The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-24 00:00:00

MILITARY AN.

CHESTER, FRIDAY
The dinner took place at four o'clock, in the
Music Hall, at which about 500 persons were pre-
sent. Lord Berners, the President of the Royal
Agricultural Society, in the chair.
Among the guests were his Excellency the Duke
de Malakhoff, the French ambassador ; the Count
de Platen, the Swedish ambassador ; the Marquis
of Westminster, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone,
M.P., Earl Powis, Lord de Tabley, Lord,Londes-
borough, Col. the Hon. Nelson Hood, Earl
Grosvenor, Sir John D. B. Johnstone, M.P., Sir
P. G. Egerton, M.P., Sir W. W. Wynne, M.P.
(who, in the absence of the Duke of Marlborough,
acted as vice-president), the Count de Wesele,
Professor Wilson, Sir S. Glynne, Col. the Hon. D.
Pennant, M.P. Sir C. Morgan, Townshend Main-
waring, Esq., M.P., G. G. Salisbury, M.P., Lord
Portman, Lord Hill, &c.
The usual loyal toasts having been given, includ-
ing " The Foreign Visitors," responded to by the
Duke of Malakoff, the French ambassador, and
Count Platen, the Swedish ambassador ; the toast
of the evening, '• Prosperity to the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of England," was proposed by Mr.
GLADSTONE in an eloquent speech, and was warmly
received.
Lord PORTINIAN then proposed " The Health of
Lord Bernere," the chairman of the society.
His lordship having returned thanks, tee meet-
ing was subsequently addressed by Sir W. W.
Wynne, the Earl of Powis, M. de Tiehonnais, Mr.
W. Tiiherington, Mr. J. Fowler, jun., Mr. Brand
reth Gibbs, Mr. Shackell, and Lord -Delamere.
The usual meeting of the council took place a
10 o'clock this morning, and every person present
expressed satisfaction at the general arrangement
and result of the show.

The following General Order has been pro-
mulgated :

"Horse-Guards, S.W., July 17.
" The competitive examination of officers serving in
die united kingdom, who are desirous of entering the
Staff College, will be held in London, on the 23rd of
August next.
" Commanding officers of R ,yal Artillery, Roy.l
Engineers, and of all regiments and depots of the
Cavalry, Guards, and Line, will, with reference to the
Horn-Guards memorandum, dated 17th of December,
1857, and the General Order of the 3i ult., forward to
the Adjutant-General, for the consideration of the
General Commanding-in-Chief, the application of such
officers as wish to compete for admission, together with
the necessary certificates.
"'The applications should be sent in not later than the
7th of August, after which date the officers approved by
his Royal Highness will be instructed to place them-
selves in communication with the Council of Military
Education, with the view to their receiving the regulc.-
tions for the examination "By order, &c.,
"G. A. WETHERALL."
Major-General. the Hon. Sir James Yorke Scar-
lett, K. C. 8., Governor of Portsmouth, attended by
Lieutenant Colonel Wright, Assistant Quarter-
master-General ; M ijor Adye, R. A. , Brigade
Major ; Captain Thursbay, Aide-de-Camp, &c.,
reviewed all the available troops in Portsmouth
garrison, on Southsea-Common, yesterday after-
noon. All the movements before described were
admirably executed by the infantry and the field-
battery of artillery, ending with a mock attack on
and defence of the town.
Yesterday a very interesting trial of skill took
place between the non-commissioned officers of the
Royal Engineers and those of the first depot bat-
talion at Chatham garrison, for the purpose of as-
certaining
which branch of the service produced
the best marksmen with the rifled muskets now
used by the troops at Chatham. The shooting took
place on the practising-ground used by the troops,
at the rear of the dockyard, adjoining St. Mary's-
creek, and was under the direction of Captain G. .
R. Lempriere, instructor of musketry to the Royal
Engineers, and Capt. K. H. Travers, 24th Regi-
ment, the instructor of musketry attached to the
battalion. A prize of a silver snuff-box, of the
value of six guineas, had been subscribed for by the
officers. The rifle used by the Royal Engineers is
that known as the Lancaster elliptical bored mus-
ket, while that in use by the troops of the line is
the ordinary Enfield musket, used at the School cif
Musketry, Hythe. The experiments of yesterday
exhibited the superiority of the Lancaster rifle .
when placed in practised hands, the practice of the
Royal Engineers being admirable. The range
selected commenced at 350 yards, which was after-
wards extended to 600 yards, each man being sup-
plied with 20 rounds of ball cartridge. The •
number of non-commissioned officers selected to
compete for the prize was eight from each corps.
The firing of the Royal Engineers was very good,
and the average number of " points" gained by each
non-commissiond officer was 15 out of the 20, several
balls in succession striking the centre of the target
at a distance of GOO yards. The average number
of " points" gained by the troops of the line
was only 10.87, although several of the non-com-
missioned officers exhibited remarkable skill in their
use of the Enfield rifle. At the termination of the
firing the prize was awarded to Sergeant Joseph
Gertshore, R.E., who gained the extraordinary
number of 21 "points." During the experiments •
there was a fresh breeze blowing across the range,
which somewhat interfered with the practice.
The following officers, who were recently ap-
pointed from the Royal Military Academy, Wool-
wich, to commissions in the Royal Artillery, have
beou posted :—Lieutenant Mackenzie, to Leith
Fort ; lieutenant Gyle, to Woolwich ; Lieutenant •
Togood, to Devenpo;t ; lieutenant Baring, to
Corfu ; Lieutenant Jones, to Guernsey ; Lieutenant
Bond, to Woolwich ; Lieutenant Pickford, to
Ballincolig ; Lieutenant Barnett, to Portsmouth ;
land Lieutenant Desborough, to Woolwich. They
are ordered to join their respective stations on the
Ist of August, with the exception of Lieutenant
Baring, who has been granted leave of absence until
the Ist of October. The following removals and
exchange of companies have been ordered to take
place—viz., Major Crauford's company, 3rl battalion
Royal Artillery (of field battery) at Leith Fort, to
return to head-quarters, Woolwich, and prepare
for embarkation for India.
Major Pipon's company of the 12th battalion
Royal Artillery, now at Woolwich, to be held in
readiness to embark for Ceylon, to relieve Captain
Taswell's company, 10th battalion.
Twelve non-commissioned officers and 20 gunners
of the 10th battalion Royal Artillery were yester-
day morning medically inspected at Woolwich, and
are ordered to proceed on recruiting service to
Scotland, for the purpose of filling up the vacancies
created by draughts afforded to that battalion in
India, some of the companies in Woolwich having
been reduced to 20 and 30 men.
Major the Hon. W. Yelvertou's company, 9th
battalion, is to take up the horses and equipments
from the Y field battery, ordered to India, and
will form a new battery, to be called No. 16.
In consequence of good service performed by:
Gunner George Dandy, of the 7th battalion Royal
Artillery, her Majesty has been pleased to sanction
the restoration of his services, which he forfeited by
disgraceful conduct.
The Commander-in-Chief has ordered the prac-
tice of carrying loaded shells in the limbers and '
c Images of troops and field batteries to be discon-
tinued pending the receipt of further orders.
Orders were yesterday issued at Woolwich front
the Commander-in-Chief for the A and K troops of
Royal Horse Artillery, now at Woolwich, to pro::
teed to Shoeburyness, to go through a course 01
practice ; and Brevet-Lieut.•Colonel Campbell 'e
eompenv, at S'-ocburyn,.., will return to Wool'
with. The term necessary for the troops to remain
at Sboeburyness will be left to the discretion of the
officer commanding there.
Admiral Lord Lyons struck his flag on board till
Royal Albert, at Spithead, yesterday morning, an
went on leave.
The Victor Emmanuel, 91, was commissionsa
yesterday, at Portsmouth, for C gotain.John Moore'
C. 8., by Mr. W. J. B. Hilliard, Master R.N. Sll°
will have a complement of 860 officers and men.

The Castor, 36, arrived at Chatham on Thursdai
night, and was immediately moored alongside the
Gloucester, 50. Yesterday she commenced Teturo-
ing stores into the dockyard, and as soon as she beg
been stripped and dismantled she will be paid oft
James Farrell y has been appointed acting•as3ist•
ant-surgeon to the Tortoise ; James R. Andersovif.._
assistant-surgeon, to the Arrogant ; John N. Col,
borne, clerk, to the _Hydra • ' and Alfred P. Frei
'
man, assistant-clerk, to the Formidable.

THE UNITED KINGDOM LIFE ASSUP
ANCE COMPANY.

The United Kingdom Life Assurance Compag
held their twenty-fifth annual meeting on Fidel l'
at their offices in Waterloo-place, London, wh,,,,en
the chair was taken by the Hon. F. Scott, 1111.-C
Statements of accounts, from the formation of
the
company down to the end of last year, were I°l
before the meeting and unanimously adopted, frool
which it appeared that their annual income fr°1:11
premiums alone reached the large sum of 111,000/.1
irrespective of interest upon their accumulated
funds, which are all invested in Government 011,,,
other approved securities, and increased ft,°.:;
593,9301. to 617,801/. during the year, after p$Yl"
every claim. These were 65,8701., being less to
8,8301. than those of the preceding year, owinik„
fewer policies by 31 having fallen in. The nurauv"
of new policies issued was 357, assuring an age.:
gate sum of 218,5501.. and producing an additi''
of 8,247/. to the company's annual income. Durt
lag the list ten years the new business carried 0"e
by the company amounted to upwards of 1h:14
millions and a quarter, represented by 4,737 Police:ll3
and producing in new premiums no less a sum Or
120,(58Z 16s. 3d. The sum assured by each poll
from the commencement averages 7171.—a W.,
which testifies strongly to the eligibility of the eln
with whom the company transact business, statitle
showing that the average duration of human 11
is, as a general Jule, measured by the greater.°o
less advantages enjoyed in respect of social posill°,,.
and command of pecuniary means. Some time egwet
when public attention was directed to the stibjr
of the days of grace allowed fur payment of 114
assurance premiums, the directors, who have ablii:fe..
held payments within the 21 days to be validkohd,
solved that, in cases of death within that perl.4
the premium may be deducted from the 00"0
assured when the claim is paid. This arrangeo,o
has given general satisfaction, for in many °',7;,cl
great clistres of mind has arisen to widow° 'to
others dependent on the proceeds of a policialoct
say nothing of the inconvenience to relatives
friends in providing means to pay the over-L.oy.
premium before there is a legally appointed rep
sentative of the deceased's estate.

.OPJ
THE INSFEOI.OIIS OF COAL MINES.—We are :a;
to find that death and accident have been at ,-
amongst her Maj3sty's inspectors of coal niii3eitl)
class whose duties bring them so torch in contact -tof
both. Herbert Mack orth, ,F. G.S., the /o°,lloo
for the Monmouthshire and Bristol district, ()tog'
the 13th inst.; too hard work, both of mind 04 foe*
having apparently brought him to an early Sid
He was 34 years °Logo, and was nephew to the
10 Tied.
Digby Mackwortb, Bart., wh'se daughter he 061fosil'
Thomas Wynne, Feci , the inspector for North St!: /roll
shire, Shropshire, and Cheshire, is still suffei."''...,btfP
the effects of an accident ; and it seems 6°"%fite
whether he will be ale to resume active life'
chester Rum than,