The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-06 00:00:00

MILITARY PREPARATIONS AT HOME.

An order was received at Woolwich yesterday morning
from the War Office directing that the 11th Brigade of
Field Artillery and B and C brigades of Royal Horse
Artillery are to be immediately placed on a war foot-
ing, and the preparations making in consequence are
causing some considerable excitement in the garrison.
Rocket carriages, forge, store, and ammunition waggons,
ambulances, and other appurtenances may be speedily got
ready in the Royal Arsenal, but each battery is a
hundred horses, and as many men short of its comple-
ment, and these cannot be so readily obtained. B Bri-
gade consists of five, and 0 Brigade of six batteries.
Colonel Price, R A., set out on Thursday on an expedi-
tion to purchase horses.—Pall Mall Gazette.

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE ON ENGLAND'S

NEUTRALIT Y.

In the course of his speech at Westward Ho ! Sir S.
Northcote said : " I believe from my heart that if this
country really does its duty well and wisely
and carefully, there will be no calls upon us
for the services in the field of this description of
men. At the same time it is requisite that we should be
prepared to render those services if necessary, and that
we should make it known to all the world that we as a
nation are determined to shed the last drop of our blood
and spend the last shilling of our treasure, if necessary,
for the protection of the honour and interests of England.
And I am quite convinced that is the determination if
made well known; if every foreign nation, whatever
they may be, is fully convinced that such is our deter-
mination, the knowledge of the determination will go
further to prevent this country being drawn into the
horrors of war than any other act could possibly
do. I call on all Englishmen, whatever may be their
position, and whatever may be their opinions, to co-operate
with the Government in endeavouring to preserve the
peace of this country. I mean not only that we should be
ready to make every sacrifice in the way of volunteering,
&c., but that we should conscientiously endeavour to
assist the Government to remain honestly neutral in this
matter, by abstaining from equivocal commercial trans-
actions."

SALE OF THE LATE CHARLES DICKENS'

RESIDENCE.

Gadshill, the residence and property of the late Charles
Dickens, was put up at public auction yesterday, at the
London Auction Mart, by Messrs. Morton, Forst, and
Co. There were a great number of persons present,
including Mr. Charles Dickens, jun. The auctioneer
(Mr. Trist) said it was neither his province
nor his intention to offer any enconiums on the
life of the late lamented owner ; it was sufficient
for them to know that he lived in the residence, now
about to be offered them, many years and that it, there-
fore, possessed an historical interest. Before commencing
the auction he might express a hope that the same
amount of enthusiasm would be exhibited on this
occasion as on that of the sale of Mr. Dickens's chattels,
by Messrs. Christie and Manson. Having described the
property, Mr. Trist said he would not trouble them with
any figures in the way of estimate of its value, but he
might state that he had been informed that some Ameri-
can gentleman had expressed his determination to
have it at any price. This, of course, had
nothing to do with the auctioneer, but at
the same time he might express a hope that
for the good name of this country some Englishman
W VLa. 1.... -
enjoyed by the late illustrious au hor. (Hear, hear, and
loud applause). Whether that was so or not, he believed
on looking at the company before him, that he should get
full value, and his instructions were if any thing like a
fair offer were made to sell that day. Of course it would
be a great pleasure for him to sell the property
to any American gentleman, and especially at the sum of
£20,000, which was, he was told, about to be offered. At
the same time he need not say he should be much more
highly delighted to find that the purchaser was an Eng-
lishman. He then proceeded with the sale of the House,
and there being nuoffer, the property was eventually put
put up at £5,000. The biddings increased at slow intervals
up to £6,500 when the auctioneer observed that it was
evident rumour could not have been truthful. £6,600 was
eventually offered, at which sum it was knocked down to
a gentleman, who it turned out was bidding for Mr.
Charles Dickens, jun. On learning this the greatest
satisfaction was expressed by those present. Lot 2, the
8 and odd acres adjoining the house were knocked down
to the same gentleman for Mr. Dickens, at £1,500.