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SCOTTISH NAVAL AND MILITARY ACADEMY.

The annual examination of the pupils of this academy, which terminated on the 25th of July last, afforded the truly gratifying spectacle of a decided improvement in all the branches, whether of science or of general education, taught in the institution. The establishment, in fact, has at length "passed its majority," and attained a maturity which can scarcely fail to secure its' permanence as a national institution. The mathematical classes and the natural philosophy class exhibited a high degree of proficiency in science. The military drawings were not merely beautiful as drawings, but evinced, on the part of the young gentlemen by whom they were executed, a knowledge of the principles of fortification and military surveying, which reflects the highest credit on Lieutenant Shaw, who is at the head of this department. A model of a fortification, executed according to Vauban's first method, had been obtained; and we have heard with pleasure that the examination which the pupils underwent on the principles of the attack and defence of strong places, illustrated by means of the model, was highly satisfactory. The answers of the young gentlemen were equally prompt and accurate throughout all their other branches of study; while to the conciliating and gentlemanly manners, united to the firmness of character of the superintendent, Capt. Orr, is mainly ascribed the present harmony which subsists in all its departments.

The education at this seminary is not exclusively military. On the contrary, it is adapted for civilians as well as for soldiers, and every branch is taught in it which usually enters into a general course of education. This, under present circumstances, is a great advantage; and as no part of the course is compulsory, the public have a free choice, amongst all the branches, which to select, with the full benefit of that general competition between the academy and other institutions, which is the real parent of excellence in all. No less than eighteen gentlemen, who have been educated at this academy, have obtained commissions within the last twelve months. Two have gone to Sandhurst, three to Addiscombe, and one to Woolwich. There have been sixty young gentlemen attending the academy during the last session, about forty of whom are intended for the military service. The naval department is not very strong; yet there are some studying mathematics, &c., for the purpose of becoming navigators.

DINNER TO SIR GEORGE LOWRY COLE, AT THE CAPE OF GOOd hope.

A dinner was given at George's Hotel, on the 16th of May, to the Commander in Chief, General Sir LowRY COLE, by the officers of the Staff, the Royal Engineers, the Royal Artillery, and several on the halfpay of the Army, holding civil appointments in the Colony, who eagerly joined on the occasion to evince their devotion and respect to his Excellency, on his approaching departure from that Government.

The day chosen was peculiarly appropriate, being the anniversary of the battle of Álbuera, at which the Fourth Division, commanded by the gallant General, so eminently distinguished itself in that decisive movement in advance, made by his order, by which the victory was won.

At seven o'clock his Excellency and nearly one hundred gentlemen, comprising many visiters from India, members of the Judicial and Civil Establishments of the Colony, the Clergy, the Navy, the Merchants, and others connected with the Agricultural Interests, sat down to an excellent dinner.

Lieut.-Colonel Wade, Deputy Adjutant-General, in the Chair; Lieut.Colonel Smith, C.B., Deputy Quartermaster-General, Vice-President; Lieut.-Colonel Munro, Royal Artillery; Major Cloete, Town Brigade

Major: Dr. Murray, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals; Major Michell, h. p. Surveyor-General of the Colony; Baron Lorentz, late 7th Fusiliers; Mr. Watt, Deputy Assistant-Commissary-General.

After the cloth was removed, the health of "the King" was given by the Chairman, which was followed by those of " his Excellency the Governor,"-" Sir James Graham and the Navy,"-" Lord Hill and the Army," and "the Duke of Wellington:" to these succeeded the toasts particularly selected for the occasion. The health of the distinguished guest, Sir LowRY COLE, was received with rapturous applause, under a salute of nineteen guns; and many others were drunk with enthusiasm, particularly that of " Lady FRANCES COLE," "the Indian Army," "Admiral Warren and the Naval Force on the Station," "Colonel Wade," "Colonel Bell," &c.

His Excellency remained until nearly midnight, and shortly after his departure the whole of the company separated.

A brilliant allegorical Transparency, commemorative of the exploits of the Fourth Division at Albuera, decorated the room, executed on the spur of the moment by the masterly hand of our talented Surveyor-General.

NAVAL AND MILITARY OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED TO THE ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND GEORGE SINCE JANUARY, 1833.

GRAND CROSSES.

Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs.

Colonel Sir Frederick Hankey.

KNIGHT COMMANDER.

Sir Edward Stuart Baynes, (Assistant-Commissary-General, half-pay).

COMPANIONS.

Colonel John Hassard, Commanding the Royal Engineers at Corfu.
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Drake, Deputy Quartermaster-General in the
Mediterranean.

Major Charles Andrews Bayley, Lieutenant-Governor of Gozo.
Major the Marquis of Piro, Royal Malta Fencibles.
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Balneavis, Town-Major of Malta.

ABSTRACT OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS CONNECTED WITH THE ARMY AND NAVY.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 27, 1833.

Army Estimates.-Sir J. C. Hobhouse, after some preliminary observations, stated that the estimates were in almost every item less than last year, giving a total decrease of 206,0007. He concluded by moving that there be employed for the service of his Majesty at home and abroad, from the 1st of April, 1833, to the 31st of March, 1834, 89,419 men.

Mr. Hume proposed an amendment, reducing the number of troops from 89,419 to 81,164.

After some observations from Major Beauclerk, Lord Althorp, Mr. Warburton, and Mr. C. Wynne, the amendment was put and negatived, and the original motion agreed to.

TUESDAY, APRIL. 2d.

Corporal Punishment in the Army.-Mr. Hume (upon the Report on the Mutiny Bill being brought up) moved a clause to prevent the punishment of flogging in the British army on home service.

The amendment was supported by Mr. Leunard, Capt. Berkeley, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Curteis, Major Handley, Mr. Sheil, Mr. G. Langton, Sir F. Burdett, and Mr. Rotch; and opposed by Mr. R. Grant, Lord Althorp, and Lord Palmerston.

Sir J. Byng said that the experiment of doing without flogging had been tried in a

regiment in which (as we understood) he commanded. The trial had continued for two years, and he was bound to declare that the result had not been what was expected, and that they were obliged to resort to flogging again. When Hon. Members talked of the total abolition of flogging in the army, would they be good enough to point out a substitute for such punishment? He did not know of anything which could be efficiently substituted for its total abolition. But the fact was, there was a gradual diminution in the army from year to year of corporal punishment. He admitted that it ought to be resorted to only in extreme cases, but he did not think that it would be safe to take away altogether the power of inflicting it.

Sir R. Ferguson said the amendment of the Hon. Member for Middlesex placed him in a very unpleasant situation; he could not vote for it, and he would not vote against it. He was always adverse to corporal punishments when they could be avoided, but it was frequently impossible to dispense with them.

Sir F. Burdett suggested that there might be introduced in the amendment these words," that the Mutiny Act shall confine this punishment to open mutiny, thiev ing, and being drunk on guard."

Mr. Hume acceded to the suggestion.

The House then divided, when there appeared: :

For the original motion, 151; against it, 140-Majority, 11.

15th APRIL,

Navy Estimates-Sir James Graham said that, notwithstanding the reduction of 7,0007. which had been made under this head (the Admiralty) last year, a still further reduction of 17,000/. was made in the present estimates, together with the sum of 5,0007. arising from fees, which had been altogether abolished; thus showing a reduc tion under this head during the last two years of not less than 29,000. He had also to inform the House that the balance-sheet for the last year was now upon the table of the House. It would show that the estimates for the last year had not been exceeded; but, on the contrary, that there was a considerable balance remaining out of them. He then moved, seriatim, the various sums for the disbursements of the naval expenditure for the year; which were all, after some slight manifestations for a still greater penny-wise retrenchment in the usual quarter, agreed to.

Upon the motion for the sum of 438,4261. for wages of persons employed in establishments at home, Mr. B. Carter said that he was instructed by his constituents to press upon Ministers the propriety of not carrying into effect the proposed reduction of the number of artificers employed in Portsmouth dock-yard.

26,9057. for the wages of artificers and labourers in the dock-yards abroad, and 423,0007. for naval stores, repairing docks, &c. were the next votes.

Sir J. Graham stated, in answer to a question of Mr. G. F. Young, that the supply of foreign timber for the naval service was exclusively obtained by public tender. The next vote was 63,7007. for new works and improvements in the yards.

Sir J. Graham called the attention of the Committee to a vote which was appended to this part of the estimates; because upon the decision of the Committee would depend the amount of money which, in future, would be applied to the expenses for carrying on the works of the Breakwater at Plymouth. The vote was to the following effect:-"The sum of 38,000l. which appeared in the estimates, was to defray the expense of depositing and forming the rubble. In addition to the above, a further sum of 99,7617. will be required to case the remainder of the western arm with masonry, and to form the foundation of a lighthouse at the extreme western end, which were strongly recommended by Sir John Rennie. If, however, it should not be decided to use masonry as above stated, then 15,000l. will be required to finish the remainder of the western arm, and the centre of the main arm, with rubble, and 15,0007. for the foundation of a lighthouse." The Admiralty had, acting upon the advice of Sir John Rennie, recommended that the work should be finished by solid masonry, which underwent a severe trial of its efficiency in the course of the last winter. From the report of the engineer it appeared that, notwithstanding a most violent hurricane which lately took place, all the vessels rode in safety within the Breakwater, and the works sustained no damage. A few stones only were thrown over on the north side, while the whole line of work finished in solid masonry remained firm. The stones thrown over came from a part not consisting of solid masonry. It was highly honourable to Sir John Rennie, that the expense of the work was found to fall within the original estimate. The estimate was 1,200,0007., and the expenditure would not exceed 1,100,0002.

The vote was then agreed to, as were several other grants, after a brief discussion. On the motion that a sum not exceeding 871,8587, be granted for defraying the halfpay of officers of the Royal Navy and Marines

Mr. Hume objected to the amount of this grant. If officers were taken from the half-pay list and placed upon full pay, as vacancies occurred in the service, not only would the amount of this grant be diminished, but an easy method would be found of remunerating individuals who, by their past conduct, had deserved well of their country. Captain D. Dundas said, that if the plan of the Honourable Member for Middlesex were adopted, the navy would be officered by men who were already worn out in the service. He called the attention of the Committee to the scanty pittance which was now allowed as half-pay to those meritorious men, the pursers in the navy.

Sir E. Codrington agreed with his gallant friend behind him, that if the system proposed by the Honourable Member for Middlesex were adopted by the Admiralty, it would fill our ships not with young and efficient officers, but with men who had literally been worn out in the service. He complained bitterly of the scanty half-pay system now adopted towards the navy, and denounced it as a disgrace to the country. The resolution was then agreed to, and several other resolutions without discussion.

MAY 3.

Army Estimates. Mr. Ellice recapitulated the statements that had been lately made by his predecessor. The increase in the land forces was caused by the state of Ireland and the West India colonies, since in the former country it was thought absolutely necessary to increase the forces to the amount of 3000 men, and also it was considered necessary to make the same increase of force in the colonies mentioned. The increase altogether was between six and seven thousand men. He regretted that circumstances, over which the Government had no control, required this increase. He begged to mention that the reduction made in the forces of England was 4000 men; and he hoped that when the Honourable Member for Middlesex proposed further reductions, he would be specific as to the way they might be effected. Some retrenchments had been made by his predecessors, and he assured the Committee that others were in progress, and that all the reductions that would be found practicable, compatibly with the public service, would be effected. The Government was prepared to make every saving; and the emoluments and rewards of general officers would be referred to a committee up stairs. However, this was not to be done through any neglect or disrespect towards those officers, for he considered their claims would be better considered in that committee than by the whole House. With respect to clothing the army, it would be seen that some of the regiments were to be clothed by public contract. It would not be necessary for him to enter into the details of the little differences between the estimates of the present year and of the past. He would merely again observe, that those differences were caused by an increase of troops in Ireland and in the colonies, and by a decrease in England. He proposed, "That a sum not exceeding 3,168,2167. 148. 1d. be voted for defraying the charges of the land forces for the service of the United Kingdom and our possessions abroad, except for the troops employed in the country possessed by the East India Company, for the year beginning the 31st March, 1833, and ending the 31st March, 1834." Mr. Hume moved as an amendment, "That a sum not exceeding 2,888,7207. be voted," &c.

Sir H. Hardinge rose and said, that however desirous he was of every advisable retrenchment, he could not help saying that the reduction proposed by the Hon. Member was, in the circumstances of the country, perfectly preposterous. Thinking, as he did, that the estimates were as moderate as they could be, he would give his support to Ministers in almost all the items.

Sir H. Parnell had heard with satisfaction the course proposed to be pursued by his Majesty's Government, and he did not mean to object to any of the items. He agreed with the Hon. Member for Middlesex as to the necessity of economy; but he did not think that the Honourable Member for Middlesex had pursued the proper course to obtain it.

Sir John Byng said, that he agreed with the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for Dundee, that the plan proposed by him was the best.

Lord Althorp said, that at present Government did not feel themselves justified in making any reduction in the army; but he could assure the House, that if in the course of the year an opportunity occurred of reducing the army, it should be done in the way suggested by the Right Honourable Member for Dundee.

The Committee then divided:

For the amendment, 70; against it, 238-Majority, 168.

The resolution was then agreed to.

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DISTRIBUTION AND CHARGE OF THE ARMY ACCORDING TO THE ESTIMATES

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