The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-08 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

A general order from the Horse Guards has been
promulgated at Chatham garrison, in which it is

announced that by command of the Field Marshal
Commanding in Chief arrangements have been

made to provide a regular supply of diagrams and
magic lantern slides to illustrate the lectures and

entertainments which may be given to the troops

at the various stations in the United Kingdom dur-
ing the approaching winter months. He directs

special attention to the rules which have been drawn
up for regulating the service, and looks for the co•

operation of commanding officers towards carrying
them out, by insuring the circulation of the sides

and diagrams with that regularity upon which the
success of the measure will mainly depend, and by
the maintenance of order and decorum during the

delivery of the lectures. The text books which
lecturers may require for the preparation of their
lectures will not be supplied at the public expense,

but will be provided by the garrison library com-
mittee out of the library funds.
The explosion at Belvidere has directed the at.
tention of the local authorities at Chatham to the

,mminent danger existing to the inhabitants of that
town from the large and increasing quantities o

gunpowder which are stored in the Government
magazines at Upnor Castle, Fort Amherst, and
other places. The subject was yesterday brought
under the special notice of the Local Board for
Chatham by Alderman Levy, with the view of some
action being taken by the board on the subject, and
in order that its importance might be pressed upon
the Government. The magazines at Upnor Castle

and the adjoining buildings exactly face Chatham-
dockyard, and, although no unnecessary grounds
for alarm need be entertained, it is felt that their
situation is one attended with considerable danger,
not only to the naval establishments but to the
town generally, should an accident unfortunately
occur. Only a short time since the ma■
gazines were very considerably extended,
and new buildings added. It was yesterday
stated at the Local Board of Health that the
magazines at Upnor now contain one of the largest
quantities of gunpowder at any of the Government
stores. In the course of the discussion which took
place it was stated that not only were there enora

mous quantities of powder deposited at Upnor
Castle, but that the Government were laying in ex-
tensive stores at Fort Amherst and other places in
Chatham garrison, by which the risks from acci-
dent were very much increased. The chief cause
for anxiety, however, appeared to be with regard to
the Upnor magazines, and several members of the
board strongly advocated the importance of the
Government removing them to the uninhabited dis-
trict between Chatham and Sheerness. It was ul-

timately decided that a strong representation should
be made to the Secretary of State for War on the
danger which existed from the close proximity of
the various Government powder magazines to Chat-
ham and Rochester. The corporation of Rochester
is also about to take action in the matter.
In continuation of his autumnal visit to Wool-
wich garrison Major-Gen. Warde, C. 8., yesterday
inspected the local division of Royal Marines Light
Infantry on the Artillery barrack field. The bat-
tallion, under the command of Colonel-Commandant
Hopkins, C. 8., assembled in line at 10 o'clock,
marched past in slow time and in grand divisione,
and performed the manual and platoon and bayonet
exercises, and various other movements. The Major-
General, before leaving, assembled the officers
and spoke in the most favourable terms of the man.
nor in which the battalion and acquitted themselves
during the inspection. At half-past 12 o'clock the
General and staff proceeded to the quarters of the
Royal Engineers and went through an inspection
of the company and the surveying detachment
stationed at Woolwich, in command of Colonel
Hawkins. They were paraded in their own ground
within the barrack enclosure, where they were
put through a course of field exercises, which they
performed in a highly efficient manner. General
Warde will close his inspection this morning by
assembling the military train stationed at the en-
campment at Woolwich-common in command of
,Colonel J. Clark Kennedy, C. 8., commander, after
which a private report of the proceedings will be
officially drawn up for the information of his Royal
Highness the General commanding the forces.
The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 400-horse power,
got up steam in Chatham harbour yesterday, and
proceeded as far as Folly.point, where she brought
up, in readiness to make her experimental trial of
speed for the purpose of testing the working of her
engines and machinery.
Additional numbers of mechanics and other bands
have, during the last day or two, been placed on the
ironclad frigates Lord Warden and Bellerophon,
building at Chatham, in order to hasten the com-
pletion of those vessels. The whole of the extra
hands have been taken off the iron frigate Achilles,
which is now complete for sea.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Basilisk, 6, 1,031
tons, 400-horse power, has been removed into the
steam basin at Sheerness, where a numerous body
of mechanics are employed on her in bringing her
forward for the Chatham Steam Reserve. Her
machinery has been lifted out, and is now under.
going a thorough overhaul and repair in the factory.
The Scout, 21, 400-horse power, which is being
prepared for the first division of the Chatham Steam
Reserve, to take the place of the Clio, 22, 400. horse