The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

REMARKS.

The Commander of the Forces has attentively consi-
dered the proceedings of the Court-martial on the trial
of the prisoner for the gravest of all military crimes. H's
entirely concurs in the justice of the sentence pronounced
by the Court after a most anxious and deliberate hives.
tigation of the case.
The Commander of the Forces, therefore, approves and
confirms the same, but he is induced to commute the Ben-
tence of death to penal punishment for life. This commu-
tation of sentence by the Commander of the Forces is
made entirely from consideration of the good and faith-
ful conduct of the regiment, and of the army to which
the prisoner belonged, and of which he has been so un-
worthy a member. The prisoner is therefore ordered to
be kept in penal servitude for life in such place as one
of her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State may flow
time to time direct.
JAMES SIMPSON, General Commanding.
Head-quarters, Crime:,:, Oct. 5.
No. 2. The General Court-martial of which Col. Staun-
ton, 31st Regiment, was president, is dissolved.
No. Leave of absence is granted, at the r-commen-
dation of a medical board, to Capt. F. Botts, 77th Regi-
ment, to Nov. 5, to proceed to the Monastery.
No. 4. A medical board will assemble to inquire into
the state of health of Lieutenant and Adjutant Horne,
48th Regiment. The principal medical officer will be
pleased to give the necessary directions.
No. 5. The Commander of the Forces has, with the
approval of the Secretary for War, been pleased to
authorise the following alteration in the style or titles of
the non-commissioned ranks in the Laud Transport
Corps:—Regimental Superintendent, to be styled Regi-
mental Sergeant-Major • Assistant to Quartermaster, to
be styled Paymaster ex:Quartermaster-Set...emit ; Super-
intendent, to be styled Troop Serjeant-Major; Sub-Su-
perintendent, to be styled Sergeant ; First-class Driver,
to be styled Corporal ; Second-class ditto, to be styled
First-class ditto ; Third-class ditto, to be styled Second-
class ditto.

No. 6. It is to be understood that such corps, or por-
tions of corps, employed in roadmaking as are reported
not to have worked well, will not be included in the
Quartermaster-General's approved pay list.
No. 7. Ensign Sullivan, 82d Regiment, will be at-
tached to the Land Transport Corps, to do duty as A
Quartermaster until further orders.
No. 8. Leave of absence is granted, at the recommen-
dation of medical boards, to Lieuts. Martin, 19th Regi-
ment ; Hvndham, 3d Regiment ; Quartermaster Fraser,
6th Dragoon Guards ; also, at the recommendation of
boards held at Scutari, to Lieut. E. P. Vaughan, 28th
Regiment ; Rev. G. Lawless, Officiating Chaplain ; Dis-
penser of Medicines G. Clayton—to proceed to England.
On arrival they will report themselves to the Adjutant-
General.

No. 9. Leave of absence is granted on medical certifi-
cates to Captains Sawyer, 6th Dragoon Guards, to the
20th of October ; Smart, let Regiment, to the 10th of
November; Rev. F. Cannon, Officiating Chaplain, to the
31st of October— to proceed to Scutari. And, in exten-
sion, to Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart, 21st Regiment—to
remain at the Monastery.
No. 10. Leave of absence is granted, on argent p►i-
vate affairs, to Lieut.-Colonel Fitzunayer, Royal Artil-
lery, to the sth of January, 1856.
No. 11. The following subaltern officers, being in
charge of troops or companies, may draw field allowance
and forage as captains from the Ist of October :—Lieu-
tenants Nowlan, Peddle, and Baird, 41st Regiment.
By order, H. W. BARNARD, Chief of the Staff,

Head-quarters, Sebastopol, Oct. 6.
Medical boards will assemble to inquire into the state
of health of Colonel Daniell and Brevet-Major Baring,
Coldstream Guards; Captain Godber, Land Tiansport
Corps ; Lieutenant Brinkloy, 97th Regiment. The
principal medical officer will be pleased to give the ne-
cessary directions.

By order. H. W. BARNARD, Chief of the Staff.

FORTIFICATIONS IN CORK HARBOUR.

Our local readers are aware that fortifications to some
extent are being gradually erected on the principal
points of the harbour, but owing to the jealous secrecy
of the Government very little is known of their extent
or importance. The principal of these is that now in
progress on Spike Island, which, when completed, will
prove a most formidable defence. Previous to the war
with Napoleon almost the sole protection for that island
was a small redan battery on the eastern face of the
island, the strength or importance of which was very
trifling, but on the breaking out of hostilities with the
French nation, the immense value of Cove, as a har-
hour of refuge for vessels, and a point of departure
for convoys, was perceived by the Government of
the day, and it was resolved to fortify Spike Island
in such a manner as to enable it to become a de-
fence suitable to a great maritime port. Accordingly,
designs were made and the works begun, but they
proceeded slowly, and the war was ended before the
fortifications were completed ; not, however, as we can
learn, until they had cost nearly a million of money. On
the arrival of peace the country began to grow weary of
expense and the works were stopped, and they remained
in an unfinished condition, until on the refusal of the
colonies to receive convicts from England, it became ne-
cessary to establish depots at home, when it was con-
ceived that their labour could be made available for the
completion of the fortress of Spike. They have now
been engaged on those works for a period of seven or
eight years, and at last the results of their labour are
beginning to be seen.
Most persons who have seen our harbour will re-
member the position and appearance of Spike Islam 3
It rises from all sides, with a rather steep slope, to a
table-land commanding the entrance of the harbour,
the Man-of-war roads, and the passage up to Cork.
On this platform has been built a singpl,e,ioefitr,autficifiecsca,atitoionn,
an d .
everythingta
othr
ieginai
of about a thousand feet in length, with a breadth of
about seven hundred feet. In shape it is an elon-
gated hexagon, having at each angle a bastion. The
platform surmounting this work will be ten feet broad,
on which will be placed 200 guns mounted on barbettee
while the bastions will be pierced with embrasures.
Behind the platform will be a banquette for the amora-
-1 'iodation of men working the guns, and below will bo
casemate barracks, bomb proof, capable of accommodat-
mg 2,000 men. Around the entir:ecofer.odr:ntreesrsrurupnt
about 20 feet deep and 40 broad, both sides being
com-
pletely faced with cut stone. Only a 9 t she ditcher
-
ofth
but
glacis is as yet completed on the east and
it is intended to level the land all round the
ori
slope,
so as to form the whole island into
ii
thesmooth w e r k s
os
uthhsaeal
stl
rising gradually to the fortress. When
11 the houses
on been sufficiently farenaedmvya
on the island will be removed,
could afford shelter to an
feet sweep of the guns
obtained
their th e recent
bat-
tery only with twenty-four
be though "PG
design of the armament contemplated
pounders,vpelarytedsibmd :lot. uTtihneg
n o head
doubtcan have
sitive information
changes in ordnance effect, and
much heavier metal to be substituted. The plan
cause on
willth i s
of this fortress, though now we would reckon it old,
dating as it does nearly half a century back, is consid-
ered to be very perfect of its kind, being so formed as to
enable a small force to hold it against any merely naval
power that could be brought against it. It is com-
mended indeed by hills on the main land, but at a very
considerable range ; beside that the possession of these
hills by an enemy would Suppose the existence of an
occupying army and a regular siege, which, of course, it
is not meant to meet.. it is merely a fortress, built for
the protection of the shipping, and the Government
stores at Ilaulbowline.
Corvict labour has been also employed on the forts at
each tide of the harbour's mouth, new batteries having
been erected close to the water's edge, and platforms for
pivot guns, covered ways and glacis formed. When these
works shall have been completed, they will no doubt
torus very efficient defences of a harbour NO important
as that of cork. We shall look with curiosity to Be 0
whether, after all the labour and expense bestowed de:
them, they will be furnished with either a gun or
soldier.—Coele Examiner.