The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-19 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

In consequence of the death of Field Marsha
Lord Clyde, the siege operations, which were on

ginally to have taken place at Chatham yesterday,
and in which the entire force of the garrison as well
as the squadron of gunboats would have taken part,
have been indefinitely postponed, and it is now un-
certain on what day the contemplated operations
will take place.

Tke second annual marching out and encampment
of the troops in garrison at Woolwich on Dartford-
heath took place yesterday. The troops assembled
on parade at Woolwich at 7 a.m., and commenced
their march at 8. The Horse Brigade and the
Riding trocp proceeded by way of Plnmatead and
Crayford, in command of Colonel D'Aguilar, C. 8.;
the 9th brigade and one field battery of the depot,
and one 40-pounder battery of guns took the road
through Eltham and Bexley, and were commanded
by Colonel Smyth, C.B. ; the 13th Brigade (foot)
and Royal Marine Light Infantry marched over
Shooter's-bill and Crayford, under the command of
Colonel Buchanan. The whole of the troops arrived
on the heath simultaneously at 11 o'clock. They
were accompanied by Captain Grant's ambulating
cooking battery, by means of which dinners were
cooked on the march, and served with the same
promptitude as from the garrison kitchens. The
men returned to quarters at four o'clock, evidently
gratified with the day's excursion.

Capt. F. J. Bolton, 12th Regiment, the inventor
of the lime light telegraph signals recently intro-
duced into both branches of the service, has just
completed a lengthened course of instruction of the
several corps at Chatham garrison, in the use and
working of the new system of day and night tele-
graphy. He has rejoined his regiment at the
Curragh Camp.

THE VOLUNTEERS,

The fourth annual prlz3 meeting of the 11th Middlesex
(St. George's) Rifles was held at Wormwood Scrubs on
Monday and Tuesday week, under the superintendence of
Lieut.-Col. the Hon. C. H. Lindsay. The first prize on the
list was the St. George's Challenge Cup and Gold Medal.
It was competed for by first and second class shots of any
year, in five rounds, at the 400, 500, 600, and 700 yards'
ranges. Corporal A. Crookes became the winner, with a
score of 54 marks. The next contest was for a gold watch,
value 20 guineas, presented by Mr. J. T. Robinson, for a
first prize. The entrance fees, amounting to over 8 guineas,
formed a second prize. Theranges being 650 and 700 yards,
seven shots at each distance. The watch was won by Pri-
vate Blaize, with a score of 39 marks; Sergeant Stewart
and Private Sandford tied for second prize, with a score of
33 marks. On shooting off the tie, Sergeant Stewart made
a centre, and thus carried off the entrance fees. The Turner
Plate and Silver Medal, which is now the properly of the
corps, was competed for in five shots at the 200, 500, and
700 yards' ranges. Sergeant Gray was the winner, with a
score of 38 marks. A silver cup, presented by the non-
commissioned officers was competed for by first-class men.
The ranges were 300, 500, and 700 yards; five shots at each
distance. Ensign Waller was the winner, with 41 marks.
Another cup, given by the non-commissioned officers for
competition by second-class men, in five shots, at the 200,
500, and 600 yards' ranges, was won by Private Torr, who
made 26 marks. The remaining prizes were won as follows:
A silver tankard, presented by Mr. Basil Woodd, 200 and
400 yards, five shots, was won by Corporal Crookes, with
31 marks. The Ladies' Challenge Plate and silver medal,
200, 300, and 500 yards, five shots at each distance, was
won by Sergeant Millard, who made 44 marks. The Chal-
lenge Shield, value £25, presented by Messrs. Ortner and
Houle, was won by Private Rowe, who made 27 marks.
The ranges were 250 and 500 yards; fiye shots at each
distance. The silver goblet, value £lO, presented by
Lord Vernon, was competed for by effective members upon
the Swiss principle of concentric circles; the target was
divided into increasing circles, the smallest, or bull's eye,
counting nothing, and the outer circles, according to size,
counting from one point upwards, the extreme outer circle
counting the highest number of points, the member getting
the least number of points being the winner. The range
was 400 yards, five shots. Private Pearce was the winner,
with 11 marks, of this prize, as also of the silver wine cup
presented by Ensign Banting, which was shot for in five
rounds, at the 200, 500, and 600 yards' ranges. The meeting
was brought to a close through the unfortunate accident
which happened to Col. Lindsay.
The 4th and 13th corps of the 10th Administrative Brigade
of Kent Volunteer Artillery have very successfully expended
the greater portion of their annual allowance of practice
ammunition from the 32-pounder and 68-pounder guns
mounted on the sea defences which guard the approaches
to Chatham harbour. A great improvement has been made
by both corps in the accuracy of alignment, correct eleva-
tion, and the cuttiag and fixing of Boxer's fuzes. On nu-
merous occasions during the practice with the heavy siege
guns the target has been struck, altbough moored to sea-
ward at a range of 2,000 yards, and subjected to the unsteady
motion of a rough sea. On several instances the target has
been completely shot away. The target is purposely con-
structed of a moderate size, in order to accustom the volun-
teers to strike objects at a considerable distance from the
batteries. The judgment displayed by the volunteers in
determining the exact elevation of the gun and the allowance
to be given for the deflection of the shot merit approbation.
In Suffolk the Bungay and Beceles companies have been
reviewed during the past week by Lieut.-Col. Thelluson,
who availed himself of the occasion to present Sergeant
Miller, drill instructor of the Halesworth corps, with a medal
for long service and good conduct, and a gratuity of £5. The
Suffolk County Rifle Association will hold its annual meet-
ing at Ipswich in September.
The Norfolk corps are preparing for the annual meeting
of the Volunteer Service Association, which commences on
Monday, Sept. 7. On Thursday, the 3d Company of the
Norwich corps had a contest at the Mousehold range for
a variety of prizes. A challenge cup, previously held by
Sergeant Bridgman, was won by Capt. C. H. Gurney, who
made 41 marks, at ranges of 200, 500, and 700 yards, five
shots each. An Enfield rifle, presented by the non-commis-
sioned officers for recruits, was won by private Andrews. A
match followed, open to non-commissioned officers and pri-
vates, at the same ranges, and the prizes won as follows:
—A Kerr rifle, presented by Capt. C. IL Gurney, by pri-
vate T. Bridgman, 38 marks ; £5, also presented by Capt.
Gurney, by Corporal St. Jon, 33 marks ; a silver-mounted
beer jug, presented by Ensign Hansel!, by private Challis,
31 marks ; an Enfield rifle, or £3 10s., presented by Mr.
Croker, by private G. Figg, 31 marks.
In Lincolnshire the Horncastle company has had its an-
nual contest for classification prizes, 31 members entering
the lists. In the first-class the firing was at ranges of 200,
400, and 800 yards, five rounds each, and the first price was

wen by Corporal Clitherow. At the annual prize competi-
tion of the Louth corps some excellent shooting was made.
A prize of £3 35., competed for by members of the first-class
final classification, was won by Sergt. Mason. A match
against time took place for a silver cup of the value of £5
55., presented by Mr. S. J. Welfit. The shooting was at
200 yards standing, each man having five minutes allowed;
won by private Waite. A prize of £5 55., given by the Rev.
W. Smith, and another of £2 2s. by Mr. J. W. Wilson,
were shot for at 600 yards, and won by Lieut. Sowerby and
private Bucknell.
In Essex the annual prize meeting of the Ilford corps has
just been celebrated at Cranbrooke- park, the seat of Mr. J.
Davis. The first contest was for an officers' cup, shot for
by five men from each company. The corps consists of two
companies, one situate at Ilford and Barking and the other
at Walthamstow. Each man of the winning squad received'
a silver medal, and the highest scores in each company 80-
cured for the makers of them a prize of £5, presented by
Mr. Davis. The ranges were 200, 500, and 600 yards, five
shots each, and the scores made as follows—The Waltham-
stow company 178 marks (Sergeant Mosey taking the £5) ;
and the Ilford company 161 marks (Corporal W. Wisher
taking the £5). A marksman's cup,
highest score in each company, waswith a prise for the
presented by Mr.
Doublett, The shooting was at 700 yards, seven shots. En-
sign Mitchell. of the Ilford Company, won the cup and prize
—a second prize went to Lieut. Wilson, of the Walthamstow
company, who made 17 marks. A ladies' cup, with two
Lord Bury telescopes, presented by Captain Colesworth,
were shot for at 200 and 500 yards, five rounds each ; the

, ---s,
cup was won by Corporal grisker, and the telescopes were
carried off by Sergeant Fitt and Sergeant Munn. At the
close of the shooting the members of the corps were hospi-
tably entertained by Mr. Davis, who was unable from indis-
position to join them—in his absence the chair was ably
filled by Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Davis.
There has not been much doing of late among the Cam-
bridge corps. Several members of the Wibeck company
have, however, competed for the tenth time for a challenge
cup, which has now paSSCIi into the hands of Private Oliver.
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