The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Field-Marshal the Duke of Cambridge, attended
by his aide-de-camp in waiting, Colonel C. B.
Johnson, Bengal Royal Artillery, yesterday rode
down to Woolwich, for the purpose, as
stated in
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arrived at Woolwich a few minutes before two, au d,
onngunittee. The Duke
having been received by the Major-General Com-
manding and the staff of the garrison, proceeded to
the Assembly-room iu the Rotunda. The impor-
tant question as to the most effectual method of con-
structing our national defences was entered into, and
many plans were discussed for about two hours. The
Duke then returned to London.
A large number of Palliser shot and shell were
yesterday shipped from Woolwich Arsenal for
supply to our foreign stations, in Jamaica, Ber-
muda, and various other ports in the East and
West Indies and the Mediterranean. In order to
meet the demand an additional number of men has
been added to the foundry in Woolwich Arsenal,
and the work is continued night and day. Major
Palliser's 9-inch gun, rifled on the Woolwich prin-
ciple, has lately been received at Woolwich, and has
passed proof with charges of 551 b. of powder and
shot of 2501 b. weight. The gun weighs 121 tons,
of which 10 tons are composed of cast iron,
over coiled wrought iron barrels, weighing 21 tons.
The Ordnance Select Committee arc also carrying on
experiments at Shoeburyness with several 32-poun-
der and 24-pounder cast-iron guns, converted on
Major Palliser's plan into 64 - pounder and
56 pounder rifled guns. These experiments are
being made in order to decide upon the precise
weight of the charges, as well as the sizes of the
bores for the new rifled guns. Various slight mo-
difications of the " Woolwich" system of rifling are
now being tried. Each plan appears to answer
well, and the accuracy of shooting of all the guns
has, it is stated, never been exceeded. The experi-
ments have been made for the purpose of carrying
out the proposal of Major-General Lefoy, president
of the Ordnance Select Committee, to convert the
smooth-bore cast-iron guns which are mounted on
the land fronts of fortifications into rifled guns of
the above-named descriptions.

Yesterday the annual distribution of the prizes for
excellence in shooting to the best marksmen in the
Chatham division of Royal Marine Light Infantry
took place at head-quarters, at a general parade of
the officers and men of the division, under the com-
mand of Col. C. W. Adair. The total number of
non-commissioned officers and men of the division
entitled to prizes for proficiency in shooting is 226,
of whom Private John Rogers, the best marksman
in the division, and the second best shot through..
out the corps of Royal Marines, was awarded a gold
distinguishing badge, and the additional pay of 3d.
per day for twelve months. Ten men in the second-
class received 2d. per day, and wear a gold badge
for twelve months, and 115 third-class shots re-
ceived Id. per day, and wear a distinguishing worsted
badge for the same period.
Yesterday Major-Gen. F. Murray, commanding
the forces at Chatham, attended by the divisional
staff, paid an official visit to Fort Pitt for the pur-
pose of inspecting that establishment. On his ar-
rival be was received by Deputy Inspector-Gen. J.
A. Fraser, M.D., the principal medical officer of
the garrison and the medical staff, by whom he was
conducted through the establishment and over the
various wards and other parts of the hospital, in
the inspection of which he was engaged for some
time.

ller Majesty's screw corvette Cossack, 20, 250-
horse power, Captain Richard I). White, from the
Mediterranean, having been inspected by Vice-
Admiral Sir Baldwin W. Walker, Commander-in-
Chief at the Nore, has now commenced being
dismantled preparatory to her being put out of
commission and placed in the third division of the
steam reserve in the Medway. General John Raw-
lins Coryton, senior officer of the Royal Marine
forces, died on Tuesday last, aged 77. The deceased
General served as a Midshipman in the Royal .Navy