The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-22 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

The new buildings erected at the Royal Engi-
neer establishment, Chatham, to be used as lecture
rooms, schools, model rooms, and for other purposes
connected with the instruction of officers and men
of the Royal and Indiaa Engineers, are approach-
ing completion, the Government contractor em-
ployed in their erection having received orders
to complete them with the utmost despatch.
The, new buildings form one complete side of
the Royal Engineers' barracks at Brompton, and,
being built on each side of the handsome memorial
arch erected to the officers and men of the Royal
Engineers who fell in the Crimea, they have a very
imposing appearance. The entire work has been
carried out under the personal superintendence of
Col. Twiss, commanding Royal Engineers at Cha-
tham garrison, and every care is d;rected to be
taken that, all the apartments into which the build-
ings are divided are furnished with every requisite
to enable the Engineer officers and men to prose-
cute the particular studies to which the various
portions of the edifice will be appropriated.
A succession of lectures to the troops at Wool-
wich has commenced for the season by authority of
the General commanding the garrison, Sir R. J.
acres, K.C.8., a lecture having been given by
each of the following officers, viz. :—Col. E. N.
Wilford, Royal Artillery, Governor of the Royal
Military Academy, who lectured on the study of
universal history illustrated by reference to Eng-
lish history ; the Rev. G. C. Williams, chaplain to
the forces, on electric telegraph ; Mr. Wharry,
Superintendent of the Royal Artillery schools, on
China and the Chinese ; Mr. W. Y. Dent, of the
Arsenal, on the atmosphere and its relations to
animal and vegetable life ; and also by first-class
schoolmaster Kirk, on natural phenomena. The
lectures have been severally attended by upwards
of 2,000 persons, principally belonging to the corps
of artillery, all of whom manifestly appreciated the
efforts thus made for their intellectual advancement.
The lectures were profusely illustrated by scientific
as well as amusing experiments and diagrams. Mr.
Dent's experiments elucidating his lecture on the
atmosphere were loudly and deservedly applauded.
It is due to the efforts of Mr. Dent to state that,
although he is not immediately attached to the
garrison, he has voluntarily rendered a similar ser-
vice to the troops on various other occasions. The
French class, recently instituted by Sir R. Dacres
for the non-commissioned officers of the regiment,
has likewise shown the importance and utility of
the undertaking, as, from the favourable reports of
the class which have been officially transmitted to
Portsmouth, Plymouth, and other garrisons in
which brigades of the Royal Artillery are quar-
tered, communications have been received at Wool-
wich in order to ascertain the system employed by
M, Baron, for the purpose of introducing a like
system with them.

Capt. Mercer's 3d battery, 4th brigade field ar-
tillery, yesterday embarked at Woolwich, on board
the troopship Norwood, Capt. Bristow, for Auck-
land, New Zealand. The battery consists of Capt.
Mercer, in command; Second Capt. W. H. Wat-
son, who has proceeded by the overland route to
prepare the horses for the use of the battery on
their arrival; Second Capt. A. S. Hunter, Lieut.
H. C. Magenis, Lieut. A. T. Pickard, and Assist.-
Surg. W. Temple, M. 8., 256 non-commissioned
officers and men, and 22 women and children. They
were played to the place of embarcation in the Ar-
senal by the Artillery band, and were accompanied
by Brigade Major Shaw, Major Reilly, C. 8., Aide-
de-Camp to the General, and Major Field, Deputy
Assist.-Quartermaster-General. The Norwood re-
mained at her moorings for the night, and was to
sail early this morning for her destination.