Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-22

the Senate.
By Mr. DEANE-Ir qu'riug into the txpe6iercy OF 70
amending the of the 22i Of March, 1850 porat
ing the Southern Express Company, to provide that
the ehsrgs Of said company for the convey nee aud
delivery Of any bundle 10 thep shall not sIceed 6fy
psr cent the charges made BY tie railroad compa
MES of the thptpcrtstion Of ION
mage of similar value and bulk, ard for pro,idngssc
thsr, that any violation If such rates or chang 50
be deemed and held be forfeiture of all th ir char
tered gh's and privileges.
By Mr. LYNCH-To inquire whether something can
rot be pons by the government Of this Ssste through
the agency Of the Confederate Government 10 procure
the releass OF IS political prisoners citizens of the
Commonwealth incarcofaed in the Federal prisons at
Washington City.
By Mr. LIVELY-Iaquiring into the expsdency Of
spproPIiang Gus Of the Treasury Of re Commonwealth
Eve Million Dollars for tho support Of the families Of
INDECENT s,lders and sso 10 the Confederate service
and for the support of the wdows aud orphans Of de-
ceased soldiers aud sailors WHO have died. or been killed
Ia the Cont derate seIvc Ito be distributed among
tie several counties cities and towns Of this Common
wealth, ordng to the humber Of soldiers or falors
furnished By each ~ F
The bill to provide additional appropriation to thu
Virginia Military Institute read the third lime aud
parsed.
Senate B II No. ., providing for employment Of COZ
vict free negroes in the manufacture OF salt on tbs
public works, wss read the fist AID sc.ni time and
put upon It's passage.
Toe bill, with Sigh. moiifcatlors was pissed.
Ayes Hines noue.
TIE House took up the bill for the relief Of L. Dunn,
of King William, and the bill passed unanimously.
Tne bill providing for the thelerng of the guns and
belonging the STATE, the expenditures be
incurred under the direction OF the Governor taken
up and passed
bill received from the Senate incorporating tho
HuthepwAre Gompsny.
/, was proposed by Mr.. ANDERSON 10 lake up tho
bill vAcaisg the commissions % militia officers which
was stenu'usH opposed, but taken up ard read the
second time.
Snat, bill slo=ing additional com gepsstio to certain
officers OF the State read t.e second timo and a
substituts offered read the only difference between
the original and substitute being slight alteration,
as not 90 permit the officers OF the Assembly to have
larger salaries than the members OF the Honss.
l. was pro tosed by Mr.. T0ALIN that those within
the conscrpt age should receive the increased pay
Mr. HAYh0ND, of Marion, thought tina. the expert
sncd ocers snd certs who held their places before
the war, very efcien' snd he thought tba. they
in justice should be permit ed to receive this additional
compensation
Mr. T0ALIN sustained his amendment in remarks Of
coosider.bl length The anendn- ut was rejected
The bill sas ordered 10 its third reading. The House
substitute TO the bill adopted The bill then passed.
By ayes %, noes l6
The 70 owing additional resolutions we're offered and
adopted:
By Nc DEANE-To Inquire into the expediency of
eIemptng from taxation the properly of citizens vho
are refugees from courtes within the nes OF the pub
lie enemy
By Mr.. SHELTON To inquire icto and repC what
action may be proper for the General Assembly to take
in reg rd to the failure Of the Congress OF the Conitd
crate aes TO make adequate provision for payment TO
the oSners OF slaves impressed IN the Confederate
vice. the value Of such have died been lost in the
service.
By Mr. NONRoE-To inquire into the expediercy of
raining by what authority mill iamen trans.
ferIed into the regular serve, for three yeGTs during
the war; prior 10 the passage Of the conscrpton bill,
WHOM enlisted nor secured bounty are s.ll held,
and not now have beea permitted to select
tee company they preferred
By Mr. W00DLEY-Thst our Senator's and Repre-
ssDtaiyes in Congress be equesteto their efforts
to obtain the passage of laws for the following pnr
poses, viz
lst. To withdraw from circulation one.haf Of tie
outstanding Confederate notes al least in the speedest
practicable manner.
I'd. To autiorizs the imp,essment Of the surplus OF
all supplies in the ha1dJlof s clssts of persons what
soeyer necessary for the wants of non producers viz
the sodiefs and teir families, cid men, women and
children, and the inhabitin's generally Of cities and
towns and 81 establish depos OF suol supplies at suit
able places not needed by TIE army for the purpose Of
distribution among non producers at fair, fixed prcfs
a1d in guch amounts as viii be just and proper.
81. To enroll all parsons in the military service of the
Coniederacy Iho are capable OF doilg military duty,
for servso tbere and all others not capa7s for The
he increase OF product for res.rc lion 10 the
amount of oon.l ptiol
o. mttOn Of. v BROOKE. q. Hon., adjourned.
THE SMASHING POWEbS" OF The ARMSTRONG
6O0-P0UNDR
from the London 1imss.)
Tee smashing power OF Sir w Ill am ArmitroDgs 600
Founder shunt gun ttsled Friday leember ~
at Shoeburynes, sanst the Warriors floating target
The target is an exsct counterpart OF section Of The
War; era side, aud measures IS feet long by 10 feet In
height L. % corstruc ed of iron plates OF the best no.
mogenous mstsl, Al inches thick boed 10 backing of
teak Is inches in depth. Behind this sets OF
4 inch plates, rScIed 10 massive RIBS of hon-the
Who'll: beng shored up by sa1tirg beams OF 6r Of i'm.
menso th:ckne,s The target moored at 900 yards
distance from the firing points OF the 600 and 300
pouoder Arms rcngs and sooden targets for ascertain
ilg the elevation for this range Dated clooby
q little clear Of thu iron one o.
The first 81 o. from "Bg vii" was dummy CTS.
iroI rhel, weighing 600 pounds. and was aimed with
such ulerrng ann as the wooden target as 10 smash it
Liter ally TO powder The elevation OF the piece in this
instance deg. mia. and the charge 10 pounds.
The next s5et steel shell, with iron head,
we CHING Clio pounds, and containing "a pounds Of pow
der which is only four-ths of iis normal Charge Be-
fore firing til, shot, utation took place among
t1e sreriss present. 10 the eeya ion to be giyer
i. having been discovered that the wooden large de.
mol he'd by the fis; shot, had been moored al lO20
yards, instead Of 0O0 Al Lad been originally int nded
After me dicu:son, the gun was fred at deg lO
min. elevation, the shell passing just over the top Of the
t Ig lit 10 to the righs Of the cen raj line.
The next two sbois-ye steel shells similar in all
spectl 20 No. demonstrated in most turprisiI way
lhs wonderful accuracy of the gun in oreying she
gltst change in eeVat on. For shot No the piece
vas depressed 10 2dsg. min the shell passing through
the exse csatrs OF The tip Of tie target ana carrying
away pecs Of the wood framing of semi-circuar
shape The fourth shit fred I only min. less
seyaion, and struck the target ar.tbe centre as
bic, making daylight through it, end exploding at
40 very mcmert o. impact cole two fest by twenty
inches yawned in the four and bali inch plate level
Th aud few nchts he left of the bulls eye. The
eak backing was p ltsred into fragments from the sizs
II the cocoa nut the mere fibre, and the three
quarter incn paes and one Of the ribs complet y
orn asay like 40 psper. Ia font. below the hole
ner lay huge ma OF iron plate weighing three or
our hundred weight, and looking like liecs of orum
'si black rag. TIE plato sboye the one which was
erced was started ON is pscs aud buged outwa;d,
Early ihs whole Of tie bolts holding it TO the target