The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-02 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Several hundred men selected from the depots
of the East India regiments at Chatham have been
ordered to be placed under canvass during the re-
mainder of the summer, the tents which they will
occupy having been erected by a party of infantry,
assisted by the Royal Engineers. The experience
of the past few years has proved that the percentage
of sickness among troops under canvass is less than
among those occupying the barracks.
The headquarters of the 55th Regiment, under
the command of Lieut.-Col. Hume, consisting of 2
field officers, 3 captains, 10 subalterns, 5 staff, 28
sergeants, 16 drummers, 24 corporals, and 462 pri-
vates, with 61 women and 111 children, disembarked
from the Megrera screw troopship at the South
Jetty of Portsmouth dockyard on Saturday, and
marched into quarters in the Portsmouth garrison.
The Megtera embarks to-day the remainder of the
2d battalion 18th Regiment, comprising 12 officers,
314 men, 23 women, and 32 children, and two batte-
ries of Royal Artillery, comprising 10 officers, 234
men, 23 women, and 32 children, for conveyance to
Alderney. She returns thence to Portsmouth with
the remainder of the 55th Regiment and the two
batteries of relieved Artillery.
Mr. G. Tyrell, of Great Yarmouth, has obtained
a contract for the erection of a fort at Bembridge-
town, Isle of Wight. The amount of the contract
is £40,000. Mr. Tyrell has just completed a re-
doubt at Harwich.
The strength of the force now stationed at Col-
chester does not exceed 1,600 rank and file, and the
approaching departure of draughts for India will
further reduce the numbers at the camp to 1,200.
A large portion of the huts are consequently now
unoccupied. A draught of 50 rank and file, with
four officers from the depot of the Gth Regiment,
left the camp on Saturday for Gosport, to reinforce
the Ist battalion of the regiment, which after 15
years' service in India has been much reduced in
strength.

THE VOLUNTEERS,

NORTII MIDDLESEX RIFLES.—On Saturday
evening there was a grand muster of the 29th, or
North Middlesex Rifles at the Albany-street Bar-
racks, for the purpose of affording Viscount
Enfield, M.P., who had been promoted to the rank
of hon. colonel, to introduce to the regiment the
newly-appointed Lieut. Colonel (late Major) White-
head, of the Victoria Rifles. The regiment having
been formed into square, nearly every one of the
officers also being present, Viscount Enfield, M.P.,
said he had very great pleasure in introducing
Lieut. Colonel Whitehead to the 29th, because they
would find in him a first-rate military and field
officer. Colonel Whitehead had served in the 7th
and 47th Regiments, and was, therefore, well
acquainted with military duties. Lieut. Colonel
Whitehead said it was with feelings of the
greatest pride he took the command of the
29th (North Middlesex) Rifles, and he thanked
Lord Enfield for the very flattering manner
in which he had introduced him to the regiment.
The regiment then marched out under command of
its new lieutenant colonel, assisted by Major Peters
and Capt. Goode.
FIELD DAY OF VOLUNTEERS IN RICHMOND
PARK.—On Saturday afternoon the second of the
series of brigade field days of metropolitan volun-
teers, under the command of Col. M'Murdo, inspec-
tor general of volunteers, took place in Richmond
Park. The corps engaged on this occasion were,
with the exception and addition of the Hon. Artil-
lery Company, under the command of Lord Colville
and Major Robinson, and the 19th Middlesex
(Working Men's College), under command of Lieut.
Colonel Bathurst, nearly the same as those engaged
on Saturday week on Epsom Downs—viz., the
Queen's, under Lord Grosvenor and Gerald Fitz-
gerald ; the London Brigade, under Col. Ward ;
the London Scottish, under Lord Elcho ; and the
Artists, under Captains Phillips and Lewis ; in all
about 2,000 men. The corps were formed into six
battalions, and went through a variety of brigade
movements and light infantry and skirmishing drill,
firing by sections from the right of companies, file
and volley firing, forming squares to receive cavalry,
&c., and the whole of the evolutions were not com-
pleted till dark had set in. Col. M'Murdo compli-
mented the commanding officers of the various regi-
ments on the way their men had performed the re-
spective tasks allotted to them, and the corps
marched to the station for town.
THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTEER CLOTHING.
—The War Office has issued a circular to com-
mandingthat the Government will issue
the following
uniforms to the respective corps of
blue, and the Govern-
or officers of volunteer corps, hoiltoitmhatifnogr
colours, viz., scarlet, green,
issued on the responsibih
officer at cost price, with 5 per cent. form expenses,
Commons. This is
as stated stated in the House of
boon subject ercattihne tas detaildraw baauckd
the volunteer service ; but a
r
dered a great boon to
went grey, or rather dr.atyb.'o'f The coloothmisantodinbge
thethe
operation will
than otherwise, for the Government offer to the
'volunteers cloth at a price which a contractor to a
volunteer purchases his cloth from his commanding
corps could buy as cheap if not cheaper. When the
little considelriatmioankoof
officer he takes it to his tailor (who looks
at the job with a jealous eye and discontented
spirit) and inquires the price for making up.
He is informed that the price for making up their
own materials will be considered more than if he
had supplied the cloth, for his profits consist more
in the economy and management of cutting a large
piece of cloth for many suits than in the simple
profit on wages paid to journeymen tailors.
LONDON IRISH.—This corps assembled at Somer-
set House on Saturday evening, where they were
inspected by the Marquis of Donegal, the colonel
commanding. The number consisted of six com-
panies. When the noble marquis had completed
his inspection, the corps marched to Burlington