28 AUGUST 1852, Page 7

Sir Charles Shaw has another long letter in the Times

on the improved rifle-musket. He narrates the experience of the firing of four French regi- ments, who expended 300,000 balls of the new and old make. Both sets of balls were fired by the same men—

"From 30 to 100 yards—Superiority'rather in favour of improved musket-ride with Millie ball.

150 yards—The improved 'musket-rifle with Minld ball twice as good as old musket and spherical ball.

200 yards—Ditto, thrice as good.

390 yards—Ditto, seven times better than. 400 yards—Ditto, eleven times better than.

500 yards—The improved musket-rifle with Mini5 ball hit 'nearly as often as at

150 yards, but no old muskets hit.

600 yards—Ditto, hit nearly the third of what hit at 150 yards' distance. 700 yards—Ditto, hit nearly the same as at 600 yards' distance. 800 yards —Ditto, hit nearly one-fifth as at 150 yards' distance."

-Sir Charles concludes from thin, that 150 men armed with the improved musket would do more execution at from 300 to 600 yards, in one minute, than 525 men at similar distances with the old musket and spherical ball.