The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-28 00:00:00

TI SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPrEMBER 28, 1863.

Major-Gen. Lawrenson, Inspector-General o
Cavalry, visited Aldershott last week, and made
his annual inspection of the cavalry brigade sta-
tioned there. The regiments inspected were the
Royal Dragoons, 6th Dragoon Guards, and 13th
Hussars, with a squadron of the 18th, which worked
with the 13th throughout the parade movements.
Each regiment was minutely inspected in line, after
which they marched past in open column of squa-
drons, ranked past in single file, trotted past by
threes and by squadrons, and again by squadrons
at a gallop, reformed line, advanced and performed
the sword exercise. Several other field movements
followed, which were executed with such dexterity
and precision as to call forth high encomiums from
the inspecting General. The inspectioa occupied
nearly six hours. On the following day the riding-
schools, the young horses, and the remounts were
inspected, together with the 13th Hussars on foot
parade. Gen.. Lawrenson highly complimented the
Colonels of the various regiments on the high state
of discipline of their respective commands, and also
expressed to Gen. Hodge, commanding the cavalry
brigade, his entire satisfaction at what he had wit-
nessed. The 76th (Hindostan) Regiment, now sta-
tioned at Aldershott, is under orders to hold itself
in readiness for immediate embarcation for, India.
On Wednesday the regiment went through the usual
medical examination of corps under orders for fo-
reign service by a board of medical officers, of whom
Dr. Stewart, staff surgeon, was president. Thirty-
seve n non-commissioned efficers and men were con-
sidered unfit for foreign daty ; and an order hav-
ing been received that no limited service men of
83 years should go unless on the condition
of being re-enlisted, and that no unlimited
service men should go who were over 20 years' ser-
vice, a total of 100 was taken from the strength of
the regiment. On Friday the regiment was drawn
up in open column in rear of the officers' quarters,
and minutely inspected by Brigadier. Gen. Bates,
commanding the 2d Infantry Brigade at Aldershot.
Strength of the regiment on parade—two field offi-
cers, seven captains, 17 subalterns, four staff, 32
sergeants, 20 drummers, 577 rank and file ; total o!:
all ranks, 659. As the acquired strength for the
Indian establishment is 956, the deficiency will be
supplied from the depot of the regiment, and by
volunteers from other regiments. The 64th B,egt.,
now stationed at Aldershot, is under orders to hold
itself in readiness to move as follows—Headquar-
ters and four companies to Gosport, one company
to Tipper, one company to Marchwood, one com-
pany and a field officer to Weymouth, and three
companies and a field officer to Portland. No date
is yet notified for the departure of the regiment.
The following changes will take place in the
camp at Aldershot consequent upon the departure
of the 64th and 76th Regiments—On the departure
of the 64th the 2d battalion 60th Miles will vacate
the West Infantry Barracks, and occupy A, B, and
C lines, North Camp. On the West Block Infantry
Barracks being vacated by the 2d battalion 60th
Rifles it will be occupied by the 59th Regiment.
Oa the departure of the 76th Regiment the 733
will vacate its present quarters in the South Camp,
and occupy the East Block Infantry Barracks. On
Thursday a grand "assault of arms," under the
patronage of Lieut.-General Sir J. L. Pennefather,
commanding the Aldershot division, will take place
on the Gymnasium Ground, Centre Block, Perma-
nent Barracks. The competitors will consist of
the instructors in gymnastics and other non-com-
missioned officers attached to the gymnasium, and
the assault will be ander the superintendence of
Major F. Hammersley, director of gymnastics
at Aldershott Camp. Previous to the commencement
of the divisional field day at Aldershott on Wednes-
day, Major-Gen. Hodge, commanding the Cavalry
Brigade, rode to the front, and presented medals for
long and meritorious services to Sergt. Long, Farrier-
Sergt. Harrison, and Private Taylor, of the 13th
Husaars, expressing his pleasure at being the me-
dium of presenting such honourable testimonials.
The whole of the cavalry, drawn up on Claycart
Ridge, witnessed the presentation.
A draught—the departure of which had been
somewhat delayed—consisting of Lieut. Monteath,
Ensign Martin, and 119 rank and file of the 70th
Regiment, left the Camp at Colchester on Friday
to embark on board the ship Chariot of Fame, for
conveyance to New Zealand, to join the service
companies in that colony. In consequence of the
extensive draughts which have left the camp during
the last three or four months the strength of the
various depots has been much reduced, and recruit-
ing has commenced. The cavalry barracks at Col-
chester are nearly ready for occupation. A contract
has been entered into with the Waterworks Com-
pany, and the mains will be laid as soon as possible.
't he foundations of an immense reservoir near the
barracks are already being dug. A riding school,
laOss by 50ft, is also being built ; the building when
complete
will present a neat appearance, and will be
constructed of red brick with an open roof, the floor
being covered
with tan and sawdust, beneath which
will be a thick layer of concrete.
The new floating target' for garrison and field-gun
practice, invented by Col. A. A. Shuttleworth, Royal
, on the recommendation of the Artillery, and which
Ordnance Select Ccrnmittee, is in future to be
adopted in the service, consists of a half tun vat,
divided,
a complete state, into four pted n
targeta;:s surmountedi hl 2 bushels
with a flagstaff'
com-
partments, with galvanised wire netting, painted
shav-
ings.white,The
and filled
painted white, 14ft in length, and is secured by a
281 b anchor. Targets of this kind will be imme-
diately issued to all stations where artillery practice
is carried on, and will supersede the old floating tar-
get for general service, but are not to take the place
of the 6ft and 9ft wooden targets, which will be
supplied, as heretofore, to stations requiring them
for practice.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

NORTH BRITISH.
The half-yearly meeting was held at Edinburgh on Thurs-
day—Mr. Hodgson, M.P., in the chair,
The report was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the proprietors on the suc-
cess of their late Parliamentary campaign, Parliament hav-

ing passed the measures submitted by the directors almost
in their entirety. The only considerable alteration made
was one which would save this company a considerable ex-
penditure of capital—namely, by giving them running
powers over the Edinburgh and Glasgow line to Queensferry
instead of authorising the company to construct that portion
of the direct line from Edinburgh to Perth by Dunfermline.
The second bill which the directors promoted was for the
establishment of steamboat communication between Silloth
and other ports. The House of Lords did not give them all
the powers they asked, and limited them to steamboats run-
ning between Silloth and Belfast, but he trusted the com-
munication which they desired with Dublin and other ports
would be afforded by some other parties. Their third bill
was a measure for placing the finances of the company on a
more satisfactory footing, and powers had been taken in
that bill to amalgamate with a short line which was subsi-
diary to the North British system, running from Bellingham
to Morpeth. The fourth bill was for the amalgamation of
the Border Union capital with that of the North British,
which would come into operation on the vote of Border
Union shareholders. He had also to congratulate the share-
holders on the increase in the traffic, which amounted to
£34,000 for the past half-year. In respect of the increase Of
the dividend from to 11 per cent. per annum he trusted
they had now turned the corner, and that from the develop-
ment of the recent additions to their mileage the revenue
and dividend would rapidly increase. For the past eight
weeks their receipts had increased by £1,145 per week over
the corresponding weeks of last year, or £2,223 over the
corresponding period two years ago. Though many obstruc-
tions were still placed in their way to the interchange
of traffic with the west coast lines, the directors hoped
to overcome them. The threat was held out that the direc-
tors of the Caledonian, Scottish Central, and Edinburgh
and Glasgow would again apply to Parliament for a bill to
amalgamate the companies, but the North British, in con-
junction with the public bodies of Scotland would again
st...o4`.stly resist the attempt, and he had no doubt success-
fully. Under certain circumstances there might be no great
objection to the amalgamation of the Caledonian and Scot-
tish Central, but the Edinburgh and Glasgow line was the
natural route of the east coast companies to Glasgow, and
he hoped that company would yet agree to join their natural
allies. He concluded by moving the approval of the report.
Admiral RAMSAY expressed his belief that the new direct
line to Perth by Queensferry would be run in 1 hour and 35
minutes, a saving of about an hour on the present journey.
Mr. ARKLEY complained that the increase of dividend
wet not proportionate to the increase of revenue, and he be-
lieved that the Queensferry scheme would be a great burden
on the new shareholders.
Major HALL protested against the further issue of pre-
ference shares, and Mr. ROMANS objected to any further
extensions, leases, or amalgamations.
The Chairman put the motion, which was seconded by
Mr. Leishman and agreed to, Mr. Arkley dissenting.
A meeting of the Border Union shareholders was then
held, at which it was agreed that, in terms of the bill of last
session, the Border Union ordinary stock should be amalga-
mated with and held as ordinary stock of the North British.

THE LEIGH HAYMAKING CASE.

The secretary of the Defence Fund replies in a
local journal to the letter of Mr. Marsh, the clerk to
the magistrates, which appeared in The Sun a
few days It is not without re-
gret
ments. Now, at the outset, may we not reasonably
that alg observe se Hery e says
in the:‘ letter many mis-state-
ask why, in a case so rare, and under law so obsolete,
were these persons not warned before they were
punished ? And if punishment were necessary at all,
why should not a small number have been selected
(thirty-one were, I believe, summoned), whose posi-
tion and influence would have made the punishment
a landmark—for example, Mr Marsh himself ? And
I ask Mr. Marsh, the justices' clerk, who writes to
you thus sanctimoniously, whether in the years
1861 and 1862 he did not get in his own hay
on the Sunday; and I further invite him to con-
tradict. if he can, my assertion, that in the present
year, 1863 (on the very Sunday preceding that for
which these poor men were punished), the hay was
actually got in from his own fields, and in his own
presence, on the Lord's Day ? These facts are
notorious in the district and cannot be denied. They
were known to the magistrates ; they were known to
the police; and with that knowledge men in the last
stage of indigence, who acted in unselfish aid of
their, neighbours., were convicted. Farther than
this, it is equally notorious that workmen in the
employment of some of the justices might have been
equally punished, but that no prosecution was per-
mitted to touch them. Mr. Marsh states that in the
fields of each of the defendants the police found men
in a state of intoxication. This is simply untrue,
and no such evidence was given before the magis-
trates. Will Mr. Marsh have the goodness to ex-
plain, if he can, why the persons who were drunk
were not snmmoned ? and will he, if he can, name
any one of the def'Pr,dants who was in a state of in-
toxication. Mr. Marsh says the weather was
settled and fair, This is equally untrue, There
was rain in the morning. There was rain late in
the evening, and this was stated in Mr. Marsh's
hearing upon the trial. I shall not follow the
attorney's verbiage with which Mr. Marsh fills his
letter, but I have shown its worthlessness by his
own acts. The magistrates seem heartily disgusted
with their position, and now put their clerk for-
ward as their speaker and their scapegoat. The
whole thing was wrong. Many such wrongs have
passed without comment. Here the weight of pub-
lic indignation had fallen, and it has stayed the
extension of the injustice. The magistrates
threatened the poor houseless weavers and labourers
with the stocks. Will they execute their threat
and let their clerk and their colleagues escape ?
say no more than that with the aid of the public
his strange and harsh proceeding will be further
nvestigated and its illegality punished."