The Press.
London, England, 1858-11-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 6, 1858.

Rth of the same month, Ensign John James Scott, of the
47th Regiment, was arraigned upon the undermentioned
charges, viz.
First. —For conduct to the prejudice of good order and
military discipline, in having at Portsmouth, on or about
the 30th day of May, 1858, when on the sick report, and
undergoing medical treatment, quitted his barracks, with-
out the leave or authority of the commanding officer, or the
surgeon of the 47th Regiment.
Second.—For candoct unbecoming the character of an
officer and a gentleman, and to the prejudice of good older
and military discipline, in the following instances :
First Instance.—" In having, at Portsmouth, at o
about half-past ten o'clock, p.m., the 30th day of May,
18.58, in company with Ensign Dunne, 47th Regiment,
entered the quarters of Ensign G. P. Pigott, of the Wex.
ford Regiment of Militia, in Clarence Barracks, in his
absence, upset his furniture and utensils, and otherwise
deranged his room, and caused the bedding to take fire."
Second Instance.—" In having, at Portsmouth, about
twelve o'clock, p.m., same date as above stated, been drunk
and disorderly in the George Hotel, and then and there
otherwise misconducted himself." . .

Upon which charges the Court came to the following
decision :
" The Court, having maturely weighed and considered
the evidence in support of the prosecution, together with
what the prisoner has urged in his defence, is of opinion
that he, the prisoner, Ensign John James Scott, 47th
Regiment, is guilty of the first charge.
" With regard to the second charge, first instance—that
he, the prisoner, Ensign John James Scott, 47th Regiment,
is guilty, with the exception of ' conduct unbecoming the
character of an officer and a gentleman,' and the words,
and caused the beiding to take fire,' of which it acquits
him.

" With regard to the second charge, second instance—
that he, the priner, Ensign John James Scott, 47th
Regiment, is guilty, with the exception of the words ' and
disorderly,' of which it acquits him.
" The Court, having found the prisoner guilty of the
first charge, and of so much of the second charge as is
above specified, which being in breach of the Articles of
War, does now sentence him, the prisoner, Ensign John
James Scott, 47th Regiment, to be severely reprimanded ;
and further, to be placed at the bottom of his regimental
rank, and his name to appear immediately below Ensign
George V. Boyd."
Her Majesty has been pleased to approve and confirm
the finding and sentence of the Court.
His Royal Highness cannot allow the officers of the
army to be led astray by a tacit acquiesce:lee ie. such
erroneous opinions as app..-ar to have been eau rtained
by the members of this court-martial.
He had hoped that since the publication of the orders
by the late Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, the dis-
graceful habit of practical jokes had been entirely discon-
tinued.
Those orders were personally delivered to, and acknow-
ledged by, Ensign Scott, on his first appointment to a com-
mission ; his disobedience thereto was, therefore, unbe-
coming the character of an officer, and to conspire with
another for the personal annoyance of a brother officer by
entering his room uninvited, to upset his furniture and
utensils, and otherwise disarrange his room, can be desig-
nated by no other term than ungentlemanlike ; neither, in
the opinion of his Royal Highness, can it he otherwise than
disorderly in an officer to be drunk in au hotel, and then
and there otherwise to misconduct himself.
His Royal Highness considers each conduct to be fitly
described by the language of the charge, and he therefore
recommends courts-martial to cheek, by adequate punish-
ment. practices which a perseverance in cannot fail to effect
the character of the officers of the army as gentlemen.
By order of his Royal Highness the General
Commanding•in-Chief.
G. A. WETHICIULL, Adjutant-General.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS the General Commanding
in alai will hold a levee at one o'clock ua Monday
next, the Bth inst.
A NEW CODE of ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS WAS
short time ago received at Woolwich, restricting the
term of persons to be continued in the employ of her
Majesty's dockyards up to the age of seventy. The
order has been recalled at the suggestion of the
Lords of the Treasury, by reason of tha heavy ex-
penditure that regulation would entail on Govern-
ment. The whole of '.hose who were on Saturday
discharged, on the above-named conditions, were
ordered to be sought out and reinstated in their
former positions.
Tan NEW PATTERN LIGHT CLOTHING, formed of
drab•coloured jean, and drab felt helmets, have been
shipped in large quantities un board the transports
taken up to embark the reinforcements for India,
numbering 2,000 rank and tile, between the 4tb and
12th inst.