The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-29 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Lord de Grey, Secretary of State for War, accom-
panied by Col. Jervoise, R.E., of the Royal Defence
Commission, has been engaged at Portsmouth during
the Whitsuntide recess in inspecting the lines of de-
fensive fortifications surrounding the port. On
Tuesday he embarked on board her Majesty's steamer
Fire Queen, Master-Commander Paul, and, proceed-
ing to the westward, inspected the forts at Hurt-
point, the Needles, and Fort Victoria inside the
Needles, afterwards landing at Yarmouth, and sleep-
ing at the hotel at Freshwater. The next morning
he embarked at Yarmouth again on board the Fire
Queen, and went to the Royal Military Hospital at
Netley, in Southampton Water, where he spent a
considerable time in going over the different parts
of the hospital. After leaving Netley he returned
to Portsmouth in the ,Fire atleen, and slept
at the Portland (Hirst's) Hotel at Southsea.
Yesterday morning he visited the dockyard, and
accompanied by Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Sey-
mour, G.C.8., and Rear-Admiral Superintendent
George Elliott and Captain C. P. Coles, R.N., went
on board the Royal Sovereign turret ship. On leav-
ing the Royal Sovereign his lordship embarked on
board the Fire Queen from the dockyard, and visited
the sites of the proposed marine forts at Spithead
on the Norman Horse, and Stourbridge shoals, and
her Majesty's iron frigate Black Prince, lying at
Spithead. He afterwards landed at Stokes Bay, and
inspected the lines of defence on the west side of
Portsmouth Harbour with the advanced outlying
forts. This day, Friday, his Lordship will make a
minute inspection of the forts on Portadown-hill,
and the partly completed lines of defence, at Hilsea.
On Tuesday, Major-Gen. Stransham, inspector-
Gen. Royal Marines, commenced his half-yearly in-
spection of the Plymouth division, which was at 10
o'clock formed in marching order round the barrack-

square at Stonehouse, where the Inspector-Genera,
was received with the usual salute. After inspec-

tion of the men under arms, the division was
formed into open columns of companies, right in
front, and Gen. Straasham made a minute exami-
nation of kits. At 3 p.m. another battalion, com-
posed of 10 companies of 20 files each, paraded in
the Brickfieid, Devonport, for drill, and was drawn
up in line, facing the east, to receive the inspector.
The battalion was exercised by Lieut.-Col. Lam-

brick at the manual and platoon drill. Lieut.-Col.
Connolly was then called on to exercise the batta-
lion in the bayonet drill, which was admirably per-
formed. Col.-Commandant Holloway, C. 8., A.D.C,,
then put the men through a series of battalion and
light infantry manoeuvres, the whole of which were
well executed: On Wednesday, at 9 a.m., the In-
spector-General visited the ship gun drill battery,
for the purpose of seeing a detachment put through
the gunnery exercise. He then went to the girls'
school and to the Millbay barracks, where he exa-
mined the boys' school. In the afternoon a battalion
of eight companies, of 16 files each, was paraded in
the Brickfield, where various officers were called
upon to manoeuvre the battalion, which then re-
turned to barracks. The inspector-general next
proceeded to St. Nicholas's Island to witness the
practice from the Armstrong guns.

The Royal Artillery brigades otherwise unem-
ployed yesterday assembled in the barrack field at
Woolwich, and, having been inspected by Major-
Gen. Sir R. Dacres, commanding the garrison, they
marched past in divisions. The battalions of Royal
Marine Light Infantry were mustered on Woolwich
common, and went through a course of battalion
movements; and the 60th Rifles, in command of
Sir E. F. Campbell, Ist battalion, stationed at
Woolwich, went through a course of sword exer-
cise on the Royal Artillery parade.
The enrolled pensioners belonging to the Wool-
wich division, consisting of 397 hale, robust looking
men, averaging about 45 years of age, who have
been called out for their eight days' annual drill,
yesterday went through a most brilliant course of
musketry and file firing, in command of Major D.
H. Mackinnon, Staff Officer of Pensioners. The
pensioners will assemble this morning and will go
through a course of battalion movements,and on the
following day they will be inspected by Col. Sir
E. F. Campbell, Ist battalion 60th Rifles. Only
three men have this year been absent on the sick list,
which speaks well for the sanitary condition of the
corps, 400 in number. During the whole course of

training two absentees and defaulters only have been
reported. By the established regulations, the pen-
sioners are not entitled to remain in the corps after

the age of 50, but they retain their pension and are
no longer called upon for eventual service and an-
nual drill. On their discharge the vacancies are
filled up by more effective men.
Official instructions, as announced yesterday at
Woolwich, have been received from the Horse
Guards to the effect that no military demonstration
will take place on the 6th of June, as anticipated, in
celebration of the Queen's birthday. The public
departments of the dockyard and the Arsenal will
be closed from Saturday to Monday, and the usual
drills of the troops will be dispensed with.
Detachments of the 53d Regiment returned to their
headquarters yesterday from Portland and Wey-
mouth, having been relieved by other detachments
from the 26th (Cameronians), the headquarters of
which are stationed at Gosport.

The enrolled pensioners of the South-west district
numbering 350 men, under the command of Colonel
Moon and Captain Driver, marched to Southsea-
common yesterday, where they were officially in-
spected by Colonel Inglis, 53d Regiment.
The corps of local pensioners in the Chatham dis-
trict, having completed their usual period of train-
ing, were inspected on Chatham lines yesterday
morning by Col. H. Jervis, commanding the first
battalion at Chatham garrison. The number of men
under training this year has been reduced, and the
force inspected yesterday consisted of about 400
men of all ranks, who were formed into six com-
panies, the whole under the command of Col.
R. Jenkins, the officer in charge of the out-
n
istrroiuct.d
tOhe veterans
n the ar-
rivalotih e
rCI,
sa Chatham
e s i
on
of e rCso 1 i
j ni
n n
e the
aath de
g n
were formed in line and gave the usual salute,
nearly every man present having his left breast
ornamented with two, three,
and in several
instances five medals. The companies were then
put through the manual and platoon exercise,
which the force broke into after
companies,
usual marching past took placeand the
.

Orders have been received at Chatham garrison
directing two officers and
from the Horse Guards,
76 non-commissioned officers and men of the Ist
battalion of the 12th Regiment to be held in readi-
ness to 'embark for India, to reinforce the service
companies of the regiment.
The first division of the depot brigade Royal
Artillery, being considerably below its fixed estab-
lishment, orders have been received from the Horse
Guards, directing 200 non-commissioned officers and
gunners to proceed on Tuesday next, from Warley,
to join the head-quarters of the first division. The
detachment, after undergoing a course of instruc.
tion at the School of Gunnery, Shoeburyness, will
embark for India with the reinforcements of the
Royal Artillery about to be despatched to India in
the course of the present summer.
mand of Lieut.-Col. Michell, marchsd from
head-
quarters, Woolwich, yesterday morning, f
Alder-
shott, and will arrive at the camp on
Soarturday.