The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-27 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

The vacancies caused at the various home stations
by the removal of several companies of Royal En-
gineers to Canada will, it is understood, be filled up
by the companies now doing duty at head-quarters,
Chatham. The stations from which the Royal En-
gineers have been removed are—Portsmouth, where
the 18th Company was formerly stationed ; Dover,
from which the 4th Company was removed to Ca-
nada ; and the Curragh camp, at which the 15th
Company was quartered More it was despatched to
America. There are several companies now serving
at head quarters, Chatham, which are available for
duty at any of the out-stations whenever their ser-
vices may be required. It is probable, however, that
the vacancy will be filled up in the first instance, in
order that the Royal Engineers may proceed, as
already stated, with the repair of am fortifies-
tions at that part of the coast. The 17th, 22d,
and 26th Companies are available for service
wherever required, but it is understood that the 17th
will he the one selected for removal to Dover.
An official memorandum in reference to the re-
cent appointment of Major-Gen. Stransham as In-
spector-General of Royal Marines was on Saturday
received at Woolwich, stating that the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty have sanctioned Capt.
J. C. Travers being attached to the Inspector-Gene-
ral of Royal Marines for military duties and cor-
respondence, in compliance with the provisions con-
tained in the Order in Council of January 6, 1862.
Capt. Jones, Lieut. Lysons, 1 sergeant, 1 corporal,
1 drummer, and 46 privates, Royal Marine Light
Infantry, are ordered to leave Woolwich this morn-
ing for embarkation at Portsmouth, on board her
Majesty's screw steam frigate Euryalus, 51, com-
missioned.

Lieut.-Col. Parke, Royal Marine Light Infantry,
was on Saturday ordered by the Admiralty to pro-
ceed from Woolwich to Reading to take charge of
the recruiting party at that station, and remove it
to Bath. -

According to present arrangements, the business
of the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich will
be resumed on the 11th proximo, under the new

regulations: Col. Wilford, R.A., the late Governor,
has been offered a high military appointment by
his Royal Highness the General Commami;ng-in-
Chief, but he has solicited permission to be un-
attached for leave of absence on the retired list.

It was stated in The Sun of Saturday that the
tender of Messrs. Lucas Brothers had b2cn accepted
for the new cavalry barracks at Colchester, which
are designed for the accommodation of an entire
regiment of cavalry. It may now be added that
eight firms tendered for the works, which are to bo
completed within 12 months, although it was at one
time contemplated to extend them over 21 months.
The foundations are to be completed before the close
of the month of March, and an extensive system of
main and lateral drainage will be carried out. Some
anticipations are entertained that two or three bat-
teries of artillery and a division of Royal Engineers
will also be stationed at Colchester.

Several draughts of troops will leave the camp at
Colchester in the course of the spring and summer.
Capt. Walpole, of the sth Fusiliers, is about to join
his regiment in the Mauritius. Lieut. Webb, of the
34th, is about to leave the army.

THE VOLUNTEERS.

It is officially announced that the Volunteer
Guards are about to increase their strength by the
formation of two additional companies of a standard
height of sft. 10in. It is to be hoped this may be
be quickly accomplished, as a battalion of men of
the requisite stature will make a fine appearance on
the review and field days that are likely to take place
during the present exhibition year.
On Thursday evening the lion. Artillery Com-
pany paraded for the first time in their new drill-
room, which has just been built at the back of the
barracks. The ends of the building are covered
with a glazed wrought-iron roof, supported by
wrought iron lattice girders, but the centre is at
present covered with wood and slate. The new
armoury is 38ft long by 28ft in width, and will hold
about 1,000 stand of arms.
A very handsome sword and belt, with an ad-
dress, was presented on the 21st to Lieut.-Colonel
Murray, of the 7th Administrative Battalion, and
late Captain commandant of the 16th Middlesex
Volunteer Rifles, by the non-commissioned officers
and privates of that corps, at their head-quarters,
Whitton. In reply, Lieut.-Col. Murray expressed
his great pleasure at receiving so gratifying amark
of their esteem, and after complimenting the corps
on its general efficiency, took the opportunity of
saying that as it was impossible for all to gain prizes
at shooting, it was his intention to offer a prize for
attention to drill and general good conduct to those
privates who should be recommended by their Cap-
tain commandant during the ensuing summer. After
the presentation, Capt. Donnethorne, Captain com-
mandant, presen-ed to the hon. secretary, Mr. L.
Lewis, in the name of the officers and members, a
silver inkstand, of the value of £lO.
The Chelsea Company of Lord Ranelagh's Regi-
ment (the South Middlesex Rifles) recently com-
peted for a series of prizes. The competition ex-
tended over two days, and took place on the first
day at the long range of the corps at Caterham, and
on the second day at the headquarters of the regi-
ment, Beaufort-house. On the first day a handsome
silver salver and cruet stand, presented by a sub-
scription of the ladies, were fired for by the first and
second class shots, at ranges of 300, 500, and 600
yards, five rounds at each range. A spirited com-
petition took place, but eventually Private Milner
was declared the winner of the first prize, with 17
points. For the officers' prize, for first and second
class men only, seven rounds each at 250 and 500
yards, Private Milner scored the greatest number
of points-19, but in consequence of a rule pre-
viously laid down that no member should take
more than one prize during the competition, Cor-
poral Mayo and Sergeant Hall, who had each scored
16, fired off the tie, when Corporal Maye won, and
took the prize. On the second day a claret jug,
given by Ensign Diplock, for first, second, and
third-class men, was shot for at 150, 200, and 300
yards, five rounds eac h. Sergeant Hall scored 24
points ; Private Milner, 20 ; Private Verity and
Sergeant Hayward, 19 each; and Privates Varley
and J. T. Wheeler, 18 each ; the four first mentioned
had taken other prizes, and the tie between Privates
Varley and J. T. Wheeler for the prize was not de-
cided. A London armoury rifle, given by the non-
commissioned officers, was won by Private Verity
with 23 points, and a purse of money by Sergeant
Hall with 7 points and 6 hits in seven rounds at
300 yards. Ensign Diplock was commander of the
firing party. The prizes will be delivered at head-
quarters on Wednesday next.
The second annual meeting of the 2d Kent Ar-
tillery Corps was held on Saturday week, when the
accounts for the past year were produced. The corps,
at its own expense, purchased land, and threw up
the earthworks for a battery at a cost of about
£4OO. Capt. W. Hall, of Faversham (who had
already given £lOO towards forming the corps),
undertook to make up any, deficiency in the funds.
The amount in arrear appeared, from the accounts
presented at this meeting, to be £451 2s. Bd. This
sum is in addition to the valuable aid which Captain
Hall has rendered the corps in the shape of pro-
viding a drill-room for the sole use of the members,
erecting a temporary battery near the town, &c.
Captain Hutchinson a few days since gave a sup-
per to the members of his company, forming the
fifth of the 4th Tower Hamlets Rifles. The chair
was occupied by Major De La Rue, commandant of
the corps, and was supported by the Rev. Dr.
Grundy, Dr. Sexton, Capt. Dowers, R.N., Capt.
Dwyer, R.M,, Lieut. Owens, Acting-Adjutant to
the corps, and the officers of the company. Capt.
Hutchinson took the opportunity of urging upon
those present the necessity of constant attention to
drill, and extracted a promise fronvall that they
would complete the company during the spring.
The first course of instruction by Lieut.-Col. H.
G. Man, to be given to effective and honorary mem-
bers of the Ist City of London Engineer Corps, will
comprise the following subjects :—The construction
of gabions, fascines, and palisades; the tracing
of field works, the nature and use of field
works; the attack and defence of the same, and
the general principles of fortifications, artillery,
rifles, and pontooning, &c. On 'Wednesday last
the uniform of this corps was approved of by the
Court of Lieutenancy for the City of London, and
it is assimilated as closely as possible to that of the
Royal Engineers, and consists of a scarlet tunic
with blue facings, Oxford mixture trousers with
scarlet stripe, buff belts, black busby with horse-
hair plume.

Several of the Volunteer corps of Essex have
adopted the plan of periodical marches into the
country, which have proved both agreeable and
beneficial. A concert in aid of the band fund of
the 6th Essex (Colchester) Rifle Corps has been
given, under the auspices of Col. Guy, Commandant
of Colchester, to a crowded audience: A similar
entertainment has been given by the 3d Essex Ar-
tillery Corps,at Mile-end. A friendly match between
the officers of the Essex (Plaistow) Corps has been
shot this week. The distance was 300 yards, and
the result of a tie between Major Birt and Lieut.

Nixon, each of whom made 18 points. In firing off
Major Birt scored a centre, and won the match.
In Suffolk the Wilford Corps has reported pro-
gress. It was stated that the funds of the company
were in a healthy condition, and that the effective

being an increase ol strength of the corps was 75,
14 as compared with last year. Of the 75 members,

56 have completed their regular musketry :course,
22 (of whom ten are marksmen) have worked into
the first class, 25 into the second class, and nine
remain in the third class. The committee of the
Beetles Corps has resolved to guarantee from its
fuuds the sum of £lO to be expended in prizes for
the first class firing during the ensuing season.
A Cadet Corps has been formed for the district
surrounding
in-
fluentially Norwich. The corps, which is in-
supported, is formed on the principle of
recognising the great importance of military train-
ing as an essential part of the physical education
of youth.

The principal Volunteer event of the Midland
and Eastern Counties during, the past week was a
contest, which took place on Thursday between 11
gentlemen selected from the Northamptonshire and
11 from the Norfolk corps. The
match came
off in Althorp-park, which WAS placed at the

disposal of the competitors by Earl Spencer, who
manifested throughout considerable interest in the
affair. Captain Landon marked at the butts on the
part of the Northamptonshire and Lord Suffield on
the part of the Norfolk competitors, and Colonel
Ibbetson, Inspector of Volunteers for the Eastern
District, acted as umpire. The Norfolk firing party
was commanded by Lieutenant• Colonel Viscount
Bury, M.P., and the Northamptonshire by Major
Earl Spencer and Lieutenant Beasley. The shoot-
ing was at ranges of 200, 400, 500, and 600 yards,
five rounds each. At the close of the shooting the
competitors on both sides were hospitably enter-
tained at dinner by Earl Spencer.
The St. Neots and Kimbolton Volunteers were
inspected last week by the Duke of Manchester in
Great Staughton-park, the seat of Mr. D. Onlow.
The Duke, after inspecting the troops minutely,
put them through manual exercise and company
drill.

In Lincolnshire Captain Wingfield, who has re-
cently returned from a tour on the Continent, has
assumed the command of the Stamford corps for
the first time since his appointment. The non-
commissioned officers and men of the Falkingham
corps have entertained their officers at dinner. A
drill-sergeant, provided by Government, has been
stationed at Gainsborough, and has entered upon
the active performance of his duties.
In addition to the numerous and valuable prizes
which will be offered for competition by the Council
of the Wiltshire County Volunteer Rifle Association
at the annual county shooting match, to be held at
Salisbury during the present year, arrangements
are being made for providing a prize of 300 guineas,
open to all the world.
The annual meeting of the Glamorgan County
Rifle Association was held at Neath on Tuesday,
Colonel Talbot, M.P., in the chair. The report
showed that the annual income from subscriptions
was £407, and that there was a balance in hand of
£lOO. It was resolved to admit county militiamen
as members, and that subscriptions received from
Artillery Volunteers should be appropriated to
prizes for great gun practice. The annual meeting
to shoot for prizes was fixed for the week commen-
cing July 21.
The Baroness Windsor has given a shooting ground
to the Redditch Rifle Corps. To provide a space
away from roads a patch of woodland has been
cleared, and butts are to be erected.
The Bristol Rifle Corps on Saturday took formal
possession of the commodious head quarters which
have been recently purchased by its members. They
are a fine and imposing site of buildings situate
midway between Bristol and its fashionable suburb
of Clifton, and were formerly known as the Bishop's
College, an educational institute. It having beeome
known that they were for sale, Captains Ford and
Wright, two officers of the rifle corps, animated
with the most patriotic and praiseworthy motives,
immediately purchased them, at their own risk, for
£5,400, and offered them to the corps at the same
price,each agreeing to take a large number of shares,
and the purchase money was raised in this manner:
—A meeting was held, and as a considerable sum of
money would be necessary to be expended to adapt
them to the purposes of the corps it was determined
to form a company, under the Limited Liability Act,
with a capital of £8,500, in £5 shares, which sum
was subscribed among the members of the corps,
numbering about 600, in eight days. It is also in-
tended to form a volunteer club, to which a large
number of names has already been sent in. On Sa-
turday the corps mustered in strong force on the
ground at the rear of the new head quarters, and
Lieut.-Col. Bush, the respected commander, briefly
addressed them, congratulating them upon their
having taken possession of those really imposing and
commodious head quarters, and acknowledging the
praiseworthy manner in which all had come for-
ward and aided in raising the capital for their pur-
chase. The corps then proceeded on a march, and
were subsequently dismissed in the city. A prelimi-
nary meeting was held at Bristol on Friday, the
Mayor in the chair, for the purpose of making ar-
rangements for the successful carrying out of the
volunteer review which is to be held on Durdham-
do wn early in the ensuing summer. It was calcu-
lated that 10,000 volunteers would join in it,of which
number Bristol would furnish over 1,000. The meet-
ing was addressed by his worship the Mayor, the
High Sheriff, Lient.-Col. Bush (Rifles), and Major
Savile (Engineers and Artillery), and a committee
was appointed for carrying out the details and col-
lecting subscriptions to defray the contingent ex-
penses.

The annual meeting of the Devon Volunteer As-
sociation was held at the Castle of Exeter on Fri-
day afternoon. The Earl of Devon presided. The
noble chairman stated that the total strength of the
Volunteer force in the county of Devon amounted to
3,590 men, The report, after giving details of the
past year's operations, addressed an earnest appeal
to the county for a liberal and permanent augmen-
tation of the funds of the association. They rested
this appeal on the broad ground that the Volunteer
force of this country, improving, as was the case,
month by month, in discipline, skill, and efficiency,
was to be regarded, not as the creation of a tem-
porary enthusiasm, or a bulwark against a passing
danger, but rather as a permanent and effective part
of the defensive system, of the empire. The report,
moved by Lord Seymour and seconded by Mr. T.
Newman, was unanimously adopted. Several prac-
tical questions with reference to improvements in
rifle shooting were afterwards discussed by Colonel
Acland, Major Vivian, Sir J. Duckworth, Mr.
Northmore, and others.

The Richmond (North York) Volunteers gave a
grand ball on Thursday in the Assembly-rooms,
when a very numerous company assembled.
The 31st West York (Tadcaster) Volunteers
opened a grand bazaar on Wednesday in the Town
Hall. The stalls were supplied with about £2OO
worth of goods, which were sold by a committee of
ladies. A fine collection of pictures, by Ward, Her-
ring, Poussin, Teniers, and Sir J. Reynolds, was
exhibited. From noon till 9 p.m. the room was
filled.

The 3d company of Darlington Volunteers is be-
ing rapidly raised. Another meeting has been held,
this time at Banktop, at which Capt. Spark, Lieut.
Benson, and Ensign Plews were present. Several
Volunteers were obtained, and in a week or so it is
thought the full complement of men will be raised.
Mr. G. J. Scurfield was elected Captain of the new
company.