The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The recent letter by Sir Wm. Napier on
the above subject is most timely and valuable, the
more so because an erroneous statement on our
volunteer rifle movement was made some weeks ago
by a military officer of high rank, but of a branch
of the service which has little practical knowledge
of the working of light infantry. I can state a
parallel with the fate of the brave man of the 71st
Light Infantry whose life was uselessly squandered
at the battle of Fuentes d'Onore. During the
battle of Toulouse, when a portion of Lord Hill's
corps attacked that part of the suburbs called St.
Cypriene, my late regiment, the 34th, had to fight
its way through vineyards divided by low thick
stone walls. Near the close of the day I observed
the dead bodies of two men of that company of the
60th Rifles that was attached to our brigade.
When I mentioned the fact in the presence of somo
officers of my regiment, one of them, a lieutenant
of the same company that I belonged to, the
grenadiers, said, " The two men killed by a cannon
ball were two men of the 60th that were crouching
behind a low stone wall. I struck them on the
shoulders with the flat side of my sabre, and
ordered them to stand up like men and not crouch
down like cowards. They did so, and almost
immediately two out of the three were killed by a
cannon ball fired from a light field-piece." Thus
an ignorant though brave man was the cause of the
loss of two valuable lives.

I am, your obedient servant,
Rosherville, Nov. 2. J. NORTON.

THE G.R.EAT EASTERN.

PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY, 4 p.m.

The Great Eastern, Captain Harrison, from
Holyhead for Southampton, hove in sight to the
westward, as observed from the hloe, about half-
past 2 o'clock this afternoon, and was out of sight
in a line with the Mewstone at half-past 8 o'clock,
Plymouth time, when she was passing through a
fleet of trawl sloops. The Great Eastern was under
fore and aft canvas on all her masts, excepting the
one between the two foremost funnels. She carried
colours at her peak ; as smoke was issuing from
the two fore funnels and the aftermost funnels it
was judged that the paddles and screw were both
at work. Her speed was estimated at from 14 to
17 knots, course east by south, direct for Start
Point; the wind southerly, a smart breeze.
THURSDAY, 9 P.M.

Some of the trawl sloops have come into har-
bour. They report that at half-past 3 o'clock the
Great Eastern clewed up all canvas, probably to
press on for night duty. At 4 o'clock she was
approaching the Bolt Tail, going about nine knots,
at which rate she would be abreast of the Start at
6 ; Portland, say 12 ; and reach the Needles at 6
to-morrow (Friday) morning. It is stated that she
was off Penzance to-day at 12.
After sunset the wind increased, and it is now
blowing a strong gale, with much rain.

PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY, 8.30 A.M.

The Great Eastern has just appeared off the east
end of the Isle of Wight, distant about 10 miles,
steering N.E. . _

~.
9.15 A.M.
The Great Eastern is now steaming in, past the
Warner Light, towards the Solent. _
__

9.20 A.m.
The Great Eastern is now passing through
Spithead.

SOUTHAMPTON, 10.45 A.N.

The Great Eastern is in the river, within a mile
of her mooring ground. Several steamboats have
gone down to meet her, notwithstanding the wet,
ancomfortable state of the weather. A salute of
17 guns is firing from the Platform Battery.

COWES, ISLE OF JUGHT.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
NOVEMBER 3.

SHIPPING DISASTERS.

Tho Flora pilot boat, No. 5, has this afternoon towed
into Cowes harbour the Norway brig Duon, Jacobsen
master, from Frederickstadt for Painbumf, timber laden,
full of water, with foretopmast gone, and mainmast by the
deck. The schooner Mary, Brown master, of and for
Cowes with a cargo of coals, foundered to-day off Haesbro
—crew saved. She was the property of Mr. Weather, of
this port.