The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-02 00:00:00

'IIIE NAVY.

An Admiralty circular, signed by Lord Clarence
Paget, has been issued from Whitehall directing the
Commanders-in• Chief and senior officers of her
Majesty's ships to give orders to the respective
commanding officers and -paymasters of all the
vessels in the service to cause an abatement of 9d•
and 6d. in the pound to be made from the gross
amount of full pay and allowances paid to those
officers, whose enti-ze incomes amount to the sum of
1150 per annum and upwards, and upon incomes of
£lOO per annum and upwards respectively. In the
first payments to be made after the receipt of the
circular the abatements are in each case to be cal-
culated from the Ist of April, 1862 ; the difference
between the Ist and sth of April will be adjusted
on the final payment to the officer. In the case of
those officers on detached or other service who will
still continue to draw bills upon the Accountant-
General of the Navy for their pay, the abatements
on account of the income-tax are to be made, as
heretofore, from such bills, at the foregoing rates.
Such officers as may claim exemption from abate-
ment of the tax, on the ground of their aggregate
income not amounting to £lOO per annum, are to
transmit to the Admiralty declarations, if at home,
or affidavits, if abroad, for the decision of the Com-
missioners appointed for that purpose. Exemption
is to be granted, subject to the decision of the Com-
missioners upon the receipt of the above declarations,
or affidavits, under the Tieasury authority of the
ILh of August, and the Bth of September, 1842,
and of that of the Board of Inland Revenue of the
28th of June, 1853.

Admiralty orders have been received at Chatham
for the 51-gun screw frigate Severn, 500-horse
power, attached to the steam reserve, to be removed
to Devonport, for the purpose of being commissioned
for sea.

The Meeanee, 81, 400-horse power, attached to
the steam reserye ordinary, Chatham, will not be
commissioned until the end of the present summer,
when she will proceed to Leith, to relieve the
Edinburgh, 60, 450-horse power, as guardship on
tilt: east coast of Scotland.

The defects of the iron paddle-wheel steamer
Lizard, 4, tender to the Formidable, 84, flagship at
the Nore, having been made good, she is ordered to
proceed to the coast of Scotland, to assist the Jack-
all, 4, steamer, in protecting the fisheries.
The Shannon screw frigate was prevented com-
pleting her first series of screw trials at Portsmouth
yesterday by the high wind. She will complete
them to-day if the wind moderates.
The Edgar, 86, screw, Capt. Fellowes, flagship of
Rear-Admiral Dacres, was yesterday officially in-
spected at Spithead by the rear-admiral, and at nigh
water steamed into Portsmouthharbour and berthed
alongside the dockyard to clear out and pay off.
The Edgar is ordered for re-commission, but the
substitution of the Duncan would at once provide a
ship thoroughly efficient in every respect for a full
term of commission. It would, besides, SAVO some
three months in preparations for sea, and some
the,usands of pounds to be incurred by the strip and
-refit of-the Edgar ; and by sending an inefficient
ship to sea. The detachment of marines which
formed part of the original Anglo-French Mexi-
can expedition, brought home by the Edgar, landed
from her yesterday morning and joined headquar-
ters in Portsmouth. They comprised Capts. Elliott
and Noot, Lieuts. Champion, Cummings, Baker,
Cockle, and Grey, and 172 men.

His Prussian Majesty's paddle-steamer Lorely,
Captain Livonius, arrived at Portsmouth yesterday
evening from the Mediterranean.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :--Lieut. J. D. Barker, to be Flag
lieut. to Rear-Admiral Smart, K.H., Commanding
the Channel squadron ; E. Maunder, master to the
Hastings ; J. H. Kerr, G. Robinson, and J. H.
Ellis, masters additional to the Fisgaid ; A. Farmer,
acting master additional to the Fisgard ; Dr. IN. B.
Dalby, surgeon to the Winchester; J. G. Rish,
surgeon to the Hastings ; D. Thomas, surgeon to
the Hawke ; J. Nihill, surgeon to the Eagle ; Dr.
It. Hague, assist. surgeon additional to the Hast-
ings, for the Ferret ; J. G. Oakehott, chief engineer
to the Hastings ; M. C. Raymond, second master
additional to the Hastings, for the Advice ; F.
Hunter, acting second master additional to the
Fisgard ; E. A. Williamson, paymaster to the
Fisgard ; J. Hayward, paymaster to the Winches-
ter ; G. W. D. Simmonds, paymaster to the Eagle ;
Blackney, assist.-paymaster additional to the
Hastings ; G. W. Underhill, assist.-paymaster to
the Hastings, for the Secretary's office ; and C. F.
Gahan, assist. clerk, to the Royal Adelaide.

J. H. Annand, to No. 2 battery, 24th Brigade;
Lieut. A. F. Stubbs, to No. 5 battery, 19th Brigade;
Capt. B. C. Hitchins, to 20th brigade; Second Capt.
and Brevet-Major G. G. Peaiae, from No. 6 to No.
2 battery, 17th Brigade ; Capt. J. IMacintyre, to
No. 2 Battery, 20th Brigade; Second Capt. W. D.
0. Kerrich, to No. 4 Battery, 17th Brigade ; Second
Capt. C. Johnson, to No. 4 Battery, 20th Brigade ;'
Second Capt. T. J. M. Hog, to No. 5 Battery, 20th
Brigade; Second Capt. E. W. Childers, to No. 1
Battery, 23d Brigade; Lieut. Haggard, to Madras
Artillery ; Lieut. J. W_ Watkins, to 23d Brigade,
No. 2 Battery ; Lieut. H. M'Leod, to 23d Brigade,
No. 3 Battery ; Lieut. J. M'Neil, to No. 4 Bat-
tery, 20th Brigade; Leint. F. S. Budd, to No. 3
Battery, 23d Brigade; Lieut. M. H. C. B. Stein-
man to A Battery, 3d Royal Horse Brigade ; Lieut.
C. W. Brereton, to,. No. 2 Battery, 20th Brigade;
Lieut. F. E. Hadow, to No. 5 Battery, 17th Bri
gade ; Lieut. C. H. A. Gower, to No. 5 Battery,
20th Brigade ; Lieut. F. R. Twynam, to No. 1 Bat-
tery, 23d Brigade. The following transfers have been
ordered, viz.:—Lieut. L. Guy, No. 1 Battery, 13th
Brigade, to the Depot Brigade ; Lieut. W. S. Brown,
from No. 6 Battery 11th Brigade, to No. 1 Battery,

13th Brigade ; Lieut. Metcalfe from the Depot to
No. 4 Battery, 14th Brigade; Assist.-Surg. J.
Robinson, from the Bth to the 14th Brigade; Assist.-
Surg. Mould, from the 14th to the Bth Brigade.
Officers commanding Royal Artillery at the sta-
tions 'and in districts concerned, will obtain the
sanction of the General Officers commanding in
troops to the following removals of officers, viz. :
Lieut.-Col. Hawkins, from Ireland to India, to go
with draughts ; Mar Champion, from Malta to
England ; Major Carpenter, from Canada to Ire-
land; Capt. Rice, from Warley to Malta ; Capt.
Knox, from Portsmouth to Canada, and Capt.
Persse, from Warley to the Mauritius."

THE GRAND NATIONAL RIFLE

CONTEST.

The third grand national rifle contest held under
the auspices of the National Rifle Association, com-
menced yesterday
very quietly and without cere-
mony of a kind at all likely to attract a very large
number of people on Wimbledon•common. In 1860
the opening was almost an affair of state, for the
Queen in person fired the first rifle, and the expec_
tation that she would do so called together an as-
sembly of rank and fashion, to which yesterday

made no pretension. Nevertheless there was a

very fair show of volunteers on the ground, and
everything appeared to promise an arduous and
well-contested struggle for the various prizes which
during the next 10 days will form the object of

competition on the part of the most distinguished
marksmen belonging to our volunteers.
The ground appropriated to the contest is pre-
cisely the same as last year, with the exception
perhaps of a trifling extension on the eastward.
Where the common lies open it is surrounded by a
wooden fence, around which policemen patrol to
prevent intruders from climbing over and so obtain-
ing entrance to the ground without payment of the
preliminary shilling,—a payment, however, from
which volunteers in uniform are exempt.

As was the case last year, there is an
encampment of Guards on the south side of the
enclosure. The butts are on the west side, and
on the north are the stands prepared for the grand
review, which is to take place on Saturday
week, the tents appropriated to the various officials
connected with the contest, the refreshment booths,
and some tents applicable to miscellaneous purposes.

There is also on this side an encampment of police,
who muster 170 strong, under the command of Mr.

Superintendent Walker, of the A division, and who
will remain on the ground night and day ; and there
is a rather extensive encampment of volunteers,

principally provincial, who have pitched their tents
here with the intention of roughing it, camp fa-

shion, until the termination of the contest. Most of
the English, and several of the Scotch, counties are
represented ; the number of volunteers so devoting
themselves to the enjoyment of a lifie under canvas
being about 400. 'Folding chairs, camp bedsteads,
baths, and sundry small articlesof comfort, evidence
by their presence a desire on the part of their
owners to make the most of the novelty of their po-
sition. In these tents there is generally a camp bed-

stead on each side, with a piece of cocoa-nut mat-
ting on the ground between, but there are others,
and more numerous, on which waterproof matresses
lie side by side, so as almost to cover the ground in-
side, and in which the entire arrangements partake
somewhat of a primitive character. But the occu-
pants of these tents, as well as of those of a more
luxurious kind, seem quite determined to take things
as they come, and prove themselves to be something
better than featherbed soldiers.

General Hay, inspector-general of musketry at
Hythe, acts as general director of the shooting ar-
rangements, which are more particularly under the
supervision of Capt. Page. Lord Elcho, Earl Ducie,
Col. Kennedy, and Lord Grosvenor act on behalf of
the council'of the National Rifle Association. Lord
Radstock, Col. Gladstone, Captain Templar, and
Major Bernes supeiintend the statistical depart-

ment ; Capt. Maaye has charge of the firing
parties ; and for everything there seems to be a di-
recting body, or a directing head. There are within
the enclosure apolice station, a post-office, and wash-
ing rooms; while the refreshment booths are as
ample as can be desired, and the provision made by
the contractor—Mr. Cox, of Manchester—quite suf-
ficient to meet any probable demand that may spring
up during the contest.
The number of butts is upwards of 50, several
having been added since last year—the ranges vary-
ing from 200 to 1,000 yards. The value of the
prizes to be competed.for amounts to nearly £3,000,
being an excess of some £5OO over last year, when
the aggregate value was only about £2,500. Of
these, the principal is the Queen's Prize of £250,
for which there are nearly 1,100 entries. Under
the head " Queen's Prize" there are also several
minor prizes. Thus the " First Stage" includes
20 Whitworth rifles, value 25 guineas each, and the
silver medal of the National Rifle Asscciation for
the best shot of the 20 winners, to whom the con-
test for the Queen's Prize itself will be restricted,
as well as for the gold medal of the association,
which will accompany it. _ _

Another great object. of competition will be the
St. George's Challenge Vase, value £250, presented
for annual competition to the volunteer battalions
of Great Britain by Lieut.-Col. Lindsay, on behalf
of the members of the St. George's Rifles; and
this will be accompanied by a gold enamelled jewel
of St. George, with a similar jewel in silver for the
second best shot, a bronze cross of S. George for
the third best, and a large photograph of the

challenge vase and jewel to the battalion which i
shall prove itself successful. His Royal Highness
presented
prize of £5O,
the prince of Wales gives a prize of £lOO (cup or
money) there are further the Albert prize of £lOO,
by the association ; the Duke of Cam-
bridge's
the Duke of Wellington's
prize of £5O, Lord Vernon's prize of £5O, Messrs.
Eley's prize of £lO5, the Elcho Challenge Shield,
and in additioPori
the Earl of Dudley's
theze onfifitsDo,erabnyd, some
prizes ;openme othert
o all
corners of all nations—which last year afforded
valuable prizes to the three best shots.
The shooting yesterday did not begin till two
o'clock, and was for the most part simply prelimi-
nary
confined principally
; being c „. to , ' pool targets"
and "sighting targets, which
were freely patro-
nised. But that which afforded the most amuse-
ment was the " running-deer target," the novel
feature of the year so far as this contest is con.
cerned, and which consists of a target in the shape
of a deer, of about life-size, which travels along a
sort of tramway, depressed in the middle and rising
at each end. The deer is pushed from out a covered
way at one end of the tram, descenels the incline,
with increasing velocity as it proceeds, and rises u. p
the opposite incline by its own momentum. While
on its way it is fired at by those who contribute to
the pool ; and is the luckiest deer that ever ran, for
surely no living animal was ever so often fired at
and so often missed. The price of each shot is 25.,
one half of which goes to the association, and the
other half to make up a pool, *hieh is,
or is to be,
divided at the close of each day
among those of the
competitors who have been fortunate enough to
make " hull's-eyes." The bull's-aye itself is eight
. inches in diameter and behind the shoulder. Ile