The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-16 00:00:00

TEE ARMY.

The annual inspection of the Royal Marine
Artillery at their head-quarters, Fort Cumberland,
near Portsmouth, was concluded yesterday by a
display of practice from mortars, guns, and rockets,
such as is seldom witnessed in a single day. The
weather was beautifully fine—a southerly breeze
sufficient to cool the sun's glare, but not sufficiently
strong to produce any adverse effect on the flight of
any of the various projectiles fired. Half-past one
was the hour named for the commencement of the
proceedings, and about that time the bugle sound-
ing the assembly in the square of the fort gave the
first note or preparation, and the deputy-adjutant-
general of the corps, Major-General S. R. Wesley,
commenced his inspection, accompanied by Colonel-
Commandant G. Frazer and a staff of officers. The
two Armstrong guns at once attracted the attention
of the general, and their crews were put through a
sharp course of drill, at the conclusion of which
the general not only expressed his satisfaction at
what he had seen, but also his surprise at the cir-
cumstance of no ammunition having been yet re-
' ceived at the fort for these guns. The Laboratory
was next visited, where the first course of practical
gunnery was gone through with a party of men
summoned promiscuously from the ranks. The
principle and formation of Sir W. Armstrong's
beautiful "time" and percussion fusees was also
minutely entered into, and questions put to the
men relating to it, the answers to which and also
to the course of gunnery elicited the warmest com-
mondations from the General. The next point
visited was the enclosed battery of 8-inch guns,
representing a section of a ship's side, and the 10-
inch land service mortar battery. Practice was
first commenced from the ship gun battery at a
target, about six feet square, distant 550 yards.
'The target was swept away at the first discharge ;
a pole, which had been left standing, went the
second; and the remainder of the shots displayed
au extraordinary degree of excellence for quick
firing. The mortar 10-inch battery followed suite,
the mark aimed at being a flag at 560 yards. A
salvo from four mortars was fired, and the flag dis-
appeared. Two more salvos followed, and all the
shells fell at the spot where the flag had been
hoisted. This firing was all the more creditable,
as, on the word being first given in the batteries,
" Prepare for action," three non-commissioned
officers stepped in to lay the mortars. The General,
however, ordered them to fall back, and directed
that three younger soldiers should take their
places. The General and his Staff next proceeded
to the beach in front of the fort, where was drawn
up a battery of field guns, comprising one 12-
pounder ihedium gun, one 8-inch howitzer, two
24-pounder howitzers, and three 12-pounder how-
itzers, all ordered for firing with diaphgram shell ;
a rocket battery, consisting of three 12-pounder
tubes, and one 24-pounder. The 32-pounder shell
gun on the south-east portion of the works was also
ready to join iii with solid shot and shell. Splendid
practice was made from all ; the diaphragm shells
bursting over the poles at sea, representing targets,
at 1,000 and 1,600 yards distance. It was the opi-
nion of many officers well known for their skill in
gunnery, and who were on the ground to see the
practice, that better firing could not be exhibited.
The whole closed with the discharge of a 24-pound
rocket at 45 degrees of elevation, the flight of which
was magnificent beyond description. " Cease fir-
ing" was now sounded by the buglers in the rcar of
the guns, and the men were marched into the fort
and all mustered, with the officers at their head, on
parade ground, where Major-General Wesley pro-
ceeded, and addressed them in highly eulogistic
terms, alluding particularly to the firing fro the
10-inch mortars, and expressing the gratification it
afforded him of being enabled to report so favour-
ably to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
on the thoroughly efficient stete of the division.
The men were then dismissed to their quarters, and
thus concluded one of the most satisfactory inspec-
tions that perhaps has ever been made in the an-
nals of that corps.
The 2d battalion, 11th Regiment, arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday from Aldershott.
Capt. Saunders's I Battery of Royal Horse Ar-
tillery arrived at head-quarters, Woolwich, from
Norwich, was yesterday inspected on Woolwich-
common by Colonel D'Aguilar, C. 8., in the absence
of Colonel Lake, C. 8., who was seized a few weeks
ago, on parade, with a sudden and severe attack of
paralysis, which it is feared will incapacitate him
for further service. The troops, whose guns have
been exchanged for the Armstrong, went through a
course of offensive and defensi're movements, and a
general round of field manoeuvres, and acquitted
themselves with marked satisfaction.
It was yesterday announced at Woolwich that
the Whitworth 80-pounder gun at present deposited
in Woolwich Dockyard, and which was recently
fired off at Shoeburyness against the iron-clamped
Aides of the Trusty, has been purchased by the War

Department for experimental purposes, to be car-
ried on under the direction and supervision of the
most experienced artillery officers. The expri-
nients will take place on Southsea-common.
The screw steam transport in the service of the
War Department, the Lord Panmure, Mr. 11. T.
Moore, commander, sailed yesterday from Wool-
wich Arsenal, laden with the following store:::
2,500 boxes of Martin's patent shells for firing
liquid metal, 1,600 boxes containing 8 inch sh.?lis,
150 ditto 32-pounders, 135 ditto CS-pounders, and
150 boxes of solid shot; together with 1,000 pen-
t-non improvedpowder cases, eight heavy glin,ar..
riages, &c.