The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-09 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Commander-in-Chief went down to Wool-
wich on Saturday morning, and made his autumnal-
visitation of the garrison. The Royal Duke was
received on his arrival by Major-Gen. E. C.Warde,
C. 8., Commandant, accompanied by Capt. Wil-
liams, Aide-de-Camp; Brigade Major Hay, and
C apt. Naugle, Deputy-As-sistt.- Quartermaster-Gene-
ral, composing the garrison staff ; and the follow-
ing commanding officers, namely :—Col. Maxwell,
commanding local division Royal Marines ; Colonel
Hawkins, commanding Royal Engineers ; Major-
General Sandham, Lient.-Governor Royal Military

Academy ; Col. Huyshe, commanding C Brigade
Royal Horse Artillery ; Col. Crofton, sth Brigade
Royal Artillery ; Col. the Hon. G. T. Devereux,

2d division Depot Brigade; 'Col. Anderson, C. 8.,
4th Brigade Royal Artillery ; Col. Price, Inspector
and Purchaser of Horses; Col. Wodehouse, C. 8.,
Depot Brigade Royal Artillery ; Assist.-Commis-
sary-General Swain, Col. Gardner, sth Brigade
Royal Horse Artillery; Lieut.-Col. Reilly, C. 8.,
B Brigade Royal Horse Artillery; Capt. and Adjt.
Gilmour, Depot; Capt. Calvert, Riding Establish-
ment, &c. There were likewise in attendance from
the Horse Guards Lord William Paulet, C. 8., Ad-

jutant-General ; Col. Gambier, C. 8., Deputy Ad-
jutant-General ; Col. Gardiner, Assist.-Adjutant-
General ; Capt. Forbes, Deputy Assist.-Adjutant
General, and Major-Gen. Bloomfield. His Royal
Highness was attended by Lieut.-Col. Clifton,
Aide-de-Camp. The whole of the troops not on
sentry and other barrack duties, consisting of the
Royal Horse Artillery, the field batteries Royal
Artillery, the Corps of Royal Engineers, the
sth Brigade Royal Artillery, and a batta-
lion of Royal Marine Light Infantry, pa-
raded on the common in marching order for his
Roy al Highness the Field-Marshal's inspection at 9 45
a.m. The Infantry Brigade, in command of Col.

Gardiner, in line of contiguous quarter-distance
columns, was in the centre, the Horse Artillery and
Field Batteries on the flanks, and the Military
Train, in charge of the ambulances, &c., were in the
rear.

The assembled mass of men and hones

formed a most imposing line, and stretched across

from the brow of the hill to the road running pa-

rallel to the Ha-ha separating the common from-the
barrack field. The Duke entered the ground shortly
after ten o'clock, and was received with a general
salute throughout the line. After the officers and
colours had again taken post with their battalions,

the whole force marched past in the following
order :—The Royal Artillery, Field Batteries, and
Military train at a walk, and afterwards at a trot,
and the Infantry in columns of grand divisions, at
company distance, in quick time. When the troops
had completed marching past they moved round to
the west of the ground, where they were inspected
in dismounted order, and remained " standing
easy." The. Commander-in-Chief then proceeded
to the inspection of a model military store waggon,
brought up. from the Royal Arsenal in charge of
Mr. Norman, assist.-constructor in the Royal Car-
riage Department. The waggon is built and fitted
on an improved system suggested by Col. Sir David
Wood, and permits of each article required to be
carried in an artillery waggon to be packed sepa-
rately, and ready at hand. The waggon contains a
collection of horseshoes, nails, tools, grease, oil,
spokes of wheels, ropes, tethers, and other supple-
mentary articles required in cases of emergency. It
is divided into drawers, numbered and correspond-
ing with a label affixed to the door, on reference to
which the article required is obtainable in bulk
at selection, without the necessity of further un-
packing. The Duke entered into a length-
ened explanation with Mr. Norman on the va-
rious details connected with the advantages of the
new waggon, which-he appeared to approve, in the
main, and said he thought the only objectionable
point he could observe was the difficulty of transport
on account of its weight, viz., 45 cwt. This diffi-
culty was readily met by Mr. Norman, who said
that the ordinary ammunition waggon, drawn by
four artillery horses, weighed 44 cwt., and was easily
transported over difficult passes. The introduction
of the new waggon is. to be referred for further

consideration. The Commander-in-Chief and Staff
then returned to the troops, who forthwith com-
menced a serie3 of firing and active field exercises,
of which it will be unncessary to give a detailed I
ft.-count, the Horan Artillery -and each Lehi battery ,
being called to the front alternately and put through
a most severe and searching drill immediately in
presence of the Duke, who frequently marked his
approval to General Warde as the manceuvr.ss were
being executed. The movements were splendidly
performed, and though at times they were half hidden
and obscured by the opaque clouds of dark red dust
and smoke, they called forth the warmest commen-
dations from the spectators, both civil and military,
who were assembled in large numbers in rear of the
saluting point; indeed, it is doubtful if artillery could
by any possible means manceuvre with more rapidity
and precision, each battery in its turn vieing with
its precursor. A manceuvre which, but for the agility
and experience of the driver, might have been fatal
occurred in the C battery. Col. Huyshe directed
and headed a rapid movement and change of posi-
tion with the guns at a gallop, when one of the
rear horses stumbled and was dragged along some
considerable distance ; he eventually recovered his
position, however, without injury to either horse or
driver. The marching of the Royal Marines in
grand divisions and their advances in line were ad-
mirable. The movements of the foot artillery and
Engineers, though somewhat inferior, were executed
with a coolness and , steady bearing which, con-
sidering the limited time they can devote to battalion.
drill, did them infinite credit. When each portion
of the force had gone through its inspection, which
was, moreover, exceedingly severe, the whole formed
on the original ground, and after again saluting the
Commander-in-Chief they were marched off to bar-
racks, his royal highness having previously
called the commanding officers of batteries and bat-
talions to the front and expressed his approbation of
the whole proceedings. The Duke having inspected
the Royal Military Academy and the stables of the
Royal Horse Artillery, lunched in the Royal Artil-
lery mess-room, and left Woolwich at 3 o'clock
under a salute of 21 guns from the Greenhill Bat-
tery, as given on his arrival.
Her Majesty's screw troopship Himalaya, Capt.
Thomas B. Lethbridge (acting pro tern. during Capt.
Lacy's absence on sick leave), arrived at Ports-
mouth early yesterday morning from the St. Law-
rence, with Lord Monck, Governor-General of
Canada; and suite on board, and a large number of
officers, men, women, and children from various of
her Majesty's regiments serving in the British Ame-
rican provinces. She sailed from Quebec on the 26th
ult., experiencing fine weather until the 2d inst.,
when a fresh gale was fallen in with from the N.W.,
which continued until the sth inst., in lat. 49 3 N.,
long. 13 25 W., when the windvcered round to S.E.
by E., and fell nearly to a calm. On the 6th strong
easterly winds and heavy head seas were met with,
which continued until the ship arrived at Spithead.
Lord Monck, accompanied by Capt. Pemberton,
Alle, and suite, landed at Portsmouth dockyard
immediately after the arrival of the Himalaya, and
after visiting Port-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
G.C.8., at his official residence, the Admiralty-
house, Portsmouth dockyard, left by morning train
for London. The officers and men belonging
to regiments serving in Canada that have re-
turned to, England in the Himalaya are as fol-
lows :—Royal Artillery, Brevet-Major 'Wilson and
Lieuts. lieramis and Younger Grenadier Guards,
Capt. Hon. C. G. C. Eliot ; 2d battalion 7th, Lieut.
Smith, Ensigns Rynde and Rea.cle ; Ist battalion
15th Lieut. Carey and Ensign Brooke ; Ist battalion
16th, Ensign Lloyd; Ist battalion 17th, Capt.
Allen ; Ist battalion 25th, Lieut-Col. Ross, Capt.
Vivian, Lieuts. Lees, Dawson, and Wingfield, and
Ensign Cook ; 30th Foot, Major M'Pherson, Capt.
Clarkson, and Lieut. Braine ; 47th, Surg.-Major A.
Smith ; 4th battalion 60th, Capts. Pemberton and
Tongue, and Lieut. Borthwick ; Ist P. C. 0. Rifle
Brigade, Lieut. Carey and Ensign Dillon ; 4th ditto
Capts. Stephens and Dashwood, Lieuts. Edwards
and Egerton, Ensign Ackland, Assist.-Surg. Wil-
son ; Royal Canadian Rifles, Lieut. Dugmore ;
Commissariat Department, Assist.-Commissary-
Gen. J. B. Price ; ;'3(.1 Regiment, Capt. Lacey (In-
spector of Musketry), 150 non-commissioned officers

and men, 38 soldiers' wives, 76 soldiers' children ;
officers' wives—Mesdame Ross and 3 children, Lacy
and 2 children, Price and 7 children, Allen and 2
children, Tongue, Dashwood, Kemmis and 1 child,
Braine. and 1 child, Smith and 2 children, Miss
Mountain, and 12 officers' servants. The non-
commissioned officers and men consist of invalided
and time-expired men, andwill be disembarked from
the ship this morning, the time-expired men being
forwarded on from Portsmouth by the South-
Western and South Coast Railways to their regi-
mental depots, and the invalids to the Royal Vic-
toria Military Hospital at Netley. The Himalaya,
on her passage homewards, spoke the following
vessels :—ln Quebec river, the ships Alfred,
Guiding Star, Queen of the Chase, and Eliza
Keith. On the 30th of September, in lat. 46 54 N.,
long. 47 W., the English ship Guy Mannering ;
and the sth inst., the English ship War Cloud ;
on the 6th, the Banda, of Liverpool, bound to
London, 140 days from Hong Kong. It is under-
stood that Capt. Lacy returns from sick leave to-
day, and resumes command of the Himalaya, and
that Capt. Lethbridge will be appointed to the Vic-
tory, for service in the screw troopship Simoom, now
fitting out at Portsmouth.

The Earl of Leicester on Agricultural

Affairs.

LYNN, Oct. 7.

The annual meeting of the Docking Agricultural
Association was held at Docking, Norfolk, last
evening.

The Earl of LEICESTER, in acknowledging the
toast of his health, said—l am afraid that I cannot
congratulate you upon meeting under propitious cir-
cumstances. We have harvested the very worst
wheat crop that I ever recollect in this district, the
natural result of having had no flag, no plough in,
an unpropitious seed time, and early and severe
frosts in the spring. I am afraid our prospects for
the wheat crop are not very bright. It is very de-
sirable that in this district of the county we should
get our wheats in early. It is now the 6th of Octo-
ber and there is very little land prepared for the
wheat crop. Oar barleys on our light lands were
burnt up, and on all lands they were badly got up.
Yet as the barley harvest was tolerably general
throughout the country during a period of wet
weather I think that our Norfolk barleys are likely
to hold their own, and those who hold such samples
as were contemptuously discarded last year are likely
to meet, I trust, with a fair price.. (Hear, hear.)
While our barleys were being drenched we were re -
joicing in the hopes of an abundant root crop. The
extraordinary drought of the last five weeks has de-
stroyed that prospect. Our mangolds are good, but
turnips must be deficient in quantity if not in qua-
lity. I am more and more satisfied of the beneficial
results pertaining to deep cultivation for the root
crop, and I am satisfied that one deep ploughing, and
only one ploughing in the early winter, is the best
means of retaining the moisture in the land, without
which the turnip crop must be a failure. It is true that
beef and mutton are fetching extraordinary prices,
but we have to give nearly butchers' prices for
our store stock. Our light land arable farms in
West Norfolk are not adapted for the breeding of
either cattle or sheep ; therefore we not derive that
advantage from the high price of meat which we
otherwise should do. And now, gentlemen, we are
threatened with a disease in our cattle and our
sheep ; but I think that from the exertions of the
committee of our association, and especially through
the exertions of Mr: Read—to whom we are deeply
indebtcd—(cheers)—for the prompt and vigorous
measures which were taken to prevent diseased cattle
from infecting the healthy—with proper caution on
our part and with a prospect of cooler weather, I
trust we may escape severe losses from this calamity.
(Hear.) This is a long list of grievances, but I
think that we have learnt something from our trials
that wilrbe of service to us even in years of abun-
dance. Continued prosperity causes the energies of
man to lie dormant, and in the trials and difficulties
we have had lately to contend with we have learnt
some things. We have learnt that hay—the most
costly crop we can grow—is not a necessary item in
our produce. We have learnt the value of straw as
a feeding article. We have learnt how to economise
our root crop. And if we have learnt that it is
desirable to give deep cultivation to the roots of our
plants to enable them to seek moisture in the earth,
the trials that have been given us have not been, I
trust, in vain. (Hear, hear.) But we have not
met here solely for the purpose of talking over our
own affairs, but to consider what progress we have
made in improving the condition of the labourer.
(Hear.)
.Although we may not be altogether pros-
perous at the present time, I think that I may say
that he is. Labour is abundant, wages are high,
and bread is cheap, and I think we may rejoice
upon the moral and physical improvement of our
labourer. Drunkenness used to be a common vice in
this district. It was no uncommon thing to see
a man intoxicated. But I think I can say that for
some years I have not seen one of my labourers the
worse for drink. (Cheers.) It was impossible at one
time to get any work done without an allowance of
beer ; it was beer here, beer there, and beer every-
where. Now I never make any allowance of beer to
any of my labourers ; I give a full equivalent in
money. They prefer it, and I am quite sure that
they, their wives, and their families are the gainers
by it. (Cheers.) I am satisfied also, gentlemen, that
there is no work but what can be done better with-
out the beer that the men are in the habit of getting
than with it. Many of my men are teetotallers. I
do not think that it is desirable that men who can
abstain from drinking malt or spirituous liquors in
excess should bind themselves by a pledge, but those
who find they cannot control themselves and abstain
from excess have done a wise thing in doing so.
(Hear.) They cannot obtain the beer that we drink,
they cannot obtain the light wines of Germany and
France, which will quench our thirst without caus-
ing intoxication. If they drink they must drink the
drugged beer of the publican—(hear, hear)—which
tends to excite their thirst and to cause excess, or
they must drink the wretched stuff which is made at
home, which is quite sufficient in itself to make any
man a teetotaller. (Laughter.) If the malt duty was
repealed the poor man's wife can never brew beer,
and the money that is spent in the attempt had far
better be employed in providing other luxuries or
comforts for her husband's home. I must now con-
gratulate this union as being the only union in this
country which has adopted that wise measure of a
union settlement, and for having given a precedent
to Parliament for passing an act which will do more
to benefit the labourer than any other measure that
has been hitherto attempted on his behalf. (Cheers.)
Up to the present time our duties and interests
have been apparently antagonistic. I say appa-
rently, gentlemen, because we had begun to learn
that unless we provided proper cottage accommo -
dation for our labourers within a reasonable
distance of their work we were like to lose the ser-
vice of our best labourers. We also consider that
it was better to open our close parishes and be
subject to provide for the aged and infirm rather
than to depend upon the supply of our labourers
from the distant and open parishes. (Hear, hear.)
That the evils which existed under the old law can
be immediately remedied is impossible. Before the
Act that was called the New Poor Law was passed
there were certain parishes in the estate that paid
19s. in the pound poor-rates. Certainly at that
time, if it was not the duty, it was the policy and
interest of the owners of the property to endeavour
to diminish the population, and not to increase the
cottage accommodation. But railways and other
causes have entirely altered the position of employers
and employed. But after all that can be or has
been done by Parliament, or by societies like this,
the physical and moral improvement of the labourer
must mainly depend upon his landlord and upon his
employer. (Hear, hear.) While I am upon the
subject of rates, I will allude to what I consider to
be an injustice in the existing law. There has been
lately a very wise and proper readjustment .of the
rates of our respective parishes, and there are cer-
tain descriptions of property that I think are un-
wisely exempted from being rated. I see no reason
acres of
why the 2,000
wood that I hold in this
country—retaining them as I do for the purposes
ogam or or a of which, if converted into
pasture or arables, would be subject to rates, should
not pay their quota to the poor-rates. (Cheers.)

This; law was established years ago for the purpose
of a ncouraging owners of property to plant timber
for the purposes of the Royal navy, and when the
reasons for that encouragement ceased the exemp-
tions which were derived from it should have ceased
also. (Hear.) Ido not think that it would be
right to value the woodland property at the same
reete as the lands adjoining. The land has been
brought up to its present state of value by skill and
capital. The land that is under wood should be valued
according to its natural value if converted into land
for agricultural purposes. (Hear, hear.) It has
been argued that it would be by no means desirable
to alter a law so as to encourage the destruction of
our wooded districts. The love of sport and the de-
sirable appreciation of ornament that exists in all
Englishmen's breasts is such that in my opinion
there would be no danger of any material decrease
of the woodland districts of this county. (Hear,
hear.) The difference that would be made in the
rate would be comparatively inappreciable ; but it
would remove an act of injustice, and it would pre-
vent feelings of discontent which I can quite under-
stand exists in the breasts of many of those who are
the owners of this description of property.
Sir WILLOUGHBY JONES and other gentlemen also
addressed the meeting.

Balloon Ascent•

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,----Some of the experiments which have been
made about sunset not showing any decline of tem-
perature up to 2,000 feet, it seemed probable that
the laws holding good by day might be very diffe-
rent, or even reversed, by night.
At the recent meeting of the British Association
at Birmingham the balloon committee was re-ap-
pointed, and one of its principal duties was, if pos-
sible, to carry out a series of night experiments by
balloons up to a moderate elevation.
The balloon at present at my command is that be-
longing to Mr. Orton, of Blackwall, and it was with
this balloon, under his management, this ascent was
made. To read the instruments I took a Davy's
lamp, made very carefully by Mr. Watson, of New-
castle, careful experiments having frequently been
made to satisfy the committee of its safety.
The sun had set for nearly three-quarters of an
hour, and the night had fairly closed in. The moon
was shining, and the wind was passing from E.S.E.
We left Woolwich Arsenal about 6.20, and within
three or four minutes a height of 900 ft. was reached;
and here the scene which suddenly burst upon me,
having been previously occupied in adjusting the
instruments, far exceeds description. Almost im-
mediately under us, but a little to the S.E., was
Woolwich, north was Blackwall, south Greenwich
and Deptford, and west, as far arid farther than the
eye could reach, was London, the whole forming a
starry spectacle of such brilliancy as far to exceed
anything I ever saw.
When I have been at this elevation, in the even-
ing, at a distance from London, it has had the
appearance of a vast conflagration ; but now the air
was so clear and free from mist that each and every
light was distinct, and apparently all but touching
each other. The whole of Woolwich, Blackwell,
Deptford, and Greenwich could be traced, as a per-
fect model, by the boundary lines of light of their
streets, squares, &c. In nine minutes we were oppo-
site Brunswick Pier, Blackwall, Crossing the Thames,
then passed across the Isle of Dogs, Greenwich
Reach, and so up the River Thames. As we ad-
vanced towards London the mass of illumination
increased in intensity. At 6.42 the South-Eastern
Railway Terminus at London-bridge was directly
under us. Looking southwards at this time we saw
the Borough stretching far away, and the many
streets shooting from it, particularly Southwark-
street, with its graceful curve of lamps. In one
minute afterwards we were at Southwark-bridge ;
passed Blackfriars-bridge at 6.45, and Charing-cross
at 6.47. On leaving Charing-cross I looked back
over London, the whole model of which could be
seen and traced—its squares by their lights ; the
river, which looked dark and dull, by the double row
of curved lights on every bridge spanning it. Look-
ing round, two of the illuminated dials of West-
minster clock were like two dull moons. Again,
looking eastward the whole lines of the Commercial
and Whitechapel roads, with their continuation
through Holborn to. Oxford-street, were visible,
and most brilliant and remarkable. We were at such
a distance from these roads that they appeared
like' ines of brilliant fire, assuming a more imposing
appearance when the line separated into two,
and most imposing just under us in Oxford-
street. Here the two thickly studded rows of
brillitint lights were seen on either side of the street,
and a dark space between them, but which dark
space was bounded, as it were, on both sides by a
bright fringe of frosted silver. lat first could not
account for this, but presently at one point more
brilliant than the rest persons were seen passing to
and fro with their shadows on the pavements, and at
once it was evident this rich effect was caused by the
bright illumination of the shoplights on the pave-
ments. All the principal streets assumed this ap-
pearance.

I feel it impossible to convey any adequate idea of
the brilliant effect of London viewed at an eleva-
tion of 1000 feet, on a clear night, with the air free
from mist. It seemed to me to realise a wish I have
often felt, when looking through a telescope directed
to the Milky Way, when the whole field of view ap-
peared covered with gold dust, to be possessed of
power to see many spots of light, as, brilliant stars,
for certainly the intense brilliancy of London this
night would have rivalled the brilliancy of such a
telescopic view of brilliant clusters of stars.
We were over the Marble Arch at 6.51, about 11
miles in a straight line from*Woolwich, which dis.
tance had been passed in half an hour. We there-
fore were travelling at more than 20 miles per hour.
On passing onwards we left the Edgware-road on
our right and the Great Western Railway on our
left, and passed nearly down the Harrow-road. In
six or seven minutes we left the suburbs of London,
passing over Middlesex in the direction of Uxbridge.
There the contrast was great indeed; not a single
object could anywhere be seen, not a sound reached
the ear, the roar of London was lost. The moon
was shining, but seemed to give no light, and the
earth seemed a black obscurity. After a time the
moon seemed to shine with increased brightness, and
the fields gradually came into view; then theshadow
of the balloon was seen distinctly pointing out our
path, in reference to the Pole Star and the moon.
After this occasional masses of lights appeared
as we passed over towns and villages, from
all of which- cries came up, urging us to
come down. At 7.18, whilst passing over a
town, we came down to inquire where we were, but
our voices were drowned by the beating of drums.
Thus we passed out of Middlesex over part of Buck-
inghamshire and Berkshire to High Moor, in Ox-
fordshire, where we descended on the farm of Mr.
Reeves at 8.20, distant about 45 miles from Wool-
wich. The horizontal movement of the air at

Greenwich during this time was 16 miles.
The temperature of the air at Woolwich, at 5.25,
was 61.2 degs., and 56 degs, at 6.20 ; it immediately
rose above 56 degs. on leaving, and when about9oo
feet high was 57 deg. fully. The difficulty I expe-
rienced in reading was so great that several minutes
were lost in vain attempts to do so. At 1,100 feet
the temperature was 58.2 degs., and it increased
with increase of elevation till at the height of about
2,000 feet it was about 60 degs., or about 4 degs.
higher than when the earth was left. On descending
the temperature declined, and when about 600 feet
was about 57 degs. Two or three times the balloon
rose and fell through the space of from 600 to 500
feet, and on every occasion the highest reading was
met with at the highest point, and the lowest read-
iug.at the lowest point.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the tem-
perature of the air was 59.9 degs. at 6.20, and de-
creased gradually to 55/ degs. by 8.30. From this
it would seem that at 6.20 the air was no less than
3.9 degs. warmer at Greenwich than at Wcolwich,
and if the readings in the balloon be compared with
those at Greenwich, the increase with elevation is
lessened in amount.
Two self-registering minimum thermometers were
tied down, the one with its bulk resting on cotton
wool, fully exposed to the sky, and the other with
its bulb projecting beyond the supporting frame ;
,their indexes were a the qad of their colulnn of