Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-29
PREPARING FOR WAR.
Made by England st
the Beginning of the MOagh.
London Times.

In the event OF an eXpeGilrDlry force
being dispatched to Egypt the line bat
aliOns a. home that stand highest on the
roster for foreign service, with an establish
ment of $50 rank and file each, are the
First SHROPSHIRE, First Royal Highlanders
Second Highland Light Infantry, Flrsi
West Kent, First North Lsre sshire. First
Royal Irish Fusileers, Second York ard Ian
cashife, Second MuDster FusileerS, Second
Essex, First East Surrey, c1nd R0val
Irish and Second Royal Sussex. NeZt
on the lis bur on smaller establishment
OF $50 rank and file, come the Second Dur
ham Light Infantry, Second Oxford Light
Infantry, Second South Lancashire, aud
Second Dublin Fuslleers. Together with
three batfsliOns of the guGrds-nameIy: the
Second BattaliOns NJ the Grenadiers and
Coldstresm, aud the First Battalion of the
Scots Guards, several of the above would
probably form part Of an army corps for
service, the remainder of which would be
made up OF the regiments now ausrtered 10
the Mediterranean gGTrisODs. or the six
teen line battaliOns enumerated eight or
uiue are in perfect condition for service IN
rhe field, two or three more are nearly so.
but the Second Esssx x, Second Royal Irish,
and second dSOuthLancashire not haying been
made up to the higher strength untiI few
mouths ago, are about one-hslf recruits.
while one o. two more also contain an undue
proportion of immature soldiers. The
three guards battsliOns could at once be
made thoroughly efficient BY contributions
from other portions OF the regiment The
nine battalions in the Mediterranean con-
sist Of seasoned troops, and are sll nearly,
n not quite, up to the regulated compile
ment OF eight hundred rank aud file each
OF the regiments TO be sent from home, the
Irish Fusileers, Shropshire, York and Ian
caster, North Lancas hire and West Kent
are over nine hundred strong sad in excel
lent condition. Ihe East Surrey is
also a good regiment. In the event
Of second army corps being
sent on active service, the regiments
standing on the list for It would be the
Second South Yorkshire, First Hampshire,
First East Kent, First Dorset, First North
staff Jrdshire, First London Fusileers, First
Cheshire, First Duke Of COrnwalPs, Third
Battalion rife brigade, First Norfolk, First
East Yorkshire and Second InniskilIn Fusi-
leers But, with one or two exceptions,
these regiments would not muster m lre than
about 200 efft ctive rank an file each, and
tt would be necessary to fill them with the
reserve men in order 70 place them in q con
dltion 10 take the field. Several of the
weaker regiments would probably be sent
in the first instance to the Mediterranean
gsrTisOns.
OF the cavalry likely to be called for, the
Fourth. Fifth aud Seventh DrsgOOn Guards,
-he Nineteenth AMI Twenlieth Huss2rs on
the higher strength, and the SecO ID and
Third Dragon Guards on the lower, stand
in order first on the list. It is not probable
that the Household Cavalry would be asked
o furnish q contingent. OF these regiments.
the Fourth Dragon Guards form q splen-
lid heavy cavalry corps, as regards both
men and horses. and the Filth Dragon
Guards are but little, IL anything, Inferior.
The Nineteenth Hussars are, thanks to the
zeal and ability Of Mai. Barrow, q former
A6iutant, about the best cavalry corps in
the service in the matter OF reconnaissance
aud outpost du'y. But the regiment
has been somewhat hesviiy handicapped
in the matter of senior officers, and it was
passed over last year when a cavalry
contingent was sent out 80 Natal. The
Seventh Dragon Guards, although 10 some
respects a good regiment, has suffered from
the same disadvantage ia recent years The
Twentieth Hussars have only lately been
placed upon the increased establishment,
aud have many recruits. Should more
regiments be required those standing for
service after the Second and Third Dragon
Guards are the Royal Dragons, Scots
Gravs, TWenty-frst Hussars, Fifth Lancets
and Eighteenth Hussars. II is to be noted,
however. that the Fourth and Fifth Dragon
Guards aG4 the NlIGltcnbu anu NEutlcIu
Hussars, although among the first for ser
vice, are those most short Of subaltern Off
GERS. The two former require about seven
subaIterns and the two last six each to bring
them up 10 the strength prescribed Tor the
foreign service.
An order has been received az Chatham
dockyard directing that the Constance, IA
guns, steel and iron corvette, casei with
wood, 2, 1888 tons, 800 horse power, Is 10 be
brought forward for commls-
sion. Her destination is supposed 70 be the
Mediterranean.
reqGisiiion has been received at the
Duncan Royal Naval Barracks, Sheerness,
from the Admiralty for a heavy draft OF
men TO join the iron corvette RBver, l9 guns,
3, 4g4 tons, 4 964 horse power, whicn Is to De
a. Chatham for foreign SER
vice. Another heavy draft is also to be fur
nished for The Satellite, S guns, composite
slooP, 40 tons, 950-h9rse power, which is
20 be commissioned 1t Sheerness on Satur-
day next.