The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-05 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Various experiments were yesterday made in
Hyde Park, in the presence of the Duke of Cam-
bridge, the General Commanding-in-Chief, for the
purpose of fully testing the advantages to be de-
rived from the adoption of the several inventions of
Captain Grant, R.A., for providing the means of
cooking rations for an army in the field or during
a march by the process of baking, boiling, steam-
ing, &c., and also the novel mode of converting
cooking utensils into pontoon rafts, or a bridge, by
means of which an entire regiment or division
might at a time of emergency pass over a river of
considerable width. Three battalion and one hos-
pital waggon, fitted up with oven, stewpan, boil -
ers, &c., left Woolwich at seven o'clock, and were
escorted to London by a complete battery of Royal
Artillery and a detachment of the Military Train
corps, the latter having charge of the tents re-
quired for an encampment. On arriving at Hyde
Park the battery was met by a detachment of the
Grenadier Guards and the band of that regi-
ment, and an encampment was immediately
formed near the Serpentine. A large number of
spectators were present to witness the novel scene,
and it was arranged that the whole of the troops
should dine under the tents at one o'clock. The
rations,consisting of meat, soup, and vegetables, were
cooked in an excellent manner by means of a fur-
nace, which supplies the apparatus in each waggon,
and pontoon ovens, which are heated by fires made
in trenches. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge arrived on the ground about two o'clock,
accompanied by numerous officers, to witness the
mode in which the passage of troops may be effected
by means of the pontoon ovens or stoves. Two
rafts were quickly formed with a number of these
utensils, and these crossed and recrossed the Ser-
pentine with four men on each raft with the utmost
ease. His Royal Highness put various questions
to the inventor, Captain Grant, and expressed his
satisfaction with the result of the experiments. A
review of troops by his Royal Highness will take
place in Hyde-park on Saturday next.
The 27th company of Royal Engineers, under the
command of Capt. A. W. Durnford, vacated the
camp at Aldershott yesterday morning, and in the
afternoon marched into Chatham garrison, and
joined head-quarters at Brompton barracks, pre-
paratory to embarking for the Mauritius. The
company has been so reduced from various causes
that it now numbers only about 70 men. As soon
as it has been made up to its required strength of
120 men it will be despatched to the Mauritius, for
the purpose of assisting. the 20th company in the
engineering operations in which they are engaged.
The officers and men belonging to the depot bat-
talions at Chatham are daily instructed in escalad-
ing operations with the troops of the Royal
Engineers, in order that they may be perfected in
that branch of their military duties previous to
embarking for India.
A detachment of the 18th Hussars, which has
been stationed in Leeds for some time past, lett that
town yesterday morning for Barnsley, on the way
to Aldershott. They will be replaced by a squadron
of the 16th Lancers, which is expected to arrive
from Edinburgh to-day.