ARMY, NAVY, AND VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4348, 19 April 1884, Page 3

ARMY, NAVY, AND VOLUNTEERS.

At a daylight battallion parade of the Dunedin Volunteers recently there was a total of 410 men presout.

Tho second battalion ISth Royal Irish stationed at Aldershot, was under orders to proceed to Egypt, when tho mail left,

It was rumoured in naval circles in Sydney that Sir Michael Online Seymour, Bart., will be the First Admiral on the Australian station.

At a meeting of the Dunedin Ritlc Club on March '._>, it was resolved to exclude Volunteers from joining the Club, and that Volunteers at present belonging to it should be asked to resign. Tho Defence Department has formally consented to the Easter Review boing held at Oamaru this year. Tho Governor will not bo able to attend, having previously arranged to visit Auckland at Easter. The War OHice, with the view to encourage rillo practice among tho troops, intend to attach a rilie gallery in connection with the canteens at each of the principal military stations, fitted with Morris's shooting apparatus. The ('avalry Equipment Committee, under the presidency of I ioiitonant-Gcncral Sir F. Fit. Wygnnn, Bart., after months of labour anil experiment at Aldorshot, havo succeeded in reducing tho weight of the clothing and equipment of rider and horse, in service marching order by one and a half stones.

The Army Estimates are to be laid on the table of tho llouso of Commons, when the following will be about the numbor of men estimated for : —Household Cavalry, I,HOO, of all ranks; Cavalry of the line, 15,800; Koyal Artillery, .'12,000 : lloyal Engineers, 5,300 ; Foot Guards, 5,880 ; infantry of the Line, 120,000; Yeomanry Cavalry, 14,000; Militia, 117,500: Volunteers, •.45,000.

The Australian ami New Zealand Governments have applied, says the " Army and Navy," for tho services of a number of noncommissioned ollicoi. of the Royal Engineers, for employment as instructors in submarine mining, in connection with the defence of the principal Colonial seaports, antl the War Ollicu lias decided thai, the request shall bo granted. The pay fur these non-commissioned ollicevs will, of course, be provided from Colonial funds. Captain (!. F. Prico, U.S.A., now on recruit ing service, gives a good account of recruiting for tho American Army :—" Contrary to tho general impression, a largo percentage of oiilistinonts in the Army aro of men of American birth. Tho percentage of foreigners is small, and of theso tho Gormans come lirst, and the Irish and English next. There arc fow Frenchmen and Scotchmen, Wc accept about ono man in ten ol those examined. Our standard is one of the highest in tho world. Our cavalrymen on the plains arc physically perfect, a splendid body of men, equal to the (.Hieon's Life! 'unrds, nnd bettermounted, though the latter organisation ate mounted on American horses."

The following extract from a circular letter dated at Wellington, 'Jlith March, is published : On all Government parades, guards of honour, and drills (unless otherwise ordered) the crimson sash is to be worn by officers and non-commissioned officers of such rifle corps as are provided with uniforms of tho Imperial pattern. On company parades, rifle practice, judging distance drill, _c. (unless otherwise ordered), a black patent pouch and white belt is to be worn. Officers in posncssion of biown leather belts tvill be permitted to wear thorn out till replaced. Ollii.'Ors desirous of providing tho full dress sash or pouch and bolts, _c., for levees or evening full dress, may do so, and will be permitted to wear them ; but the bolts, _c, arc on no pretence whatever to bo worn on any parade or duty. The Minister of Education has moved in tho South-Australian Assembly that, in oilier to encourage the breeding of horses in South Australia and their shipment from Port Darwin for the remount service in India, 09 years' leases of areas not exceeding ,">,OOO square miles of land south of the 2(">th parallel of latitude, and 10,000 square miles north of that latitude, be granted to any company whose bona Jules should bo satisfactory to the Government. He explained that lately a number ot gentlemen had proposed to enter upon a scheme for breeding horses for India, and wrote to the Government upon tho matter. They intended to form a company composed of Australians and Indians, that company to make direct overtures to the Indian Government to secure the right of supplying at any rate the major portion of the remounts required for the Indian scivico. The proposal underwent considerable discussion, but no decision was arrived at.

11l tho late Mr. Jcll'ory Samuel Pronder"ast, whose death took place on January 22nd, at his resideneo, Molvile, Blackrock, Country Dublin, the last Waterloo officer of the Brigade of Guards has passed away, Mr. Prendergnst, who was in the 87th year, was also the last of the gallant band of ( .lardsman who were present at theilofcnce of the building and orchard of Hougomont, that important position on the immediate right of tho British line, rendered, in tho words of Siborme, even memorable by the truly herioc and successful stand maintained throughout tho day by the troops allotted for its defence. Mr. 1 .'endergast was gazetted in February, 1814, to the 2nd Battalion 3rd Foot Guards, and retired as Lieutenant and Captain on June 15, 1825. He was senior in his regiment at Waterloo to the late Colonel Sir Haary Blanc and Lord Rokeby, the two junior ensigns of tho battalion of tlie Foot Guards whicli Colonel Hepburn commanded.