The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-09 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Yesterday morning the whole of the military forces
at Chatham garrison were formed on Chatham
Lines, at 10.30, in review order, for the purpose of
going through a course of field-day manoeuvres.
On the arrival of General Murray, attended by the
garrison and personal staff, the line gave a general
salute, and after a few preliminary movements ar-
rangements were made for continuing the field-day
evolutions which the rain on Wednesday prevented
being carried out. About noon, however, the rain
again descended in a torrent. This again interfered
with the contemplated manoeuvres, and orders were
issued by General Murray for the troops to return
to their quarters.
The 2d battalion of the 7th Fusiliers arrived at
Spithead yesterday in the hired steamship Belgique,
from foreign service at the Cape of Good Hope, &c.
The troops will disembark this morning, and march
into quarters in the detached ports in advance of
Gosport.
The Cygnet, 4, screw gunvessel, which arrived on
Sunday at Spithead front the North American and
West India station, on Tuesday discharged her am-
munition into ordnance lighters at S,fithead, and
will go into Portsmouth harbour to be dismantled
and paid out of commission.
Her Majesty's screw corvette Scylla, 21, 1,467
tons, 400-horse power (nominal), Capt. Richard W.
Courtenay, was paid off into the third division of
the Steam Reserve in the Medway yesterday, under
the superintendence of Capt. the Hon. A. C. Coch-
rane, C. 8., commanding the Steam Reserve, and
Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., superintendent of the
dockyard. The following petty officers were re-
commended to the Admiralty to receive good con-
duct medals and gratuities for long service and ex-
emplary conduct—W. Strood, captain of the hold,
and 11. Lightfoot, master-at-arms, each a silver
medal and gratuity of £l5; and R. Wingfield, ship's
steward, a medal without gratuity, he being
a naval pensioner. The Scylla has been nearly four
years in commission, Capt. Courtenay having hoisted
his pennant on board in September, 1863, shortly
after which she proceeded to the East Indies and
China, where she has since been stationed, until,
ordered home. Only a comparatively small number
of the officers who originally left England in the
Scylla have returned in her, and a large number of
the original crew were either transferred or invalided
home. On being paid off the petty officers and
seamen were granted the usual period of leave of
absence, at the expiration of which they will rejoin
the flag ships of their respective ports. From the
length of time the Scylla has been in commission
she will require t.ome heavy repairs before being
again despatched to sea.
The order for the change of the Ist Battalion
Grenadier Guards from the Tower to Aldershott
Camp was cancelled on Tuesday, consequently the
battalion will remain at the Tower till the half-
yearly change of quarters.
Yesterday new colours were presented to the 70th
(the Surrey) Regiment, now stationed at Aldershott,
iit the presence of a large assemblage. In consequence
of the incessant rain which prevailed during the
whole morning the ceremony was postponed until
nearly 4 o'clock, when, the weather having cleared
up, the presentation was made on the regimental
parade ground. The regiment, under the command
of Lieut.-Col. W. Cooper, formed up in line and
received Lieut.-General Sir James and the lion.
Lady Yorke Scarlett with the customary salute.
The ceremony commenced with trooping the old
colours, which were borne off the ground, the band
playing " Auld lang sync." The drums of the regi-
ment being piled in the centre of the square the new
colours were unused, the consecration prayers being
read by the Rev. E. J. Rogers, principal chaplain
at Aldershot, the bands of the 68th and 70th Regi-
ments singing the hymn used on such occasions.
The benediction having been pronounced, Lady
Scarlett advanced and handed the Queen's colour
to Ensign F. H. Maturin and the regimental colour
to Ensign the lion. P. 11. C. Plunkett. Lieut.-
Gen. Scarlett briefly addressed the regiment and
was replied to by Col. Cooper. The new colours
were then trooped, and the regiment marched past
in open column, then formed line, and advanced is
review order and gave a general salute. In the
evening the officers gave a dinner, and the whole
regiment was entertained at the expense of the
officers.

The sth (Princess Charlotte of Wales) Dragoons,
under the command of Col. the Hon. S. J. G. Cal-
thorpe, will arrive at Colchester from Ireland soon
after the departure of the Inniskilling Dragoons,
and will be stationed in the cavalry barracks until
further orders. The Commander-in-Chief has
granted leave of absence to Capt. Wilson, 84th
Regiment, from July 27 until retirement from the
service, and to Lieut. the Hon. J. B. Ogilvy, 32d
Regiment, from August 1 until his retirement from
the service.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON AND BLACKWALL.

The report of the directors states that the rent
from the Great Eastern for the half-year ending
30th June had been received, and that a dividend
for that period at the rate of £4 10s. per cent. per
annum might be declared payable on 11th inst. A
clause saving the rights of this company had been
inserted in the Great Eastern Finance Bill. The
total expenditure on capital account amounted to
£2,251,303, leaving a balance of £3,312.

GREAT NOP:DIEM AND WESTERN OF IRELAND.
The 20th half-yearly meeting of this company
was held yesterday at the offices, Park-street, West-
minster—the Earl of Lucan, the chairman, presided.
Mr. B. Room, the secretary, having read the
notice convening the meeting, the report vas taken

as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said he hoped they would consider it satis-
factory. The traffic had increased progressively since
the first half year ending June 30, 186 J, when only
18 miles were open for traffic, and the net receipts
were £876 ; in the next half year 341 miles were
open, and the net receipts amounted to £1,827 ; end-
ing June 30, 1861, they amounted-to £3,080 ; Dec.,
1861, 46 miles open, to £4,188 ; ending June, 1862,
57 miles open, to £4,071 ; Dec., 1862, 711 miles
open, to £5,463 ; thence from June, 1863, to Dec.,
1865, the net receipts were respectively £7,624,
£7,660, £7,878, £7,285, £7,495, and £9,085. End-
ing June 30, 1866, 83 miles were open, and the net
receipts amounted to £10,476 ; ending Dec., 1866,
to £10,402 ; and ending June 30, 1867, the net re-
ceipts were £12,034, and the gross receipts £18,961.
Of course they would perceive that the receipts in
the past half-year were considerably larger than in
any previous half-year. With respect to the divi-
dend, they would agree with the directors that in
the present state of the money-market and the diffi-
culty in raising motley it would be most unwise to
pay dividend on the ordinary stock at such a time,
when it was necessary to raise money to pay their
debts, and which could only be raised at an exorbitant
rate of interest. The directors hoped that the ex-
tension of 111 miles to Foxford would be completed
for traffic in the autumn. It was not the intention
of the directors to recommend any furthur works to
be constricted—(hear, hear)—and they felt that
the condition of the company would be sound and
good when that was done and the debts paid. It had
been found impossible to increase the capital so as
to pay off the floating debt of £30,000 in conse-
quence of the total distrust that existed in all rail-
way securities. A portion of the debt had cost the
company a serious amount for interest ; in fact, so
much, that the directors recommended in the
strongest manner that every effort should be made
by the shareholders to meet that charge, and thus
place the finances of the company in a perfectly
sound condition. To do this holders of ordinary
stuck to the amount of £5OO and upwards were told
in the report that it would greatly serve the interests
of the company if they would rateably accept the 6
per cent. preference stock according to their respec-
tive holdings, and thus liquidate the present floating
debt of £30,000, and remove all difficulties in the
payment of future dividends.
Mr. J. PARSON seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report, and it was carried unanimously.
On the motion of Lord Crofton, seconded by Mr.
Hank ey, a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per
annum on the original preference stock, at the rate