OUR MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 743, 22 October 1870, Page 4

OUR MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

The Times announces that the forces available for service within the United Kingdom are to be augmented to the extent of nearly 20,000, and more than 2,000 horses. The increase is to be thus distributed : — The cavalry will show an increase of 1,577 men, and 1,050 horses ; the artillery of 850 men and 724 horses ; the engineers of 50 meu and 109 horse 3 ; and the Army Service Corps 500 men and 200 horses. The increase on the infantry amounts to no les3 than 16,950 men.. At the Kama time the munitions of war and millitury stores seem to have been provided in adundance. Camp equipage for an army of 100,000 men is said to be ready ; as many greatcoats are in store, and ram-c than an equal number could be got ready in a couple of months. Enfield and the trade supply can furnish, no less than 1,000 Sniders a day if required ; within the year 80,000 in addition to 30,000 already produced, will be made ; and next year the producing cap.icity nf the country in tln3 item of rifles will, it is anticipated, be increased by one thirJ. Onr present manufactories of ammunition can give us, if required, 1,500,000 rounds n week, which is to be increased to 2,000,000 rounds. Turning fr«>m small arm* to heavy orJnancs, it is sa' isf.ictory to know that we have so miny guns ready a3 our fortifications cm 'accommodate, and some to spire; and the lust instalment of the Fortiiic.il ion L r >an which has been lately obtained from Parliament will doubtless be employed to place the workj in the most efficient state of which they are .capable. The state of the field artillery has been sharply criticised, yet there does not seem to be much ground for serious complaint. There are 30 batteries "in possession," and 14 "in reserve," mounting, in all, 264 gunsj and each of these batteries is completely equipped with waggo::s, «&c, and ready for service. There i 3 no deficiency of breechloatiing. guns ; fifty brass muzzle-loaders for field batteries are being made, and sixty steel guns are now rifling. The stores for the equipment of the field artillery arc abundant, there being no less than 10,000 sets of harness in store. With heavy artillery we are equally well fur nished. The siege train is complete. The supply of breech-loaders to the reserve forces has already commenced, and the militia will be formed in a few days. Every possible exertion is being used at Chatham Dockyard to have the large ■ broadside ironclad ship Sultan, 12, 5,226 ! tons, 1,200 horse-power, completed ft>r \ sea at the earliest date, an ordyr to that effect having been received from Whitehall. Yesterday, Mr N. Barnabj', who is at the head of the new commission, the members of which will discharge the duties hitherto undertaken by the Chief Constructor of the Navy, visited Chatham Dockyard, and was eDgaged in the inspection of the ironclad vessels building and fitting. The work of fitting the Oberon, 8, 230 horse-power, iron paddle-wheel stvamer, at Chatham, for the experimental trials to be made on board her with anew description of torpedo having been completed, she was put out of dock yester lay. Ti e new tordedo, which has been offered to the Government by Mr Whitehead, connected with the Austrian service, is stated to be of a far more terribly destructive character than any invention of the kind which has preceded her. The Oberon has been fitted vr vth ft U\fcrc at her stem, just ab we her fore foot, from which the projectile will be discharged, the inventor stating his ability to destroy and sink any ironclad vessel at a distance of upwards of a mile. The experiments are to be earned out under the direction of the Royal Engineer Committee, assisted bya number of naval officers. A further number of workmen were entered at Chatam Dockyard, the whole of the departments in which are now in full activity.