The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-15 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The companies of Royal Engineers at present
stationed at head-quarters, Chatham, have been
greatly strengthened by the arrival within the past
few days of a number of detachments for the pur-
pose of augmenting the companies ordered out to
India. The 4th, 10th, 11th, and 21st companies
are ready to embark at a moment's notice. They
will be provided with every description of sapping
and mining tools, batteries, photographic appara-
tus, and every other requisite for this branch of the
service. A large number of the Sappers and Miners
proceeding to India were employed in the Crimea
and took part in the destruction of the great docks
at Sebastopol. The whole ofthe non-commissioned
officers and men ordered to embark have been me-
dically inspected, in order that none but troops in
sound constitution may proceed to India.
Col. H. J. Savage, Commanding Royal Engineer
at Chatham, having been appointed Commanding
Royal Engineer at Gibraltar, vice Col. W. C. Ward,
has been succeeded at Chatham by Col. W. Biddle-
comb Mario*, R.E.
Since the recent arrival of the large number of
recruits for the various East Indian depots at Chat-
ham garrison considerable exertions have been
made by the authorities at the Provisional Batta,-
lien to have the whole of them instructed in the use
of the Enfield rifle, orders having been given that
every man before pronounced fit for embarkation for
India must have undergone a course of instruction
in that weapon.
Yesterday morning the depots of the 73d and
77th Regiments left the camp at Colchester, wherq;
they had been quartered for some months, for Ports,
mouth, on the way to Jersey. The 73d, comprising
170 non-commissioned officers and men, were under
the command of Captain Renny, the other offi-
cers with the depots consisting of Captain Wil-
liams, Lieut. Mackenzie, Ensigns Rayley, Piggott,
Sharpe, Warren, and Clarke. The 77th, under the
command of Brevet Lieut.-Colonel H. R. Carden,
consisted of 110 men, and the following officers :
Capt. Long, Lieutenants Armstrong and Dooley,
Ensigns Jordan, Davids, Jackson, and Bridges.
The 6th Dragoon Guards left Aldershott on Sa-
turday for Brighton.
The greatest activity prevails in the Royal Labo-
ratory Department, Woolwich, in preparing the
elongated pluggsd bullet for the East India Com-
pany's service. One million of these newly-in-
vented bullets were forwarded from Woolwich to
the docks for transport to Bengal ; and two mil-
lions of the same species, packed in cases contain-
ing 2,000 each, wereyesterday shippedfor Bombay,
together with shot, shell, and ammunition, for the
troops already embarked.
The Hydaspes lies off the Royal Arsenal Pier in
readiness to embark the troops under orders for
Calcutta. The embarkation, however, according to
present orders, will not take place before Thursday.
A couple of cast-iron guns, a portion of the
trophies from the late Russian war, were yesterday
for'arded from Woolwich Arsenal, by order of Lord
Panmure, for presentation to the city of Exeter.
The length of each gun is Bft. bin., and the relative
weight is 58cwt. 2qr. and 57cwt. 2qr.
The naval transport Diligence, having discharged
her cargo of returned war stores from Gibraltar, is
ordered to be docked and overhauled.

The screw steam-vessel Rifleman, 8, late from
that south-east coast of America, having been dis-
mantled, was yesterday paid. off at Woolwich. She
is ordered to be stripped of her engines, which re-
quire new framework, and will be docked to go
through a complete overhaul.
The number of recruits sent to head-quarters,
Woolwich, from the Artillery detachments stationed
in various out-quarters shows that the gap created
in that force by the recent despatch to India will
be speedily filled up. During the month of
August the number of recruits admitted at Wool-
w:ch is stated to be about 800, and during the past
week 150 were recruited at Woolwich alone, the
majority of whom were growing young men, from
the age of 18 to 20.
The Royal Dragoons have given 24 volunteers to
the 7th Dragoon Guards, about to embark for India,
and the Scots Greys 21. The 12th Light Dragoons
have given 20 volunteers to the 17th Lancers, also
under orders for India.

The 3d Light Dragoons, at Newbridge, under
Col. Unett, are held in readiness at short notice to
march ear'y this week to Dundalk, there to relieve
the Bth (Royal Irish) Hussars. One troop is sta-
tioned in Belfast, and another is quartered in Cork
Bmacks.

The Bth Royal Irish Humus, Dundalk, under
Lieut.-Col. de Salis,. are held in readiness at short
notice to march for Newbridge, to replace the 3d
Light Dragoons, and occupy the barrack there till
ordered to Dublin to prepare to embark for India.
Strength-25 officers, 500 non-commissioned offi-
cers, trumpeters, farriers, and rank and file, 50
officers'-ehargers, and 350 troophorses.
The Commander-in-Chief at Devenport, Vice-
Admiral Sir Barrington Reynolds, G. C. 8., is so
much bett€r that he is to proceed on leave of ab-
s nee into Cornwall, the duties of the port in his
absence being carried on by Rear-Admiral Super-
int ndeut Sir J. H. Plumridge, K.C. B.
Mr. Hemsley, in charge of the Rendezvous at
Sunderland, is succeeding admirably in entering
volunteers for the Royal Navy. Since the early
part of last month he has sent off five drafts of good
s-amen and stokers, and fresh hands are dropping,
in every day.
The Arrogant, 47, screw, in No. 2 dock at Perfor-
m ,uth, has had additional hands placed on her to
complete her repairs as s--,on as possible. She has
alinwt had half a new bottom, the old timbers and
planking of which were found to be much decayed.
She was launched iu 1848.

The Cuckoo, 3, paddle, Lieut.-Commander A.
G. E. Murray, has left Sheerness for Chatham, to
take a portion of the crew of the Trincomalee,
which will be paid off this day at Chatham.
The Diadem, 32, screw, Captain Moorsorn, C. 8.,
will be supplied with Griffith's intent screw pro-
peller, and Cli&rd's parent safety-boat gear appa-
ratns.

The Russell, 60, screw, block ship, is still in
Si:eel-1104s basin, fitting s'owly. There are, how-
ever, 1-1,„ enders whether she is t..) fit for commission
or not. •

OUR
during the cast
NAVAL FORCES 1N AUGUST.
The chancres •
Imnothte
have been important only on
disposition of our naval forces
increase of seamen granted by
Pt7rlisa'au:tei(XhlsTeitntlehsetermineent been made or it has not
entering
availed thenuelves
Whe Royal Navy.
Loon felt, or few
of the of portunities of
of
32__Eourssloned in
The number of men
laze corvette
August was ,!ix, viz., the new
Capt.
frigate
Diadem, 800--horse power, by g
0.13., complement 475 ; the
16-guu
p:ciaiMe
cOOOrSOM,
Valorous, 400-horse power, by Capt.
complement 220 ; the Styx, 6, paddle, 2804111
power, complement 165, by Commander Courtenay • I
the Conflict, 8, screw, 400 horse power, comple-
ment ment 165, by Commander Vesey ; the Ferwardand.
Skipjack, 2, screw gunboats, 60 horse power, com-