The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-05-17 00:00:00

larmo anb 'Nab°.

The Fifeshire Artillery Militia, consisting of 16 offi-
cers and 400 men, et present billeted on the town of
enpar-Fife, are under orders to proceed to Devonport
in • few days.
Two sointanies of the Waterford Militia Artillery, at
present stationed in Edinburgh. are under orders to join
head•quarter in the Isle of Wight, where they were to
arrive on the 14th inst.

MANNING THE NAVT. —Monday morning and through-
out the day the naval rendezvous in Prince-street.
Bristol, was besieged by seamen and others desirous of
joining Her Majesty's service. The applicants for
enlistment comprise fine, healthy, able-bodied men,
ordinaries. limisinen, and boys. The high rate of
bounty now offered by the Government appears seriously
to operate against the possibility of manning merchant
ships, and will continue to do so unless a substantial
advance in sailors wages is made. The men generally
say the allowance of rations alone in the Royal navy is
so far superior that the diminution in pay is amply
made up.
VOLUNTEER CORPS.—A most important notice, sanc-
tioning the forowtion of Volunteer Corps under certain
conditions, was ismed from the War-office on Thursday,
awl addressed to Lieutenants of Counties.
RIFLE CORPS.—Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, Home Secre-
tary, has stated the readiness of the Government to
encourage the formation of ride anis, or 'ler volun-
teer bodies, in any localities where the desire may be
expressed to form such bodies. We understand farther
that circulars have been issued by the Goeinnonent
in some departments, with reference to the
%Mlle object. A large and influential meeting, consist-
ing of College authorities, students, and townsmen, was
held on Friday week at the Townhall, Cambridge, to
take measures towards the formation of a rifle corps.
THE BIRKENHEAD VOLUNTEER RIFLE COKPK.—It
was decided on Thursday to hold a public meeting at
Birkenhead, to consider the propriety of forming a
volunteer rifle corps for that township. It is expected
that the chair will be taken by Mr. John Laird. the
chairman of the sioners. Already upwards of 100
I gentlemen have signified their intention of enrolling
thenowlves in the corps.
The foundation for erecting the extensive branch of
the Annstrong gun factory in Woolwich Arsenal bas
been completed, and the footing for the building com-
menced, but, according to the Unitori &Trice Gazette
no correct drawing of it has yet appeared ;the projectile
adanitsof being used indifferently as solid shot, shrapnel,
percussion shell, and common case, and possesses extra-
ordinary efficiency in all these capacities.
For several days two French steamships of war have
been lying-to outside Plymouth, and it is reported that
there are two others outside Falmouth. On Wednesday
a corvette of about Is guns, with painted ports, and •
schooner of 12 guns, all black, were observed for five
boom four miles MS. E. of the Eddystone, in the run of
the homeward bound ships. The schooner when hailed
by a pilot boat declared her nation, but declined answer-
ing any other questions.
. . .

The Etna screw steam transport, Captain Hockley,
enibarked on Wednesday alongside Herlfajesty's dock-
yard, Portsmouth. 53 °Ricers, 8 officers' wives, 15 child-
ren, and 7 female servants, 1,249 non-coininissioned
officers and men, 77 soldiers' wives, 148 children. and
:4 horses. The Etna sailed from Portsmouth for MAMA
at daylight on Thursday morning.
Agents of the French Government* are actively
engaged in chartering collier* in the north at a rate of
freight equivalent to about 375. per ton. In London it
is said 35e. per ton is offered for any quantity. The
coal to be taken is to be delivered in a port of the
Mediterranean, not to be named until the time of sail-
ing, and in wine cases an indemnity is given against all
war risks. Ten steamers, each of about 2,000 tons
burden, are, it is said, likewise wanted fur a similar
purpose.
Outward-bound merchant ships are experiencing in-
convenience from the loss of their crew* at Gravesend
through the attraction of the Government bounty. Tba
naval authorities board the ships at that plaoe to ascer-
tain if any of the uteri will volunteer, and in some in-
stances vessels have been left without a sufficient num-
ber of hands to enable them to proceed.

VGLIINTe.KRA PROM THE HIGHLAND BORDERKRa.—
Some volunteers to the regular army have lately ar-
rived at Stirling from the Highland Borderers, now sta-
tioned in England. Of thew five have been approved
for the 791% Highlanders, two fur the 42nd, awl two
for the 92nd Highlanders. The Highland Borderers,
who are under the commend of Colonel Sir A. C.
Gibson Maitland, Bert., hese supplied • large number
of men to the regiments of the line, especially during
the war in the Crimea.
PuNialialeNT Yoe DeSeHTLRIL—On account of the
serious extent to which the crime of desertion in Her
eisjestia service hiss now arrived, • new warrant,
dated the 25th of April, has been issued by the General
ling in Chief, and is ordered to be laid before
general and garrison eourta.snartial, authorining the
punishment of the lash in such cases. By the articles of
the new warrant the extreme sentence of corporal
punishment is to be carried into effect on conviction of
offences of that description, according to the discretion
of the court and the approval of his Royal flighnesa.
In imrsuance of the new code, tl•erefore. six delinquents.
convicted at the garrison court martial at Woolwich
of robbery and desertion, were sentenced to the lounish-
ment of fifty Indies each, together with various terms
of imprisonment. Five of the prisoners (four of whom
were drivers in the Royal Artillery batteries) underwent
their corporal punishment on Monday, in the presence
of the whole availeble force in garrison. One, a driver
in the Military Train, we* punished in the presence of
his own corps at the encauilmient on Woolwich-
COnlulon. The sixth, an inveterate, offender, who has
Ibeen twenty-three years in the Royal Artillery, and has
been thirsted from the grade of • non-conituissioned
officer, was convicted of stealing a watch, and had
basely laid the accusation on • couple of his comrades.
lie was pronounced to be in an infirm state of health,
and was consequently ordered to the hospital, the
punishment to be deferred.