The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-07 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER CORPS.

THE INNS OF COURT.
The enrolled members of this corps amount now
to upwards of 400, not less than 100 having been
added within the last week. They are divided
into five companies, composed of from 80 to 90
men each ; two additional drill sergeants have been
engaged, making now five ; and the drill proceeds
daily with great spirit. The name of Mr. Justice
Willes is inscribed on the roll of the fifth company,
but whether as a working or merely an ornamental
member of the corps remains to be seen. Mr.
Justice Crowder, now no more, had also enrolled
himself as a volunteer. Two sons of the Lord
Chancellor have given in their adhesion, and now,
with the rest, daily turn their backs for a time on
the dry study of legal lore to take a turn with the
drill sergeant. Following the laudable example
of their brethren of Lincoln's Inn, the benchers
both of Gray's Inn and the Inner Temple have con-
ceded the use of their corporate halls to the volun-
teers for purposes of drill. Those of the Middle
Temple would seem t) be a little chary in granting
a similar privilege, but it is not thought 'that they
will eventually decline to do so. The volunteers
assertible for drill four times a-day, Sundays ex-
cepted—twice in the morning from half-past Bto
half-past 10, and twice in the afternoon from 4to
6—and chiefly in the hall of Lincoln's Inn, or on
the open terrace outside. Last night, in th• dusk
and in a drizzling rain, they were being " put
through their facings" on the terrace, from whence
the fine, full voice of Sergeant-Major Penyward
and their own measured military march awoke
echoes in the adjacent solitudes. Considering they
have been little more than a week at drill, they
have made remarkable progress. The readiness
and precision of their movements are extraordinary,
and altogether they promise to be a very efficient
body of riflemen.

IIIE 24rAVY.

The Admiralty will issue a circular to the Navy
in a few days, adapting the late regulations of the
Horse Guards respecting flogging in the army to
the naval service.
Admiralty orders have been received by Capt. G.
Goldsmith, C. 8., Superintendent of Chatham Dock-
yard, directing a number of additional shipwrights,
artisans, artificers, and labourers to be imme-
diately entered at that establishment, for the pur-
pose 9f completing the vessels of war now in course
of construction. The number of additional men to
be entered includes GO shipwrights, 20 sawyers, 10
smiths, 30 labourers, and a proportionate number
of millwrights, plumbers, moulders, and the other
trades.
Her Majesty's iron steam troopship Vulcan, 6,
Commander Store, from Portsmouth, with troops,
and hound for Kingstown and China. was com-
pelled to bring up in the western bay of Falmouth
on Sunday, owing to a very strong gale at south-
west, and remained on Monday.
The screw line-of-battle ship Algiers, 91, re-
joined the Channel Fleet at. Portland on Sunday.
The vessels now at anchor there are the Royal Al-
bert, 131 (flag ship); Hero, 91 ; Aboukir, 91 ; Al-
giers, 91 ; Trafalgar, 91 ; Mars, 80; Mersey. 40
_Diadem, ; Blenheim, 00; Donegal, 101; Part-
ridge, 0; and the Biter, 2.
The Narcissus, 31, was taken out of No. 3 dock
in Keyham steamyard on Monday, and the Revenge,
91, was put in.
The announcement in our yesterday's impres-
sion of H.M.S. Himalaya being under orders to
proceed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, was, by a mis-
take, rendered Halifax, United States.
The Fawn, 17, screw, Commander R. B. Cator, at
Spithead, is expected to proceed to Portland as
soon as the weather moderates.
The Deed ante, 51, screw, will test her machinery
to-day in the steam basin at Portsmouth.
Captain Kennedy, Lieuts. C. E. Macdonald and
G. Johnson, and 80 non-commissioned officers and
rank and file of the Woolwich division of Royal
Marine Light Infantry, arrived at head-quarters-on
Monday night from her Majesty's screw steamship
Princess Royal, paid off at Portsmouth.
No. 1 screw steam transport, Thunder, yesterday
went down to Greenhithe from Deptford, laden
with war, commissariat, and victualling stores, and,
after shipping 100 tons of powder, she will be swung
for the adjustment of compasses, and sail for her de-
stination. The Patrician was yesterday chartered
by the War Department to embark stores from the
military department of Woolwich Arsenal. The
Ida, lanthe, and the Eclipse have arrived at Wool-
wich Arsenal ; and the Trinculo was yesterday
taken up, also the Japan and the Jabez.
The steam transport Dee, Mr. T. Pullen, RN.,
sommanding, will sail from Woolwich this morning,
conveying boilers and other gear for the Narcissus
and Jason, under construction at Devonport.
Admiralty instructions were yesterday received
at Woolwich, directing Commodore the Hon. Sir
James Drummond, superintendent of the dock-
yard, to countermand the sailing orders of
the iron stoamvessel Weser, Commander Raby,
(V.C.), destined to leave Greenhithe yesterday for
the River Plate, under convoy of the screw steam-
sloop Mutine, Commander Graham, to Portsmouth.
The Weser is pronounced on all hands to be ill-
adapted, if not absolutely unsafe, for a long sea voy-
age at this season of the year, and from her extreme
depth under water, and, as reported, the probability
of danger, a number of the crew have already de-
serted. It is consequently considered highly pro-
bable, as already stated in The Sun, that she will
be replaced for the voyage by the Hecate.
The result of experiments on board her Majesty's
iron paddlewheel steam vessel Bloodhound, the
Parramatta, Tyne, and other ships, with Messrs.
Day and Company's patent marine cement, for
coating the interior of iron vessels, having proved
satisfactory, the Lords of the Admiralty have di-
rected the application of the cement over the bilge
bottom plates and rivet heads on the inside of the
iron paddle steamer Harpy, lately from the Medi-
terranean. The process was commenced yesterday
at Woolwich, and will be carried out on board
other ships in the Royal Navy. The cement con-
sists of an enamel, which resists the influence of
moisture and the destructive effect of the
chymical action of acids in bilge water, and is
produced from salt, sugar, coal-dust, guano, arid
other materials. It requires about five hours to
melt into a hot lava state, is applied after a
preparatory coating of patent composition over a
clean and dry surface, and is pronounced cheaper
and better than paint.
Last week Col. Greene and Mr. Wilberforce sur-
veyed the land to the north of the steam yard at,
Keyham, with a view to the extension of that esta-
blishment. The land in que,tion belongs to the St.
Aubyn estates, and the foreshore to the Duchy. of
Cornwall. It includes Weston Mill Creek, which
is close to the powder works at Bull point. Should
the Government succeed in making the purchase, it
will then possess nearly all the eastern coast of
Harnoaze, from Plymouth Sound to the Albert-
bridge at Saltash.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty:—Capt. F. Campbell, to the
Neptune, vice Capt. Sir Wrn. Hoste; Capt. George
Parker, to the Vulture, vice Capt. Campbell ; Com.
Wm. Thorp, to the Asia ; Lieut. H. H. Boys, to te
Chesapeake, on the China station; W. H. Fawcker,
master additional, to the Cu:nberland ; C. Bawden,
master, to the Asia, for service in the Bacchante ;
E. J. H. Tucker, master, to be agent of transports
on board the Thunderer ; E. Youel, master, to the
Centurion ; J. G. H. 'l'hain, master, to the Con-
queror ; J. G. Risk, surgeon, to the Conqueror ; W.
Smith, surgeon, to the Centurion ; the Rev. H. A.
Middleton. chaplain, to the Centurion ; the Rev. T.
Davies, chaplain, to the Conqueror ; G. F. Parker,
naval instructor, to the Conqueror ; A. Tarmine,
naval instructor, to the Centurion ; J. Fisher and J.
Bishop, assistant surgeons, to the Centurion ; T.
APGahan and W. J. Eames, assistant surgeons, to
the Conqueror; W. A. Dinnen, chief engineer, to
the Conqueror ; E. Crump, chief engineer, to the
Centurion ; E. T. B. Bird, Ist class assistant engi-
neer, to the Conqueror ; J. Moir, acting 2d class
assistant engineer, to the Conqueror ; J. Lanksbury,
acting 2d class assistant engineer, to the Centurion ;
G. F Williams and W. Fenton, 8d class assistant
engineers, to the Centurion ; J. G. Taylor, 3d class
assistant engineer, to the Conqueror ; John Gordon,
Kenneth M'Caskill, and Andrew Kennedy,
acting 3d class assistant engineers, to the Con-
queror; D. Wilson, acting 3d class assistant engi-
neer, to the Centurion ; B. C. llitchcock, master's
assistant, to the Urgent; C. R. Alarcon, master's
assistant, to the Centurion; G. W. Burnett, master's
assistant, to the Conqueror ; W. B. V. Farron, pay-
master, to the Centurion ; F. Mundy, paymaster, to
the Conqueror; E. J. Giles, paymaster additional,
to the Impregnable; T. N. Stote, paymaster, to the
Triton, promoted; C. G. Smith, paymaster, to the
Greyhound ; A. Whiffin and H. S. B. Giles, assis-
tant paymasters, to the Centurion ; H. Millett and
W. H. S. Batt, assistant paymasters, to the Con-
queror ; H. M. Harrison, clerk, to the Conqueror ;
M. O'N. Markham, clerk, to the Centurion ; and C.
W. Cole, assistant clerk, to the Conqueror.

THE A RACY.

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Major-Gen. Bloomfield, Inspector-General of
Royal Artillery, attended by his aide-de-camp and
accompanied by Col. li. Pester, commanding the
Western District, Major and Adjntant Penn, and
the Captains of Batteries, made a close inspection
on Monday of the new quarters of the Royal Ar-
tillery in the Plymouth citadel. The men were not
drilled at the gun exercise, as intended, in conse-
quence of stormy weather and heavy showers.
The A troop of the Royal Engineer Train, under
the command of Captain Siborne, numbering two
officers, 90 non-commissioned officers and men, and
120 horses, with all the stores, left Aldershott camp
on Alonday, to join head-quarters at Chatham for
the winter. The troop is expected to reach
Brompton-barracks tomorrow•
A circular has been issued from the War-office,
directing that, in consequence of certain arms re-
cently issued to the troops having required easing,
all arms distributed for the future are to have the
locks examined and thoroughly oiled ; military
storekeepers being required to see that these orders
are particularly observed.

PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A NAVAL ARSENAL
AT BIRKENIIEAD.—Mr. John Laird's published letter
hiving drawn attention to the advantages presented by
Birkenhead as a site for a naval arsenal, the Birkenhead
Commissioners held a meeting on the subject yesterday, at
which the following resolution was adopted :—"That the
establishment of one of the Government dockyards and
arsenals in the neighbourhood of Wallasey Pool, as pro •
posed by Mr. Laird, would, in the opinion of the board' be
of advantage to public as well as local interests, and that
Mr. Laird therefore be authorised and requested to seek
the co-operation of the members for Lancashire and
Cheshire, of the Mersey Dock Board, and all other interests
concerned, and to take such other steps as he shall deem
expedient to give further effect to his proposal."
PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Pazir
is about d, and the short exchange on London is 2.5.111
per £1 sterling. On comparing these rates with the Eng-
lish Mint price of £3 17s. 10d. per ounce for standari
gold, it appears that gold is at about 2-10ths per cent. deare.
in Paris than in London. By advises from Hamburg the
price of gold is 423 per mark, and the short exchange on
London is 13.31 per £1 sterling. Standard gold at the
English Mint price is therefore about 3-10ths per
cent. dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of ex-
change at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight
is about 1091 per cent., which, when compared with the
Mint par between the two countries, shows that the ex-
change is in favour of England ; and, after making
allowance for charges of transport and difference of inte-
rest, the present rate leaves little or no profit on the im-
portation of gold from the United States.: