The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Duke of Cambridge, Governor of the Royaldis_
Military Academy at Woolwich, yesterday
awarded by the
tributed the half-yearly prizes
Council of Military Educationbtaowthe gentlemen
Col.
cadets. The Duke, attend
ed
Aide-de-Camp, drovedown in
thisteryyprivatebrougham,
la
ck
a.marouncing his
the guns of the Green-hill
Gen. Sand-
arrival, precisely at 11 o
ham, Lieutenant-Governor,c commanded the com-
on the parade within
O
pang, which was drawn up
the Academy grounds. n the Duke's entrance
they performed a general salute, the regimental
band of the Royal Artillery, under the leadership
of Mr. Smythe, playing the national air. After in-
specting the company, the Duke retired to the front
d. witnessed the marching past in slow and quick
atinme. They were afterwards put through a course
of manual and platoon exercises, in the first in-
stance by Col. Yorke, R.E., Inspector of Studies,
and afterwards (by the Duke's desire) by Mr. Wat-
son, responsible under-officer, Mr. Jekyll, Mr, Rigg,
and Mr. Christie, sub-divisional under-officers, the
Duke repeatedly signifying his approbation of the'
various movements, as well as the apt and ready
manner in which the orders were given. There was a
large and brilliant attendance of officers present, in-
cluding Gen. Sir J. Burgoyne, Gen. Sir G. Pollock,
wearing his Star of India, as well as other well-
earned decorations ; Major-Gen. Warde, command-
ing the district, accompanied by Capt. Williams,
A.D.C., Capt. Naugle, Deputy-Assist.-Quarter-
master-Gen., and the entire staff of the garrison ;
Major-Gen. Hamilton, Vice-President of the Coun-
cil of Education; Major-Gen. Abbott, a member of
the Council; Col. Chapman,D eputy-Adjutant-Gen.
of Engineers; Col. Maxwell, commanding the local
division of Royal Marines; Col. Kennedy, Com-
mauclant, and Major Shervinton, Brigade-Major,
Military Train; Col. Huyshe, Royal Horse Artil-
lery; Col. Anderson, Royal Artillery, Col. Wode-
house, Col. Price, Major-Gen. Sir Hope Grant, Col.
Ranamersley, Superintendent of Gymnasia at Alder-
shot; Col. Gambier, Deputy-Adjutant-Gen., R.A.;
Col. Symons, Col. Leach; Major-Gen. Taylor, In-
spector-Gen. Royal Artillery; Col. Smythe, Royal
Home Artillery, and many others, besides a nume-
rous assemblage of ladies. Having completed his
inspection of the parade, his royal highness pro-
ceeded to the east wing of the academy, and looked
over the landscapes and other drawings executed
during the past half-year by the drawing class. The
whole of the cadets were in the meantime marched
up to the gymnasium at the back of the academy,
and were posted in double file on each side of the
school of arms. A table arranged at the further ex-
tremity contained the prizes awarded. Major-Gen.
Hamilton then read the following letter :
" Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Dec. 21.
" Sir, —I have the satisfaction to report to your
royal highness most favourably of the conduct, dis-
cipline, and drills of the Ist class of gentlemen cadets
who have qualified for commissions at the recent
examinations under the Council of Military Educa-
tion. Throughout the term there is not an offence of
a severe character against one of the class: The emu-
lationin study in all the cla.sseshas been mostmarked,
the general conduct of the whole company, both in
and out of study, has been highly satisfactory; 'this
is shown by the monthly returns submitted to
your royal highness; and my best acknowledg-
ments are due to the professors, instructors, and
masters, to the military officers of every grade con-
nected with the Academy, to all the responsible
under-officers, with one exception, and to the cor-
porals, with but few exceptions, for the manner in
which the duties of the establishment have been
conducted. The cadets of the Ist class now about
to leave the Academy have gone through a series of
drills and practice with shot and shell for heavy
ordinance of all calibres and construction, at Shoe-
buryness, with zeal and attention. The riding drill
has been satisfactorily carried out both in the Ist
and 2d classes. The usual drills, infantry and re-
pository, mortar practice and gymnastics, have been
satisfactorily conducted. The voluntary class for
instruction in the art of photography, established
last term, has in no way fallen off. I regret to have
to add to my report that three failures to qualify
for class promotion have occurred—one from the
3d to the 2d class, one from the 4th to the 3d class,
and one from the sth to the 4th class, neither of
them having failed on previous occasions.—l have
the honour, &c., " 11. SANDHA3I,
" Major-General Royal Engineers,
Lieutenant- Governor."
The Duke then delivered the prizes in the following
order :—The Pollock Gold Medal, on which is in-
scribed—" The Pollock Medal Prize, Royal Artil-
lery ; presented by the British inhabitants of Cal-
cutta to commemorate the eminent services of Ma-
jor-General Sir George Pollock, G.C.8., and
awarded to one of the most distinguished cadets in
the :service." The medal was placed in the hands
of Mr. Watson by Sir George himself, who com-
plimented the recipient on having so thoroughly
earned it. Mr. Watson also obtained four other
prizes, in addition to the above-named, which was
awarded for distinguished proficiency—namely, for
first Artillery, a beautifully bound work, en-
titled, " Etudes sur le Passe et l'Avenir de
l'Artillerie ;" for first fortification, an aide me-
moire ; for first photography, a double telescope, and
for geology, King's " Precious Stones and Gems and
Antique Gems." To Mr. Jekyll, for exemplary con-
duct, was given the regulation sword ; for second
fortification, a prismatic compass ; for chemistry, a
microscope, and a fourth prize for practical mechanics.
Mr. Howard was presented with a small aneroid
barometer for second artillery; Mr. Christie received
a prize for natural philosophy ; Mr. Butler a pris-
matic compass for second topography ; Mr. Jones,
for first French and first German, received a couple
of French and German works, entitled " Memoires
da Marechal Marmont" and " Schiller's Sammtliche
Welke ;" Mr. Wemyss, for second French, " Les
Etudes sur la Literature Francaise au 19me siecle;"
Mr. Mackellar, for second German, " The Life of
Frederick the Great ;" Mr. Duthy, for first Hin-
dustani, " The Life of Sir J. Malcolm ;" Mr. Martin,
for second Hindustani, " Gleig's Lives of Clive and
Munro ;" Mr. Pottinger, for first mathematics, a
case of mathematical instruments ; Mr. Turnbull,
for second mathematics, a prismatic compass ; Mr.
Blake, for third fortification, a pocket compass and
scale; Mr. Bruce, for third topography, a pocket
sextant; Mr. Lewis, for first practical geometry, a
pocket sextant, and for second landscape drawing a
box of colours and a sketch-book; Mr. Home' for
second practical geometry, pocket compass and
scales ; and Mr. Atchison, for first landscape draw-
ing, a box of colours and a sketch-box. Amemoran-
dum of considerable length from the Council of
Education was read by Major-General Hamilton,
in which the Council stated that the first class con-
sisted on this occasion of 38 cadets, and they have
much pleasure in reporting that they have all quali-
fied for commissions in either of the scientific corps
of the army. His royal highness having decided that
one-fourth of the numbershould receive commissions
in theßoyal Engineers and three-fourths in the Royal
Artillery, the Council have recommended for appoint-
ment to the Royal Engineers the ten highest on the
list who elected for that corps, the remaining
gentlemen cadets are recommended for commis-
sions in the Royal Artillery. The remainder of
the document gave a detail of the various grades and
the denomination of the studies through which the
classes have passed and in which they were examined,
and remarked in an exceedingly favourable manner
as to the result, showing that great improvement has
been obtained during the past half-year. His royal
highness Lthen addressed the company, informing
them that he was well pleased with the very favour
able report which he had heard read to him. "
gratified with the statement relative to the Professors
and masters who were so well spoken of by the
Council. As regards the conduct of the cadets, he
said that was, on the whole, very satisfactory. There
was, however, one exception which he was very sorry
to have it in his power to point out. lie should
allude to it in a very few words, and then he hoped
it would be forgotten. They all understood that he
referred to a recent act of unpardonable indiscretion.
It was not a mere freak, he said, but a deliberate
and most foolish act, which they must be blind to
have committed. However, it was past, and he had
no doubt they would act in future on a wiser and
more commendable principle, and set a good exam-
ple to their juniors and those around them. They
were not schoolboys, but seeking to become soldiers.
He hoped they looked upon it as he himself did—as
a most serious offence. He should say no more on

.e was

the subject, and would advise them to endeavottr to
keep pace with the studious and scientific progress
of the age. After having witnessed a series of gym-
nastic exercises by the Gentlemen Cadets, conducted
by Sergeants Bell and Purt, the instructors, his
royal highness proceeded to the Royal Artillery mess
quarters, and having partaken of refreshment with
Major-Gen. Warde, he returned to London shortly

before 4 o'clock.
Private letters received at Portsmouth from her
Majesty's screw-sloop Archer, dated from Sierra
Leone on the 24th November, state that at that time
the ship had been cleared of her officers and crew,
with the exception of the men left as shipkeepers,
and that the sick were encamped up the mountain in
quarantine, in charge of Dr. Cohen. The best
fresh provisions procurable were supplied for their
wants daily, and Dr. Cohen is spoken of as untiring
in his constant attention to the sick in the Archer's
improvised hospital on the mountain. Two more
deaths only had occurred since the last letters were
sent tot England on the Bth of November, and the
fever was generally subsiding in all the cases still
under treatment. The nights and mornings were
found very cold on the mountain, and fires were
therefore kept burning through the night. The
orders were for the officers and crew to re-embark
on board their ship and sail for England, calling in
at Plymouth Sound for orders on arrival in the
Channel, on the 30th of November. Since these

orders were issued, however, five fresh cases o
fever, of a much milder form than any of the pre
vious cases, had occurred among the men left on
board the Archer as shipkeepers, and this might
prevent the return of the officers and crew to their
ship on the day named. The senior lieutenant andl
the surgeon had been invalided and sent home. The
Archer was commissioned in March, 1863, and of
the officers who proceeded to the coast of Africa in
her only the master and one midshipman return in
her to England.
The Malacca, 17, screw corvette, 1,034 tons,
200-horse power, commissioned at Portsmouth for
foreign service, has bent sails, and yesterday hauled
off from the dockyard to buoy midstream moorings,
to clear up and clean her decks prior to het crew
going ashore on leave for their Christmas holiday,
in common with the crews of others of her Majesty's
ships in the harbour. It is understood that leave
will be given from Saturday next until the follow-
ing Tuesday. The dockyard and other public naval
establishments in the port will remain closed from
Saturday night until Wednesday morning, the
extra day allowed to the workmen—Tuesday—
being afterwards made up by the men working
extra hours.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Captain W. H. Stewart, C. 8.,
to the Wellesley, when recommissioned ; Captain
Astley C. Key, C. 8., to the Excellent, when re-
commissioned ; Captain Leopold G. Heath, C. 8.,
to the Excellent, for special service when recom-
missioned ; Capt. Frederick A. Herbert, to the Ex-
cellent, when recommissioned, for service in the
Royal Sovereign; Commander C. G. Lindsay, to
the Buzzard, vice Masters, promoted ; Comman-
der Edward Stubbs, to the Pandora, vice Ranton,
promoted; Commander Frank T. Thomson, to the
Victoria and Albert, vice Simpson, promoted; Com-
mander F. H. Stevens, to the Ganges, when recom-
missioned as a training ship ; Commander E. M.
Leycest on, to the Saturn, additional, for packet and
transport service at Liverpool, for one year service;
Brevet-Major Henry B. Roberts, Royal Marine Ar-
tillery, to the Excellent, when recommissioned, ad-
ditional, for service as instructor in Fortifications,
at the Royal Naval College ; Lieut. H. F. Hoven-
den to the Terian, as Lieut. and Commander, vice
Selby, promoted ; Lieut. H. M. Corn to the Bos-
cawen, additional, for service in the Ferret, vice
Mansel, promoted ; Lieut. John A. Fisher to the
Excellent, when recommissioned, for service in ten-
ders; the Rev. T. R. Holme, M.A., chaplain and
naval instructor, to the Ganges, when recommis-
sioned as a training ship ; the Rev. J. W. Grimes,
8.A., chaplain and naval instructor, to the Excel-
lent, when recommissioned ; the Rev. T. J. Main,
M.A., chaplain and naval instructor, to the Excel-
lent, when recommissioned, additional, for service at
the Royal Naval College ; J. 11. Bond and Charles
R. Tompkins, naval instructors to the Excellent,
when recommissioned, additional, for service at the
Royal Naval College ; Thomas Brown, inspector of
machinery, to the Excellent, when recommissioned,
additional, for service at the Royal Naval College ;
George Mair, assistant-surgeon, to the Formidable,
for service in the Lizard, and Dr. John Simpson,
assistant-surgeon, to the Fisgard, for the Royal
Marine Infirmary, Woolwich.

Extraordinary Proceedings of Farmers.

It will scarcely be credited that there is now
standing, or rather lying, in three fields not a very
great distance from Birmingham, crops of wheat
which should have been harvested nearly four
months since ; nevertheless, we can vouch that such
is the fact. The scene of this waste—for such it

undoubtedly is—is the Holt End Farm, in the
parish of Beoley, near Redditch, and it may not be
uninteresting to our readers to shortly relate the
reasons why the crops have not been duly harvested
some time ago. Before doing so, however, we may
mention that the three fields contain an area of
about 24 acres, and the crops which bore this year
were said to have been the best in the parish. The
circumstances of the case, as far as we have been
able to glean them, are as follow :—At the com-
mencement of the present year the farm—which is
a rather large one, and of which the three fields
above referred to form part—was occupied by a
farmer (whom we will call the offgoing tenant), but
as he and the landlord could not agree relative to
several matters respecting the farm, a notice to
quit was served upon the offgoing tenant by the
landlord, and possession was to be given up on the
25th of March last. Previous, however, to the
expiration of the notice another farmer (whom we
will call theincomingtenant) applied to the offgoing
tenant for an inspection of the farm, and ultimately
the two tenants arranged that the valuation usually
made in such cases should be made; and it was
made by two valuers, one being appointed by each
tenant. An agreement was made by the incom-
ing tenant to take the crops and other things
on the farm at such valuation, provided the offgoing
tenant guaranteed to pay the current rent due to
the landlord, or make satisfactory arrangement with
the landlord in reference thereto, to prevent the
crops being seized for rent. On being applied to by
the landlord to waive his right of distress on the
crops, he of course refused, unless the rent due at
Lady-day was paid him, and as the matter could
not be amicably settled the incoming tenant declared
thevaluationto be void. In order to prepare the land
for spring crops, the incoming tenant went on the
farm some time previous to Lady-day, on which day
the offgoing tenant delivered up the key of the farm
house to the landlord, and an action was commenced
by the offgoing tenant against the landlord for the
amount of the valuation made between the two
tenants. The landlord, in his turn, commenced a
cross action against the offgoing tenant for rent and
damages to the farm, and both actions were, by
consent, referred to the arbitration of a local bar-
rister of high standing in Birmingham, the result of
which was, the offgoing tenant failed in his action
against the landlord, owing to the valuer of the in-
coming tenant swearing that he had not been em.
ployed by the landlord to value on his behalf, and
the landlord recovered the rent due to him and some
other claims in his action against the offgoing tenant.
Immediately after these two actions were settled the
offgoing tenant demanded payment of the incoming
tenant of the amount of the valuation before alluded
to, which amounted to about £lBO ; but the incom-
ing tenant refused to pay the amount unless a sum
of about £5O, for grass keep and other thingswhich
he had not had the benefit of, or which had been
paid on his behalf by the landlord, was deducted
from the amount claimed. This the offgoing tenant
refused to do, and commenced an action against the
incoming tenant, which action is now pending. The
incoming tenant feeling sure that he was not rightly
dealt with, and should doubtless be prejudiced by
taking possession of the wheat and cutting and har-
vesting it, refused to do so. The offgoing tenant
being of the same opinion as regarded his own case,
and alleging that the wheat no longer belonged to