The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-04 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY CHANGES.

The Broad Arrow believes that the " insane idea
of reducing such a fine body of men and so eminently
useful as the Royal Marines " is abandoned, or that,
at all events, it will be reconsidered. Mr. Childers
is called upon to turn his attention to " the waste of
public money thrown away upon keeping up such a
sham as the Royal Naval Reserve." The Army
and Navy Gazette is " enabled 'to state that
there is no intention—there never was any
—of disbanding the Marinas." They will,
however, be reduced. The United Service Gazette,
under the title of " The Cat out of the Bag,"
publishes a paragraph which states that the intended
reduction of the Marines is to be effected in order
that we may have more ornamental soldiery ; in
order, that is, that there may be constituted an
artillery of the guard, whereof Prince Arthur is to
have command. As regards the army, the second-
named paper recommends the officers " to be a little
incredulous respecting all the sensation rumours of
reductions. They need not believe all they read, or
be frightened about Mr. Cardwell and his coming
measures." It is rumoured that the Royal Ar:illery
will lose two gum for each troop and battery, and a
corresponding inumber of horses and men.
Many changes are going on at Whitehall. By
way of setting an example of economy, the Board of
Admiralty will give up to the public use the private
residences in the Admiralty-yard, lately occupied by
Vice-Admiral Sir Ale:ander Milne, the Senior Sea
Lord, and Lord Henry Lennox, the Chief Secretary.
Thither will be removed the Steam Department from
New-street, and probably the Medicil Department
from Somerset House. There will be an organic
change among the clerks at Whitehall. Hitherto a
large number of these gentlemen have been copying
letters. Henceforth there will be fewer of them,
and more responsibility will be laid upon them.
It is rumoured also that the present Accountant-
General of the Navy, the Assistant-Accountant-
General, and several clerks of the first-class in
the same department -are to be superannuated;
that Mr. 11. W. R. Walker will be Accountant-
General, and that instead of the clerks being in
classes as heretofore, they will be appointed clerks of
sections and assistant clerks. It is not improbable
that a portion of Greenwich Hospital will be utilised
as a naval medical school. We learn that Sir Henry
Storks will be continued in his present post for
^nother year.

THE ROYAL 3IARINES.
A correspondent of the Times strongly urges that,
instead of the Royal Marines being reduced, they
should be employed in subjecting the rebel Maori
tribes in New Zealand. The Marine is accustomed
to knocking about from habits engendered on board
ship, and can ur.,;..s the spade and axe and serve guns
when required; and as the natives are in the habit of
firing behind stockades the Marine will be found to
be their match in cutting down trees and making
deadly havoc with his rifle behind the cover afforded
by them.

THE OLIVE BEANCII.
Experiments have been made in Belgium .with
Krupp's 9-inch gun, against the Bellerophon and the
Warrior target. The first endured eight rounds, the
second only seven. The gun has now been ordered
for the fortifications at Antwerp, and the Prussian
Government has given Mr Krupp an order for four
million thalers' worth. The Russian Government
has given a large order for 11-inch guns by the same
maker. This sounds very peaceful.

CHURCH NEWS.
The John Bull, in an interesting account of the
recent meeting of lligh Church clergy, says that
a paper by Archdeacon Denison, approved by
Dr. Pusey, was reads counselling submission
to the recent Ritual judgment, and that Mr.
Mackonochie said that as he had pleaded before the
court, he was bound to submit to it. Mr. Bennett,
of Frome, and Mr. Nugee were for opposing the
court tooth and nail. There is no talk of secession.—
Bishop Selwyn has arrived in England, and is in
good health. He is accompanied by the Bishop of
Wellington.—The Bishop of Winchester has appointed
the late Bishop of Mauritius to the rectory of
St. Nicholas, Guildford, vacant by the promotion of
the new Bishop of Mauritius ; thus Bishop Sumner
will have episcopal help in his large diocese.
The Lau, Times states with reference to the Ritual
judgment that the offence of contumacy cannot
be committed until the judgment is made
complete by being embodied in an order in council,
and notice thereof has been given to the defendant.
That having been done, and the legal practices being
persisted in, the writ de contumacc capiendo may
issue.

The Rev. George R. Prynne, of Plymouth, a well-
known leader of the high Church party in the West
of England, has written a letter to the Western
Morning News, in which ho says that he can no
longer support the Irish Church Establishment.
Before the recent election he, in conjunction with
other clergy, signed a memorial in favour of that
Church ; but subsequent consideration has induced
him to see that it has failed in every way ss a
missionary Church and as a State Church, and that
it has no more right to State support than be
Episcopal Uhurch o:land. lie feeis Donna, as
an honest man, to make known his change of convic-
tions.

" THE NUMBER. OF THE BEAST."
We have to announce an important discovery. The
editor of Gilead has found out that the letters
comprising the word Gladstone will, if added
together as Greek immerals, make up 666, " the
number of the Beast." The editor would have us
infer that therefore Mr. Gladstone is the Beast. One
of the correspondents of the Rock affirms, however,
that the numbers make 663, which is not the number
of the aforesaid animal; therefore Mr. Gladstone is
not the quadruped in question. But the editor of
Gilead reasserts his calculation. While they are
quarrelling it may be well to remind them that the
letters C-u-m-m-i-n-g Greeised also make up
(X 36. Is Dr. Gumming the Beast

COMPLIMENTS.
The Rock and the Record are, it seems, not good
The dear Record lam for nearly two