The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Her Majesty's screw gun vessel Sylvia, partially
completed at Woolwich, to carry four guns, and
to be of the burthen of 695 tons, the building of
which has been suspended since 1860, is now ordered
to be completed. She is to be fitted with a chart-
house on deck, similar to that of the paddle sloop
Hydra, and it is reported the command will be
given to Staff-Commander Reed, who performed
some efficient services during his command of the
surveying vessel Rifleman, now engaged in the
China waters.
The contract for the manufacture of the set of
iron masts for the ironclad frigate Hercules, about
being commenced at Chatham dockyard, has been
taken by the Millwall Shipbuilding Company. The
iron masts for the screw frigate Penelope, to be
built at Pembroke dockyard, will be manufactured
by Messrs. Finch and Heath, of Chepstow, under
the superintendence of one of the officials from
Chatham dockyard. Messrs. Finch and Heath were
the manufacturers of the iron masts for the Royal
Oak and some others of the iron-cased ships.
His Swedish Majesty's screw corvette Gefle, Capt.
Kiernan, arrived at Spithead yesterday from Canis-
crona, en route to the Brazils and the Cape of
Good Hope. On anchoring she exchanged salutes
with her Majesty's ship Victory, as the flagship of
the naval Commander-in-Chief of the port, and
with the saluting battery of the garrison. Soon
after the corvette's arrival Capt. Kleman landed
from her. Accompanied by the Royal Swedish
and Norwegian Vice-Consul at the port, the Cheva-
lier Vandenbergh, he called upon Sir Michael Sey-
mour and Sir George Buller, the naval and military
Commanders-in-Chief. The Gefle will fill up with
coal and stores, and sail again in continuation of
her voyage about Friday next.
Lieut.-Col. Shaw's wrought iron carriage and slide
were yesterday fitted in the mounting ground in
Woolwich Arsenal with the 9-inch rifled muzzle-
loading gun made on his new principle, with
shortened trunnions. The chase of the gun is sus-
tained by a pivot, so as to point and fire with safety
through a small porthole of the same dimensions as
the diameter of the gun's muzzle. The gun was
made in the Royal Arsenal, and is of the Firth steel.
Its weight is 121 tons, and the carriage and slide
about 31 tons. After an elementary trial about to
take place at the Woolwich butt, to test the appur-
tenances, the whole will be despatched to undergo a
severe experimental trial at Portsmouth on board
her Majesty's 16-gun iron ship Minotaur. The gun
is made on the coil system, and was fired 10 rounds
on Saturday at the proof butt at Woolwich, with
charges of 3001 b. shot and 401 b. of powder each.

In the list of names of Sub-Lieutenants in the
.Navy List for October the low numbers-3, 2 and
I—affixed against many of the names, denote the
class of certificates obtained by the officers under
examination. The higher numbers, as quoted in
The Sun of yesterday, represent the number of
marks obtained by the candidate in his examination
for navigation, under the new regulation which gives
the number of marks obtained in lieu of the class of
certificate.

The number of the following officers have been
removed from the official Navy List just published :
—Lieuts. H. S. Hamilton, PI. Barnaby, M. Dennis-
toun, A. Nugent, H. M'lnro, E. Denny, and W.
P. Winkworth ; Surgeon G. F. Elliott ; Assistant-
Surgeons F. S. W. Wright, R. Harding, W.
Hannagan, and C. Buchan, M.D. ; Second Masters
J. King and 11. M. C. Welsh ; Assist.-Paymasters
A. J. Boyton, A. P. Cox, F. Fitzmaurice, M
Inman, T. C. Russell, and 11. Bulmore.

THE VOLUNTEERS.

-0--

The annual prize meeting of the West London
Rifles was held at Staines-moor last week under the
direction of Capt. Woodall and Colour-sergeant
lleyborne. A very large number of members at-
tended, and altogether the meeting has been the
most successful yet held. The following are the
results of the various competitions :—The 30 guinea
challenge cup, with silver medal, won by Sergeant
Wood ; the bronze medal to second highest score,
won by Private Rookwood ; the ladies' company
challenge vase, won by No. 2 Company ; Ensign
Jackson's challenge vase, won by persons in the
employment of Messrs. Holland and Sons ; First
Battalion prize, won by Private Ashwell, No. 1
(Captain Crace's) Company—Lord Truro's cup,
won by CDrporal Lamont ; No. 2 (Capt. Holland's)
Company—Lord Truro's cup, won by Private Du-
berty ; No. 3 (Capt. Woodall's) Company—Lord
Truro's cup, won by Private Dawkins ; challenge
cup, won by Private Bowman ; No. 4 (Capt. Cor-
ben's) Company—Lord Truro's cup, won by Cor-
poral Needham.
The North Middlesex (29th) corps lately competed
for a series of prizes presented by the commandant,
the ladies of St. Pancras, the members of the Dis-
trict Board, and the inhabitants. The ranges were
200, 500, and 600 yards, seven rounds at each, on
two different days, the highest aggregate scores to
win. Private Pavey, with 113 points, won the first
plaCe ; Private Thurston, with 100, the second ;
and Colour-Sergeant Johnson, with 99, the third.
A long list of company prizes were also shot for at
the same time.

The Finsbury Rifle Volunteer Corps (39th Mid-
dlesex) last week lielol their annual competition for
prizes at the old Harrow range. The distances were
200, 300, 500, and 600 yards. The first prize, a
silver cup, value 12 guineas, the fifth annual prize
given by Mr. Henry Holland, with a silver medal
added by Capt. Jarvis, was won by Colour-Sorgt.
White with 58 points, after shooting off a tie with
Mr. Strugnell, who won the sum of £lO, given by
Colonel Penton, also with 58. Corporal Croughton,
with 57, won the sum of £6, portion of prize of £lO
given by Major Burgess, and Mr. Greason became
entitled to a handsome clock, presented by Mr. E.
J. Thompson. Many other prizes presented by
gentlemen in the neighbourhood were won with ex-
cellent scores. The borough members—Mr. Torrens,
M.P., and Alderman Lusk, M.P.—have intimated
their intention of presenting the regiment with a
challenge cup, to be shot for quarterly for two years,
when the member who has held it most quarters will
be entitled to keep it, and a second will be provided.
The St. Clement's Danes company of the Queen's
(Westminster) competed for their prizes lately at
Wormholt Scrubbs range. Various prizes, some of
which were given by the churchwardens and over-
seers of the parish of St. Clement's, were shot for,
and the prize winners were :—Private D'Aeth, Ser-
geant Searly, Private Vandy, and Lieut. Berry.
Capt. Scrivener (himself a donor) won a prize. The
St. Clement's Danes Challenge Cup, with a gold
badge to the winner,:was won by Private Matthews.
In Essex the Chelmsford corps has had a competi-
tion for some prizes offered by the sergeants. Pri-
vate Aldridge won tho first prize. The Harwich
battery of artillery has been inspected by Col. Knox,
ILA., who was accompanied by Major Hill, adju-
tant of the Ist Norfolk Artillery. Col. Knox ex-
pressed his satisfaction with the efficiency of the
battery. A carbine match between sides of nine
each, selected from the Harwich and Walton batte-1
ries, has taken place at Felixstow. The shooting was
at ranges of 100, 200, and 300 yards, and the scores
made were—Harwich, 321; Walton, 267. The Har-
wich battery thus won by 54 marks.
In Suffolk the Aldeburgh battery has been inspected
by Col. Knox, B.A. The Framlingham company
has had a tenth competition for its Passage of Arms
Challenge Cup. Private Jesse Precious was again
declared the winner. The Saxmundham corps has
3j mi.:.
IV. had
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