The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-20 00:00:00

TIIE ARMY.

Gen. Sir Richard Dacres, commanding the garri-
son at Woolwich, yesterday inspected the troopship
Norwood, about to embark the battery of Armstrong
artillery from the Royal Arsenal pier for New Zea-
land. The General, accompanied by Major Reilly,
C. 8., Aide-de-Camp, and Major Field, the newly
appointed Deputy-Assist:• Quartermaster- General,
went over every portion of the vessel, in his desire
to satisfy himself that the accommodation provided
for the long voyage should be as complete and satis-
factory as possible. The 'tween decks are spacious
and well ventilated, being 71feet in height, and the
poop deck for the use of the officers is well berthed
with double and single cabins, and there is very
fair accommodation throughout the ship. The
voyage is expected to extend to nearly four months,
for which a sumptuous stock of provisions and every
necessary and comfort are stored in ample
abundance.

A. number of Major Rhodes's patent picketing
Screws, which are eminently adapted for an extem-
porary encampment, or roadside bivouac of cavalry,
have been received at Woolwich for experimental
trials, by order of Sir Richard Airey, Quartermas-
? ter-General. The screws are after the corkscrew
fashion, and, with lines attached, are for the pur-
pose of tethering horses. They are of two sizes—
viz., 14in. and 16in. long, and weigh, with two
ropes attached, 21b. and 211 b. each; and, according
to the statement of the Duke of Cambridge, recom-
mending the screws for a service trial with the
Royal Artillery in their Monday's route marches
from Woolwich, the method of picketing horses
will be exceedingly simplified. This system is
two-thirds lighter, and about an eighth cheaper,
than the new French system of picketing horses
adopted only last year, the weight of which, giving
accommodation for 15 horses, is about 1251 b., and
the cost from 245. to 283. ; whereas 15 of Major
Rhodes's heaviest tethering screws, with connect-
ing lines attached, weigh only 3741 b., and cost from
183. to 20s. only. The first trial is expected to take
place on Monday next.

The screw steamship Himalaya, Capt. John Sec-
combe, embarked at Portsmouth yesterday detach-
ments of the 17th, 21st, and 96th Regiments, for
conveyance to Kingstown. This morning she will
also embark the City of Dublin Militia Artillery,
and afterwards sail for Kingstown, where she will
disembark the whole of the troops, who proceed to
Dublin.

The annexed circular memorandum has been
addressed to the army at home in reference to re-
cruiting for the regular army :

" Horse Guards, Nov. 13.
" In every instance of the enlistment of volun-
teers from the Militia into the regular and Indian
military forces, commanding officers are requested
to report to adjutants of Militia the approval, or
otherwise, of the men, within the period specified
in the conditional discharge certificate received by
the volunteer from the Militia previous to his en-
listment into the regular or Indian army.
" The attention of commanding officers is called
to the annexed circular memorandum,* addressed
to inspecting field officers of recruiting districts,
prohibiting recruiting parties from attempting in
any way to induce militiamen to leave their re-
spective regiments in order to enlist into the Line.
" By command of his Royal Highness the Ge-
neral Commanding-in-Chief,
"A. HORSFORD, Deputy Adjutant-General."
* " ' All recruiting parties are to be strictly for-
bidden from attempting in any way to induce
militiamen to leave their respective regiments in
order to enlist in her Majesty's regular forces ;
militiamen having no more right so to enlist than
men of one Line regiment have to enlist in another
without the consent of the commanding officer.
Such a proceeding on their part amounts to deser-
tion, and will expose them to the penalties at-
tached to that offence, a liability which every
opportunity should be taken to make known.
" ' Volunteers, therefore, who may be anxious to
enlist in the regular army should apply for permis-
sion to their commanding officers, who will exer-
cise their discretion as to granting their request.
" It is to be clearly understood that in all cases
of men receiving conditional releases for the pur-
pose of enlisting into the Line, they will, as now,
be required to refund 18s. 6d., to cover the bounty
and other expenses incurred in their enrolment ;
also any balance of bounty they may have received
in advance, on account of their first engagement, if
reattested for a second.'"

A Vienna letter of the 11th says :—So heavy has
been the fall of snow, and so great the drift, that we have
boon cut off from all communication with the outer world
during eight and forty hours, but this morning the three
outstanding English mails 00,TUO

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