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    No 500. Oct. 22,1859,1 THE LEADBB, 1169

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    NAVAL AND MILITARY. We learn from Calcut...

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    THE VOLUNTEER CORPS. Tub accounts which ...

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    THE NATIONAL DEFENCES. Two veteran offic...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    The Great Eastern. Contranr To The Gener...

    of thefruit and profit will redound to the advantage of the labourers whom they employ . " Sir John Pakington , who was present , replied to the toast of « The House of Commons , " said t- < - " The character of the House of Commons is dear to every man in this country who values our institutions ; and I do trust that I say no more than men of all parties will assent to , when I express my hope that the day is not distant when men of all parties will combine to adopt some measures , whatever may be necessary , and however stringent they may be , to put an end to thai system of electoral bribery and corruption with which the columns of every newspaper are how teeming , and which , if I greatly niis ^ the British will be reading for

    take not , public weeks and months to come . I am sure I am speaking the sentiments of all parties when I say that this vile system is demoralising to the people , that it is discreditable to our whole representative system , and that it makes an appeal to the people not a test of enlightened opinion upon any question of public policy , but a mere question of who may have the longest purse , or the most unscrupulous partisans . I trnst that you will forgive me for having been unable to mention the House of Commons , or to speak' on behalf of that body , without touching upon a subject which I think must have struck deep into the feelings of the people . " On the prospects of the great ship itself he observed : — "I do deeply regret that poor Brunei has not lived to see

    what I hope and trust is the certain success of that undertaking ; and , in a national point of view , is there not reason for us to hope and believe that the day may come—the day may not be distant—when we shall be thankful to have a Great Eastern in which to place our troops ? I have heard it said , in answer to this opinion , ' No j > rudent Government would ever place so many eggs in one basket / But , gentlemen , if I am not greatly mistaken , in the months of August and September , 1857 , when the mutiny was raging in India—when there was too much reason , in England to be apprehensive of the result—I beiieve that the Government of that day would have been top thankful if they had had such a basket to put as many eggs in as they could have got together . "

    No 500. Oct. 22,1859,1 The Leadbb, 1169

    No 500 . Oct . 22 , 1859 , 1 THE LEADBB , 1169

    Naval And Military. We Learn From Calcut...

    NAVAL AND MILITARY . We learn from Calcutta that the discharged troaps were arriving at Calcutta , and shipped off as fast as supplies could bo ' obtained . A battery of ninegur . s had been erected to command the river entrance of Rangoon . From China we learn that Admiral Hope , after the two pieces of chain were extracted from his thigh , became very hearty , but the wound would not close . He then became very thin , and it was feared that a piece of the shirt was left in the wouad . Captain Shadwell will go on a trip to Japan ; and if his wound does not heal he will be invalided on his return . Captain Wodehouse , R . N ., returns to England by this mail .

    A large firm at Nantes have nearly completed an order given them by the Imperial Government last spring for a great number of gun platforms , intended for the batteries , which have risen as if by magic all along the northern and north-western coasts , These platforms are on a new principle , and are nearly similar to the turning-tables used on railways for shifting carriages from one lino to another . By this means the guns in the new batteries can be shifted from side to side like pivot-guns on board "hip . , . .

    The Steam Shipping Chronicle , announces that the contract for the construction of a seconcp iron steam battery , or , as it is called by the Admiralty , steam frigate , has been taken by Mr . Napier , of Glasgow , whose tender was found to be tho lowest of the four submitted . These frigates are to be cased with iron of the same thickness ( 4 J inches ) as that used in the old floating batteries , but the vessels , when completed , will set more lightly on the water and will be far more elegant in appearance , and , in fact , will hardly be distinguishable from an ordinary frigate . They will have great beam , nearly equal to that of the Great Eastern . Their ¦ superior lightness over the old floating battery will be duo to their being only partially covered with plates , which will bo confined tp the sides of the vessel above and for a short distance below the water line , and neither the head nor the stern of the vessel will bo covered . The head will bo fitted with a false bow

    * o the top of the boot , and neatly folded round the leg . The leggings are to be worn in muddy weather only . They are to be worn at guard mounting when it is considered-necessary . - It is said that the Government has given orders for the collection of marine algae , to be used in the making of wads for the artillery , as it is not liable to burn , like tow . On Monday the punishment of the lash was inflicted at Chatham on a private of the 88 th Connaught Rangers , named Norton , for the serious offence of having struck a non-commissioned officer belonging to the 51 st Regiment whilst in the execution of his duty . The prisoner has been some years in the service , and served with his regiment in the Crimea and in India , where he was wounded , for which he wears the medal with three clasps .

    The following are to be the principal dimensions of the Glasgow , screw-frigate of 51 guns , now being laid down in ' the slip at Portsmouth whence the Bacchante was lately launched .- —Length between perpendiculars , 250 . ft . ; ditto of keel for tonnage , 214 ft . 7 in . ; breadth , extreme , 52 ft . ; ditto for tonnage , 51 ft . 6 in . ; ditto moulded , 50 ft . 8 in . ; burthen in tons , 3 , 027 40-94 . The length of the Bacchante and the Shannon is each 235 feet , or 15 feet less than the Glasgow . The Marl borough , 131 , three-decker , bearing the flag of Admiral Fanshawe , Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean , is 245 ft . 6 in . in length , or 4 ft . 6 in . less than the Glasgow . The vessels being- built in the adjoining sheds to the Glasgow are the Prince of Wales , two

    131 , three-deeker , and the Duncan , 101 , on decks . Both these vessels are of equal length , 252 ft ., ouly 2 ft . longer than the Glasgow ; while , the furthest shed contains the Victoria , 131 , threedecker , which vessel exceeds the Glasgow in length by 8 ft . This latter vessel , the greatest in length Of any building in Portsmouth-yard , it is expected will be launched on Saturday , the 12 th of November next . The following are the principal dimensions of this noble vessel : —Length between perpendiculars , 260 ft . ; ditto , keel for tonnage , 220 ft . 10 £ in . ; breadth , extreme , 60 ft . ; for tonnage , 59 ft . 2 in . ; moulded , 58 ft . 4 in . ; burthen in tons , 4 , 112 71-94 ; depth in hold , 26 ft . 10 in . Horsepower of engines , 1 , 000 , nominal .

    A large number of able and ordinary seamen offered themselves on Monday at the naval rendezvous , Tower-hill , which was besieged with applicants , several of whom were accepted . . in < V sent on board the receiving ship . There is still a very great dearth of stokers , who are much required for the steam gun-boat flotilla fitting for service in China . The Compagnie des Forges et Chan tiers de la Mediterranee has just received a conynission from the French Government to construct twenty new gunboats ; and a fresh order for five gunboats and two floating batteries has been given at Bordeaux . The Ocean of Brest announces that the squadron lying in that port has received orders to prepare to put to sea at the first signal .

    A series of experiments have been made at Brbtnpton-barracks with the newly-invented gossamer seamless cartridges of Captain Norton , in order to ascertain their suitability for the new description of rifles now being served out by the Government to the various volunteer rifle corps . The chief superiority of these cartridges lies in the quickness with which they are ignited by the fire from the cap , and in the absence of the necessity for the bottom of the cartridge net to be bitten off ; It was » ls <> found at the termination of the experiments that the barrels of the guns used did not present the least sign of had

    fouling , and were much cleaner than after they been used in firing other ammunition . The experiments were pronounced to be exceedingly satisfactory . General Parlby , commanding the Cavalry Brigade of the Dublin Division , concluded a minute inspection of the Scots Greys on Thursday , at Newbridge . Five troops were assembled on a foot parade—in all about 280 strong ( the remaining troops being in out quarters ) . The General remarked tuat it became his pleasant duty to compliment them on their vory high state of discipline and efficiency ,

    or sheading to conceal her real purpose , that of running down hostile vessels , but after her first encounter wiU » an enemy , this false bow will bo broken and will Ml off . Each vessel will bo fitted with engines of Immense power in proportion to tUo tonnage , It Is the intention of the War Office to iusae leather leggings for the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Foot Guards and regiments of infantry of tha Hue , The leather leggings are to t > o worn over the trousers , which should be pulled up

    The Volunteer Corps. Tub Accounts Which ...

    THE VOLUNTEER CORPS . Tub accounts which continue to bo received from various parts of the kingdom as to tho progress made in the formation und training of the volunteer artillery and rifle companies , are , quite refreshing from tho spirit and enthusiasm to which they testify . From the north , the report is particularly gratifying . The Edinburgh Regiment is the first of tho nov / volunteer corps that has had the honour to turn out fully armed and equipped to wait upon the Queen . On occasion of her Majesty ' s departure from Edinburgh on Saturday morning the regiment lined a portion of Holyrood Park , and presented arms as the royal procession passed . On leaving the park they wore marched up to the Castle Esplanade , where' they were addressed by tho Lora

    Provost Melville , their colonel , who had that morning received the honour of knighthood . Sir John Melville said : — - " Gentlemen , I have great pleasure in congratulating you this morning on the large numbers who have been enabled to attend her Majesty . I have it in command from the Queen to say that her Majesty observed the regiment , and was particularly pleased and struck with the soldierlike demeanour which they presented in the Queen ' s Park this morning . Major Davidson , the acting commanding officer , expressed his deep gratification at from the

    receiving such a gracious message Queen . At Glasgow a similar compliment has been paid to the Lanarkshire Volunteers , who furnished the guard of honour at the opening of the Loch Katrine Waterworks . At Birkenhead four companies oi the Cheshire Volunteers elicited the marked approbation of the Queen and her husband . The Bristol regiment is perfectly efficient , and as fine a body ol men as any brigadier would wish to see under his command ; while from every town in the kingdom we hear ef some new steps being taken to promote

    efficiency in the local corps . Singular in the , absurdity of its arrangements and its mismanagement appears the much be-puffed "London Rifle Brigade . " which there can be little doubt is a mere vehicle-for more City jobbing and turtle-feeding . The " council" have collected a large siim of money from the generous merchants and traders of the metropolis , but they have not a single recruit , nor is it likely they will have . The public indignation and ridicule has been at length fairly awakeued , and it is possible that these persons may be called to give an account of their stewardship . Their last absurdity was the appointment of a regimental " architect . "

    The National Defences. Two Veteran Offic...

    THE NATIONAL DEFENCES . Two veteran officers , Sir Maurice ; Berkelbt and Sir Charles Napier , have this week published their thoughts upon this head , more particularly as regards our ships and sailors . Admiral Berkeley writes to Sir Francis T . Baring , and his letter discusses the bestjmethod of manning the navy , and of ' securing the defence of the Channel . The problem is , " How to man the Royal Navy on a sudden emergency—how- to obtain thousands of skilled artisans almost at an hour ' s warning . " Impressment is , of course , out of the question , and the Coast Volunteers are not available , because they are not obliged to go more th . m . a'hundred leagues from the sliv-re , and '

    even if they did the ' coast would be left undefended . Admiral Berkeley makes a very important suggestion with regard to the defence of the Channel , which would render the coast volunteers available , and largely increase their numbers . He urges on strong- grounds that we ought to have . a Channel force quite independent of the Channel or any other fleet . " This force , " he says , " should be ever at hand ; it should _ bo marked and appropriated for Channel service , and Channel service only . No temptation should iuduce us to divert it from its intended purposenamely to giVe security to our shores , and to relieve the country from those fits of occasional panic and entailed

    negligent security which have already upon us such enormous expenses . " Even if the Channel fleet were defeated at sea such a force would still be sufficient to protect our shores from actual invasion . This Channel force should mainly consist of gunboats . They would be least exposed to attack , while their fire would be as destructive as that from the largest man-of-war . There would bo no difficulty about manning them cither . With a fleet of these boats the mouth of tho Channel would prove the jaws of death to an invading squadron . " In the present day ( says Admiral Berkeley ) one projectile from the pigmy striking mnst , yard , or bowsprit , of the nursuintr ( riant , down it must come ; indeed , iC and t

    might bo lodged , in a more vital part , ne consequences bo more serious than even the loss of a spar : and it must bo remembered how largo the target to be aimed at on tho one hand , and how small the target on tho other . Let us have a swarm of these Pigmies and Cockchafers j they would be tho force of all others to prevent invasion under all and ovory circumstance . Brand them for Channel service , and tlmt alone . On another important subject , ho writes :- " Cherbourg appears to bo the great bugbear of tho day ; for England it is the best port in which tho French fleet could rendezvous . In . whatever port France ( being our enemy ) has a fleet , there wo must have one in attendance ; the further fVom our shores tho worst for us . Cherbourg can

    eaeily— -most easily—be watched from Hpitiieaa , or better still from Portland . " Sir Charles Napier ' s letter to the Duke of Somerset indicates many points of detail on which , at little or no expense to tho country . Improvements might bo made considerably to tho satisfaction of the sailor . A little more judgment in dealing with tho men on thqir first joining f a little more attention to tholr comforts and wants » a little better management in tho matter of discipline , j

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 22, 1859, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22101859/page/5/