hole being turned up like a lip, but the
same place had been hit before. The other 68 had
made a similar but less jagged hole, about llin•
deep. From the three Armstrongs the plates
had again sustained very little injury, the shot
having only just stamped the surface with their
well-known seal. The effect of some of these five
blows was to produce cracks in the old wounds,

but the framework was still untouched. The other,

or right side of the target, was now operated upon
with solid cast-iron shot from three 100-pounder
Armstrongs, one 120-pounder Armstrong, and two
68-poanders.
The first shot missed, and struck the stonework,
sending it spluttering about in all directions, and
unsettling a heavy mass of brickwork. This, how-
ever, was the only shot thrown away, and with this
to the
exception the firing was wonderfully accurate