The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 27, 1863.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

The operation of casting the metal side-keel plates
for the screw frigate Orlando, 46, 1,000 horse power,
under repair at Chatham dockyard, was completed
yesterday at that establishment. Each of the plates
measures 36ft in length, with a weight of from 80
cwt. to 90 cwt. They are intended to be placed on
her keel, near her screw post, in order to add to the
strength of the stern, which was found to have
been very much weakened from the working of her
machinery. Since the Orlando has been in the
shipwrights' hands she has been strengthened
throughout by the addition of knees and bracings to
those parts of her keel and sides giving indications
of weakness, in addition to which she has been fur-
nished with metal buttock knees, each weighing
281- cwt. The whole of her copper sheathing has
been stripped off, and any defects discovered in her
mahogany planking made good. The repairs now
in progress will be completed in about eight days,
orders having been received from the Admiralty for
the Orlando to be ready for undocking on the 4th
Tune, immediately after which she will proceed to
the Nore, where she will reship her guns, shot,
shell, and the heavy stores removed from her, to en-
able her to be taken into dock. The Orlando will
rejoin the squadron on the North American station.
The iron troopship Megmra, 6, Command, r S. H.
Henderson, from the eastward, outward bound,
arrived in Plymouth Sound yesterday morning with
loss of jibooom, the gear of which was under her
bows. It appears that at half-past 12 o'clock when
40 miles west of Portland she struck a Danish brig
under her fire channelii on the port side, which went
down in 25 minutes. The brig is named the Uncas,
180 tons, Capt. Trolle, with coffee, from Rio for
Hamburg. All her crew are on board the Megaera,
which is bound to the West Indies.
The Bulwark, 91, the only line-of- battle wooden
screw steamer on the stocks at Chatham dockyard,
on which no hands have been employed for some
two or three years past, is to have a portion of her
planking removed in order that her internal timbers
may be thoroughly ventilated, to prevent any defects
arising from dry rot. The Bulwark as well as the
Belvidere, 51, also on the stocks at Chatham, are to
be the next vessels selected to undergo conversion
to iron-plated screw frigates of the Royal Oak class,
which latter vessel was originally laid down for a
wooden screw steamer, but was afterwards com-
pleted as an armour-cased ship.
The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 400 horse power,
in Chatham harbour, which was paid off into the
steam reserve a few weeks since, is to be brought
forward for repair, in readiness for commission, as
soon as the work now in progress at Chatham dock-
yard will permit of her being taken in hand. She
will require some rather extensive repairs, involv.
ing an outlay of about £lO,OOO.

The Scylla, 21, 400 horse power is ordered to be
fitted immediately for the first division of the
Chatham steam reserve, in readiness to be re-com-
missioned. Between two and three months will be
required to prepare her for sea.

The screw frigate Arethusa, 39, 500 horse power,
attached to the Chatham Steam reserve, has been
removed into the great basin, where she is being
brought forward with the utmost despatch. She has
shipped her lower masts, and the riggers are now
employed setting up her standing rigging.
The steam store ship Balaclava commenced ship-
ping yesterday at Woolwich Arsenal a heavy arma-
ment of smoothbore guns, for the defence of Popton
Point, near Pembroke, and will sailfrom Woolwich
to-morrow.

The Marley Hill steam vessel has landed at
Woolwich 125 fathoms of chain cable and one
anchor, recovered from the wreck of the Conqueror,
lost on the Bahama Banks, old channel.
The Esk, screw steam frigate, Captain Hamilton,
went out of Portsmouth harbour• yesterday and made
a trial of her machinery, under the superintendence
of Capt. H. Broadhead, of her Majesty's ship Asia
and commanding the steam reserve, Mr. M‘Murdock,
inspector of machinery afloat, and other officials.
The result was perfectly satisfactory. She returned
into harbour and will swing for the adjustment of
her compasses preparatory to making her official
trial of speed in Stokes Bay.
The sailing transport Agamemnon, Capt. Hynd,
arrived at Spithead from Bengal yesterday evening
at 6 p.m., with invalids of various regiments. The
Agamemnon sailed from Bengal on Feb. 12th, ar-
rived at St. Helena April 13th, and sailed thence
the following day. She has experienced moderate
weather.

The royal yacht Victoria and Albert, Captain his
Serene Highness Prince Leiningen, arrived yester-
day afternoon at Portsmouth, from Antwerp, having
been in attendance on the Prince and Princess
Louis of Hesse.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Commander Frederick W.
Sianey; Commander J. Hutchison, and Commander
H. L. Cox to the Miranda ; Edward Judge, first-
class assistant-engineer, to the Cockatrice; Richard
H. Trubshaw, acting first-class assistant-engineer,
additional, to the Cumberland, for the Louisa ; David
B. Keiller, second class assistant-engineer, to the
Curagoa ;
Robert Sutherland, second class assistant
engineer, to the Miranda; and Frederick Smiley,
second class assistant-engineer, to the Cockatrice.

THE ARMY
. The new batch
of buildings. for occupation at
Woolwich as married men's quarters, erected by Mr.
Tongue, the Government contractor, are partly
roofed in, and will be ready for occupation in a few
days. They are to be designated " Cambridge Cot-
tages." They will accommodate 120 families, and are
supplied with washhouses and a laundry, gas,
and a plentiful supply of water, drying ground, &c.
It is to be regretted that a single room in these new
quarters should be pronounced as "ample accom-
modation" for an entire family.
About 300 soldiers are constructing at Land-
guard Fort, Harwich, a rifle range of 1,000 yards
for the practice of detachments of troops from the
4th Depot Battalion at the camp at Colchester.
Similar rifle ranges have been already formed for
the 9th and 10th Depot Battalions, Colonel Laye
is in command of the troops at Harwich, and de•
tachments are being exchanged between that point
and Colchester almost daily for the purposes of rifle
instruction.
The enrolled pensioners of the Bristol district
under the command of Major Meik, completed their
annual eight days' training yesterday. On the pre-
vious day they assembled on Dardham-down, and
were inspected by Brigade-Major Maxwell, of the
75th Regiment. In addition to 175 rank and Co
of the pensioners, there were 20 privates and two
corporals of Army Reserve men, who having been
10 years in the service are allowed to serve two
years for one in the Army Reserve, and on the
completion of 21 years' service to obtain a pension.
After the arms and accoutrements were inspected
the men were put through a variety of evolutions,
at the conclusion of which Major Maxwell com-
plimented the pensioners on their efficiency and
steadiness,and said he should be able to make a very
favourable report to the Commander-in Chief.
The spacious corrugated iron sheds in course of
erection over the gun mounting park in Woolwich
f tof t .
h a n
Arsenal is nearly completed. It covers a space of
stren
290 ft. in length and 105 ft. in breadth. The roof is
gthened wh gal vi sla
at
iron e circulars ,d f or
er
smt
--
ing a radius o
in on 28 ornamentalpeed
standards down the sides. It
is covered with galvanised having a centre lantern of corrugated sheet iron,
22ft. over, composed of
rough plate glass, and an intermediate skylight
about 12ft. wide, round the entire shed. The purlins
or inside braces to support the circulars of the roof
are of wood, and are trussed with iron tension rods.
The principals ate of the best selected Derbyshire
iron, strengthened at the base by the addition of
what is termed" fishing plates." The building pre-

sents an exceedingly light and substantial appear-
ance. The whole of the iron has undergone a severe
proof test.

THE VOLUNTEERS.

An all-comers match for three-groved Enfield
rifles, seven shots at 200, and seven at 500 yards,
Hy the position, Wimbledon scoring, and a variety
of other shooting for extra prizes, came off on Mon-
day at the Wimbledon ranges of the London Scot-
tish, Civil Service, and 11th Surrey Corps. The
arrangements, which were under the chief superin-
tendence of Captain Flood Page, assisted by Capt.
Richardson, of the 11th Surrey, and Ensign Mani-
day, of the Civil Service, met with the warmest
approval; while Captain Hill's new
system of disc
marking, used by the London Scottish Corps, and
which has been selected for adoption by the Na-
tional Rifle Association at their greet meeting in
July, was universally spoken of as the greatest pos-
sible advantage to observant and steady shots. A
novel mode by which the plate used in pool firing
is held in front of the target, and which prevented
all delay and doubt as to the result of any shot,
also afforded much satisfaction. The wind (which,
although rather strong, was tolerably steady, and
down the range slightly from the right) was favour-
able for good shooting. The first series of prizes,
for which there were 111 entries, were won as
follows ;--Ist prize, Private H. Frere, City of Lon-
don Brigade, 45 marks; 2d, prize, Lieut. Kerr, 7th
Surrey ; 3d prize, Lieut. Walmesley, 7th Kent ; 4th
prize, Private Quarto, Civil Service ; sth prize,
Sergeant Kempson, 36th Middlesex; 6th prize,
Ensign Halliday, Civil service; 7th prize, Sergeant
Kingsmill, 4th Surrey; Bth prize, Private Harrel,
South Middlesex ; 9th prize, Private Smith, Inns
of Court ; and 10th prize, Lieut. Mariner, West
Middlesex. In 10 shots at 500 yards fired by En-
sign Puckle, of the London Scottish, Hythe posi-
tion, Wimbledon scoring, eight were bull's eyes
(seven of which were consecutive), and three struck
the 11-inch white plate placed in the centre of the
in the hands
bull's eye; the other two shots Were centre. Such
ofshootinga
the o
Enfield,
n a f
p to 500 yards
a i r day,
at least, is scarcely second in accuracy to its rival.
practisedpro proms
shot,
On Monday afternoon the 2d Norfolk Admini-
strative Battalion assembled at Crown-noint, near
Norwich, at the invitation of Mr. R. J. H. Harvey,
who hospitably entertained the various corps
on the occasion. There were between 300 and
400 volunteers on the ground. The corps
composing the battalion—viz., the Harleston, Diss,
Loddon, Statham, Blofield, Attleborough,Wymond-
ham, and Thetford companies--executed various
manoeuvres under the direction of Lieut.-Col. Sir T.
W. B. P. Beauchamp, and their steadiness under
arms was creditable to both officers and men. A
number of ringing volleys were fired, and re-echoed
far and wide through the winding valley of the
Yare. On Monday, also, the 3d Suffolk adminis-
trative battalion had a field-day on Bungay-com-
mou. The battalion comprises the Ist Suffolk bat-
tery of Artillery, and the Bungay, Halesworth,
Leiston, Beccles, Wrentham, and Lowestoft corps,
which were shown by the review on Monday to
be in a fair state of efficiency. The occasion was
observed as a general holiday at Bungay and the
neighbourhood.
The members of the Gainsborough corps have
been entertained at dinner in the Corn Exchange of
that town by Ensign Fox. Prizes shot for some
time since were distributed on the occasion to the
• successful competitors. A cup given by the Earl
of Yarborough went to Private Selby ; another,
given by Sir T. Beckett, to Corporal Kidd ; while
money prizes were allotted to Private Rayner,
Sergeant Woolvine, and Privates Barton, Hawks-
worth, and Patrick.
The Ist Somerset (Clevedon) Volunteer Artillery
corps, under the command of Captain Sir A. H.
Elton, were inspected on Whit-Monday by Colonel
Travers, R.A. After being put through various
evolutions in the manual and platoon exercise the
corps fired with a 32-pounder at a target at a dis-
tance of 1,000 yards. The inspecting officer com-
plimented the men on the manner in which they
had acquitted themselves, and added that he felt
in a position to make a very satisfactory report of
their efficiency. At the conclusion of the inspec-
tion an excellent cold collation was provided for
the corps through the liberality of their captain.
The 2d Somerset (Weston-super-Mare) Volunteer
Artillery corps, under Captain Gore Booth, com-
mandant, were inspected yesterday by Col. Travers,
and were pronounced to be in a satisfactory state.
At the conclusion of a preliminary drill on Monday
the corps proceeded to the battery and fired a Tavel
salute of 21 guns in honour of her Majesty's birth-
day in 5.1. minutes, which, considering the guns are
32-pounders, was pronounced very creditable.
The annual review of the Monmouthshire Rifle
and Artillery Volunteer corps took place at New-
port on Whit-Monday. The weather was unusually
favourable, and there was a strong muster of the
various corps, the number of Volunteers on the
ground being nearly 1,000. After the evolutions
had been gone through, Major-General Bruncomb,
the reviewing officer, and Lord Llanover, the Lord-
Lieutenant of the county, complimented the officers
and men on the efficiency which they had displayed.
Lord Llanover referred in terms of commendation
to the Parliamentary measures now in progress,
with the view of consolidating and making the
Volunteer movement a really lasting one.
On Whit-Monday there was at Cambridge a
large muster of Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire,
Hertfordshire, Essex, and Lincolnshire corps. At
one o'clock the assembly was called on Parker's-
piece, but, owing to a delay on the railway, few of
the corps had then mustered. At about half-past
two o'clock the Whit-Monday train wound into the
station, and expectation was at an end. The Stort-
ford men made all haste to the rendezvous in the
station-yard, ani: Earl Cowper assuming the com-
mand of the companies representing the Herta Bat-
talion, the whole proceeded in quick marching
order, and bands playing, to Parker's-piece. Here
Col. Barker, of the University Volunteers, was in
chief command. After the general assembly on the
Piece the whole body marched down the East-road
and debouched thence on to Stourbridge Fair-
common, where various manoeuvres were gone
through. The programme of the evolutions was
sadly curtailed in consequence of the late arrival
of the train, as before alluded to. Earl Cowper and
n the staff.
Lord Royston acted upo

ELECTION EXPENSES.—It may be remembered
that Lord G. Manners was returned unopposed for
Cambridgeshire early in February in the room of Mr. E.
Ball, who voluntarily retired from Parliament. It appears
that his lordship's return cost him £179 Os 6d--namely, £45
Is for printing, advertising, poll •books, &c.; £4 4s for
chaise hire ; £34 2s 6d far the Under. Sheriff's bill ; and
4;95 13s for the services and disbursements of Mr. W. P.
Jackson, who was opposed as election agent.
THE HOP PLANTATIONS.—ROCHESTER, May 26.
—The protracted cold weather which has prevailed
for the past few weeks has proved exceedingly detrimental
to the growth of the young hop plants, which are very back-
ward for the season of the year. In many of the best and
largest of the plantations the young bine already begins to
assume that sickly yellow appearance so discouraging to
the hop planters' expectations, although in many of the
beat and most sheltered grounds the plants are making fair
progress. The recent drought, coupled with the cold nights,
has brought the green fly, which is already doing much
mischief in some of the grounds. Up to the present time
the prospects of a large crop are anything but encouraging,
although the ultimate yield will depend greatly on the wea-
ther during the next few weeks—a warm atmosphere
urns have been pre-
pared ac-
companied by a few soft showers being all now required for
promoting
from
variousgrowth
parts
of e
Kent, hops. Returns
leave little doubt
that the cultivation of hops is not carried on to such'an ex-
the the
ex-
tent in this county as it was some years since. In 1861,
the last year of the hop duty, the number of acres under
hop cultivation was returned as being 47,940, but that num-
ber is now believed to be considerably lessened, to the ex-
tent, it is supposed, of about 10 per cent.