The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-07 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

81st3.tegiment, 30 men of the 87th Royal Irish
Fusiliers, 24 men of the 94th Regiment, and 35
men of the 98th Regiment. The number of rein-
forcements despatched to India by the authorities
since the month of June has exceeded 5,000 cavalry
and infantry troops of all ranks, which number
includes those under orders to embark at Graves-
end during the, next few days. ,
Preparations are making at Chatham for break-
ing up the camps occupied by a portion of the troops
belonging to the Ist and 3d battalions at the Spur
Battery and Prince Henry Bastion. It is expected
that the whole of the depots now under canvas will
be removed into barracks during the present week.
The experiment of encamping the East India troops
at Chatham has been attended with such satisfac-
tory results that it is the intention of the autho-
rities during another summer to form there a camp
for each battalion on an extended scale, and to
place a still larger number of the troops of the line
under canvas. From the periodical reports made
to the authorities by the-medical officers doing duty
at the camp it appears that the percentage of sick-
ness among the troops encamped has decreased in a
surprising degree when compared with the num-
bers on the sick lists quartered in the barrack-
rooms. This is to be accounted for from the fact
that the most stringent rules and regulations have
been laid by the military authorities, and most
scrupulously adhered to, to enforce order, regula-
rity, and cleanliness in every portion of the camp.
Every description of noxious matter is at once
removed to some distance from the camp, and the
proper remedies are applied to prevent its tainting
the surrounding atmosphere. Nearly all the ope-
rations of the troops are performed in the open air,
the tents being reserved almost exclusively for
sleeping apartments. A large portion of ground has
been set apart at each camp as a kindof playground
for the troops, and even this trifling concession has
been attended with advantage, for it has been
ascertained that there is less disposition on the part
of the troops under canvas to remain absent after
the appointed hour for their return to camp in the
evening than among those quartered in barracks,
while many spend their whole evening in various
games on the ground provided for them, who would
otherwise resort to the low beer-houses and public-
houses which abound in Chatham.' In order to pre-
vent the soldiers suffering from damp each tent is
provided with a number of small portable bed-,
steads, elevated a few inches from the ground of
a kind made expressly for use in camp. Each man
has one of these to himself, the number being ap-
portioned to the size of the tent. The arrangements
for cooking for the troops have undergone consider-
able improvement, the new ovens and baking places
which have recently been erected enabling the
whole of the food for the camp to be cooked with
the greatest ease and facility. It is perhaps to be
regretted that means cannot be adopted to prolong
the existence of the camp until the season is some-
what more advanced, as there is no doubt that the
troops infinitely prefer living under canvas to being
compelled to take up their quarters in overcrowded
barrack-rooms.
Information was yesterday received at Woolwich
of the death of Gen. T. A. Parke, C. 8., who was
promoted from the command of the Woolwich divi-
sion of Royal Marines Nov. 11, 1851. The general's
decease took place at Southampton on Saturday last.
C01..T. Brown, at present at the head of the divi-
sion, thereby becomes major-general, and retires
from the command, which, in succession, will de-
volve on Col. Stransham, second commandant at
Woolwich.
The Royal Marine Infirmary under construction
at Woolwich is progressing rapidly, the basement
story being complete, and the flooring beams of the
first story already laid down. The beams, girders,
&c., which are of iron, have been inspected by the
engineer officers of the dockyard to test their capa-
bilities for rendering the establishment fire-proof as
intended. The north front facing the river will
contain several exterior balconies at the first floor
windows, to give the patients an easy access to the
open air, and the advantage of enjoying the pro-
spect which the site so admirably affords.

Col. W. F. Forster, the Deputy Adjutant-Gene-
ral, by the direction of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, the General Commanding in
Chief, has issued a notification that the following
rule hall be substituted regarding the service, &c.,
of soldiers who become candidates for the appoint-
ment of army schoolmasters, in reference to the
Circular memorandum of the 9th of January of the
present year :
" No non-commissioned officer will be taken under the
ranlz of corporal, or who was not more than 25 years of
age at the time of admission to the normal school as a
tulent.
" Should the candidate ultimately attain the rank of
'schoolmaster, the term spent at the Military Asylum will
not count as either military or schoolmaster's service, but as
heretofore, it will continue to be received as military service
should he fail, and be returned to his regiment.
" All soldiers, on re-enlistment as trained army school-
masters, will be required toresign one-half of their previous
military service." _ -

Col. Moody, Royal Engineers, Capt. J. M. Grant,
Capt. H. R. Luard, Lieut. A. It. Lempriere, and
Lieut. 11. S. Palmer, Mr. Siddell, staff assistant-
surgeon, 1 sergeant-major, 1 quartermaster-sergeant,
8 sergeants, 8 first-corporals, 8 second-corporals, 8
lance-corporals, and about 100 sappers of the Royal 4
_Engineers, with their families, embark on the 15th
inst. on board the clipper ship Thames City, 1,500 •
tons burden, for British Columbia, sailing round
Cdpe Horn. The detachment is composed of picked '
volunteers, and embraces almost every trade and
profession—surveyors, draughtsmen, engravers,. 4
artists, architects, photographers, carpenters, ma- 1
sons, blacksmiths, painters, miners, &c., such as ]
only the Royal Engineers can produce. They are
armed with the Lancaster rifle and Colt's rc- 1
volvers, and take out with them provisions suf- ;
ficient to last for some months, and an immense
quantity of clothing and materials of every
description likely to be required by the expedition 4
in the new colony. We understand that steam-
engines,
railway rails, and other mechanical ap-
pliances, either for steam or water power, will be
sent after the party. The non-commissioned
officers and men are to receive a liberal rate of
eaofltoeuial
ry, apd, as a further inducement to them,
be sie arsfaithful service a grant of land is to
the colony. appropriated, to such as are desirous to settle in
engaged in
the
eom the known character of those
expedition, if supported by the
Home Government,e
succeSsful issue. ConsiddeTibt is entertained of a
17-ir.cotohe practical abilities
and experience of Colonel'
and the other officers
goodthe expedition
appointed, Captain Grant,
to account.
undoubtedly will be turned to
The 48th Regiment is ordered
Corfu,
fisthe 3d
k at
under
Gib-
raltar for Calcutta. The Ist battalion
Regiment, at
Regiment of Foot, at present at
orders also for Calcutta. The 28th
Malta, is to proceed to Bombay, orders t
the ofto
that
effect having been sent out at
ic close the past
week from the Horse Guards. 1 three regents
are to go to Alexandria, and by the ON erl and route
to their respeetiV
e stations in
dia.
The 2d battalion of the Bth e.giment of Foot
embarks this day (Tuesday), at Kin,,frstown, for the
Cape of Good Hope.
Orders were ve:iterday issued by the authorities
for 600 of the East India recruits to be held in
readiness to embark for India as soon as the
required amount of tonnage has been taken up for
them. Of this number 300 are to embark for
Bengal between the 20th and 25th of September,
and 150 each for Bombay and Madras between the
26th of September and the Bth of October.
The following reinforcements are under orders to
embark this day at Gravesend on board the Blervie
Castle, 616 tons, Commander G. M'Hardy, for Kur-
rachee, viz.-30 men of the 7th Dragoon Guards,
40 men of the 27th Enniskillens, 10 men of the 61st
Regiment, 15 of the 70th Regiment, 10 men of the

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1858.

the successful termination of the great enterprise of
laying the. Atlantic cable, have resolved, among
other festivities, to welcome the return of those
engaged in the undertaking by a civil and military
procession, and by a presentation of appropriate tes-
timonials. The common council, therefore, respect-
fully beg the honour of the attendance of yourself
and officers at the celebration which is intended
shall take place very shortly after the 23d, in order
that they may have an opportunity not only of
personally testifying to yourself and officers the
grateful sense which the citizens of New York
entertain of your zealous and skilful labours in
that grand project, but at the same time of giving
expression, through you, to all the subjects of her
Majesty, of those feelingS of friendship which must
be strengthened by the magic link between the two
nations, in the establishment of which yourself and
your officers have rendered such important assist-
ance.

CHARLES T. M'CLENECHAN, Secretary.
(Reply.)

TO CHARLES T. M'CLENECHAN, SECRETARY TO JOINT
COMMITTEE OF COMMON 'COUNCIL OF NEW YORK.
Sir,—l beg that you will convey to the Common
Council of the city of New York the best thanks of
myself and of the officers of this ship for the honour
they have conferred upon us by their kind invita-
tion of this day, which it will give us most sincere
pleasure to accept if the permission solicited from
the Admiralty should arrive in time.
If not, we shall carry back with us to England
their kind message, as the first-fruits of the united
labours of American and English naval officers.
JOSEPH DAYMAN,
Commander, H.M.S. Gorgon.
St. John's, August 13, 1858.