The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-29 00:00:00

its quality, the duty of breaking each of the
pigs the quantity of iron sold will be under-
taken by Messrs. Ryland, who will be paid at the
rate of Is. 6d. per ton for this work, in addition to
their commissions on the sales. The Admiralty order
also directs the sale of 2,000 tons of the ballast iron
in store at Sheerness dockyard, on the same condi-
tions. The circumstance of the iron requiring to be
broken before it is sold will render the entire 4,000
tons useless as ballast iron should the Admiralty
terms not be accepted. It is worthy of remark that,
notwithstanding the comparatively high value of
the ballast iron, the experience of the last few years
has completely proved that in a dockyard like
Chatham, in which the traffic of enormous armour
plates, with the heavy slabs, plates, and iron beams
used in the construction of iron ships is going on at
all hours of the day, the granite tramways laid
down require renewing and repairing at intervals of
a few months, while, on the other hand, the passage
of the heavy weights has no perceptible effect over
those portions of the yard where the tramways are
laid with pigs of iron.
An order has been received from Admiral Eden
to dispose of the old stock of anchors now in Wool-
wich dockyard in the most advantageous manner.
Some of them have lain in the yard since 1846,
and uow occupying a space of ground on the wharf
uselessly. Some of those of the most recent date,
it is stated, are to be issued for moorings and
for the use of coasting vessels, &c., and as the
metal has been proved to be of good quality, an
application has been made to Mr. Martin, one of
whose self-canting anchors has just been put on
board her Majesty's ship Industry, to break up the
remainder of the stock and reforge the metal in the
construction of new anchors under his patent.
The Winchester, lndiaman, Capt. Gideon, be-
longing to Mr. George Marshall, of 18, Philpot-
lane, London, arrived at Spithead on Saturday,
from Calcutta, with the head-quarters of the 98th
Regiment on board, in the following strength:—
Col. F. Peyton and Mrs. Peyton ; Capts. S. C.
Walker, T. T. Sirripson, and C. H. Griffin ; Lieuts.
B. Wolselsy, W. O'Toole, J. G. Ballantyne, and
H. J. G. Robinson ; Ensigns H. Boileau and A.
Abbott ; Surg. A. Humfrey, Mrs. Humfrey, and
child; Lieut. and Adjt. R. Townley, Quartermaster
M'Gregor and Mrs. M‘Gregor ; 341 men, 27
women, and 36 children. Eight died, and two
were born on the voyage. The troops were disem-
barked from the ship at Portsmouth dockyard on
Saturday evening, and joined the left wing and re-
gimental depot in the Cambridge barracks in the
garrison. The Winchester sailed from Spithead
again for London at 5 30 a.m. yesterday.
The camp at Aldershott is now receiving con-
siderable accessions of troops, which will shortly
enable the Lieut.-General commanding to com-
mence the field-day season with an adequate force,
if not with quite the usual number of regiments.
On Thursday the 70th (Surrey) Regiment, under
the command of Lieut.-Col. W. Cooper, arrived at
the North Camp from Dover. The marching in
strength was 39 officers, 45 sergeants, 20 drum-
mers, 531 rank and file, 45 women, and 61 chil-
dren. The regiment is quartered in A, B, and C
lines, North Camp. On Friday the first squadron
of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, under
the command of Capt. the Hon. 11. Chilton, ar-
rived from Liverpool. The squadron consisted of
5 officers, 71 men, and 78 horses. The second
squadron, under the command of Captain H. E.
Bridges, and consisting of 5 officers, 68 men,
and 75 horses, arrived on Saturday. The third
squadron, under the command of Capt. C. MiDon-
nel, consisting of 5 officers, 82 men, and 85 horses,
will march to-day, and the head-quarters and the
remainder of the regiment, under the command of
Colonel Shute, on Saturday. The regiment is quar-
tered in E, F, and I lines, North Camp. The 2d
Royal Surrey Militia, the recruits of which have
already undergone a fortnight's training, will leave
Guildford to-morrow afternoon, and proceed by
train to Tonghani, whence they will march to the
South Camp and occupy G, H, and M lines. The
Ist Royal Surrey Militia will leave Richmond early
on Wednesday morning and proceed by the South-
Western Railway to Farnborough, whence they will
march to the South Camp, and occupy C, B, and F
lines. The Hants Militia will leave Winchester early
on Wednesday morning for Farnborough, whence
they will arrive about 11 o'clock, whence they will
proceed to the South Camp, and take up quarters in
P, Q, and L lines. The Oxford Militia and the
Berkshire Militia will leave Reading by the South-
Eastern Railway on Wednesday morning, and pro-
ceed to the North Camp. The Oxford Militia will
occupy K, M, and 0 lines, and the Berkshire Militia
D, G, and H lines. The 72d Highlanders, from
Edinburgh, are also expected to arrive at the Camp
about the middle of May.

The man Coleman, belonging to the 18th Royal
Irish Regiment, at Aldershott, who a short time ago
sustained serious injury at ball practice by a shot
fired by Private Edward Halpin, of the same regi-
ment, notwithstanding the amputation of his right
arm, is progressing favourably towards recovery.
Halpin has been tried by court-martial on the charge
of making away with one round of his ammunition.
He was found guilty, and sentenced to 42 days' im-
prisonment. One half of the punishment, however,
has since been remitted.

Considerable dissatisfaction is heard in the ranks
at Aldershott concerning the " extra pay" which the
men believed was granted to the army on the recom-
mendation of the Recruiting Commissioners, and
which they expected would take effect from the Ist
of April. This is the all-absorbing topic in the camp,
and an official intimation on the subject is anxiously
looked for.

OLD AMERICA.*

(From the Anglo-American Times.)

It is with difficulty the European mind admits the
fact, that instead of being new, North America is a
continent old to the human race. Tbat North
America was peopled by tribes in comparatively ad-
vanced stages of civilisation is proved beyond ques-
tion, by the remains extending from the Isthmus of
Panama to the shores of the Canadian Lakes.
So completely have we imbibed the notion
that America was a terra incognita, inhabited
by a few tribes of roving wild Indians, till
discovered by Columbus and other adventur-
ous seamen, that it is with some incredulity
we learn of unknown cities, crumbling amid the
forests of Central America—of pyramidal temples
and tumuli, entrenched camps and fortifications,
walled towns and villages, amphitheatres and pic-
torial grottoes, embankments and bridges, towers
and obelisks, wells and aqueducts, high roads and
causeways, gardens and artificial meadows. That
these vestiges are there, there can be no doubt—
what they prove is the question. Every now and
then we are told of the discovery of a city amid
silent jungles, 200 miles away from the nearest path,
which speaks as eloquently of former life as the ex-
cavated remains of Pompeii ; as full of temples,
pillars, and sculpture as any city of Egypt or Greece.
That such vestiges not only attest former inhabi-
tant; and also a certain degree of civilisation, can-
not be questioned ; but we are left with no other
clue to their history or attainments than these signs
afford. They have passed away, leaving no written
record behind them—no characters to translate, no
emblems to decipher. In the works themselves,
however, when properly interpreted, much infor-
mation will be obtained. If a city implies citizens,
a temple implies a worahip—a fortification, war—an
arrow, a hatchet, the implements—embankments
and bridges, engineering skill—highroads and cause-
ways, traffic—gardens and artificial meadows, agri-
culture. By a study of the architecture the notion
may he gleaned of the country from which the art
was derived and its period. By the formation of
the houses an idea is conveyed of the habits of the
inmates. The pottery and implements tell some-
thing of their customs. A careful investigation of
the material and the known influence of time on
certain portions, may give an approximate know-
ledge of the date of erection.

Much in this way may be done to bring to light
the history of races of men who have long since
disappeared from these scenes of their labour,
" bequeathing to posterity no written nor even a