The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-05 00:00:00

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e.'

ral armament Of the country, both for the military -
and volunteer services. It was not a question what
weapon was absolutely the best, but whether the,-
country were prepared to go to the enormous ex-
pense of changing their whole armament and adopt -
ing another weapon. Further, no country had a
superior weapon, and as long as they preserved their
superiority he did not think there was any occasion
for change. On the other hand the association was
specially intended to encourage rifle shooting, and.
to encourage that art properly it might be necessary
to give prizes for rifles more suited to marksmen.
That was another question. Ho did think it was
desirable to make such rules and regulations as
would enable volunteers to become good shots with
their own weapon, though not discouraging more
scientific shooting; by such means the meeting at
Wimbledon would be made more acceptable and
generally useful as possible.
agreeable, and as
(Cheers.)
General ES RE moved that the vice-presidents be
re-elected, and that Earl Cowper, Lieut.-Colonel
Gladstone, and General Sir John Burgoyne be
added to the number.

The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
The ordinary and extraordinary members of coun-
cil were then reelected.
Some further conversation followed as to the
small-bore competition, and the rules to be followed
at the competitions, in which his Royal Highness
again repeated his suggestions about the long En-
field, so as to give a larger area to competitors; and
backed a recommendation of Sir Richard O'Don-
nell, from Western Australia, that in all competi-
tions where the Enfield was allowed with other
rifles, it should have a separate prize if unsuccessful
in the main competitions.
Sir JOHN BURGOYNE then moved a vote of
thanks to his royal highness for his conduct in the
cbaiik (Cheers.)
-I,4rn. Earl of DALHOUSIE seconded the motion,
thanking his royal highness especially for his en-
couragement to competition with the long Enfield.
(Cheers.)
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE expressed his gratifica-
tion with the vote. His object in attending their
meeting was to keep up that harmonious and
united feeling which they all desired to maintain,
and which he hoped would be maintained at all
meetings over which he had the honour to preside.
He would only add that the views ho had thrown
out on some points were entirely his own, and it
was not to be considered that the council was in
any way pledged to them. The good feeling with
which they had been received was personally gra-
tifying, and he trusted they would aid in extending
the usefulness of the National Rifle Association.
(Cheers.)
i The meeting then separated.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

The Chinese expeditionary force, fitting out under
the command of Capt. Sherard Osborn, R.N., to aid
the Imperial Government against the Taepings, is
progressing rapidly in its equipment. All the offi-
cers have been most carefully chosen, and the high
pay and nature of the service secure to the naval
portion of the force an absolute choice among the
best able seamen. It has been decided that all the
1 best marksmen of the expedition are to be armed
with the Enfields, fitted with Storm's American
breach-loading chamber.
Her Majesty's screw corvette Racoon, 22, Count
Victor F. F. E. G. A. C. F. Gleichen, yesterday
sailed from Greenhithe (after adjusting her com-
passes) for Gravesend, to join the Emerald, Capt.
Arthur Cumming, ordered to be dressed for the re-
ception of the Royal squadron.
The Spiteful, Commander Wilson, was yesterday'
hauled into the outer basin at Woolwich, and com-
menced stripping in readiness to be paid off.
Rear-Admiral Robinson, Controller of the Navy,
yesterday inspected Mr. Gisborne's latest improve-
ment in ships' steering and engine-room signals,
now ready to be fitted, by order of the Board of
Admiralty, on the three decks of the Royal Oak.
The instruments have been constructed with great
cost and labour, under the inspection of Mr. Large
and Mr. Abetiaell, assistant constructors of the
navy. They are pronounced to be simple in con-
struction and perfect in action, and htve been
thoroughly tested under their own observation.
The Royal Oak will be the second of her Majasty's
ships thus fitted with Mr. Gisborne's electric tlh•
paratus.
___

The line-of-battle-ship Formidable, 84, Capt. W.
G. Luard, flagship of Vice-Admiral of the Red Sir
W. J. H. Johnstone, K.C.8., Commander-in-Chief
at the Nore ; the Cumberland, 70, Capt. T. P.
Thompson, guardship of the Chatham steam re-
serve ; and the Leander, 51, 500-horse power,
attached to the first division of the steam reserve,
proceeded yesterday to the Thames, in readiness to
receive the Princess Alexandra on her arrival on
Friday. The squadron will be moored off Southend
pier, and will salute the Royal vessels as they pass
up the river. All the vessels have been painted and
put in good order, the Leander especially, the latter
being one of the handsomest frigates of her class in
the service. The squadron of gunboats will, after em-
barking the officers and men of the Naval Reserve,
1 return down the river to meet the Princess below
Gravesend, and accompany the Royal squadron up

the river.
The mechanics employed in the factory, black-
smiths' shop, and the engineer department at Chat-
ham dockyard are now working extra hours, the
Lords of the Admiralty having consented to their
having a holiday on Saturday and Monday, as well
as on Tuesday next, provided that the time thus lost
may be made up—an arrangement which the hands
have very readily agreed to.
The Cossack, 20, 1,296 tone, 250 horse power,
attached to the Chatham steam reserve, is being
brought forward as rapidly as possible for commis-
sion. She is to be ready by June 1 next.
The firm employed by the Admiralty to forge the
rudder for the iron frigate Achilles, 50, building at
Chatham, is that of Westwood, Baillie, and Camp-
bell, at Poplar.

The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Commander A. E. Scott, to the
Fisgard ; Lieut. George N. Smallpiece, to the
Sutlej ; George S. Da Costa, midshipman, to the
Victory ; George N. Eden, nominated to a naval
cadetship ; James Niven, surgeon, to the Pembroke;
and Herbert B. Williams, assist.-paymaster, to the
Cornwallis.

THE ARMY.
it farnodmtchetiaAthrmatny
M eTdhi
ce a l removalschool oafn thedst a
DepotortP
to the new hospital at Netley will enable the mili-
tary authorities to considerably augment the barrack
accommodation for troops at that garrison. Already
ono wing of Brompton barracks, which for some
years past has been used as an auxiliary garrison
hospital, has been vacated by the invalid troops, who
have been transferred to Fort Pitt, which, under the
new regulations, is to be used as a hospital for the
entire garrison. This will enable several hundred
additional troops to be quartered at the Royal En-
gineer barrack, Brompton, which is at present occu-
pied by artillery, engineers, and infantry, while the
removal of the invalid depot to Netley Hospital will
allow of St. Mary's casemated barracks being con
verted into quarters for regular troops, accornmo►la-
tion being provided at that establishment for 1,000
officers and men. It has, accordingly, been decided
to remove one of the depot battalions to St. Mary's
barracks as soon as it has been entirely vacated,
Hut barracks at
and according to present arrangements the 3d
depot battalion, now occupying
Brompton, will remove to St.
Mary's, ai►d the 4th
be transferred from
the
depot battalion, at Canterbury,..
Hut barracks and a part of Brom?.
that station to Chatham garrison, taking up its
quarters at the .
gton barracks. The foot artillery now stationed at
Canterbury will also be removed from that city and
' will be succeeded by a brigade of royal horse artil-
lery. In addition to the above arrangements cer-
tain of the depots of those battalions which are
1
ordered to be broken up will be transferred to the
depot battalions already formed at Chatham, which,
with the establishment of another depot battalion,
will augment the forces quartered at that garrison
by nearly 2,000 men.