The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-28 00:00:00

EXPERIMENTS 1N WOOLIMR--
MARSHES. . 7 ;‘------ '‘
-
°A-4f- aile-
Lord Claienee F. Puget, secretary t re : *-
General of the Oalnacce ; Major-General .11. d. Pities; '
C. 13., Lieutenant-Governor of the Royal A lit Aces.
d"1.3" ; Colonel Duedas, C. 8., and Lieuten nt'eCislonet-n
Chulaers members of the Select Committe • tierifte_.-----
nant-Colonel Wilson, and a number of officeirAtise; k„;m:.
1,..,...
Royal Artillery, asserablel in the marshes at one 'ecToci
r.ai. on Tuesday last, to witness experiments with an
I improved construction of guns, patented by Mr. Sears.
II The invention is on the principle of a needle-gun
(Zundaadelyetvehre), and is applicable to military mus-
' kets, carbine; rifler, pitta's, and fowling-pieces, on the
using of a cartridge of peculiar arrangement and com-
potition. By Mr. Sears's plan, the difficulty of furnish-
big troops with ammunition, so prominent an objection
to the Prussian military mulct used by the Fusileers in
the Prussian army, is entirely obviated, and the soldiers
aro enabled to carry a ge e4tcr quantity of cartridges, and
ar.: tko able to make them fir themselves with . the
greatest ease and safety, and effect a saving of upwards
0! 23 lee cent. compared ve;tll the cost when percussion-
gun- are used. Mr. Lovell, inspector of small arms at
the 'Fewer, was present during the experirnentr, to ascer-
tain the result. A musket stand was placed at a distance
cf too yards from the butt where tieltta,rugaets was put;
aunpd,
and a rift., fitted on Mr. S arc's niai
the mod© in which it is loaded minutely explained
to the offic rs who were present. The loading is
a v., ry iii.partant feature in the invention, as it can be
( &end without the least difficulty in any position of the
body, whether lying flat on the ground, on foot, on
horseback, or in the rigging of a ship, as it does not re•
quire that the gun should be turned, as is the case whoa
a ramrod is used to drive home the cartridges with the
Comm n inusktti of ti e service and with fowling-
piec4a. The cartridges used with Messrs. Sears% im-
proved construction of gun are very small, the great
number of charges obtained, GO out of each quarter of a
pound weight of powder, being compared with the quan-
tity ueed in the common ball-cartridges of English
muske:r. The ball is formei in the shape of a loaf of
sugar, only more tapering at the point than the balls
used by Mr. Lancaster and others. Mr. Sears's ball.
cartridge is put into the breach of the barrel through a
cavity in the under part of the stock of the gun, and re-
quires no other exertion than the use cf the thumb and
forefinger of the right hand. A sliding but strongly
made groove, similar to the head of a bayonet, is then
pushed forward, and renders the breech cf the barrel
air-tight, and not liable to be injured rePtuy concus-
sion. In the centre of the extreme end of litp sliding
groove is a needle, which is pushed forward sharply on
the trigger being diesiiii—and is very effective in its
operation, as was evidenced to-day, only one care
tridgo having failed to ignite on drawing the trigger.
(
out of 54 cartridges fired with Mr. Sears's guns. It
was evident that the charge of powder for Mr. Sears's
cartridges was too small for a range of 400 yards, or the
person who fired was not acquainted with the elevation
of the musket requisite to carry that distance, the first
four rounds having fallen about 100 yards short in every
instance. The fifth and sixth rounds, on the musket
having more elevation, entered the target. After try-
ing several other rounds the stand was removed to a
range of 300 yards from the target, and ultimately to 200
yards range. At these distances a number of l a:ls were
put into the target, both from Mr. Sears's muskets and
by Mr. Lovell from the common and improved muskets
of the British service. At the conclusion of the expe-
riments the target was Examined, and found to have
been perforated by fifteen ball; some of them qui'e
in the centre. A number of the flattened balls were
also picked out of the bulkhead, close to the target.
It was ultimately resolved that another trial should
take place with an increased charge of powder. Mr.
Sears's construction of gun appears very simple, and
easily used, and four rounds can be fired from it in a
minute, which might be extended to five or six, by
those acquainted with its operation, altar a short
practice. It differs materially from the Prussian mill-
tufy musket and all others loading at the breech; in the
latter the smoke of the powder escapes, but in no instance
was there the least appearance of smoke at the breech of -
Mr. Sears's guns. The explosive power of the gunpowder
is so effectually employed as to leave the barrel as clean
after firing 54 rounds as it was aft a• the first discharge;
and the gun consequently is not apt to get clogged, as is
the case with common muskets. The experiments to-day .
were made for the purpose of showing the plan, and the
small quantity of powder requisite as a propulsive power,
when no escape is allowed of any portion of it at the -
breech; but the Commander-in-Chief will not consider
any invention useful to the British service that would re-
quire to alter the present bore cf all the muskets. The
balls at present in use in the army and navy are 16 to
the poundweight, and the balls used by Mr. Sears about
19 to the pound, and the bore of his muskets is smaller,
to suit the conical shape of the balls. Mr. Sears intends,
however, at the request of the authorities, to have a
number of common musket barrels fitted on his con-
struction, and will then test them with the muskets now
in use.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.
On Tuesday evening a general meeting of graduates
of this university was held at the Freemasons' Tavern,
for the purpose of receiving a report from the committee
appointed some time previous to devise measures for ob-
taining for the graduates a charter of incorporation. Dr.
Gibson presided, and was supported by Dr. B. B. Nevins,
Dr. Savage, Dr. Routh, Dr. Sankey,' Dr. Gull, Mr.
Bowen, 8.A., Mr. Baghot, 8.A., Mr. Sheen, M.A., Mr.
Ostler, LL.B., and other gentlemen.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, stated
that the degrees conferred by the University of London_
were f a very high order, requiring as they did great
intelb ctual labour and no inconsiderable mental culti-
vation. Still the university was comparatively unknown,
being situated on the staircase over the School of DE -
Indeed, the council had not a room sufficient to
hold the candidates who presented themselves for ex-
amination. He trusted thst cro long the gra luates
would be enabled to boast of a building worthy a great
metroplitan university.
From a report which was presented by the com-
mittee it appeared that they hal been labouring for the
last nine years to obtain a charter of incorporation, but
had, up to the present time, failed in their endeavours,
the senate having afforded them little or no eneouragc-
mut.

A lengthened discussion ensued, and a vote of thanks
was passed to tho committee, thanking them for their
labours; and a hope was, at the same time, expressed
that they would continuo to render the graduates their
valuable svrvices.

A declaration affirming the principle for which the
meeting was convened was adopted and numerously
signe(l. The proceedings then terminated with the
usual vote of thanks to their chairman.

ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEB. 25.

LORD POWIS'S AMENDMENT.—CLAusE 12.

MARQUIS.

CONTENT.
Ilarrowby
Romney
Lanekborough
vlseotiNTS.
Strangford
llawarcien
Gage
Canning
Bisuors.

Rochester
Salisbury
St. David's
Oxford.
St. Asaph
Chichester

EARLS.

LORDS.

Stanley
Fevershain
Colchester
De Tabley
Wal3ingham

London
Exeter
Carlisle

Content -
-
Non content - - -
Majority for Lord Powk's amendment

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by
his Royal highness the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha,
honoured the performance of the French Plays with
their presence yesterday evening. The royal suite
consisted of the Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, Lord
Byron, Colonel Buckley, Lieut.-Colonel the Hon.
Alexander Gordon, and Baron d'Apel.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on
horseback yesterday morning, attended by Lieut.-
Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales,
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice,
the Princess Helena, and the Princess Louisa, took
walking and pony exercise yesterday.
Her Majesty's private hand was in attendance in
Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, and per-
formed the following pieces :
Overture,
Selection, 'Zayre
March, Saxe Coburg.
Trio, be Pre aux Cleres Herold.
The Building Committee of the Commission for
the Exhibition of 1451, consisting of Mr. Cubitt,
Mr. Brunel, Mr. Barry, Mr. Cockerell, and Alr.
Donaldson, met at the new Palace of Westminster
yesterday.
theMnr.igGhetoHrgoen.DiutnLcaanb,ohuic.hPe.r,
day at the office
of the Board of Trade. ebyadesatenr in!erview with

here evidently exists
STREET ARCHITECTURE.--
TI
craving is manifesting itself amongst our first-
greater desire for ornamental art, and this Intel-
-1
designs of the builder, Mr. Thos. Burton, of the
class shopkeepers. Ono of the latest specimens from
the a e cmt uu ac h
City Basin—a shop-front on the east side of Regent-
street—is extremely pleasing from its judicious mixture
of Elizabcthian types, and a happy alliance of the elements
of unif ,rrnity and variety. It is, moreover, novel from
the use of Caen stone artistically carved into symme-
trical forms, embracing the heads of humanity, of ani-
mals, and groups of game, fruits, flowers, &c. This
use of stone obviates the necessity of paint—the only
colour employed being cobalt and gold for the relief of
the letters " Clark and Melton," the names of the pro•
prietors, who are dealers in objects of virtu. If their
claim to the title of connoisseurs may be estimated by
the judgment displayed in this facade, it must rank far
above mediocrity.— Herald.
ADJ
DotsToEuRENREDPIRNOQTEUCETSITON M NG.On ONTEIIEETILAD—KILLED
Monday
the
inquiry into the death of the lad Allen, who was killed
in the affray after the protection meeting held at Dor-
chester on Wednesday last, was resumed at the Shire-
hall, before Mr. Wallis, the coroner. On Tuesday
morning, the jury having been locked up from four P.N.
till half-past eight A.M., announced that they could not
agree, and were bound over to appear at the assizes on
the 14th March.
" Tell me," says the Querist, " which should be
preferred, bi audy and water in their combined state, o r
brandy and water separate ? " Verily," replies the
philosopher, "brandy
and
.water in union represent
truitauniadinthizeepdusraetiesflaenactieonnt._in
theirmin g mingled
iddeelai
conditiondelight, b t thee spirit
o iist
te
Punch,