St. Mary's beacon., 1861-05-30

had swept ~. Murat was thunderbolt
ON that cay and the deeds that were
wrought by him will furnish themes for
the poet and the painter.
England and American Affaira
The Dublin Morning News OF the eth
inst. contains an editorial on the troubles
ton of the Confederate States t" fit out
privatccrs. aud thinks that AN energetic
protest from the maritime powers will
put step to it, The News then pro-
ceeds:
l. is now quite plain that in this quar-
rel. despite all tina, has been said AMI
written about slavery. England sides with
shs Confederate States. She dos SD. in
deed. compelled by the strongest motives
Of sclf-intcrcst. Her cation lnanufac-
lures caiinot flourish, or even exist. with
out the usual supplies of raw material
from the South. The North has just
a'lspted Protsctinnist Tariff. very unfa-
vurable to English interests, auJ, in re-
sisting the enforcement aud extension of
this prol,iLitury tariff, the Ssa.i, Is vi.,u-
ally fighting ,England's battle. Still
more, the jealousy VI the United States,
Us mari;imc power, is fixed principle
OF British craftsmanship; and VIC u,ay be
certain t''at the news Of the blow just in
ficted on navy which, iu some respects.
Was formidable to England. has given sat
isfsction. not loud but deep. " the great
bulk of EnglisLmcn. 1t is SO easy to
bring about IL collision, and, under pre-
-eut circumstances. it wouid be 70 safe anil
advantageous for England 70 pick quar-
rel with the government If the United
States, chat we shall not be surprised To
find Her Majesty's government assuming
position with regard to this civil ,broil
which may easily lead t" war. That
they will allow the cotton supply to be
cut off By the blockade VI the Southern
ports is hardly to be expected.
Doubtful questions of right are easily
and promptly settled when there is NO
doubt abou, the question Of force. The
burning Of Gosport dockyard has. for the
moment. placed the United States navy
at Englsnd's mercy; aud if, OH this occa-
sion, England is found to spare a rival
and foe. we must be nearer to the Mil
lenium than is popularity supposed. The
decisions announced IN the House of
Commons BY Lord J. Russell point strong
ly in tue direction Of rupture between
England and ,ac United States. Lord
John declared that the British govern
,neut would not recognize the blockade
proclaimed Of the Southern ports unless it
were made effective. but that they did re-
cognize the legality Of the letter Of mar
que issued by President Davis. Now.
the Washington government threatens to
treat tn holders Of these letters of mar
que as pirates, and unless the spirit of
Yaukceland has sunk very low, they will
probably show fght also on the blockade
question. 1t is evident that Lord John
knew more alb ut this matter than he chose
to communicate to the house aud the pub
! lie. Aud it is also evident that no more
favorable occasion than the present is
likely to Offer TOR striking blow vt one Of
the few maritime rivals England hns cause
to dread
MIME RlvLEs.-We notice that mahy
persons seem not to understand what is
meant by Mimic rife. They speak Of
all our government rifles as Mimic rifles, -
and even designate the ri6ed Musket as a
Mimic Musket." MINES chief invention
was bullet, and it is the .Acinie bullet that
makes the rifle shooting Of the French
army SO effective.
Claude E:ienne MIME was 1t first pri-
v.te soldier 10 the French army, who be-
gan his military life when he wss very
young. Il is one Of the peculiarities Of
that army, that man can rise in it from
the ranks and become field marshal, if
sufficiently mcritorious. MIME rose to he
a captain of foot chasscu.s. In this posi-
ton he found time to Let loose biz inven-
tive faculty. He made important i'm
prorement in guu-barrsls and cartridges,
which were adopted by the government !;
and. finally. he perfected his invention Of
the famous MIME bullet. whish in the
French army has superseded everything
else of the kind. In l849 be received the
the cross Of the legion Of ho,or. and few
years later received commission .s ma
jor. He VAS then stationed permanently
at Vincenpes ~ instructor 10 the use Of
6re-orDs.
The Mimic bullet is % elongated cylin-
der, conicsl in front aud coucsve behind
II has thin band, and when In cartridge,
the powder behind Il ellis The cavisy, and
on cxpledise swslls out the edge. sAking
=. n 4 - r. L. IN IL