The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-07-18 00:00:00

TIM WAlt PIMP4I4I7OIES.

-
TO. war preparations at Woolwich matins.' without
intenniesion. The scathe im the Rom' ourois
Department an working all night effecting repairs
and alterations for special transport material. The
shell foundry is busier than for many years, the principal
work bang the Production of powder shale required
for the heavy siege trap. The field batteries ordered
for eons. service have completed their arrangemente
and are ready to embark wham called epos. The
Royal Engineers' pontoon troop will ape:mpg=
first divaioa of troops mg from England,
have been issued for small ammunition carte, Ike., to
be furnished to several regiments.
Orders have been received at Chathaas for • mounted
troop of Royal Regimens with pontoon equipment
oompliste to be bud in readiness to proceed with the
810 and 18th Companies R gal Engineers. At Alder-
shot yesterday the 4th Dragoon Guards, numbering
450 sabres, had their various equipmegie implored
preparatory to inumediate active service, me they we
hourly expecting order*.
So perfect are the arrangements for the calling out of
the Army Reserve, that it is calculated that within one
' week of the men joining the colours every one of them
could, if necessary, be armed on boards*, thoroughly
clothed and equipped for service.
Tins palm of Cambridge wae at the War-office on
Waloesday in OODSOIia several hours with the
chief offioials, Mr. Childers being also present, whilst
• meeting of the Lords of the &4enlally was twad at
Watehalt, Lord Northbrook presitimg. It is under-
stood that the troops to operate if ow:dried as an army
of ocoupst,od have been finally seated, and that
arrangements are being made for oiling out and
despatching 5,000 Militia to the Mediterranean stations
to re-pow the troops detained for service in 4ypt.
Hospital appliances are bang despatched to Malta
and Cyprus.
The force which will be landed in Egypt in cue of
an outbreak of hostilities will lo composed, as far as
the lot Army Corps are roootirmsd, of such battalions
both at home and in the Maditterransan ae are best
fitted for the work. The Reeerve men who are celled
out will be posted to their former regiments in prefer.
loos to any other corps.
For convenient nee upon the march, or at a distant»
from the base of 'apply, there or. being obtained
email ties of a dry 611181100 of soup. Two or three of
these tine can be carried In the cartouch-box, and ease
will provide • good
ate: ration et savoury soup.
They are obtained for t 16s. • gross, and are about
as economical and handy • mesas of supporaos the
soldier on a day's march se can well be contrived.
Moat of the other victualling stores which are being
delivered oradet of preserved meite, also in tins, sat
mostly of Americo produce. The quality is inanely
always good, and • defective caniater is at core de-
tected by its hollow sound. Curiously it le toned
the,. a large percentage of the rejeded tine are des to
the meet eating been abstracted by the men employed
to lid them, • large stone or lump of coal being
generally thrust in to make weight and conceal the
trend. During the recent compaigas in South Africa
there were frequent complaints that the tioa had
been punctured by the nails in the lids of Use wooden
cases, and a large cost was immured in extra
radon; but the recent return of • shipload
of the.. proviaions in the Lapland, from Natal, all in
a sound eonditioo, led to a @nada= regarding the
punctures, and the wooden oases are now male with
screws in such • manner sis to render puncture*
Impossible. 'fins manufacture of boxes for provisions
and ammunition, and lanes cases for torpedoes, is at
prolong the busiest industry at the Royal AreenaL
The rows of recloortecl torpedoes awaiting shipment
form ow of the most portentous signs of war I. be
seen at Woolwich. tilt batteries of field artillery, at
present on tear pesos footing, with four guns to •
lottery, are also to be • t onos supplied with six
16-pounder guns each. An officer of the Royal
Artillery has been selected to comma' the ammu-
nition column, and bee been removed from his battery
for that duty, and another (Welded step in the way_ of
preparation wee the transmission by railway on Friday
of forage waggons to the ten regiments at home
regarded as first for service. Field ovens for the baking
of bread on soave service are also being brought out
for woe, each being mpable of providing for a thousand
moo, though not much larger than • London firs
eosins. It is usual, however, to furnish one to each
regiment, in order that it may have its baggage and
transport train complete. The siege train ham been
supptsonented by truck-loaded massive framework sad
gees for mounting the heavy Inas in earthworks, and
It is ooneiderei that no sage train ever took the field
In order and condition anything like so perfect as that
I n which the lat and find nails of the Bizet Army
Oorps now stand.