The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-26 00:00:00

formed. Some additional trials in pitching and
striking tents will be made before the report of the
board of officers is finally agreed upon.
The detachment of non-commissioned officers and
men of the Royal Engineers employed in the tri-
gonometrical survey of Great Britain, who have been
for some time stationed at Brompton barracks,
Chatham, for the purpose of acquiring a know-
ledge of the Lancaster rifle, having completed
their instruction, have left head-quarters and pro-
ceeded to their various stations to recommence the
survey, which has for a short time been interrupted.
The number of the Royal Engineers who have left
Chatham is 12 non-commissioned officers and 29
men, under the command of Lieut. the Hon. Le
Poer Trench, R.E., who proceeds to Southampton,
which station he will, however, leave for Ayr, in
order to superintend the rifle instruction of the
Royal Engineers employed in Scotland, instead of
sending them to Chatham. On the occasion of the
surveying detachments being inspected, Colonel
Sand am expressed his approbation of their con-
duct since they had been at head•quarters, during
which time, out of the four detachments sent to
head-quarters, only one single man had been
brought before him for any offence.
A large number of gunners belonging to the
Royal Artillery, who are on the eve of terminating
their registered period of 12 years in the corps,
have signified their desire to resign the service.
Many hundreds of that class of men now in India
are about to return home, vast numbers of whom
have written to their wives at Woolwich, announc-
ing their speedy arrival, and have cautioned them
on no condition to accept the Government proposi-
tion of joining their husbands in India, as they have
no intention of entering the second term of service,
which would entitle them to a retiring pension.
When batteries or detachments of artillery are now
placed under orders for foreign service, especially
the East or West Indies, it rarely happens that men
whose period of service is about to expire express
an intention of extending their service, which they
consider is not sufficiently appreciated, as the va-
cancies created by their discharge are filled up
by recruits, at an equal rate of pay. Twenty-seven
gunners belonging to Capt. Milward's field battery
(R.A.), stationed at the camp on Woolwich-common,
whose term of service will shortly expire, have also
intimated their intention of retiring from the army.
A few days ago they were severally questioned on the
subject by Capt. Milward, and were reproached for
their unwise decision of sacrificing 12 years of
highly commended service in the corps, as by re-
maining the second term of 9 years they would be
entitled to a permanent pension of Bd. per day for
life. The men replied that the army held out no
prospects to induce them to continue, and that being
in the prime of life and enjoyment of good health,
they were desirous of looting elsewhere for em-
ployment, and hoped they should obtain a more
profitable return in civil life. Many of these men
are experienced mechanics, and since their enlist•
meat they have considerably increased their know-
ledge in their various handicrafts, and are besides
well versed in the art of gunnery. The inconve-
nience -which the loss of these men inflicts on the
service is consequently of great importance.
The gallant 32d Regiment, which covered itself
with such imperishable glory at the siege of Luck-