MARKING AT TARGET PRACTICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 153, 13 May 1862, Page 5

MARKING AT TARGET PRACTICE.

We have been favored with a copy of the Army and Navy Gazette for December last, which contains the following correspondence between Lord Elcho, and Captain O'Neal, of the Lanark Uifles, on the subject of a late leader in the Mercury : — Our attention has bson directed to the following correspondence on a subject that must interest every volnuteer —viz., the marking nt target pratice:— 40 Abbotsfor'd Place, Glasgow, October 31, 1801. To the Kight Hon. Lord Elcho, M.P., &c, &c. My Lofd, —Knowing how much you are interested in the Volunteer movement, I take the liberty of writing you ou the subject of " ilifie Scoring." In the present system, the proportion between the values ' of bull's eyes centres and outers is too great. I have tried various methods, so as to arrive at the truest conclusion, and I think that instead of the arithmetical progression of 1, 2, 3, at short ranges, and.l, 2, at long ones —2, 3, 4, and 2, 3, should be adopted, as they would give the justest practical result. By this plan a bull's eye, would only be double the value of nn outer, instead of thrice, as it is according to.the present system. For example, if X and V fire three rouuils each, the former making one bull's eye, but missing twice, and the latter three outers, the scoring according to the present system would stand as follows, viz.:— X, 30 0 — total number of .points.... 3 V, 11 1 do. : do. .... 8 According to this, X and V would he equal, when it is evident that V, hitting the target thrice, made better shooting than X, who hit it once only. According to my system, the score would be the following, viz. :— X, 4 0 0 — total number of points .... 4 V, 2-2 2— do. do 6 The very samo result may be obtained by adopting the present system, plus the hits, as in the following I table,, viz.: — X, 3 0 0-3 points plus 1 hit — i V, 1 1 1 — 3 points plus 3 hits— 6 Requesting your opinion on this impor- | taut subject, I have the honor to bo, my, Lord, your most obedient servant, . Chakles O'Neiil. Edinburgh, sth Nov., 1861. Capt. Charles O'Neill, 3rd Lankarkshire R. V. ' ' Sir, —I have to thank you for ypur letter which I have read with much intorest, as it refers to a matter of preat importance, and which at present is not in a satisfactory s.tate. The present system of marking is unquestionably'defective, and your suggestions certainjy" appear to me a great improvement. I, however/preler your second plan, viz., leaving the system of marking as at present, but adding the hits.- This, indeed, appears to me so good apian, that I will he tempted to propose its adoption at our next Wimbledon meeting, and I purpose bringing it under General Hay's notice. —I remain your obedient servant, JJiOHO. Improved Method to* Saving Gold.—During the last few d^ys an opportunity has been afforded us, of examining the machinery recently constructed aiid erected by Mr. Thomas Carpenter, M.K., at the Af'lvor Caledonia Gold Mine, for the purpose of saving all gold in a divided or free state; and also the sulphuret3 with, which the company's lodes are much charged. The machinery is self-acting, and is intended to supersede the sleeping blankets. It is ■well known to the experienced miner, that the blanket eaves much fine gold, as long as its surface can be kept clean enough, but this has been found very difficult to accomplish, independently of taking in^o consideration the cost of labor required to attend t» them,'in changing, washing. &c. Mr. Carpenter's machine is so arranged, that it dispenses with manual labor, and presents to the reduced substances as they - flow from the mill, a. clean Bpongy surface; the water is filtered through the flock in its passage over the surface of the baize, which is prepared in a peculiar.manner, and all substances having a greater specific gravity than quartz become entangled, and are afterwards deposited in the trough below. There are threo of these nmciimw w>w i» roll werJc-^-^M ixad to mck patywy

Chakles O'Neiil.

'of four ttamps; and, in order to make oar fe*4«r» "understand their working1, we give a full liescriptioa of one ot'-tbem. - It consists of a frame of twelve feet long by four wide, made of iron plute thrce-uyhths of an inch thick, screwed together with holts transversely, in which four wooden rollers, eight inches in diameter revolve. Between the top rollers, which are eqni-distant, two wooden tables are fixed. The frame is laid on the top of a wooded trough, which is kept filled witii clean water, so that when the frame is laid in its p: aCe it forms an inclined plane. A canvas band is _made to revolve, and is covered with pieces of baize, bound at the sides with square _ rope, covered with the tame material, which forms sides to prevent the overflow of water, kc- This revolving table, if we may call it bo, is kept in its place br means of a moveable roller, plnced at the lower eva of the frame, the hearings of which are brass, and slide in a groove, and are fixed by means of two tension screws. The frame is also supplied with screws, for the purpose of giving it the required inclination j the whole being set in motion by a pulley driven from oft" the main shaft by menus of a belt. The speed at which the table travels may be imagined when we state that it takes 100 minutesto make a revolution. In each revolution the machine exposes to the action of the stuff (which passes through a perforated ti-ough, and falls upon the table in a shower {100 square feet of surface. A few inches behind where the stuff is showered down, a small perforated pipe is fixed, which discharges a regular supply 01 clean water. This water causes all the metallic and mineral substances to be carried to the trough, where they are deposited in a clean state. 'I'he blanket is freed troia these substances by passing through, the trough, of water. , Mr., Carpenter took some stuff from tha trough, and .washed it in our presence, which appeared to lie principally pyrites of iron worn off the inachiue; he also placed globules of quicksilTer upon the table and caused a strong flow- of water to pass over them, but it failed to dislodge thft mercury. He informed us that it had taken hiux a long time and much means to briug the machinery to its present state of perfection. Sir. Carpenter is also putting up aa appliance for bis process of amalgamation, and also one lor decomposing the sulphuieta. We wish him every success, and shall watch his movements with much interest, believing that his present appliance, if attached to the machine — both quartz and alluvial—now ia uso throughout the country, would place a large amount o! money'to the creeit of the mining; community. Mr. Carpenter is about to apply for letters patent.— Aryiia

AUCKLAND.—COROMANDEL." (VROU OUIt OWN CORKE^POSDKNT.) . Auckland,.22nd April, 18G2. -As Auckland has notyct attained to the dignity and excitability of a gold colony, our news is but scunty, and makes by no means .such a brilliant impression as if we could head our paragraphs with the magic words " Great" Rush," " Monster JNuggct," "tfew Gold Fit-Id." It is thercfo.o by no menus surprising that nothing of startling im-: portauee or thrilling novelty has occurred, to fur- ! nish food for the gossips, and material for specuil | Cpm»iwmlent« since my last letter sent by the mil steamer on the 9th. His Excellency Mr " Georjco Grey, left Auclduud ou Wednesday last, in n »I 5 S Harrier, which, the Commodoro having as" in supposed, sufficiently vindicated his dignity by the delay, has at length been graciously pleased to allow him the use of. It is supposed that Sir George's visit will be extended to some at least of the Southern Provinces, and we do not expect to see him" in Auckland again until after the meeting of Assembly at Wellington. The Harrier called at the Islam! of Kawau in the Gulf of Waitemata, to leave some live stock which have been sent to bir George from Australia. This Island, which "he has bought, will soon become quite a cradle for the renrmg of animals to be naturalised in this country. lamto d that all the stock both of birds and beasts, thrive remarkably well there ; so that Sir George Grey may even in this wav be a great benefactor to New Zciland. It is sai'd that the Harrier is not going beyond Nar.,cr in which case the Governor would go.overland to Wellington, a course which mijiht present conHidcrable facilities for introducing his native policy nmong some of the mere distant inland tnbw who have boon much niuettled, although ii"t actually engaged in hostilities against the Government. Sir George's personal influence is undoubtedly considerable, particularly amongst those natives whose distance fioin the seat of Government has prevented anything like contempt breeding familiarity with' the appearance and state of the Governor. The fact of Sir George's leaving Auckland-for so long a time, _is a most satisfactory confirmation of the opinions which I have heard good judges express, that the new BTStem of policy for the natives, introduced by him, is making a progress as rapid us could at nil reasonably have been expected. Small sections or tribelets already begin to break off from the King, or Aiui-Europ>rin party, and to pive in their'adherence to the Governor's system, —a thin" which indeed they may well do, as they have"everything to .gain and nothing to lose by 6uch a course. This light is beginning to dawn upon them, more especially in the neighborhood of Lal-e Taupo and on the confined ol' the Lower Waikato Valley—the two extreme points of his •Maori Mnjostyrs Kingdom proper—and _ which it is to be hoped inav, as Gibbon Vwikctield once Hiiid of Auckland and Otago, give ihe centre a With rocard to the gold question, winch probably contains more interest for you than most others 1 must still admit that it remains a question Gold has bfen found at Coromandel it is true" and taut in pieces of some size, but these *eem mere iuriclontal finds : and nothing: very dcfinilc can bo ssiitl until thu swiivii, whii-h is now coin" on with great activity lor the main quartz reef "proves successful. One party1 are following <i lci'clcr of quartz, which from a few inches'has increased to a size of nboufc three or four fei-l in width • others are sinking shafts and driving into the hill sides -in-lit.pes of .striking the roef in some nhice With regard to the ordinary surfneo cugfcinirs which are-still prosecuted by some,-I have the opinion of an experienced digger, who has just been in Auckland, that nothing should be-built upon the MirlUec cjolu, as lie does not believe that it win be obtained there in sufficient quantities to pay any but Chinese diggers. The diggers at present engaged are generally in high spirits, although they enjoy as yet rather the promise than the reality nf success. Mr. Turton, .the Magis- ' tratc and Commissioner, states, in his letter to the Government, that none of the parlies engaged have as yet made good wages, considering the time and numbers employed. \\ c will, however be able, in a very short.time to test the accuracy of his opinion, by seeing whether the diirecrs continue their work there—as the Government rations, which have hitherto been supplied to m-iny of them are withdrawn, and even nope will scarcely induce diggers tofoifcit a great amount of ready money. Of the gold which has been forwarded to the Government, I have had an opportunity of examining several pieces ot considerable size. Oee piece which weighed 30 ounces, was of such specific gravity that it was calculated to contain about twenty ounces of pure cold Another of nearly 20 ounces .contained 5 considerably larger proportion. There were also many others of smaller size, containing a fewounces of mixed gold and quartz. Thw last specimen . differed from the others, in that it seemed but recently detached, its edges being sharp. Most, if not all, the nuggets found hove been of this character, but gold is also found on thifother side of the Coromandel Peninsula, mingled with iron sand, although not as yet in any large quantity. The difficulty experienced with rerard to the land belonging to the late Chief, Faora (Paul) has now, it appears, been obviated by the fair niece of that gentlemen^ Lydia by name being somewhat alarmed at eignt of so many diggers, and wisely thinking it better to give up with a good grace than under compulsion. What influence this may have upon the field I cannot tell. Opinions .seem much divided—some saying that the bush is impervious to ail but pigs, and, it may be, Maories ; others proposing to cut a can. road through it. Time, however, will shortly solve the question. J<or my own part I believe that gold is magnet enough to draw a white man wherever business could draw a Maori, or fern roots a pig. In politics we have had an amusing little passage of arms, in which, as might reasonably be expected, the Superintendent came off victorious. As was generally expected, the Governor did not see fit to grant the very reasonable and moderate request which the Opposition in Council tendered him ; and they, upon, learning this, saw- fit to become very angry indeed, and passed an indignant resolntion that all the votes passed in anticipation of the Appropriation • Act, were illegal, so leaving themselves free to repudiate them. This, did not, however,' 'meet the views of the Treasurer, who would thereby become responsible for more money already spent than was-pleasant. He accordingly affixed "a placard to the Treasury door, informing the public that no more money would be forthcoming until the Council passed the Appropriation ,Act. The feelings of an anxious public can better be imagined then described, but the effect was sudden and apparent; the Council met, one member stormed, one abused,1 another sneered, the Executive" smiled— and—the Bil1 passed. ' Our collective wisdom ! had likewise expressed the magnanimous intention of expending no more money upon imraigragration, partly because, as it appears, the custom of late has been to get it all refunded, instead of only a part. They have, however, so far consented to eat the leek as to vote some seven hundred and fifty pounds, a sum which it was clearly demonstrated was already engaged for passages. With reference to the late gale, which I mentioned in my last letter. lam sorrjr to say, that the amount of damage sustained by the shipping, amongst which was your ill-fiited Phoenix, has proved much greater than I at that time imagined. This was in a great, measured caused by the obstinacy and carelessness of the masters, who were warned to get away from the wharf by the harbor master in the afternoon. The few that did so were-saved from injury, in spite of the fierceness of the storm, which exceeded any that I remember in Auckland. The strain upon the wharf was fearful, and yet nothing gave way of any consequence. Experienced persons say that had ihe T's been added which the Superintendent pro- - posed two years ago, 'the damage would not have equalled in hundreds that to which it has amounted in thousands of pounds. I know not '-whether gold has any effect in sharpening the faculties of a community ; if it has, no community has greater need of it than .ours, fpr,in spite of all this, Wof th« great'advantages to'commerce to be derived frofn ic,' our' Council thinking to vex the Superintendent thereby, has actually refused to vote anyiboicv for the wharf.

" . "" NELSON. (rBOM OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.) . , May 5,-1862. • •-■ Thanks to the muddle in which"our postal service has been involved by the new Post Master General, we now do not know .when to -write, or if we do write we know not how for our letters will go towards their destination. I send this by the Lord Worsley which arrived from Sydney on Friday last lull of cargo for all the provinces, and which vessel'proceeds on to Wellington whence it is said she will return to Nelson direct, and take up the English mail to Sydney; so- that goodness knows when we shall hear from Otago again. Our Provincial Council is summoned for the 13th of this month, and then I suppose we shall learn the views of G-rvwrnmont with respect to subsidizing a direct mail service; to Cook's Straits. At present, however, sill thu intentions of the Government' on this and other subjects are kept secret; and we are too easy to care about knowing the secret before the proper time comes. Nelson has had another escape from fire. On Sunday evening, flic 13th ult., the residents in , Mr.T.Asker's premises, near the Wakatu Hotel. ' Bridge-street, were alarmed by a noise in one of the up-stair rooms, and.on going to ascrtain the cause, discovered flames to be issuing from | the walls of the room, and found that the noise had been caused by the falling of a large picture and frame, the string of which had been burnt through by the flames. Assistance was promptly rendered, and the fire was soon extinguished; but had the fire once gained a head in that crowded neighbourhood it is questionable whether the whole business part of the town would hot have been destroyed ere the ravage could be stayed. These warnings should lead not only Nelson but other provincial towns in the colony, to take early steps to secure a good water supply. The schooner iiipsy has arrived from the West Coast with between 700 and SOOozs. of gold—the produce of about 60 diggers. Several of the fraternity have come, to Nelson for " a spell," but they report very favorably of the district, and .declare their intention of shortly returning there. The Schooner City of Nelson has also rc--1 turned from the South-East and West Coast,bringing some samples of coal obtained from a newly discovered scam ou a river some thirty miles on the Nelson side of the Bullor. The scam is said to be 7 feet thick, and to extend for miles; and the river is so accessible, that vessels can proceed to within 3 or 4 miles of the coal scam. The quality of the coal is highly spoken of. A sample'of copper ore from Dun Mountain . Mine is found, by an analysis obtained from Sydney to contain little more than one per cent, of copper ; but that from Aniseed Valley contains twenty three per cent, of copper, besides one-and-half ounces of silver to the ton. The D. M. Company are busy bringing down the Chroomc, and shipping it by every opportunity. The I'aiJway Omnibus commenced running on Saturday, and passengers are conveyed from Port to Town, rather more than a miL, for sixpence. The vehicle is elegant and roomy, and ■with its full compliment of forty passengers is easily drawn along by one horse1 at a steady trot. The Permanent Building Society, of which I spoke in my last, is a complete success, and at its first meeting about .£760 was let out ou \ mortgage at premiums of from £1 6s. to ' £■1 1.55. ! Your Odd Fellow readers may be interested ■ to know that a valuable gold medal, has been l presented as a testimonial to P.P.S.M. Sullivan, for his efforts in establishing the order in Nelson. Mr. Sullivan has been'an Odd Fellow for 3G years, he is said to be the oldest member of the order now living. The Ardencraig has arrived from London, after a passage of more than four months ; and the cargo of this vessel with that of tha Maria, (in to-day from Sydney) will keep our market j well supplied with goods for some time to come. 'Commercial matters are quiet, but I think property is on the rise. An acre in Hard Street changed hands the other day for .£IOOO. MORE MURDERS IN FRANCE. The Court of Assizes at Bourses has just been occupied with a tri-1 for murder, in which the circumstantial evidenci tending to the conviction of the prisoner was so complete as to leave no doubt of the guilt of tlie'accused. Francois Pinson inhabited alone a cottage at the extremity of the hamlet ltesmy (Cher), his brother occupying a cottage separated from it only by a barn. On the 10th of September last the latter, on calling on his brother about 4 in the morning, as he was" accustomed to do, was horrified to fiml his brother Jving on the floor, in his nightshirt, bathed in blood, and with hi.-s skull beaten in as -with some heavy instrument. An examination of the cottage left no doubt as to the object of the crime, •as the drawers were found opened and their contents abstracted, and a portemonnaic, which I'inson had purchased a short time before at - Sancerre, and which was-known to have contained about 20f., was missing. A tablecloth was also hung across the window; as if to screen the litfit which the murderer must have used iv his search. The only ; obj«ct found likely to give any clue to the guilty party was a pearl button wliich Lad not belonged to Finson. Suspicion immediately fell upon a liberated convict named Ciochet, who-was in consequence arrested the next day afc Crosne; : his clothes were found to be stained with blood, and his face and ' hands bore marks of scratches of a recent date. It .was discovered that he had passed the eveningl of the 9th with two young men named Damien and Dussnult, and had left them after cupper. About 3 o'clock .the. following: morning-he came to a barn iv ■which they slept, and Damien, on striking a light to see the hour, observed that Crochet's clothes were in disorder, and his blouse torn and covered with blood. That Crochet endeavoured account for it by stating that lie had been engaged in a quaircl with a neighbour, but requested them, if questioned, not to say that he had been absent, or lie would be a lost innn. Besides this he hiid been met on the evening of the crime, on the roiid from St. Satur to Rosily; the button found was identified as having been torn from his blouse; and a portcmonnaie found in bis possession was proved to be: that purchased shortly before by the murdered man at Sanucrre. Sevei nl sf. pieces were also found upon him, althought it wa< known that on the evening of the 9th he had not, sufficient money to pay for his supper. In presence of this c\idonce the jury immediately'returned a -verdict of "Wilful Murder," without extenuating circumstances, and the Court sentenced the prisoner to The Court of Assizes of Loir-ct-Cher, have tried a man named Bonvallet for murder and robbery committed on the person of v cattle-dealer of Villerablc, when returning from the market of Vendome. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner, who first met his victim at a public-house in Vendome, and-there learned that he had money,1 lay in wait for him on his way home, murdered him by repeated stab' with a knife, and robbed him of oOOf. The prisoner was arrested the following day, and soon after confessed the crime, for which he manifested extreme remorse, and even attempted to_ commit suicide in prison, by opfuing a vein in his left arm, but was discovered Justin time to pievent him ,rom succeeding. In his defence the prisoner declared that he was intoxicated when he committed the crime. The uirv having found the prisoner guilty, the Court sentenced him to death, and ordered that the execution should take place at Vendome. At Combaillaux, Ilerault, a young man, nnmed Victor Liouie, had for some time kept company with a young woman, named Angelina Cadenat, and an oiler of marriage from him had, it is said, been accepted. As the marriage, however, seemed likely to be bioken oft", Liourc presented himself. y a few days back at the residence of the girl, for the purpose of having an explanation. Their interview lial lasted | about twenty minutes, when the girl was seen to leave the house hastily, closing the door, locking it after her, and take to flight. Almost at the same , minute, Lioure, leaping out of 'a window, hastened i after the girl, and, on, overtaking her, discharged a pistol in Her back, killing her on the spot., The asisassin. was arrested. * .^mtt i A man\named"Barraclough, profes,sins to" be_ a ■medical botanist, has been committed at CastlemameItoUkrhiS trial fdr manslaughter, a coroner's jury ihaving'returned'a1 verdict to the effect that one Elizajbeth liHlycrop met with her death in consequence of his Unskilful'treatment whilst' atte«dhTg-U6r"uurihg her accouchment.— Melbourne paper.