ENGLISH EXTRACTS. THE ARMY AND NAVY.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 449, 3 August 1850, Page 2

ENGLISH EXTRACTS. THE ARMY AND NAVY.

Military Obituary for 1849.—During the year the following number of general and other officers of the higher rankt have died :—2 field-marshals, 8 generals, 8 lieutenant-generals, 7 major-generals, 8 colonels, and 43 lieutenantfcolonels.

Responsibility or Government to Depositors in Ahmy Savings Banks.—The Secret»ry at War, hai notified to regiments that the Government is responsible to depoiitors in regimental sating! banks to the amount of each sum deposited.

Regimental Schools.—A circular has been issued by the Secretary-at-War, to the effect that, although all supplies of bookf and materials required for the schoolis should be furnished under directions from his office, it ii not intended to relieve the non-commis-sioned officers and men who voluntarily attend the i:hool from proTidtug their own stationery, copy book", &c. All recruits, however, attending the school, under the gencial order of the 10th of April last, will Le lupplied with these articles. Orders have been issued by the deputy adjutantgeneral in Dublin that the men belonging to infantry regiments serving in Ireland should be permitted to cany only thirty rounds each of service ammunition in their pouches; the remaining thirty rounds to be lodged in stora in charge of the sanctioned quartermatters, ready for immediate iiuue when circumstances rendered it necenary.

Irish Staff. — The reduction of the officers who were appointed for special seivice in Ireland was ordered to take place from the Ist of April, viz :— Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Macartliur, at Cavan, and Colonel Sir M. Creagta, K.H., at Galway. The ap. pointment of Colonel St. J. A. Clarke, Aisistant Qudrterniaiter-General ia the Belfast District, was to be discontinued at the end of March, the duties of which are in future to be performed by the Assiitant Adjutant-General. i

Thd Colours of thd 31st Regiment.— On Monday last, the day following the fourth anniversary of the battle of Sobraon, the old colours of the gallant 31st Regiment were, by permission of the Dean and Chapter, placed hi the nave of Canterbury Catherdral, immediately above the marble testimonial, executed by Mr. Richardion he sculptor, to those of the regiment who fell on the Sutlcj. From the records of the regiment about to be published by Mr. Cannon, of the Adjutant- Generals-office, we find these colours were prit-nted in 1827, at Meerut, in the Eait Indies by Lady Amherst, lady of the Governor General of India. The colours were borne through ths Affghan : stan campaign, in 1842 j and the Sutlej, in 1845—46. In this last campaign 26 officers and upwards of 600 men were killed and wounded ; and ot Sabraon, both officers bearing these colours, viz.. Lieutenant Tritton and Ensign Jones, were mortally wounded, as recorded in ■ilver plates inserted on the stages. On the return of the regiment to England, new colours were presented by His Royal Hißhness Prince George of Cambridge, at Dublin in 1848. Subsequently, Lieutenant-Colon-el Spence, still lately commanding, it the name of the officers, offered the old colours to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral, to be placed over their testimonial ; and in having been unanimously resolved to receive them, the sculptor, by order of the officers, and accompanied by Lieutenant Timbrell (who it may be remembred, was dangerously wounded at Sobraon), in the presence of the V«nerable Archdeacon Croft, the canon in residence, assisted by Mr. Austin, the surveyor to the Cathedral, carefully deposited the colours, now historical records of a stirring past, solemnly but quietly, and without either pomp or parade, Over the monument, so as in no way to interfere with the architecture, but to add fqually to the appearance of the testimonial and nave of the Cathedral.— lllustrated News.

Spike Island, Cork. — The Government has decided that 3,000 additional convicts shall be sent to this convict station, and a detachment of the 41st foot is to proceed there as a reinforcement from Kinsale.

Queen's Regiments in India.— ln pursuance of instructions from the Commander-in-Chief at home, the Commanderin-Chief in India desires that in future commanding officers will make representations of regi» mental inefficiency to Her Majesty's Adjutaut-Gcneral in India, for bis Eexcellency'a information, and not direct to the Horse Guards.

Dockyard Apprentices. — The number of sliip•wright apprentices ordered to be enteied annually at the various dockyards has been reduced. At Portsmouth, it is undentood, the number will be reduced from 19 to 12, while at Chatham it is to be reduced from 11 to 7. At Portamouth yard the number of candidates amounts to 84, and at Chatham to nearly 60. It is estimated that the natal claimants for the war medals exceed 17,000. The cost of the medal is about 10s. 6d.

Chinese Description oe the Nemesis, East India Company's War Stbamer.— -During the late attempt to check the career of the pirates on the coast of Borneo, the Nemesis, a very beautiful and light warsteamer, was employed iti chasing the fugitives up the smaller river 9, and so effectually rendered service that she became the terror and annoyance of those daring marauders^ The following is a verbatim Chinese description of this venel :— -This war steam ship is above 300 cubits long, and more than thirty hjgh in the hull. Iron is employed lo make it strong. The hull is painted black, weaver's shuttle fashion. On each side is a wheel, which, by the use of coal lire, is made to revolve as fast as a running horse. White cloth sails »re used to piopel the ship when the wind is favourable. At the vesiel's head it a marin god ; and at the head, stern, and sides are cannon which give it & terrific appearance. Steam-vessels are a wonderful invention of foreigners, mid are calculated to afford delight to many. On the chimney are the Chinese characters eu tung (smoak passage), and on the paddle-box liay kae (wheel coreriug).