The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-11 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

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The 7th company of Royal Engineers, which was
placed under orders some few days since to proceed
from head-quarters, Chatham, to occupy the case-
mated batteries just erected within the fortifications
on the Isle of Grain, at the confluence of the Thames
and Medway, for the better defence of Chatham
Dockyard and the naval and military arsenals, will
not leave Brompton barracks until the end of the
present month, a subsequent order having been re-
ceived at the garrison stating that the new barrack
buildings are hardly ready for their reception. The
new fortifications, which have been some years in
construction, are nearly completed. The defences on
the opposite or eastern shore of the Medway, at Gar-
rison Point, which occupy the site of the old Half-
moon Battery, are also far advanced, and in con-
junction with the batteries erected higher up the
Medway, at Folly-point and Darnet-ness, Bishop's-
marsh, will effectually protect the channel of the
Medway to Chatham harbour against the passage of
any hostile vessels. The new.quarters erected within
the fortifications at the Isle of Grain will
accommo-
date between 400 and 500 troops.
Lieut. C. R. Hammond, Ist battalion 4th (King's
Own) Regiment, has been ordered to join the de-
pot companies of his regiment at Chatham garrison,
and Lieut. C. R. Durrant, of the same battalion, to
embark to join the service companies of the re-
giment at Bombay. An order has also been re-
ceived at Chatham garrison directing Lieut. M.
Tucker, 2d battalion 19th Regiment, to join the
depot of that corps.
Major-Gen. A. B. Stransham, Inspector-General
of Royal Marines, Light Infantry, commenced his
spring inspection of the Woolwich division on Wed-
nesday. The whole available strength of the division,
includivg servants and the undisciplined men, were
formed on the common at 3 p.m. in three battalions,
in line of contiguous companies, in chief command of
Col.-Commandant W. R. Maxwell, assisted by
Capt. Julius Bunce as Brigade-Major. The Ist
battalion was commanded by Col. Lambrick, A.D. C.
to the Queen, assisted by Lieut.-Col. Menzies and
Lieut. and Adjt. Straghan. The 2d battalion was
commanded by Lieut.-Col. Louis, assisted by Lieut.-
Col. Stewart and Acting-Adjt. Alston. The 3d
battalion was in command of Col. Suther, C.B. , re-
cently arrived from Japan, who was assisted by
Lieut. and Adjt. Fonblanque. The General arrived
,on the ground punctually at 3 o'clock, and was re-
ceived with the usual salute, after which he inspected
the whole of the battalions front and rear, and then
commenced a series of most intricate brigade
manoeuvres, which were performed with remarkable
steadiness and readiness of action. From the fact
that one-fourth of the men have but recently re-
turned from foreign service, and on account of the
small number of officers now with the division,
many of the companies being commanded by subal-
tern officers who have but recently joined the ser-
vice, the movements of the brigade were more fully
watched and appreciated. On the termination of
the first day's inspection, the Inspector-General
addressed the Brigade-Major and the mounted officers
as a body, and informed them that the general
movements were exceedingly satisfactory. General
Stransham resumed his inspection yesterday at 10.45
a.m., when a battalion consisting of eight com-
panies, of 24 files each, paraded on the Common, and
was put through the various movements of bat-
talion light infantry drill by Lieut.-Col. Louis and
Lieut.-Col. Menzies. The manoeuvres were per-
formed with a celerity, precision, and intelligence
that called forth marked expressions of approval
from the Inspector-General and several officers of
both services who were present to watch the pro-
ceedings. The General afterwards called to the
front Capts. IVebbs and Connolly and Lieuts.
Beadon, Drury, and Gore, who severally put the
battalion, or parts of it, through battalion and com-
pany manoeuvres, and manual, platoon, and bayonet
exercises, which were pronounced creditable and
satisfactory. The inspection was brought to a con-
clusion in the afternoon, when the detachment at
ship's-gun drill, the schools, offices, &e., were visited.
After this examination the General stated that he
felt satisfied with everything he had seen. A de-
tachment of expert shots from the division was after-
wards ordered to be selected, by request of the Ord-
nance Select Committee of the Royal Arsenal and
the War Department, to attend at the practice range
daily, to test the new breech-loading carbines now
under the consideration of Government.

The E and G batteries of Field Artillery of the
9th Brigade, stationed at Hilsea, in the island of
Portsea, were officially inspected yesterday morn-
ing on Soutbsea-common, Portsmouth, by Lieut.-
Gen. Sir George Buller, K.C.8., Lieut.-Governor
of Portsmouth, and general officer in command of
the South-West military district. Sir George Bul-
ler's staff was composed of Colonel Elliot, R.A., ix
command of the Royal Artillery stationed in the
South-West district ; Lieut.-Col. Allison, assist.-
adjt.-gen. ; Major John Breton, town major ; Major
Mackenzie, A.D.C. ; and Capt. Glyn, R. 8., A.D.C.
The batteries were under the command of Lieut.
Col. Vesey, and were composed of 12 rifled
breech-loading Armstrong 12-pounder guns, each
gun drawn by six horses, and- accompanied by
its full field equipment, and complement of
non-commissioned officers and gunners. The ma-
noeuvres appeared to be carried out with great pre-
cision and quickness, but the guns were too light.
The E and G batteries of the 9th Brigade should be
at once armed with the best shell gun known suit-
able for field batteries—the 40-pounder breech-
loading Armstrong—as has already been done with
field batteries at Aldershot.

The hired sailing transports Windsor Castle,
Dilbhur, and Agincourt arrived at Spithead yester-
day morning from India and China with military
and naval invalids and time-expired men on board.
The Windsor Castle, Capt. Pryce, R.N.R., one of
Messrs. Green's Blackwall fleet, sailed from Kurra-
chee on Feb. 5, and arrived at St. Helenaon March
30, sailing thence again on4the following day. Her
passenger and troop list comprisees--Major Boileau,
20th Hussars, in military command of the troops on
board, Mr. Boileau, and three children ; Capt. Cro-
ker, 27th Regiment ; Capt.lo9Khnatchbull, 95th Regi-
ment ; Capt. Bowker,
Hillyard, Rifle Brigade ;Dr Regiment ; Lieut.
Dr. Mikes, ship's surgeon, i.:Praeiai
ettes,BornbayArmy;
medical charge of the
troops ; Mrs. Dalzel and five children
time-expired and invalids ; 16 women, and
men,
children. Three invalids died during tv
andy-g29
The Dilbhur, Capt. J. Purday, sailed fromlco
chee on Jan. 27, and called in at St. Helenaur roan-
March 29. She has brought to England Major A.
Cooper, 33d Foot, commanding troops on board;
Major A. Armstrong, 36th Regiment ; Capt. G. A.
Furse, 42d Highlanders ; Capt. A. Phillips, Bengal
Army ; Lieut. W. Campbell, 79th Highlanders ;
Ensign Luck, 95th Foot ; Assist.-Surg. Mansell,
R.A.,in medical charge of the troops on board; 79
invalids, 259 men time expired, 20 women, and 29
children, belonging to the Royal Artillery, 19th,
a
I:entbL 42d, 51st, 79th, 82d, 90th, and 93d Regi-
ments, and the 3d battalion Rifle Brigade. Oneman
and one child died
Agincourt, ing the passage home. The
naval agent, Capt.sailed
ddurHarvey, Lieut. Dunlop, R.N.,
Hongkong Jan 24, arrived
at Singapore on the 24th of the same month, sailed
thence again on the.
Cape of Good Rope,
1126th, arrived in Simon's Bay,
16th, calling in at st. arcil 9, and sailed again on the
shHelenaexc On the 31st of March.
On the 13th April
She
has Sunderland barque Ada Mary, from sa_nged signals with the
for Simon's
Bay, 38 days out.
brought
home a num-
ber of naval and military
expired men from Hong Kong, who with a few time-
by Assist.-Surgeon Betts, R.N.,
in
lure adoomkpanied
Lieut. Hind, 9th Regiment, and Lieut.
charge,
11th (2d battalion) Regiment. The
v3ineoebinson,
embarked her troops, by the aid of steamers n Agincourtrom
dis-
Portsmouth dockyard, yesterday at Spithead, and
afterwards sailed for London, the invalids being
sent to the Military and Naval Hospitals at Netley
and Haslar, and the time-expired men to the depots
of their regiments, and to her Majesty's ship vic-
tory in Portsmouth harbour. The Agincourt after-
wards sailed for London. The Windsor Castle and
the Dilbhur were both towed into Portsmouth har-
bour yesterday afternoon from Spithead. They
will discharge their troops at the dockyard this
morning, and afterwards sail for London.
The screw corvette Reindeer, 7, 250-horse power