The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-06 00:00:00

TEE NEW CONTROLLER OF THE NAVY.

The Post makes an announcement, about which
hints have already been thrown out. Mr. Reed, the
present Chief Constructor of the Navy, whose
attempts at shipbuilding have caused so much
criticism, is to leave that post for the one of
" Controller of the Navy." Mr. Reed is a man
whom the Lords of the Admiralty delight to honour.
Only recently, hearing he was ill, they promptly
raised his salary very considerably.

THE SERVICES.

It is simultaneously announced, with many expres-
sions of satisfaction by both the Broad Arrow and the
United Service Gazette, that the privilege is to be
granted to assistant-paymasters to count all their
time, the same as officers in the other branches of the
naval service. The first-named paper repeats,without
vouching for the truth of it, a rumour already in circu-
lation, thatthe authorities intend to adopt the segment
shell, notwithstanding a doubt which exists of its
superiority over the Shrapnel. Other men in office
have under consideration another hard question—
the sale of the "Woolwich and Deptford Dockyards.
Several proposals have been made in respect of

them.
The dress of the soldier, so continually discussea,
nas again been considered, with the result oil
another reform. The new alteration is contemplated
In the dress of Eitle Brigade and other regiments.
It consists in the substitution of a bearskin busby
with upright green plume, for the light shako and
and small ball ; and an embroidered sash either
around the waist or over the shoulder.
The Army and Nary Gazette does not see the
utility of the new arrangement; though,by the way,
it seems rather designed for ornament than use.
"Is (asks our contemporary) this alteration (in these
days of crack rifle shooting) for the purpose of
enabling an enemy to mark their man more easily?
It has hitherto been considered advisable to keep
riflemen from being seen as much as possible, and
that was the cause of the crimson sash they formerly
wore being done away with, and everything kept as
dark as possible. If this change be adopted, it would
appear that the reverse is now the object, and that
they are to be made targets of, in place of being kept
dark." _ _

Mr. Childers, it is further staled., is employing the
time on his cruise in a most satisfactory manner as
far as the services and the public are concerned. He
is "finding leisure" to mature, by the help of the
'• most experienced and intelligent officers in the
service with whom he is sailing, a scheme of retire-
ment for the navy. The by no means Ministerial
Army and Navy Gazette, prophecies that he will do
well. _ _

The United Service Gazette calls 'attention to two
serious evils • one as regards the health of our sol-
diers in India, the other concerning the morals of our
borne officials. The first has attention drawn to it
by a correspondent, who thus fully states his com-
plaint :—" The portion of the regiment stationed at
Allahabad has suffered very severely during the
late hot season, having lost seven serjeanfs,
and eighty-five men, women and children within
three months." The " big men "at the dock-
yards are furnished with an intimation that it
is all very well for them to censure the small officials
for accepting" tips," but they are not betterthan other
men. They are only doing much the same thing as
their weaker brethren. So long as the notorious
" patronage" system continues, so long as the
men up aloft, who sneer at and condemn
their humbler brethren7 make promotions and ap-
pointments from other motives than for the good of
the services, they are not competent to call in ques-
tion other people's honesty.