The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-19 00:00:00

!HE ARMY.

An explanatory War-office circular, issued by
direction of the Secretary of State for War, has been
promulgated at Chatham garrison, calling the at-
tention of officers in her Majesty's service to the
provisions of the ith and Bth Vic., cap. So, which
enacts that all commissioned officers of her Ma-
jesty's forces, Ordnance corps, and Militia, proceed-
ing on duty at the public expense, are to be con-
veyed by the various railway companies at a uniform
rate of 2d per mile, unless the ordinary rate for a
first•class passenger is less. In accordance with the
provisions of the Act, ail commissioned officers (in-
cluding those of the Commissariat, medical pur-
veyors, chaplains, or of the Military Store Depart-
ment) are in futuro to claim their conveyance at
this rate whenever travelling on any duty at the
public expense. At the request of the railway
authorities officers must be prepared to produce
the route, or letters of service, under which they
proceeding on dutyarc at the public expense.
Each officer is allowed to convey 100 lb. weight of
luggage free, and all excess at Id, per lb. per mile.
All luggage, stores, arms, ammunition, and other
necessaries conveyed with troops at the public ex •
pease should, as the Secretary of State is
advised,
be charged for by the railway companies at
a rate not exceeding 2d. per ton per mile, the as.
i
sistance of the military being given n loading and
unloading, if required by the company.
Yesterday Col. H. P. Harness, C. 8., director of
the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham,
'com-
menced his half-yearly inspection of the companies
at head-quarters. The several companies were
drawn up on the parade ground at 10 o'clock, in
heavy marching order, under the command of Col.
Browne, C. 8., when Col. Harness instituted a
minute inspection of the kits, arms, and accoutre-
ments of each man, at the termination of which the
officers and men were dismissed to their quarters.
In the afternoon the companies were again formed
in the barrack square, when, under the direction of
Col. Harness, the officers and men were put•through
an extended course of company and other drill by
various captains of companies and subalterns, who
were specially selected for that duty by the inspect-
ing field
officer. The manner in which officers and
men acquitted themselves was highly satisfactory.
Major-Gen. Stransham, Inspecting General
of
commenced on Tuesday
Royal Marines, raorning
his second inspection for this year of the Plymouth
Division of Royal Marines. The General, aceom.
panied by his Aide-de-Camp, Capt. Travers, on his
arrival was received by the troops With a general
salute. We regret to state that an accident occur-
red immediately afterwards to Capt. Travers, who

was mounted on a high-spirited horse. The animal,
not having been sufficiently trained, shied on the
presentation of arms. The result was t at Capt.
Travers was thrown, the horse falling with him.
The Captain was so severely injured in the ankle of
the right foot that he had to be car ed into the
Commandant's quarters. Gen. Strao,ham, accom-
panied by Col. Holloway, C. 8., the Commandant of
the division, Second Commandant Hopkins, and
other officers, then rode through the lines, and in a
few minutes dismounted to pay a short visit to
Capt. Travers. The troops were subsequently drawn
up in columns and in heavy marching order. The
General most minutely inspected them, and ap-
peared to be perfectly satisfied. The men's kits
afterwards underwent a scrutiny, and the inspection,
so far as this part of the adjutant's duty was con-
cerned, then terminated. In the afternoon the divi-
sion went through several field exercises on Ply-
mouth Hoe. It is supposed that one of the small
bones of Capt. Travers's ankle is broken.

Considerable alarm was felt on Tuesday evening at
Woolwich as to the safety of the Royal Military
Academy, as a volume of smoke and flame was seen
issuing in that direction, and was supposed to pro-
ceed from the building itself, which it was stated
was on fire. Shortly afterwards a half-witted lad,
who gave his name David Williams, of Cardiff,
about 18 years of age, having the appearance of
extreme destitution, presented himself at the town
police-office, and confessed to having wilfully set
fire to a haystack, within 50 yards distance from
the Academy. On the appearance of the fire the
gentlemen cadets of the Academy hastened to
the spot, and by means of the powerful fire engine
belonging to the establishment they succeeded se-
veral times in subduing the flames, but, owing
to the scarcity of water, they broke forth anew,
and b urnt with vigour until yesterday morning,
when. the entire stack was totally destroyed.
The following detachment of the 45th Foot em-
barked yesterday on board the Ceres screw steamer
at Portsmouth, to join service companies at Dublin :
—Lieut. Atkinson, 1 sergeant, 1 drummer, 22 men,
1 woman, and 1 child.
An Admiralty circular has been issued to the va-
rious divisions of Royal Marines to the effect that
the term " discharged with disgrace," instead of
" discharged branded," shall in future be applied to
those men whom it may be found necessary to dis-
charge from the navy as bad characters.
Upwards of 20 men of the Chatham division of
Royal Marines have been discharged at headquar-

ters, owing to their unfitness for further service.
Each man on being discharged was granted a sum
equivalent to 20 days' pay, to enable him to reach
his home.

A brigade inspection of the troops in garrison at
Portsmouth, Forton, and Hilsea took place yester-
day, on Southsea-common, by Major-Gen. Lord W.
Paulet, C.B. The force on the common comprised
the I and K batteries 4th brigade Royal Artillery,
under the command of Cols. Anderson and Shaks-
peare respectively, the whole under command of Col.
Warde, R.A. ; 2d battalion 20th Foot, Col. Rad-
cliffe ; 53d Regiment, Col. English, C.B. ; 55th,
Col. Hume ; 2d battalion, 60th Rifles, Col. Muter ;
Royal Marine Light Infantry, Col. Haines ; giving
a grand total of 128 officers, 2,752 men, 12 guns, 12
waggons, and 162 horses. A large number of spec-
tators were present. It is the intention of Lord
Paulet to repeat these brigade inspections on South-
sea-common every Thursday during the remainder
of the season.