The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-11 00:00:00

THE ARM'.

The interesting ceremony of decorating the non-
commissioned officers and men of the Royal Engi-,
nccrs who served during the late campaign in
India took place at the head-quarters of the Royal
Engineer establishment,. Chatham, on Wednesday
afternoon, at a full parade of the whole of the
officers and men of the Royal and Indian Engi-
neers. Of the companies of Royal Engineers who
served in India during the eventful period of 1857-
58 the 4th is the only one which has returned to
head-quarters, the others having proceeded from
India to China, the Mauritius, and other parts of
the world. In addition to the non-commissioned
officers and men of the 4th company, medals were
also awarded to those of other companies several
of whom are now at head-qua'-ters. The 4th com-
pany served likewise during the whole of the cam-
paign in the Crimea, and, on being drawn up to
receive their well-earned Indian medals, most of
the non-commissioned officers and men displayed

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The companies and detachments of Royal and
Indian Engineers having been drawn up on the
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parade-ground,
Engineer establishment, advanced to the centre,
attended by all the officers of the Staff at the head-
quarters. The non-commissioned officers and men
to be decorated, about 96 in number, wore then
paraded in front by Lieut.-Col. Collinson, when
Col: Harness, addressing them, expressed the honour
and pleasure he felt in being deputed to present the
medals which had been awarded them for their ser-
vices in India. Distributed as the corps of Royal
Engineers was all over the world, it was rarely the
commanding officer had to perform the pleasing duty
which now devolved upon him. The pleasure he
experienced in distributing the medals on that occa-
sion was greatly enhanced by the circumstance that
he had served with most of the men who now stood
before him, and could therefore speak from his own
knowledge of their bravery and devotion. Speaking
to the remainder of the men who were drawn up
before him, the gallant Colonel reminded them that
it was a great honour to the recipient of suck a
distinguishing mark of her Majesty's approbation
as was now conferred on the non-commissioned
officers and men selected to be decorated with the
Indian medal. He would exhort them therefore to
do everything in their power to maintain the high
position the corps now held. Colonel Harness then
distributed the medals to each of the recipients,
many of those decorated having three or four on
their breasts already, including the Caffre, Baltic,
and Crimean medals. One of the recipients, Ser-
geant Lendrim, in addition to wearing three medals,
is also decorated with the Victoria Cross, which
was awarded him for conduct of unexampled gal-
lantry and heroism, and on being presented with
the Indian medal, was particularly complimented
by Colonel Harness. After the whole of the medals
had been distributed, the companies marched past,
and the interesting proceedings terminated.
Lieut. Col. S. D. Broughton, Ist brigade Garri-
son Artillery at Woolwich, some time under arrest,
was yesterday granted three months' leave of
absence, on the expiration of which period, he
will be permitted to retire from the service on
half-pay.
The state of the river off Woolwich dockyatd and
Arsenal was yesterday extremely embarrassing to
the shipping. The Admiralty yacht Black Eagle
remains at the floating coal depot, unable to be sup-
plied, in consequence of the difficulty of obtaining
a passage for the labourers from the ship to the
shore. The communication from the flagship is
only kept up at the ebb and flow of the tide, when
the flakes of rough ice separate, so as to admit a
passage of the boat, which is guided by means of
boat hooks and a strong hawser run out from the ship
to the landing steps. The master of a collier
vessel, lying in the bight below the Arsenal, yes-
terday put off a boat's crew to purchase provisions
in the town. They left their vessel at 11 a.m., and
did not make the pier till half-past 3 p.m., when,
by the assistance of rope and planks supplied by
Mr. Pellet, of her Majesty's War Department
steamer Balaklava, they' were enabled to effect a
landing.