The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-29 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Ordnance Select Committee of Woolwich
Arsenal were yesterday engaged in the final inspec-
tion, preparatory to shipment, of the mountain equip-
ment and the various stores in"course of preparation
for the Abyssinian expedition. A couple of the pack
saddles, on the self-adjusting principleintroduced by
Lieut. ➢l'Mahon, were examined by Lieut.-Col. E.
Wray, C. 8., one of the members of the committee,
who expressed his regret that the saddles were not
already in store in sufficient numbers for issue ; but
as the present was a case of great emergency, and it
was necessary to commence packing for transport

without delay, they had no alternative but to content
themselves with the old service saddles, with aslight

arrangement to enable the guns to be carried (as
recommended) crosswise on the mules' backs. This,
Lieut. M'Mahon contends, from his experience ob-
tained in the Transport Service, in which he was
engaged in China and the Crimea, is not in con-
formity with the attested regulations approved by
the service; as, when the animals are tethered
together in pickets on the march, and the men are
preparing their meals, it is difficult to keep them from
crowding and rubbing against each other. Even
biscuit-bags and other.light stores conveyed in that
manner, he stated, have been destroyed. The guns
thus protruding on either side of the animal's back,

he added, must be attended with equal if not more
serious inconvenience, whatever advantages the sys-
tem may otherwise possess. One of the M'Mahon
saddles, fitted to the back of a horse 17 hands high,
was then inspected, and a heavy load was attached.
With a couple of minutes' delay the saddle was ad-
justed to the back of a pony 13 hands high, and the
saddle appeared to be equally applicable and adapted
to both. This was highly satisfactory. The saddle
was then taken to pieces, and it was shown that, if
required to be packed in cases for transport itwould
lie perfectly flat, and consequently a large amount
of space would be gained. Lieutenant M'Mahou
suggested that as the saddlery dspartment in the
Royal Arsenal was unusually engaged, a suffi-
cient number of his saddles should be made
by contract, by which much time would be saved.
Five thousand of the old service saddles and an equal
amount of harness were ordered to be packed and
shipped without delay.

Yesterday the troops at Aldershot had a field-day
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divided into two portions ; the first, under the com-
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defending force was under Lieut.-Gen. the Hon. Sir
James Yorke Scarlett, commanding the division at
Aldershot, and consisted of the Ist and 3d infantry
brigades, the cavalry brigade, and several batteries
of horse and field artillery. The enemy was sup-
posed to be marching from Southampton upon the
camp, and to have arrived at Caesar's Camp, where
he had strongly intrenched himself. With the ob-
ject of driving him from this formidable position,
General Scarlett formed up his force in rear of the
Queen's Pavilion, under cover of the hills ' • the
cavalry and two batteries of artillery moved along
the Farnborough-road, also under cover and out of
P:ght of the enemy, and the 3d brigade soon after-
wards debouched upon the Farnham-road, andsilently
awaited the development of the General's plans.
About half-past 11 the enemy opened fire, which,
after a brief interval, was actively.responded to, and
the Ist brigade, advancing from its concealment,
scaled the steep face of Caesar's Camp, while the ar-
tillery maintained a terrific cannonade. On reaching
the top of the hill the regiments (54th, 56th, 72d,
and 80th) reformed, while the enemy retired towards
Lawday-house, on Crondall-road. As he retreated
the 3d brigade moved off the Farnborough-road,
ascended Hungry-hill, and, passing into the valley
beyond, the enemy was taken both in front and in
flank, and forced to retire further towards Crondall.
Now was the time for a General to follow up his
success; and General Scarlett marshalled his force
for a decisive blow. Down upon the apparently
devoted enemy came the whole of the artillery and
cavalry. But the forces of the enemy were by no
means disposed to yield. Rapidly they formed
squares, and resisted the cavalry eo effectually that
at last Gen. Scarlett's division was obliged to retire,
and the rezult was a drawn battle. The whole di-
vision then formed up on Bricksbury Plain, and
marched past, the artillery and cavalry in open
column of batteries at a walk, and infantry in open
column of grand divisions in quick time, and in the
following order : Staff of Cavalry—Major-Gen.
E. C. Hodge, C.B. ; Colonel Hammond, Royal
Horse Artillery ; Major Bishop and B battery, C
brigade, Capt. Watson and .0 battery; Capt.
Timbrell and D battery ; Capt. Chichester and E
battery ; Colonel Pattie, C. 8., and Ist (King's)
Dragoon Guards ; Major Chapman and 4th (Royal
Irish) Dragoon Guards ; Col. Fitzwygram and 15th
(the King's) Hussars ; Col. Elgee and field bat-
teries of the 9th Brigade Royal Artillery; Capt.
Elton and C battery ; Major Fitzhugh and H bat-
tery ; pioneers, bands, drums, and pipes of Ist
infantry brigade ; Staff and Major-Gen. H. Renny ;
major Doom and 04th (WeoGNorf9l.k) Regiment

Major Hunter and 72d Highlanders ; Col. Harrison
and 80th Regiment ; Colonel Lacy and 56th Regi-
ment ; pioneers, bands, drums, and bugles of the
3d brigade ; Staff and Col. Greer (68th Regiment),
Acting Brigadier ; Col. Synge and 43d Light

Infantry ; Col. Cooper and 70th (Surrey) Regi-
ment ; Colonel Shuttleworth and 68th Light In-
fantry ; pioneers, bands, and drums of 2d brigade ;

Staff and Major-Gen. G. Campbell, C.B. ; Major
Geddes and 44th Regiment ; Col. Wyatt, C. 8.,
and 65th Regiment. The Royal horse Artillery,
the Royal Artillery, and the cavalry then trotted

past from the original flank, and in the same

order as before.

As they passed the saluting base

the troops moved to their respective quarters, which
were reached about 2 o'clock. The weather was

very favourable for the manoeuvres, and the ground

selected being well covered with heath, none of the
discomforts of the valley were experienced.
The 70th and 76th Regiments having been re-
cently presented with new colours, with the sanction
of the Field Marshal Commanding-in-chief, the old
colours were on Tuesday deposited with considerable
ceremony in the military church of All Saints at
Aldershot, already graced with similar trophies and

memorials. The ceremony took place at 11 o'clock,

n the presence of Lieut.-Gen. the Hon.-Sir James

Yorke Scarlett, K.C.8., commanding the division,

and a large number of officers, ladies, and soldiers,
the latter representing every corps in the camp, in
full dress, and wearing their side arms and decora-

tions. At the hour appointed the armed escorts,

consisting of two officers and eight sergeants of the

70th Regiment, and the like number of the 44th,
acting on behalf of the 76th Regiment, marched into

the church with the old colours, and proceeded to
the seats allotted them, while the remainder of the

troops stood up. A religious service was then cele-
brated, and at the conclusion of the Morning Prayer
the colours of the 70th_Reghnent were borne up the

centre aisle, while the bands of the regiment played

" The March of the Israelites." On reaching the
altar rail the colours were received by the chaplains
and placed over the altar, the band playing " God
save the Queen," and the escort presenting arms.
The escort of the 70th Regiment then retired, and
the colours of the 76th Regiment were borne up the

aisle and received in similar manner. The Rev. E.

J. Rogers, principal chaplain to the forces at Alder-
shot, then preached an appropriate sermon, which
closed the proceedings.
One officer and 29 non• commissioned officers and
men of the Bth depot battalion have proceeded from
the camp at Colchester to Landguard Fort, Har-
wich ; and one officer, four non-commissioned offi-
cers, and 60 privates of the 4th depot, battalion have
been withdrawn from the Fort. Lieut. Alexander,

of the 32d Regiment, is under orders to join the
depot at Colchester. The next Ensign gazetted to
the 83d Regiment is also to join the depot.
_ _

An order from the War-office has been issued

limiting the number of soldiers who are to receive
permission to marry to 7 per cent. of the whole estab-
lishment of a corps, and further requiring that no
man shall obtain such permission who is not in pos-
session of a goodcouduct badge. At the same time,
the privileges of married soldiers are greatly in-
creased.
The Lords of the Admiralty, who have been en-
gaged upon their annual inspection of Portsmouth
dockyard and its dependencies, left that port yes-
terday morning soon after daybreak for Portland-
roads and Devonport.
In accordance with orders received at Portsmouth

from the Lards of the Admiralty the hydraulic-pro-
pelled gun vessel Waterwitch, 777 tons, 160-horse
power, Commander Philip R. Sharpe, made a speed
trial over the measured mile in Stokes Bay, near
Portsmouth, yesterday, as a supplementary and cor-
rective trial to the series which had been already

conducted there, for comparative results solely, with
the double-screw vessels, the Vixen and the Viper,
and the hydraulic mermaid, the Waterwitch. Capt.
W. C. Chamberlain, commanding her Majesty's ship
Asia and the Portsmouth steam reserve, was in com-
mand of the Waterwitch, according to the usual
custom, as laid down by the Admiralty orders, dur-
ing the trial. Mr. James Steil, the Admiralty in-
specting officer of machinery, and Mr. Barnes,
Assist•►nt Chief Constructor, from the Con-
troller's Department of the Admiralty, were pre-
sent in their official capacities. Mr. John Ward,
chief inspector of machinery afloat, represented
the Steam Factory Department of Portsmouth
dockyard, and Mr. J. Murdoch was the represen-
tative engineer officer of the steam reserve. Mr. W.
Brain, Assistant Master Shipwright of Portsmouth
dockyard, was also present, as representing the
Shipwright Department of the navy. The draught
of water of the ship was—forward, 10ft. Bin.; aft,
lift. 2in. Her mean draught was 10ft. llin. The
wind was at a force of from 2 to 3 from west to
west-south-west; the sea was, therefore, undisturbed
at the path of the vessel's progress through the
water, and the best possible results were got out of
the ship under her conditions of trial. Six runs
were made with full-boiler power, and four with
half-boiler power, the figures obtained being as
follows :—At full-boiler power the ship made in
first run 9.113 knots, and 41.16 revolutions of
engines a minute ; in second run, 9.137 knots, and
41.72 revolutions; in third run, 9.524 knots, and
41.90 revolutions ; in fourth run, 8.738 knots, and
41.36 revolutions; in fifth run, 9.915 knots, and
42.76 revolutions ; in sixth run, 8.108 knots, and
4F62 revolutions. The mean speed of ship was
9.219 knots, the mean of the revolutions of engines
41.75 ; the mean steam pressure, 291 b ; and the
mean vacuum, 25.7 inches. At half-boiler power
she made in first run 7.516 knots ; in second run,
4.755 knots ; in third run, 7.214 knots; in fourth
run, 4.950 knots, with a mean of 29 revolutions in

a minute.
The Edwin Fox, sailiag Indiaman, arrived from
Bombay at Spithead yesterday, after a somewhat
long passage. She brought home the following
officers and troops, who were landed from her dur-
ing yesterday afternoon :—Capt. G. L. Carmichael,
95th; Capt. A. W. Lucas, 109th ; Lieut. B. W.
Vidal, first battalion 4th Regiment ; Dr. Cullen,
Bombay Medical Staff ; 59 invalid soldiers, 75
time-expired soldiers, two lunatics, 12 convicts, 11
women, and 33 children.
The iron screw storeship
liesper (2), Staff-Com-
mander Thain, from China, last from Ascension,
arrived in Plymouth Sound on Tuesday evening.
The hired transport Mary Shepherd, with the right
wing of the 12!,11 Regiment, from New Zealand,
arrived on Wednesday morning. The screw steam
passenger ship SDID ersetshire left the Sound on Tues-
day night. The Damascus was appointed to sail on
Wednesday ; both for Melbourne.
Her Majesty's double-screw gun-vessel Plover
was again undocked yesterday at Woolwich, having
been fitted with a three-bladed propeller for a con-
tinuation of experiments, and went down the river
for that purpose on a two days' trial. Comman-
der Dillon was, as formerly, in charge, and
Mr. Trickett, chief engineer of Woolwich dockyard,
superintended the working out the rate of speed.
Mr. Steil and Mr. Crossland also attended from the
Admiralty and the Controller's office.
Mr. Partridge and Mr. Tucker, officials of Wool-
wich dockyard, yesterday took their departure for
Rotterdam, by Admiralty order, to inspect a steam-
ing vessel there about to be despatched for service
to the Suez Canal.
The firm succeeding to the late Capt. Rodger's
patent for the supply of his small-palmed indented
anchors and kedges have announced at Woolwich
that they will in future be made by Messrs. Brown,
Lennox, and Co., the Admiralty manufacturers.
The following appointments were male yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Sub.-Lieut. Arthur W. Mocre
to the Wivern ; George W. Hill, midshipman, to
the Wivern ; Reginald de la Poet- Beresford Pierse,
Montague R. Hayes, Edward D. Ryder, and Wil-
liam B. T. Pruen, naval cadets, nominated.

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