The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-07 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

It is not expected that further Indian reinforce-
ments will be forwarded from the camp at Col-
chester during the current year, but a detachment
will be sent off in the spring. Since the formation
of the camp in 1853 it has supplied many thousand
troops for service in India. The later advices from
India represent the recently arrivei troops as en-
joying pretty good health, the increased attention
now paid to the comfort of the men being not with-
out satisfactory results. During the last few days
Sergeant Rowe, of the 44th Regiment, has been
presented with a gratuity of £l5, and Private
Green of the 88th Connaught Rangers, with
a douceur of £5, for their meritorious con-
duct. The gratuities were presented by Colonel
Bloomfield, Commandant of the Camp, who
complimented the recipients on the honour-
able position which they had attained. There are
now, incluiing the Donegal and City of Dublin
Militia, about 2,500 men in camp.
Dr. Sutherland, Military Sanitary Commissioner,
accompanied by Col. Wulff, chief engineer, and
Capt. Clarke, R.E., visited Colchester Camp, for
the purpose of inspecting the sanitary state of the
barracks and hospital. The sewerage, surface drain-
ing, &c., were minutely inspected; and the Com-
missioners then proceeded to Middlewick Farm,
adjoining the camp, but the result of their inquiry,
and the precise übject of their visit—whether it is
contemplated to enlarge the camp or not—remains
at present a secret.
Ihe draught of Royal Artillery in charge of
Capt. Blakiston and Lieutenants Tottenham, Moor-
som, and Ellaby, under orders for China, was on
Saturday inspected on parade at Woolwich by
Lieut.-Col. Kennedy. After the inspection the
men were supplied with the Victoria rifle, the usual
arm of the service, and were informed that they
would depart from Woolwich this (Monday) morn-
ing and take up their berths on board the troopship
Simoom for transport to China. Six sergeants, con-
ductors of stores, will also take passage with the
draught.
The entire establishment composing the Royal
Gun Factories in 'Woolwich Arsenal is about to be
remodelled, an immediate cessation of casting guns
of every description having been decided on, in
order to give place to the introduction of Sir Wm.
Armstrong's method on the most extended possible
scale. Sir W. Armstrong and Mr. Anderson, con-
ducting the rifled ordnance department at Wool-
wich, were on Saturday summoned to a lengthened
conference with the Secretary of State for War,
on the subject of transferring the whole of the
Royal gun factories to that department which, it
is expected, will be put into effect by official
announcement without delay. The casting metal
on hand, as well as the unfinished brass guns, are
ordered to be handed over to the laboratory to be
appropriated to other uses. One of the experimen-
tal cast-iron ordnance, termed a shunting gun, rifled
on Sir William's principle, has been tested at Shoe-
buryness, and burst under trial. This, together
with other experiments entered into, has borne out
the impression previously formed, that cast ordnance
are not of sufficient endurance to resist the shock
and concussion produced by the rifle bore, and that
wrought, iron alone is applicable for that purpose.
The casting furnaces recently erected will be ad-
vantageously employed in the manufacture of shells
and other purposes ; and the Artillery officers con-
nected with the department will return to their
military duties.
The organisation of the Coast Brigade of Artil-
lery was on Saturday completed, by the appoint-
ment of a number of retired officers of the late Land
Transport and Field-Train Corps as captains, and
seven of the superior non-commissioned officers of
the Royal Artillery, serving at 'Woolwich, as lieu-
tenants, as announced in anticipation in The Sun.

TIIE CONTINENTAL PACKETS.—DOVER, Sunday,
7 p.m.—lt blew another furious gale at Dover yesterday,
ranging frem S.W. to W. The South-Eastern boat, and
the mail-packet with the India mails, came over from
Calais in the evening, ann had very rough passages, but
the wind and sea were too heavy to allow the mail-packets
to go to the Admiralty pier last night. They therefore re-
mained in harbour until this morning, when both left at
daylight, and got to Ostend and Calais safely. To-day the
strong gale has continued, and reports of disasters are flying
about. A barque, dummied, passed up this aftQlllo9ll In
tow of a pilot cuttcr.