The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-20 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The Duke of Somerset and the Lords of the
Admiralty leave town to-morrow morning to
make an official inspection at the Royal Dock-
yard at Sheerness.
Captain John Fulford and Captain William C.
Aldha,m, C. 8., have been granted the good ser-
vice pensions placed at the disposal of the First
Lord of the Admiralty by the promotion to flag
rank of Rcar-Admirals Talavera Vernon Anson
and 'Augustus Leopold Kuper, C.B.
Mr. Thomas Stratton has been appointed staff-
eurgeon to H.M.S. London.
We understand that the Britannia, naval cadet
training ship, Captain Robert Harris, at Ports-
mouth, will be continued in her present service,
the idea of erecting a Naval College on shore
for the training of the cadets having for the present
been abandoned.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Commander Jackson, sailed
from Spithead yesterday morning for the westward.
Her Majesty's yacht Victoria and Albert, Capt.
the Hon. Joseph Denman, and the Osborne, Master-
Commander George K. Bower, sailed from Poi ts-
mouth yesterday morning for Holyhead to convey
her Majesty, the Prince Consort, and Royal Family
thence to Ireland.

The Chameleon, 17, screw, Commander Harding,
shipped her ammunition yesterday at Spithead, and
is expected to proceed to-day to the Pacific.
The screw steamship Sanspareil, 70, Capt. Bow-
year, left Plymouth Sound on Sunday, at noon, for
the Mediterranean, but put back again at 6 o'clock,
and struck topgallant-masts in consequence of
heavy weather from the southward and westward.
The Sanspareil is deeply laden; she has over 300
supernumeraries for the fleet in the Mediterranean,
several Armstrong guns, and a quantity of solid
shot, shells, &c.

It is expected at Plymouth that after Admiral
Smart has escorted her Majesty across the Irish
Sea both the starboard and port divisions of the
Channel Fleet—eight or nine ships—will anchor in
the Sound.

The gunboat Hind left Plymouth yesterday, to
join the Russell, 60, at Falmouth.

A. detachment of the 61st Regiment was under
orders to embark yesterday afternoon on board the
troopship Megmra, in Hamoaze, Plymouth, for con-
veyance to Portsmouth. She would, probably,
leave about 5 o'clock.

An order has been issued that the steel vent-pieces
of the 100-pounder Armstrong guns are to be at
once changed for others made of wrought iron.
Several of the steel vent-pieces have broken lately
on the gun being discharged, and hence the issuing
of the present order, which will be first carried out
with respect to all guns issued to the fleet. All
Armstrong guns in future will not be issued from
store in cases, but in the ordinary way. The fittings
of each gun will, however, be placed in a case, which
will be issued with the gun when served out of
store for service. Thirty 100-pounder Armstrongs
have been received at Portsmouth from Woolwich
by the Vigo hired steamer. The Balaklava ordnance
transport has also arrived at Portsmouth from
Woolwich, with a cargo of Armstrong guns, fittings,
and stores, including nine 100-pounders and 15 40-
pounders. Another large cargo of the same descrip-
tion of weapon is also on its way from Woolwich
to Portsmouth. Many of these guns are intended
for service on board the iron-cased ships, but 100
of the 100-pounders are apportioned for service on
the salient points of the sea face of Portsmouth
fortifications, the original order for 40 of these guns
for the purpose having now been increased to the
larger number.
The contractors' staff have commenced their
preliminary operations on the Horse Sand, for the
construction of the foundations of the marine
forts for the defence of Spithead. With the
season so far advanced, but little can be done before
the summer of 1862. A significant rumour is in
circulation that the authorities do not expect to pro-
ceed any further in the matter than the construc-
tion of the foundations.

E
Under tae rtg ARMY.
into operation for the reorganization of the Royal
Artillery, that branch of the service now consists of
11 batteries, comprising the Horse Brigade, and 16
batteries of the depot brigade. The entire force is,
for administrative purposes, divided into 16 bri-
gades, or separate divisions, each of which is under
the nominal command of a General officer, with the
title of Col. Commandant. The 16 brigades are sub-
divided into 149 batteries, each battery numbering
close upon 200 non-commissioned officers, and gun-
ners, the aggregate total consisting of about 28,900
men of all ranks, exclusive of officers. The follow-
ing is the numerical detail of the officers belonging
to the Royal Artillery on the effective list—viz., his
Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief
colonel, one deputy-adjutant-general, two assistant-
adj utants-general, one inspector-general,l6 colonels-
commandant, 19 general officers; exclusive of the
colonels-commandant, 35 colonels, 70 lieutenant-
colonels, 161 captains, 169 second-captains, 431
lieutenants, 10 riding-masters, 19 paymasters, 27
quartermasters, four surgeons-major, 21 surgeons,
78 assistant-surgeons, and 27 veterinary-surgeons,
giving a grand total of 29,992.
Yesterday, by direction of Major-General Eyre,
commanding at Chatham, 200 non-commissioned
officers and men selected from the Indian depots,
comprising the three battalions of infantry at that
garrison, were marched down to the Ordnance-
wharf, where they were instructed for some time
in embarking and disembarking on board one of
the vessels-of-war in harbour. The whole of the
troops at Chatham aro to be duly instructed in this
exercise in order that the officers and men may
possess a knowledge of embarking and disembark-
ing from sbips before being dispatched to India or
the colonies.
The extensive range of buildings which are
being erected at Sheerness by Mr. J. Naylor, the
Government contractor, are being completed with
the utmost dispatch, in order that the married
soldiers, for whom they are intended, may take
possession of them before the approaching winter.
The block of building is constructed for the accom-
modation of 80 families, each of whom will be pro-
vided with separate rooms,
according to their rank
and the number in family. The building will be
replete with every comfort and convenience, the
rooms being large and very lofty, and the great-
est care will be taken in their construction that
ample ventilation is obtained. The basement
apartments rest on beams laid transversely, at
some distance above, and unconnected with the
concrete foundations, which plan possesses an im-
portant advantage in allowing a current of air to cir-
culate through the whole of the lower rooms, be-
sides securing to the occupants an immunity from
damp. As soon as them quarters are finished it is
intended to reconstruct the old married quarters,
and thereby considerably augment the existing bar-
rack accommodation at Sheerness.

The now depot barracks for recruits of the Royal
Marines is now in full operation at Walmer. A
library and school have just been formed. Each
married man of the establishment has a plot of land
allotted to him for cultivation. The present num-
ber of inmates, chiefly recruits from the three divi-
sions of Chatham, Portsmouth, and Woolwich, is
400, and as a proof of the ad.vantages of removing
young recruits from the temptations incident to
large garrison towns, it is worthy of remark that
dating the throe months since this depot has been
?yelled in no case has an iinmate been charged be-
fore a magistrate.
the new institute for sol diets has been opened at
wn-hall, Sandgate. A reading room is sup-
with
meats daily and of er papers, and refresh-
price. °,frhan.unintoxicati 11 g nature are sold at cost
nised, i "o;llinstitute, whi ch has been well patro-
Gen eral sir fltrorn 4 p.r a. until roll-call.
dant of Wool wic`eha,,.,rd. °acres, K.C.8., Comman-
stahtion"
Royal Artillery Jae district includes the
down to the latter piae,
of Warley, yesterday went
Major Wilward, and in , accompanied by Brigade
racks.
Vected the troops and bar-

Three circular memora adardated the 6th and 7th
August, 1861, received L r m the -War-office, were
yesterday issued at -Wool\ v WI garrison
0. 701.)
(Circular 1
"The Secretary of State for I 'Val-) hwitlishad wider wit,