10 companies of pontoneers, 200 each 12 companies and 62 artillery commands in interior garrisons Total artillery land, amongst the Tartar tribes of 2,000 Casan and the Crimea, in Caucasus, and amongst the Nomades of Northern Asia, but the population in these ter11,500 ritories must be kept down by corps of troops more or less considerable. 44,300 In Asia detachments are stationed 27,000 along an immense line at two or three leagues' distance from each other, from Total of the Russian army 650,300 Kasan to Kamschatka. Russia is, besides, obliged to watch her neighbours by means of great corps d'armée. Thus, for instance, the Russian Ambassador at the Court of Teheran had, for some time, the command of the military forces stationed on the frontiers of Persia, in order that he might make an impression on that Power in his double character. Add to this number about 20,000 officers of all ranks, gives a general total of This number was borne upon the registers of the army before the extraordinary levies of, 1827 and 1828. The number was then rather nominal than effective, but it was then carried on to its completion, and the Russian army was increased by 200,000 men, making the whole 670,000 870,000 This immense number, which is at present under arms, is divided into eight armies, each consisting of three or more corps. That of the Imperial Guards are under the orders of the Grand Duke Michael; the army of the south, quitted by Count Witgenstein, is commanded by Count Diebitsch; that of the west by Count OstenSachen; the Lithuanian army by the Grand Duke Constantine; the separate corps of Caucasus by Count Paskewitch-Erivanski; the army of the Grand Duchy of Finland by General Zakrefski; the military colonies by General Tolostoi. There are also corps de reserve in the environs of Moscow and St. Petersburgh, in case of emergency. From the whole amount must be deducted about 60,000 men, the contingent of the new kingdom of Poland now in arms against Russia, and also the Lithuanian army and the other troops levied in the ancient territories of the Polish republic, which can now scarcely be included in the list. The military force of Russia, however, is not near so great as it appears upon paper, it being a monstrous aggregation of conquered nations, a part of whom must necessarily be employed to keep the others in subjection. Russia, no doubt, recruits in Poland, in Fin Russia, therefore, notwithstanding the apparent number of her fighting men, can scarcely bring into the field so many soldiers as Prussia. In 1813, when she made the greatest efforts, she had not more than 300,000 men disposable, and even that was not effected but by the aid of subsidies from Great Britain. The Russian officers, to eke out their pay, endeavour to raise money from merchants and travellers; and it is not uncommon to see an old Colonel, with four decorations, receive from a traveller what our mere custom-house-officers would reject with indignation. The recruiting in Russia is effected by means of throwing the responsibility of furnishing the men upon the landed proprietors, upon whom it becomes a serious burden. By paying from 1,500 to 2,000 francs per man, they can purchase an exemption; and in the Turkish war several courtiers made a traffic of these tickets of exemption, the price of which was then raised to nearly 3,000 francs. EXTRAORDINARY LENGTH OF SerVICE. The following letter has appeared in a London Paper:— valuable paper a few days since, I perSIR,-On perusing a paragraph in your ceive it is said that that distinguished officer Sir George Don, now at Gibraltar, is about to be relieved by Sir William Houston, and that he will shortly return to England, after having been in actual employment sixty-two years, without any interval -a circumstance which has no parallel in the records of the service of any general whose name is now to be found in the English Army List. In speaking of length of service, however, I beg leave to remark, that of the late Inspector-General of Fortifications (General Mann,) is much more extraordinary, as he was actively employed, without any interval, for sixty-seven years; and, what is remarkable, during that period never had a month's leave of absence. The General's first commission was dated Feb. 28, 1763, and he died on the 27th March, 1830. NORTON'S RIFLE SHELL.-We were witness to an experiment made by Capt. Norton, at Moore's Shooting Ground, Notting-hill, with his Percussion Rifle Shell, on the 23rd ult. before the Master-General of the Ordnance, Major-General Sir Andrew Barnard, Major-General Norcott, Colonel Fox, and several other officers. The result was quite satisfactory as proving the utility of these projectiles. The object fired at was a small box, of about a foot square, its front being of oak, one inch in thickness, and back of elm, of an inch and quarter; between these was an inclosed space of one inch, filled with powder. The shell was discharged from a military regulation rifle, having the head of its ramrod hollowed out, to prevent pressure on the percussion cap; the distance about fifty yards. The first and second shots missed the object, and the shells passed clear through a broad iron-plate, which clamped together a three-inch boarded screen, against which the experiments were made. The third discharge carried the shell clear through the box, and caused an instant explo boiling of water. In a short time after, a second flash was seen, by the officers on the quarter-deck, to strike upon the mizen-mast, which passed off safely, but attended as before with a similar whizzing noise. It does not appear that the conductors sustained the slightest deterioration or marks from the passage of the electrical fluid. This account from the Dryad goes to prove, that the conductors do not draw down upon a ship any dangerous consequences, or attract, as some persons imagine, more electric fluid than they can transmit. Of course, in the tornado mentioned above, there must necessarily have been plenty of electric fluid present to be attracted; so that either the conductors discharged the whole of it, or otherwise only as much as they attracted; if they discharged the whole, with so little effect, there surely can be nothing to apprehend. There can be no question but that the Dryad's masts were saved by the rapidly equalizing power of the conductors, by which the dense, and otherwise overwhelming, stroke was passed, We have only to reflect on the frightful electrical action of a tornado on the Coast of Africa, to conclude that the ship, enveloped (as she must have been) in electric matter, was entirely protected from damage by the influence of her lightning conductors.-Hampshire Telegraph. CHANGES IN THE STATIONS OF CORPS SINCE OUR LAST.—”4th Dragoon Guards at Glasgow; 5th Dragoon Guards from Bath to Dublin; *10th Hussars from Wigan to Prescott; 17th Lancers from Newbridge to Limerick; 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards from the King's Mews to Upnor Castle; 4th Foot from Northampton to Chatham; 5th Foot from Buttevant to Ennis; 11th Foot from Corfu to Santa Maura; 18th Foot from Corfu to Vido; 18th Foot Depôt from Stockport to Bolton; 19th Foot Depôt from Gosport to Weedon; 30th Foot from Manchester to Ashton and to Dublin; 34th Foot Depôt from Naas to Clare Castle and to Limerick; 35th Foot Depôt from Plymouth to Davenport ; * Under orders for Ireland. 43rd Foot from Portsmouth to Manchester; 49th Foot Depôt from Upnor Castle to Chatham; 51st Foot Depôt from Weedon to Bolton and Stockport; 57th Foot from New South Wales to Madras; 60th Foot 1st Battalion Depôt from Clonmell to Dublin; 76th Foot from Dublin to Limerick; 82nd Foot Depôt from Newcastle-on-Tyne to Sunderland; 87th Foot on passage to Mauritius; 87th Foot Depôt Davenport; 91st Foot Jamaica-on passage home; 97th Foot Depôt from Charles Fort to Clonmell; 98th Foot Depót from Plymouth to Davenport; 99th Foot Depôt from Clare Castle to Naas. ARRIVALS, SAILINGS, AND IN. CIDENTS IN THE FLEET. Portsmouth.-March 27th. Arrived the Cracker cutter, from Jersey, and the Supply, naval transport, with stores, from Deptford. March 28th. Arrived the Quail cutter, from Dublin, and the Highflyer, from Newhaven; sailed the Snipe cutter, to the Eastward. March 30th. Arrived the Starling and Raven, from Newhaven; sailed the Quail, for Dublin. March 31st. Arrived the Royalist, 10, from Plymouth, and returned on the same day; sailed the Cracker, for Guernsey. April 2nd. Sailed the Highflyer. April 3rd. Arrived H. M. S. Rattlesnake, 28, Capt. Graham, from Malta, and the Raven tender, from Newhaven. April 4th. Arrived H. M. gun-brig Manly, Lieut. John Wheatley, from Bermuda, after four years' service in North America and the West Indies; sailed the Starling cutter, on a cruise. April 5th. Arrived the Pearl, 18, Commander Blake, from Cork, to be paid off. April 7th. Sailed the Meteor steamer, for Plymouth. April 8th. Arrived the Linnet cutter, from Jersey. April 9th. Sailed the Belvidera, 42, Capt. Hon. R. S. Dundas, with the Consul for Smyrna on board, for Malta. April 11th. Arrived the Highflyer and Raven cutters, from Newhaven. April 12th. Arrived the Meteor Steam-Vessel, from Plymouth. April 13. Arrived the Starling cutter, from Plymouth. April 15th. Sailed the Highflyer and Raven, for Newhaven. April 16th. Sailed the Ariadne, 28, Capt. Phillips; Dispatch, 18, Commander Frankland; Nautilus, 10, Commander mander Lord Edward Russell, with sealed Lord Geo. Paulet; and Savage, 10, Comorders, which are to be opened off the Lizard. The Starling cutter to the Eastward. The Acteon, 28, Capt. Hon. F. W. Grey, went out of harbour. April 17th. Arrived the Highflyer and Raven cutters, from Newhaven. April 18th. Sailed the Linnet cutter, and Meteor steam-vessel, for the eastward. April 19th. Sailed the Highflyer and Raven cutters, for Newhaven. April 20th. Arrived the Meteor steamvessel; sailed H. M. S. Actæon, Capt. Hon. F. W. Grey, for the Mediterranean; also H. M. S. Samarang, Capt. W. F. Martin, with a party of 84 Marines, for Tynemouth Castle. April 22nd. Arrived the Highflyer and Raven cutters, from Newhaven, and the Snipe cutter, from a cruise. April 23rd. Sailed the Highflyer and Raven cutters, for Newhaven. In the Harbour-Asia, Royal George, St. Vincent, Wellesley, Pallas, Rattlesnake, Pearl, Brisk, Recruit, Meteor. Plymouth. March 24th. Sailed the Gannet, 18, Commander Sweney, for Bermuda. March 25th. Arrived the Royalist, tender to the Caledonia, from Portsmouth, with the marines lately belonging to the Thetis. (tender to the Caledonia,) from Falmouth. Remaining in Hamoaze-Caledonia, Revenge, Dublin, Druid, Stag, Orestes, and Columbia steam-vessel. At the Island-Royalist. Falmouth.-March 26th. Arrived Hope packet, Lieut. Wright, from Tampicosailed 25th Jan.; Vera Cruz, 2nd Feb.; and from the Havannah, 23rd Feb. March 27th. Arrived the Briseis, Lieut. Downey, from Plymouth. Sailed H. M. Ketch, Vigilant, Lieut. Loney, for Lisbon, with a mail. March 28th. Arrived H. M. Steamer Columbia, Lieut. Ede, from the Mediterranean-sailed from Corfu, 6th March; Malta, 12th; Gibraltar, 21st; and from Cadiz, 22nd. March 29th. Sailed H. M. Steamer Columbia, Lieut. Ede, for Plymouth. April 6th. Arrived the Emulous packet, Lieut. Croke, from Carthagena-sailed the 1st Feb.; Jamaica 22nd; and from Crooked Island, the 3rd of March. Also H. M. Steamer African, from Plymouth. April 8th. Sailed the African Steamer, Lieut. Harvey, with mails for the Mediterranean, April 9th. Sailed the Hope, Lieut. Wright, for Jamaica and Carthagena; and Briseis, Lieut. Downey, for Halifax and Bermuda. Foreign. The Britannia (with the flag of Sir Pulteney Malcolm), Melville, Scylla, Ferret, and Rapid were at Malta on the 12th of March. The Raleigh sailed on that day for Tunis and Naples. The Procris was at Corfu. The Pelican sailed from Malta, on the 28th of March, with dispatches. The Rapid, from Archipelago to Malta, experienced a heavy gale of wind, lasting five days, under storm top-sails. The Alligator, and Meteor (surveying-ship) were at Smyrna. The Tyrian arrived at Honduras from Falmouth 24th January. The Hope arrived at Tampico from Falmouth and Vera Cruz 12th January. The Dryad, 42 guns, Commodore Hayes, and the Favourite, 18 guns, Commander Harrison, were at Sierra Leone on the 20th January. The Plumper, gun-brig, had arrived there with a Portuguese slaver, having on board 500 slaves and 40 Portuguese. At the time of the capture, the Plumper had only six white men on board. The Lyra arrived at Madeira from Falmouth, 22nd of February, and sailed on the 23rd for Brazils. The Hind arrived at Constantinople from Napoli di Romania, 14th of February. The Echo steamer, arrived at Gibraltar from Falmouth and Cadiz, 17th of March, and sailed on the 18th for Malta. The Meteor, Mastiff, and Philomel, were at Smyrna 19th of February; the Alligator had sailed for the Dardanelles. The Cordelia arrived at Bermuda from England 28th of February. The Galatea sailed from Jamaica for Vera Cruz 24th of January. The Childers arrived at Lisbon from Portsmouth, 20th of March; and the Cygnet from Falmouth, 25th of March. The Gloucester, 74, Capt. Coffin, was paid off at Chatham on the 28th of March. Letters from Barbadoes to the middle of February state that a court-martial had been held on board his Majesty's ship Shannon, 46, Capt. B. Clement, by order of Vice-Admiral Colpoys, to try Commander Charles H. Williams, of his Majesty's ship Racehorse, 18, on charges preferred against him by supernumerary Commander William Oldrey, who was ordered a passage in the Racehorse, to join his Majesty's ship Winchester, at Jamaica, for conduct towards Commander Oldrey, having a tendency to bring him into disrespect as an officer of his Majesty's navy. Several of the officers of the Racehorse were examined by the court, which, after sitting four days, adjudged Commander Williams to be fully acquitted. The Revenge, 76, was undocked at Plymouth on the 29th March, having undergone a thorough repair. The captain and Officers of his Majesty's late ship Thetis have presented to Mr. Jacob Geach, boatswain, a very elegant silver cup; and to John Langley, Captain of the Foretop, a handsome silver tobacco box, for their manly and intrepid conduct on the night of the 5th of December. The petty officers and seamen of the Thetis also presented a gold chain, call, and plate with an inscription expressive of their gratitude to Mr. Geach, for his exertions in saving the lives of the crew on the occasion. The Grand Cross of the Guelph has been conferred by his Majesty, on Admiral Sir William Hargood, and that of Knight Commander of the same order, on Capts. Usher, and George Seymour, C. B. The following order has issued from the Royal Marine Office, to the severa commandants of that corps : Royal Marine Office, 31st March, 1831. Brigade Order.-His Majesty having been pleased to appoint Major-General Sir James Cockburn, Bart. to be Inspector-General, and to command the brigade of Royal Marines, the Major-General cannot assume the command without expressing to the several divisions of Marines and Royal Marine Artillery the gratification which he feels in having his connexion thus strengthened and continued with a corps of whose merit he has already had such long and satisfactory experience. He begs they will collectively and individually be assured of his earnest disposition, upon all occasions, to promote their interest and welfare, and to direct the discharge of the high duties with which his Majesty has been graciously pleased to honour him, to the maintenance and extension of the honourable fame which the corps of Royal Marines have so invariably and eminently established. By command of the Major-General, JOHN WRIGHT, Ass. Adjt.-General. To the Commandants. Sir James Graham, Bart. Admirals Sir Thomas Hardy and Dundas, accompanied by the Hon. Capt. Elliot, embarked at Woolwich on the 4th ult. to inspect the dock yard at Sheerness. H. M. S. Dublin was commissioned at Plymouth on the 15th ult. by Lieut. Mure, for Capt. Henry Hope. Capt. Giles, Second Lieut. William F. Hopkins, R. M. and forty marines, embarked on board this ship on the 19th. The Pearl, 18, Commander Blake, was paid off at Portsmouth on the 16th ult. and re-commissioned by Commander Broughton. The Brisk gun brig was commissioned at Portsmouth on the 18th ult. by Lieut. E. H. Butterfield, late First Lieut. of the Primrose. H. M. S. Stag was commissioned at Plymouth on the 18th ult. by Lieut. F. D. Hastings, for the broad pendant of Commodore Sir Thomas Troubridge, Bart. She is to relieve the Semiramis, Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir C. Paget, at Cork. H. M. S. Pylades, 18, Commander P. D. H. Hay, ran on the rocks at Roona Point, about five miles beyond Old Head, about nine o'clock on the morning of the 13th of April, and, by the last accounts, was high and dry upon the reef, lying upon her side. The Trinculo, 18, Commander S. Price, was paid off at Plymouth on the 20th ult. H. M. S. Rattlesnake, 28, Capt. Graham, and the Manly, 10, Lieut. Wheatley, were paid off at Portsmouth on the 20th ult. The former was recommissioned by Capt. Graham, and taken into dock on the 22nd, and the latter placed in Ordinary. Captain Thomas Huskisson is appointed to superintend the lower school in Greenwich Hospital, in the room of the late Captain Donald M'Leod; and it is understood that the vacancy as Captain of that establishment, vacant by the death of the latter officer, will not be filled up. The Lords of the Admiralty have taken under their patronage the appointment of all surgeons and assistant-surgeons to His Majesty's ships. The Queen has appointed Captain Pechell, R.N. to be one of her Majesty's Equerries. Vice Capt. T. Usher, C. B. resigned. PRIZE MONEY. PRIZES ADVERTISED FOR PAYMENT IN THE LONDON GAZETTES, AS REPORTED TO THE TREASURER OF THE NAVY, DOWN TO THE 19TH OF MARCH 1831. WAR OF 1793. Montague, for L'Aviso La Dorade, capt. 3rd June 1799.-Pay. 27th Jan. 1831.-Agt. John Copland, 23, Surreystreet, Strand. Phoenix, for Purissima Conception, capt. 9th March 1800.-Pay. 6th Jan. 1831.Agt. John Hinxman, 72, Great Russellstreet, Bloomsbury. Ditto, for Le Revanche, capt. 17th June 1800.-Pay. 6th Jan. 1831.-Agt. John Hinxman, 72, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury. WAR OF 1803. Active, for Three Gun-Boats, capt. 27th July 1811-Pay. 27th Jan. 1831.-Agt. John Copland, 23, Surrey-street, Strand. Ditto, for Madona D'Idra, capt. 1st. April 1807.-Pay. 27th Jan. 1831.-Agt. J. Dufaur, 13, Clement's-Inn. Gleaner, (Hired Armed Ketch), for Adelaide, capt. 27th March 1813.-Pay. 24th Jan. 1831.-Agt. J. Woodhead, 1, James-street, Adelphi. Grasshopper, for Xerxes, capt. 27th June 1828; and Il Firme, capt. 22nd Nov. 1828-Pay. 2nd March 1831.-Agt. John Copland, 23, Surrey-street, Strand. Moselle, for Ynez, capt. 11th April 1808. Pay. 27th Dec. 1830.- Agts. |