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

81st Regiment, 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-
forceinents 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 arc 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 op.e-
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 kind of 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.l In order to prc-
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.
Col. 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.