The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-16 00:00:00

THE MILITIA.

The Duke of Lancaster's Own Artillery (formerly the
Royal Lancashire), a fortnight ago mustered about
1,000 strong ; but about one half that number had vo-
lunteered under the act of 1852, and when the regiment
was embolied for permanent service they almost unani-
mously took advantage of the provision enjoining only
56 days' service in each year, and returned to their
homes. the remaining portion of the regiment, having
joined the service under the recent act, were embodied,
and placed on garrison duty at the new battery, north
of the Huskisson Dock, Liverpool. On Saturday,
headed by the band, and accompanied by a piece of ar-
tillery, they marched through the town. Recruiting for
the regiment is rapidly proceeding, and it is anticipated
that it will speedily regain the full complement.
Nearly 600 non-commissioned officers and privates of
the 2d West York Light Infantry, now stationed at
Sheffield, have been attested for foreign service by Colo-
nel Smyth, M.P., during the past week. Colonel
Smyth, with the concurrence of his brother officers, has
recommended Captain (Adjutant) Cobbe to the lieu-
tenant-coloneloy of the regiment, vacated by the re-
signation of Lieutenant-Colonel Brandling. The regi-
ment volunteered for foreign service in October last,
and are daily expecting the route for Gibraltar or the
lonian Islands. The service companies will proceed
to Portsmouth in two divilicas in the course of this
week, and will remain there until shipping is provided
for their accommodation. The following officers will pro-
ceed abroad—Lieut.-Col. Cobbe, Major Crompton, Cap-
tains Carroll, Thompson, Sutton, Price, and Stanhope ;
Lieutenants Brown, Wilkinson, Duesbury, English, Cleg-
horn, Lette, and Baxendale ; Ensigns Lloyd, Wilson,
Stoddaxt, and Ick ; Quartermaster Linford, Surgeon
Paley, Captain and Adjutant Ewen. About 150 men
will remain at home, and will be stationed at the regi-
mental depot at York, under the command of Major Van
Straubenzie. The strength of the regiment on the 31st
ult. was 940 men of all ranks.
The 3d West York Regiment of Militia, now stationed
at Richmond Barracks, Dublin, which but a few days
ago was one of the most efficient and best disciplined
regiments in the service, is now reduced almost to a skele-
ton, in consequence of the number of men who have availed
themselves of Lord Panmure's order to return to their
homes. On the receipt of that order Colonel Loftin,
after having consulted with the General of the Forces,
Lord Seaton, who authorised him to give to each men
who would consent to be attested for permanent duty a
month's furlough, in addition to the supplementary
bounty of 11., assembled the regiment in the Barrack-
square, and called upon them, as Englishmen, not to
desert the old colours of the regiment at a time when
their services were so much required by the country, re-
minding them of the good opinions they had won and
the high state of discipline they had attained ; but, not-
withstanding this appeal, only 121 volunteered to re-
main on duty, while 329 availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity of leaving the service. If Lord Panmure's order
had been received two or three days later nearly all the
recusants would have been sworn in for foreign service.
It is understood that the regiment will shortly be re-
moved to England to recruit. Tile regiment could not
now go abroad unless it obtained a draught from some
other corps, ae it is about 250 short t f its complement.
From the three militia regiments stationed at Dublin be-
tween 700 and 800 men were dismissed to their homes
last week.

A detachment of the Nokbamptonshire Militia, con-
sisting of 307 men and 8 officers, arrived lr.) steam at
' Liverpool from Dublin on Saturday morning, under the
command of Lieut.-C ilonel Lord Burghley ; and the re-
mainder arrived at the same port yesterday morning.
They proceeded to Northampton.
The Cunard steamer Cambria left Liverpool on Satur-
day for Dublin, having on board 100 horses, intended
for the cavalry remount at the seat ~f war. She had in
tow the clipper ship Crest of tho Wave, with a further
complement hor-e4 on board.
The Anglesey regiment of Militia, which a fortnight
ago numbered upwards of 300, has now dwindled down
to about 20 or 30 men. The discharge of so many to
whom an instalment of bounty money was due has pro-
duced great commotion, in Beaumaris. The officers were
in many instances set upon by the discharged men, and
had to draw their swords to enforce obedience or to pre-
vent violence. Several drunken riots have occurred,
one of which very nearly terminated fatally to a militia-
man, who received a severe wound in the bead. The
majority of the few retained cannot claim their &Behar ze,
but some of them have been re-attested and received
additional bounty. Among these symptoms of insubor-
dination have been manifested, and no picket could be
mustered to patrol the streets. A memorial has been
presented to the authorities by the inhabitants of Beau-
maris, praying for the removal of the militia corps.
The Roscommon and Longford Militia Regiment, it,
is said, will be quartered at Athlone for drill, previous
to being encamped on the Curragh.
- On Saturday Lieut.-General Thomas arrived in Ar-
magh from Belfast for the purpose of inspecting the Ar-
magh Regiment. When the inspection had concluded,
the regiment proceeded to the Mall for the purpose of
going on with their usual drill, and were followed by
General Thomas, Col. the Earl of Gosford, Liout.-Col.
Caulfeild, and the other officers, where the General again
expressed himself in complimentary terms. When they
returned to barracks Colonel the Earl of Gosford formed
them into a hollow square, and having stated that all the
officers had expressed their readiness to volunteer for
foreign service, he inquired if the men were willing to
f)llow them ; to which consent was immediately given
in three hearty cheers. The colonel then asked if there
was any dissentient, and, if so, that he would step out ;
hut, to the honour of the corps, not one man left the
ranks, and he was again responded to by three hearty
cheers.

LOSS OF HER MAJESTY'S SHIP TIGER.

COURT-MARTIAL ON THE FIRST LIEU-
TENANT AND MASTER.
PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 14.
The members of the court-martial re-assembled this
morning on board the flag-ship Victory, in Portsmouth
harbour, pursuant to adjournment from the previous
afternoon. Rear-Admiral Martin presided, the other
members of the court consisting of Lord G. Paulet, of
the Bellerophon ; Capt. E. Ayres, St. George ; Capt.
Gordon, Victory ; Capt. Harris, Illustrious ; Capt.
Wilcox, Odin ; Capt. Caldwell, the Duke of Wellington ;
Capt. Elliot, St. Vincent ; Capt Seymour, Pembroke ;
Captain Farquhar, Malacca ; and Captain rispin, Royal
yacht.
On the opening of the cone
Tne President inquired of Lieutenant Royer if he was
prepared with his defence ?
L eotenent Royer said that he was; but that many of
the certificates that he bad received were burnt in the
Tiger. He had, however, obtained a few from officers
under whom he had served, whilst others had been sent
to him without application on his part, which he would
lay before the court.
Lieutenant Royer then said—After a continuous servi-
tule in the Royal Navy extending over 25 years, I find
myself placed in the painful position of a prisoner, in con-
sequence of being the surviving officer of her Majesty's
late ship Tiger. The charges for which lam now on my
trial involve, first, the stranding of the ship whilst I was
officer of the watch ; and second, my conduct after she
got on shore, with regard to the manner in which I
carried out my duty as first lieutenant in our endeavours
to get her off as well as in her subsequent surrender.
In answer to the first part of these charges, I have only
to state that whilst officer of the watch on the occasion
of her stranding, I took every precaution in my power
for her safe conduct by having the leads constantly hove
from the chains, eaQing and stopping her for the purpose
of ascertaining the correctness of the soundings. I re-
, ported to the captain when I thought it naost one pessary,
and although the speed of the ship during my watch
was not above 5 knots, I was most careful to run no risk
of shoaling the water too suddenly. The look-outs
wera frequently visited by myself, as I walked on the
bridge and paddle-boxes, and, notwithstanding its being
daylight during the watch, I purposely kept two men on
Fthe look-out, instead of following the usual order of placing
a mastheadman at the masthead, it being so very foggy.
and although I was usually relieved at five a.m., with
the captain's knowledge, according to the custom of the
ship, to enable me to attend to my duties as first lieu-
tenant, yet as the captain had left orders that the ship
was to Le steered N. by W. (nothing to the north) until
we struck 10 fathoms, I remained on the quarter-deck
until they were obtained, when the officer who had re-
lieved me reported to the captain, and whilst he was be-
low in the cabin the water shoaled to seven fathoms,
when I at once ordered the engines to be eased, and I
can show by the evidence of the cabin-door sentry (Alfred
Parker) that I reported to the captain at this time. Mr.
Wilkinson, on returning to the deck, found the master
and myself standing near the ladder, when he repeated
the orders he had just received from the captain, and
then passed on to the bridge. Jt was then that I went
down to report the soundings to the captain.
hOinhn it%
return from the cabin, knowing the order
captain had given to Vie officer of. the watch,. WI
was nut
alarmed at finding the water still shoaling, w uch it
continued to do rapidly, from 5 to 21- fathoms, and be-
fore any orders could be given she had struck. I weuld
respectfully tLe attention of this hon. court, to the
evi:ience of Baker and Gill, who state that they saw
the land but did not report it to ni e, peitherdtidion an
oy
one else, therefore clearing me of any imputa
carelessness
or neglect on so important a point. On the
ac coed porti.;n of the charges for which I stand le:fore
this hon. court, viz., that of -my
conduct subsequent to
the stranding of the ship, as regards my exertioiss in our
endeavour toget her off, I would reepecjuli.Y
i that,
on the morning in question, I acted strictly in
c rdance with the captain's orders, carrying out to the
1 utmost the wishes he expressed. In the evidence of
tewttitttiStone he has stated that the captain asked
positiOu, au(l'h,e,l<elge-ancleor was laid out in the best
manner ; hut b`u.a,t /%13, answer was in a disrespectful
• call, I shall
pyrozvue answer of the officers whom 5l
shall
' times with the utmost
"'Poet 'This hon, court will
direct my attentiontuaerons duties to which I had to
such as lightening the
thi4 -unfortunate occasion,
fire in the store-room, • 81411, attending at the
I ready for laying out, aria the anchor and cable
at the same moment.' I wnlat,3, other occupations,
f duties xi directed by my. eirpaiPnrei.l7.4teilding these
Ii carried on her defence, and, All
considered the
it to the judgment of this hon. court
those circumstances, I could be cons
sible agent ? With regard to the latter Pal7tresP".
charge, as to my conduct during her subsequelliatf rt4t.
render, I have briefly to state that as the captain retained