The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1862 a

THE NAVY.

Her Majesty's sailing frigate Calypso, 18, Capt.
F. B. Moutresor, was paid off at Chatham yesterday,
after being in commission upwards of four years.
Since leaving England in the early part of 1858, the
frigate has been employed cruising in the Pacific,
nearly every group of islands in which she has
visited. After being employed on the coast of Peru
until the latter part of 1861, the Calypso was re,
lieved by the screw corvette Tartar, 20, 250-horse
power, Capt. J. Hayes, and received sailing

orders to return to England, leaving Valparaiso on

the Ist October last. The whole time the Calypso
has been in commission the crew have generally been
exceedingly healthy, and only a very few deaths oc-
curred on board. Most of the officers who left Eng-
land in the ship return with her. During the pas-
sage home, Mr. Glanville, the acting sub-lieut.,
died on board. A medal, together with the usual
gratuity for long service and meritorious conduct,
was awarded to George Price, quartermaster. Those
of the crew who are continuous service men were
granted six weeks' run ashore, after which they
will be required to join one of the guard-ships at
Chatham or the other naval ports. The Calypso is
the last of the sailing ehips which will be placed in
commission ; she is to be attached to the reserve at
Chatham until further orders.

Supernumerary seamen, Royal Marines, stokers,
&c., were under orders to embark yesterday after-
noon on board the screw steam frigate Warrior,
40, Capt. the Hon. A. A. Cochrane, in Plymouth
Sound.

The screw corvette Racoon, 22, Captain W. C.
Chamberlain, will be paid off and put out of com-
mission at Chatham to-day.
Admiralty instructions have been received at
Chatham Dockyard for an additional roofing to be
placed over the workshop in which the mechanics
engaged in the construction of the iron frigate
Achilles, 50, are employed. The contract for the
undertaking has been taken by Messrs. Foord and
Sons, of Rochester.

The Himalaya screw troopship, Capt. John Sec-
combe, steamed into Portsmouth harbour yesterday
afternoon, and was made fast alongside the dock-
yard, where she landed her troops and military in-
valids under the supervision of Major Breton, Act-
ing Assist.-Quartermaster-General. The sick were
placed in the Military Hospital, while the detach-
ment of troops were quartered in the various bar-
racks of the garrison, and will be sent on to their
several destinations by early train this morning.
Returns have been ordered by the Admiralty, to
be furnished by the officials of Portsmouth dock-
yard specifying the number of ships out of commis-
sion in the port, their present condition, the time
required to make them ready for sea, and the esti-
mated expense of doing so. The Royal Alfred, 50,
screw iron-cased frigate (converting from the frame
of a screw liner), is to be especially reported upon
in like manner to other ships in the port, but with
her date for launching fixed as early as possible.
The Admiralty have also called for a report rela-
tive to the capabilities of the harbour for the con-
struction of an additional steam basin and docks in
connection with the present steam basin and fac-
tory at the north end of the dockyard.
The Duncan, 101, screw, in the first-class reserve
at Portsmouth, fitted for service as a flagship, com-
menced coaling alongside the dockyard yesterday,
and will fill up to 620 tons.

Draughts of seamen arrived at Portsmouth yes-
terday afternoon and evening from Plymouth and
the eastward, and on her arrival in the dockyard
were sent on board the Shannon, 51, screw, Capt.
J. B. Wainwright.
One lieutenant and 120 men from her Majesty's
ship Victory, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir H. W. Bruce,
Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, are still absent
from that ship, doing duty on board the Dauntless
screw frigate, Capt. Wilcox, C. 8., in Southampton
water, where they will remain until two American
war steamers have left for some other port.
The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
last evening:—
Surgeon Dr. Alex. Watson to be superintendent to the
Norwood cadet ship.
Assistant-Surgeons--Dr. William Lockhart, to Jamaica
Hospital; Francis H. Brown (acting), to the Imaum.

•
Naval Cadet nominated—Aubyn Margery.
Engineers—J. Sangster (chief), G. W. Sievewright
(acting), to the Shannon.
Assistant-Engineers—R. Bacon (first-class), IV. W.
Webbon (acting first), C. C. Hyde (second-class), J.
West (acting second-class), and J. Manly (ditto), to the
Shannon; J. Smith (acting second-class), to the Asia for
the Tribune; W. Hallowell (acting 2d class), W. Crichton,
ditto, supernumeraries, to the Indus ; G. Fordham, R. M.
Rodger, ditto, supernumeraries, to the Cumberland; A.
Dewar and W. Hankinson, ditto, supernumeraries, to the
Asia.

the Staff of the army, while commanding the Royal Artil-
lery in Nova Scotia. Deputy Inspector• General of Hospi-
tals A. Stewart having been ordered to embark for North
America, Staff Surgeon-Major J. Macgregor has assumed
the duties of principal medical officer of the garrison at
Woolwich.

" Should any of the shell keys in possession of Armstrong
gut batteries be found to be too large for unscrewing any of
the plugs of the shells, they are to be filed down by the bat-
tery smiths to fit the smallest of the plugs ; similar altera-
tions will be made in the pattern key, on War-office autho-
rity, December 31, 1860.

" The Secretary of State fur War has approved of non-
commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery serving as in-
structors to corps of Volunteer Artillery being allowed
working pay at the rate of ls. per diem, when employed in
painting and lackering the guns, &c., in their charge.
Authority dated War-office, December 27,1861, whichmust
be quoted in all claims for working pay under this regula-
tion."

The clothing establishment of the Royal Engi-
neers at Woolwich having been broken up in con-
sequence of the manufacture of the uniforms for the
eorps having been transferred to Pimlico, the staff
of tailors, hitherto employed at Woolwich, have
rejoined headquarters, Chatham. Quartermaster J.
Muteb, commissary of clothing, has been ordered
from Woolwich to Pimlico, where he will still
superintend the manufacture of the Royal Engi-
neers' clothing, assisted by a competent staff of non-
commissioned officers.

A general parade of the officers and men of the
Chatham Division of Royal Marines took place
yesterday morning, on the interesting occasion of
decorating two members of the corps with silver
medals, which had been awarded them by the Ad-
miralty for long and meritorious service. Sergeant
Henry King and Private Wm. Mason having been
called to the front, the medals were presented to
them by Colonel E. Rea, the Commandant of the
Division. Sergeant King was some time since pre-
sented with the medal conferring an annuity of LlO
for life.

A detachment of non-commissioned officers and
men of the Ist Battalion, Rifle Brigade, under com-
mand of Lieut. Boyle, are under orders to proceed
on Friday next from the Royal Barracks, Dublin,
to Liverpool, there to embark on the following day
in a Cunard mail steam packet for Halifax, to join
the service companies of the battalion in British
North America.

It is generally stated in garrison quarters at
Woolwich that Major-Gen. Sandham, Royal Engi-
neers, has been appointed to the Governorship of
the Royal Military Academy, vice Col. Wilford,
Royal Artillery. Col. Wilford, it is said, will be
appointed to the retired list of the Royal Artillery,
on full pay.
About 1 o'clock on Sunday morning the officers
and others residing in Woolwich dockyard were
aroused by an alarm of fire in the western engine
room attached to the spacious saw mills of the yard.
The hose was promptly applied, and with a plentiful
and ready supply of water, which gushed forth in
torrents from the main, it was soon extinguished.

COL. DI'MURD 0 AND THE VOLUNTEERS

At a distribution of prizes for rifle shooting
among the members of the West Middlesex Volun-
teers, which took place on Thursday evening in the
Flaxman Gallery of the London University, Col.
M'Murdo delivered an interesting address. The
theatre was so densely packed that some hundreds
were unable to obtain admission. The prizes-50
or 60 in number, and of the value of £3OO or £4OO,
were ranged on a table in front of the platform,
and some of them were of a very beautiful descrip-
tion. Colonel M'Murdo, having expressed his satis-
faction at presiding over such an assembly, said it
had been stated in some quarters that the volunteer
movement was languishing and declining. Now,
although Government were only in possession of
the annual returns of the effective strength of the
volunteers made up to the Ist of August in each
year, still he (Colonel McMurdo) thought he could
show that the volunteer movement, so far from lan •
guishing, was in a very healthy state. He found
from the returns of 1860, that on the Ist of August
in that year the number of effective volunteers en-
rolled was 119,283, and that on the Ist of last
August the force had increased to 163,000. Judg-
ing, therefore, from the means in possession of the
War Department at that period, he thought there
was not the slightest occasion to be alarmed that
there was any diminution in the effective strength
of the volunteers. Why, so far from there being
a decline, he could state upon authority that
no less than 87 new corps had been formed
within the last six months, 17 within the last two
months, and in the first month of the present year
three new corps had been formed. As regarded
the efficiency of the Volunteer forces he (Colonel
McMurdo) waspp nr
tcertainlyuniti
es able to
of j
ud
gin g
than he had. speak, for no one
had better
It had been his good fortune to witness the move-
ments and demeanour of the Volunteers in all parts
rd
°)
n
of the kingdom, and he could state most emphati-
cally that he had every reason to be highly satisfied
with the progress they had made and with their
general efficiency. The fortifications had been de-
signated one of the most valuable means of our na-
tional defences, but it was useless to have fortifica-
tions unless they had the men to man them. Now,
even upon that head he could satisfy the country
that they were fully prepared with the required
material, as in the kingdom they had no less than
280 batteries, comprising 25,000 Artillery Volun-
teers, well drilled and well up to their work. Volun-
teers, however, should not suppose that they would
have much to do with fortifications ; their position
would be in the field. He was delighted to find that
there was amovement in favour of establishing En-
gineer corps, and he had no hesitation in saying
that one of the most valuable, if not the most
valuable, adjuncts to the Volunteer movement were
Engineer corps. He had been an eye-witness of the
zeal and ability with which that portion of the ser-
vice could perform the work assigned to them. It
was no wonder that with such an efficient force as
the Volunteers to depend upon the Government
looked upon the late apprehended struggle with
the most perfect calmness. They were fully assured
that, although the soldiers of the British army
might be required in far distant regions, they could
be sent away with safety, and that when they re-
turned they would find the honour and the soil of
England untarnished and unsullied. He could not
refrain upon that occasion from referring to an
opinion of the Volunteers expressed to himself by
one who had most unfortunatelypassed from among
us. He alluded to that great and good Prince for
whose loss the nation now so deeply mourned. His
opinion was, " that this movement was of the
highest importance to the safety, honour, and wel-
fare of this country," and on referring to the Volun-
teer Review in Hyde-park, he remarked that it was
something more than a review ; it was a " great
demonstration." Now, with regard to the more
immediate business of the meeting, he would re-
mark that, although it was of the highest import-
ance that Rifle Volunteers should become marks-
men, it was desirable that they should be equally
attentive to their drill. All their skill as marks-
men would be of little avail in the midst of the
smoke, and dust, and heat of the battle. He had
been much surprised to learn the enormous amounts
which had been subscribed in various corps for the
presentation of prizes for shooting. He did not
presume to dictate for one moment, but he would
say that he thought and would suggest that the
thousands which were spent in these prizes would
be far better expended in maintaining the efficiency
of the Volunteer forces, and in assisting them with
clothing and accoutrements. Indeed, these large
arrays of silver cups and tankards found no favour
in his eyes. He would rather see a large increase
of what they had there (pointing to the rifles lying
on the table). The gallant Colonel resumed his seat
amid loud applause, and then proceeded to distri-
bute the prizes, passing a personal compliment
upon each recipient.

T.HE _REINFORCEMENTS FOR C4NAD4.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, JAN. 6.
The Australasian arrived here on the 26th ult
having on board the Ist battalion of the Rifle Br,

- ----
gade, consisting of 38 officers and 868 men. - She

remaired here until the 13t inst., then proceeded to
New Brunswick, where she arrived safely on the
3d. The mail steamship Niagara also arrived on
the 26th ult., having on board 360 men of the
Artillery for this station.

The 62d Regiment, stationed at this garrison for
nearly six years, embarked on the 30th ult., on
board the steamship Delta, for New Brunswick,
where she arrived on the 2d inst.

The 63d are under orders to proceed to the same
destination.

The Persia arrived here on the 31st ult. from Bic,
Canada, where she was unable to land all her
troops and stores, in consequence of the ice making
so fast in the river St. Lawrence ; she brought
back 100 men.

The Adriatic and the Asia arrived here on the
same day. The former had 72 officers and 1,300
non-commissioned officers and privates of the Grena-
dier Guards. The latter brings 9 officers and 80
men of the Royal Artillery, a field battery with 4
officers and 117 men of the Royal Navy, 17 officers
and 308 men belonging to the 3d battalion Military
Train, 3 staff officers, and a large amount of mili-
tary stores.

The Magdalena arrived on the 3d inst., with the
16th Regiment; the Melbourne on the sth inst.
The Parana, with the Fusileers, is hourly looked
for. The Bohemia, for New York, put in here this
afternoon.

The unforeseen arrival here of a large body of
troops at this cold season of the year, intended for
Canada, has naturally straitened our military
authorities to find comfortable quarters for them.
However, it is pleasing to find the citizens coming
forward to render every assistance to house the
gallant men who have been hurried over the Atlan-
tic at a most inclement season to protect, if need
be, their firesides, and maintain the honour and
independence of the British flag.
The weather during the past fortnight has been
unusually severe, but is now happily moderating.

JANUARY 9.

Since the 6th the only arrivals to notice are the
mail steamship Canada, with a detachment of
Royal Artillery, and the Cleopatra, with the 2d
battalion 17th Regiment. Her Majesty's ship
Orpheus, 21, arrived here yesterday.
The Adriatic, with the Grenadier GLards, left
our harbour yesterday morning for New Bruns-
wick. The Ist battalion of the 16th will proceed
during the week to the same destination. The 2d
battalion will remain here.

Contracts have been made to transport by sledges
in 13 days any number of troops required from New
Brunswick to Riviere du Loup, a distance of about
310 miles.

Preparations are still hurried forward here to
give ample accommodation to expected arrivals.
The Parana troopship was at Sydney, Cape
Breton, on the Gth, and is expected here to-night.