The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-25 00:00:00

THE ARM F.

The Lineluden Castle, 960 tons, Commander D.
Maclellan, has been taken up by the Hon. Council
of India to convey 320 of the East India troops to
Bombay, the troops to embark at Gravesend on
Saturday next. The Eveline has embarked 300 of
the East India troops for Calcutta.
The baggage of the 2d battalion of the 15th Foot
was shipped on board her Majesty's steam troop
ship Urgent, Commander M'Donald, RN., along-
side of the Portsmouth Dockyard yesterday after-
noon, and the troops will embark this day.
An extraordinary instance of self-mutilation by
a soldier, with the view of disqualifying himself
for further military service, has just occurred at
Chatham garrison, a private of the depot of the
81st Regiment, named George Drower, having
deliberately shot off his right leg with a ball from
his rifled musket, in order thereby to obtain his
discharge from the regiment. The occurrence took
place in 'one of the barrack rooms of St. MaTT's
Barracks, where the 81st depot is stationed. The
man, who is of a moody, sullen disposition, was
seen to load his musket, after which he deliberately
pointed it at his leg and fired, the ball shattering'
the limb below the knee. He was at once conveyed
to the garrison hospital, where the remaining por-
tion of the leg was immediately amputated by Dr.
' Maclean, the principal medical officer. Since the
occurrence Drower is very anxious for it to be un-
derstood that he committed the act under religious
excitement, and his conversation with the autho-
rities of the hospital would lead to the supposition
that he is labouring under a monomania on the
subject of religion; but, from what is known of
him during the short time he has been in the
service, there is little doubt that he wilfully muti-
lated himself to obtain his discharge. As Wan
as he is able to leave the hospital he will be brought
to trial before a court martial, the Mutiny Act mak-
ing it a serious crime for any soldier to maim him-
self. This is not the first instance at Chatham of
a soldier deliberately mutilating himself to be dis-
qualified for military service, a man having blown
off one of his hands, and another chopping off a fin-
ger. In both those cases the offenders were tried
and sentenced to long periods of imprisonment.
Yesterday a district court-martial assembled at
Chatham Barracks, under the presidency of Lieut.-
Colonel A. P. G. Ross, Royal Engineers, for; the
trial of Sergeant Carey, of the 29th Regiment, on
charge of having been found in a state of intoxica-
tion when on guard. The prisoner has been up-
wards of 20 years in the service, and has hitherto
borne a very excellent character. The finding of
the court will not be known until it has been con-
firmed by the Commander-in-Chief.
In spite of the numerous failures which marked
the early progress of the newly established iron gun
foundry in Woolwich Arsenal many of the guns
which have latterly been turned out appear to pos-
sess every desirable quality for service. Some of
these guns, however, are ordered to be subjected to
the ordeal of being fired with increased charges of
'powder and shot until they burst, in order to carry
out the " standard" character of that establishment.
The Secretary for War, at the suggestion of the
local authorities, has ordered the formation of a
bomb-proof compartment within the huge mound
of earth recently erected as the proof-butt
for carrying out the project without the risk of ac-
cident. A number of guns, cast experimentally of
inferior metal, will likewise be tested in the proof
cave. Similar experiments were resorted to by the
late Colonel Dundas, for testing the Lowmoor guns,
some of which withstood upwards of 1,000 charges
without evincing any marks of damage.
A handsome silver cup, manufactured in London,
was yesterday received at the office. of Captain Con-
nell's X battery, Ist battalion Royal Artillery,
Woolwich, for transmission to Baroda, in the Pre-
sidency of Bombay, to be presented as a testimonial
from the officers, non-commissioned officers, and
men of the battery, to Colour-Sergeant B. Lanag-
han, upon his removal from the battery on promo-
tion as Sergeant-Major, after an honourable and
lengthened term of 22 years', service, the greater
portion of which was passed in foreign and active
duty in Spain, America, the Crimea, and the East
Indio, and nearly the whole term as a non-com-
missioned officer. The testimonial is intended to
mark the approbation of his officers and comrades
for the efficient and soldierlike manner in which he
has performed the many duties of a lengthened and
chequered service. The cup bears the following
inscription :—" Presented to Colour-Sergeant B.
Lanaghan by the officers, non-commissioned officers,
and men of their battery, Royal Artillery, as a
mark of esteem and respect as a man, and for his
Qualities as a soldier."

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