Untitled

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 169, 18 July 1881, Page 3

Tbe Governor of Cypruß has sent borne, for tbe Museum of Artillery at Woolwich, a heavy gun, believed to be one of the oldest pieces of ordnance in existence. It is of cast iroD. and weighs 25cwt. The manufacture is probably Venetian, and tbe ancient weapon is well shaped, in the form of a cup or goblet, the mouth being wide and deep to hold a large stone shot, white the narrower pedestal is hollowed to receive the powder charge. A round stone, weighing about 6cwt. has been sent with the quo, and it is sr,g e ested that this is tbe kind of missile fired from it, as proved to have been the case with similar guns in England. The curiosity was brought home in Mr Donald Carrie's yaebt Courland. The effects of the late earthquake are still apparent in maDy parts of the Manaawatu district. On Sunday last Mr John Rassel, and Mr W. C. Fitzgerald, were riding from Foxton to Motna, and were near the Himutangi Block, when Mr Russel's horse sank op to the girths in a fissure formed in the earth by tbe late - shake." The aDiroal was extricated with some diffisuhy, and it was then ascertained that there were three parallel cracks, extending for a distance of two miles along the track. In Wanganui, it has been fonnd that no f, wer than 69 chi'm neys sufftred by tbe !a tee«rthquake.