The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-21 00:00:00

THE ARM}

The whole of the dismounted guns and carronades
at the various forts and batteries at Chatham garri-
son having been returned into store by the detach-
ment of the depot brigade, Royal Artillery, Lieut.
Ritchie, the officer in command, received orders yes-
terday to commence returning into the care of the
principal storekeeper at Chatham the shot, shell,
ant other stores belonging to the obsolete armament,
after which the detachment of Royal Artillery will
rejoin headquarters at Sheerness.
A 24_pounder and 12-pounder rocket tube, with
frame complete, having been issued under War-
office authority, instructions have been received by
the Royal Artillery stationed at Chatham and Sheer-
ness for the officers and meu to be instructed in the
use of that description of missile. Several other
newly-invented stores for instructional purposes
have also lately been received at those stations from
the factory at Woolwich.
The strength of No. 4 Battery, 9th Brigade Royal
Artillery, which has arrived at Chatham from Ire-
land, at which garrison it is to be permanently sta-
tioned, consists of 8 sergeants, 2 trumpeters, 161
rank and file, and 96 horses, with the following
officers, viz. :—Major N. M, I. Mackay, in command
Capt. B. G. Humfrey, Lieut. H. Palliser, Lieut. W.
Browne, and Lieut. J. A. Campbell. The equipment
of the battery consists of six 12. pounder Armstrong
guns, each of 82 cwt., with carriages ; six ammuni-
tion waggons, with limbers; one forage waggon ;
one store limber waggon ; one light forage waggon;
and one store and one medical cart. The battery is
completely packed and ready for immediate service.
During its march from Bristol, at which port the
battery landed from Ireland, the officers and men
marched en an average 24 miles a•day.
On Thursday morning two troops and the head-
quarters of the Ist Roy al Dragoons, numbering
about 100 men, and as many horses, besides officers,
under command of Lieut.-Col. Wardlaw, arrived in
Liverpool by one of the City of Dublin Steamship
Company's steamers, en route from the Curragh of
Kildare. They proceeded by the London and
North-Western Railway to, Birmingham.- ---,
Capt. Walker, 66th Regiment, Lieut Bayley, 54th
Foot, and Lieut. Owen, 88th Regiment, all sta-
tioned at Colchester Camp, are under orders to leave
their depots and proceed to the New School of
'Musketry at Fleetwood.
Col. Dixon, C. 8., Commandant of the 9th Depot
Battalion, Colchester, has been removed from the
discharge of his duties by a sudden and severe ill-
ness, which has left him in a very critical condition.
Colonel Grey, C. 8., has minutely examined the
hospital in Colchester Camp, and the men who are
considered from bad health unfit for further ser-
vice, and has been pleased to express himself highly
satisfied with the general aspect of the hospital ,
which is under the superintendence of several effi-
cient staff and battalion officers, with a party of the
Medical Army Corps as subordinates. The battalion
schools and the general mess of the troops were
also inspected by the commanding officer.
Yesterday a party of the sth Dragoon Guards,
consisting of 5 officers and 95 men, arrived at Ips-
wich from Aldershott. Another party, of about
the same strength, arrived at Chelmsford yesterday,
en route for Norwich. The whole force to be sta-
tioned at Norwich and Ipswich will probably not
arrive before Monday or Tuesday.
On Wednesday a variety of athletic sports took
place at Warley barracks, near Brentwood, under
the patronage of Col. Hay, commandant, and the
other officers of the depot.

PERILOUS VOYAGE FOR A SMALL

VESSEL.

The arrival of the steamer Hotham, from Mel-
bourne, on Thursday, says the Sydney _Herald, in
face of the late heavy weather, is a rare instance of
what may be accomplished by perseverance and
judgment. The fact of a vessel of only ten tons
starting on a voyage from Melbourne to this port is
of itself an extraordinary undertaking; but when
we add that her voyage may be considered as only
commenced (her destination being the gulf of Car-
pentaria), it appears something wonderful. This
miniature ship is a screw steamer, as before stated,
of only ten tons ; built in London, and brought out
on a vessel's deck. Her length is about 35 feet, and
she is fitted with a pair of oscillating engines of the
collective force of 14 horses, and is capable of carry-
ing three days' consumption of fuel. The after part
of the steamer is fitted as a cabin for the accommoda-
tion of the crew, which consists of five persons, in-
cluding her master and engineer ; and we are in-
formed that she will steam in smooth water at the
rate of eight knots per hour, besides being remark
ably fast under canvas, which consists of fore and
successful
main lug
Wyse,ugsails whoseHothamTh Theis
and
by
Captain passage
from England to Hobart Town, in the yacht
Spray, of 20 tons, is familiar to our readers. She
left Melbourne in tow of the A. S. N. Co.'s steamer
Rangatira, on the Bth inst., but on the following
day it came on to blow hard from the eastward, and
she had to be cut adrift. Owing to the heavy sea,
the vessel shipped large quantities of water ; the
reefed fore-lug was accordingly set and she stood to
the northward. During the afternoon the wind fell
light, and she was hove about and stood to the S.W.
On the 10th at daylight, the wind again freshened
at E., the vessel standing to the S.S.E. for the pur-
pose of keeping well to windward of the Ninety-
mile Beach. At two p.m. it blew heavy, with high
sea, the vessel under close reefed fore-lug. At five
p.m. it was blowing a violent gale, NN, hen it was
found necessary to furl the lug, and, by means of a
spar and a hawser, the little craft was kept head to
sea. At four a.m. on the 11th, the hawser parted,
and she was then hove to under a close-reefed main
lug. Throughout this trying time she behaved ad-
mirably, and all through a succession of gales
frdom
to
N.W., S.W., N.E., and S.E., which continlueen
her arrival in this port, she proved herself a se
.p dl
sea boat. Of course, in such weather, sboensyl Pe
com-
large quantities of water, which
b preclude
pletely drenched everything on b
for five days. Some
the possibility of lighting
boxf the main shaft will
little defect in the stuffing- o
have to be corrected before she again proceeds on
her lengthy voyage for the Gulf, for the purpose ofsearching
after Burke s exploring expedition, from
which place she will probably go to India. Captain
Wyse is anxious to return his sincere thanks to
Capt. Hutton of the steamer Phantom, for his kind-
nes and attention in towing the Hotham from Man-
ley, where she had anchored on Wednesday night.