January 28.] 
THE FIELD. 
87 
gcQinann! au& Itilitia. 
Tito following commissions ltovo been signed: — 
Lieutenant-Colonel tho Honourable William Henry Berkoly 
Portman, to be colonel, vice Tynte, resigned, in tho West Somer- 
set Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. 
Mbmorandum. — Her Majesty is graciously plonsed to permit 
Colonel Tynte, of the West Somerset Regiment of Yeomanry 
Cavalry, to retain the rnnk of Colonel of Yeomanry, without pay, 
in consideration of 50 years’ service. 
Gustavus Thomas Smith, Esq., Into captain 2nd Dragoon 
Guards, to be captain in the Warwickshire Yeomamy Cavalry. 
George Itashleigh Edgoll, Esq., Into captain 7th Regiment 
of Fusiliors, to bo captain in the 1st Regiment of Warwickshire 
Militia. 
Duncan Stewart, gent., to bo first lioutennnt in tho Esses 
Rilles. 4 , 
John Forster Pettikin Osborne, gent., to bo first lieutenant 
in ditto. . . . .. 
Ensign Augustus Richard Forrest, to be nontenant in the 
Royal South Gloucester Light Infantry Regiment of Militia. 
Nathaniel Frederick Ellison, gent., to bo lieutenant in tho 
Royal North Gloucester Regiment of Militia. 
Clotworthy Wellington William Robert Itowloy, Lord Lang- 
ford, late lieutonnntin the 7th Fusiliers, to bo captain in the 1st 
Regiment of Roynl Cheshire Militia. 
Lieutenant Thomas Henry John Oswald Ricketts, gent., to be 
captain, vice Brevet-Major Whittaker, resigned, in the Royal 
Radnor Rifles. 
Cornet Charles Edward Stephen Cooke, to be lieutenant, vice 
Milner, promoted, in the 1st West York Yeomanry Cavalry. 
John Hope Barton, gent., to be cornet, vice Cooke, promoted, 
in ditto. 
Philip George Skipworth, gent., to be cornet, vice Barff, re- 
signed, in ditto. 
Walter Beaumont, gent., to be ensign in the 2nd Regiment of 
West York Militia. 
Tub Royal Wilts Yeomanry Cavalry Ball, says tho 
Wiltshire Count y Mirror of tho 24th instant, took place on 
Tuesday last. Parties from Devizes, Swindon, Chippenham, 
Caine, and Hungerford, were present; and we feel suie such a 
triumphant revival must have been highly gratifying to those 
gentlemen who so kindly officiated as stewards. It was to all 
purposes quite the ladies’ evening, tho number of gentlemen 
considerably preponderating. Officers, commissioned, and non- 
commissioned, attended in their regimentals, and the hour of 
five was reached before the lost merry party had quitted the 
room, or the enlivening musio of Mr. Beale’s Reading quadrille 
band had ceused. The Earl Bruce, we are sorry to slate, has 
been suffering from a severe attack of influenza, but with his 
usual kindness supplied the tables with an abundance of game. 
Lord Ernest Bruce was not present, in consequence of the funeral 
of Viscount Beresford taking place the same day, at which his 
lordship nttended. It is almost superfluous to remark that tho 
supper and refreshments were on t he most liberal scule, when 
we say that Mr. Hammond, of the Castle and Ball, was caterer. 
Amongst the company we recognised : — His Worship the Mayor 
(Mr. T. R. Merriman), Mr. W. C., Mrs., and Miss Meriiman and 
arty, Mr. Iveson, Mr. John Halcomb. Mr. and Mrs. Gwillim, 
Ir. R. E. Price, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Collins and party, Mr. A. 
M. May, Mr. and Mrs. Gulliver, Mr. W. and the Misses Westall, 
Mr. W. and Miss Lucy, Mr. 11. F. and Miss Bull, Mr. Stone, 
Mr. W. S. May, Mr. E. May, Mr. Emberlin, Mr. and Mrs. 
Wright, Mr. and Miss Jarvis, Mr. and Mrs. Vaisey, Miss Lawes, 
Miss Cooper, Miss Lavington, Mr. and Sirs. H. F. Butcher, Miss 
Reynolds, Miss Hillier, Mr. John and Miss Noyes, Miss Barnes, 
Mr. Butlor, Mr. Reid, Mr. Westinncott, ifcc., &c. 
Surgeons in tiie Sultan’s Army.— There is one department 
of the Turkish army deplorably inefficient — the medical. One 
would imagine at first that thousands of young surgeons who are 
starving in England and Frnnce would flock here to fill up tho 
vacancies which exist in every regiment, ns there are few, if any, 
Turkish doctors in existence. Tho anomaly is explained, how- 
ever, by the fact that, os they would rank with the subaltern 
officers, they would bo daily subjected to indignities that no man 
of education could endure for an hour, and be obliged to associate 
with those inferior to them in everything. The consequence is 
that the medical staff of the army is composed almost entirely of 
roving adventurers of every clime under heaven, and of every 
profession but the one they practise — Italians nnd Germans 
mainly, jugglers, outlaws, runaway bankrupts, and in short men 
who in most cases had shut themselves out from all hopes of 
an honourable existence in their own country. Not one in a 
hundred has any diploma, or knows anything of medicine beyond 
a few stray scraps which he may have picked up more by chance 
than study. Any plausible, clever fellow, who blows his own 
trumpet loudly, may manage by some means or other to palm 
himself olf on the government at Constantinople ns n thorough- 
bred surgeon, there being no person or board of examination, to 
inquire into the nature of his qualifications. A man of this sort 
will walk into the hospital, looking very grave and knowing, 
march up to each bed in succession, ask a few absurd questions, 
prescribe n harmless dose, and pnss on. The soldier is n fatalist, 
and despises both the doctor ami his medicine. If ho gets better, 
he suys it is the will of God; if he grows worse it is His will 
also, and he blames no one. Any one who chances to find him- 
self in Turkey friendless nnd moneyless, should never despair 
until he has made an nttempt to practise ai a surgeon. If this 
fails him, then, 'indeed, all is lost. — Daily News. 
Pruoresb of Cholera. — Sinco the last announcement, cholera 
during tlio winfer cold has continued to decline in the metropolis 
and in the greater part of England, as was the cnee in 1848. 
But in Scotland it has extended, ns it did on its former visitation, 
notwithstanding the severe oold which has recently prevailed. 
The Medical Officers op the Navy.— Five ships have 
been commissioned within the last five or six days, three of them 
line-nf-battle ships, but no medical officer has yet been appointed 
to either uf them. There are 320 surgeons on tho active list of 
the Royal navy, of whom about ISO are employed in ships and 
steamers, or in dock-yards, victualling-yards, and convict 
stations ; bnt surely there can bo no difficulty in obtaining can- 
didates of that rank out of the remaining 134 now on half-pay. 
There is less reason for surprise that no assistant-surgeons have 
been appointed to those ships and war-steamers, as, on referring 
to the active list of that rank in the Royal navy, there are none 
available. Every assistant-surgeon fit for servico is actually 
employed, and there are very few, if any, candidates. 
FOREIGN MISCELLANY. 
Paper Money in Russia. — Hamburg letters allude to 
reports that the Czar is about to issue paper money to the 
amount of sixty millions of roubles to meot the war expendi- 
ture. The amount of paper money afloat would thus be 
raised to 282,000,000 roubles, oguinst which silver to half 
tlmt amount is stated to be lying in the fortress of St. Peters- 
burg. It is very doubtful if tho Czar has any such amount 
of the precious metals in his bunds us a guarantee for the 
paper circulation, and in a protracted war tin- whole financial 
system of Russia would probably be completely broken up. 
Advices from the Sandwich Islands state tlmt the whaler 
fleet had been rather unsuccessful. About 125 whalers had 
arrived at tho various island ports. A steamer had com- 
menced to ply between tho islands. 
INDIA AND CHINA. 
Trieste, Monday, Jan. 23.— The steamer Bombay 
arrived at half-pa*t 8 o’clock, a.m., in 116 hours from 
Alexandria, which she loft on the 17th. The Indian mail 
has been at Alexandria since the 14th, and cannot proceed 
before the 19th inst., at tho earliest, tho steamer from 
England not having arrived. The following are the latest 
dates received by this mail Calcutta, Dec. 20 ; Madras, 
Dec. 24 ; Shanghai, Dec. 1 ; Amoy, Dec. 5 ; Hongkong, 
Dec. 11; Singapore, Dec. 18; Pe’nang, Dec. 21; Galle, 
Dec. 27 ; Bombay, Dec. 29 ; Burmah, Dec. 3. No mails 
had arrived from Australia, though one was due. The 
Governor-General of India left Calcutta on tho 9th of 
December for Burmah. A conspiracy at Rangoon was 
frustrated on the 23rd of November by the preparations of 
the British authorities. The important territory of Berar, 
the garden of India, has lapsed to the British Government 
by the death of Us ruler without issue. 
Tranquillity prevails at Canton, and at Amoy the con- 
stituted authorities have boon restored. The insurgent army 
had, at the end of October, reached Ginken, about 60 miles 
from Pekin. Shanghai is still in the hands of the rebols. 
THE TURKS AND RUSSIANS. 
( Continued from Page 63.) 
Adrianople, Jan. 6. — All the preparations are made 
for the arrival of the Sultan, which is to take place in 
March. Numerous articles of furniture, as also 800 do- 
mestics and 500 horses, have already been despatched. The 
retinue of the Sultan will consist of 1,000 persons. 
The Passage op the Danube by tho Russians 
appears to be confirmed. It is believed that from 10,000 to 
15,000 have passed over to the right bank, and it is certain 
that this corps will be followed by others; and we may 
expect a desperate attempt at an invasion of Bulgaria, for 
the movement of troops in Russia is very great. The 
Emperor has in this, as in other matters, disappointed all 
anticipation; he has not waited for spring to resume his 
operations, and while receiving and answering protocols and 
ultimatums he has been acting. The passage of the Danube 
creates a new embarrassment to the Powers. 
Advices from St. Petersburg, of the 17th instant, 
state thnt a ukase has been issued, calling the seamen of the 
Baltic fleet to rejoin the ships by the 15th of March. The 
concentrations are to take place at Kronstadt, Reval, and 
Sweaborg. 
THE WAR IN EUROPE. 
There can be no doubt that the Russians have now 
regulurly assumed the offensive along the whole line of 
operations. On the 13th of January, the day on which 
Prince Gortschakoff left Bucharest for Radovan with two 
infantry regiments and several detachments of hussars and 
Cossacks, General Liiders attacked Matschin and its two 
forts on several sides. The transport of heavy artillery to 
Giurgevo (where a tSte de pont is established^, leads us to 
suppose that an attack is about to bo made on Rustschuk. 
On the night of the 12th the Turks made feigned attempts 
to cross the Danube at Kalarasch, opposite Silistria, and at 
Hirsova, in the Dobrudscha. The Oest Deutsche Post says 
that, on the 17tb, Prince Gortschakoff was in Little Walla- 
cilia, and that the concentration of the army under General 
Aurep was effected on the 18th. 
Omar Pasha is at his head-quarters at Widdin. A bridge 
of boats is to be established between Widdin and Kalafat. 
The Turkish Government, on the recommendation of 
General Baraguay d’Hilliers has decided on establishing a 
line of electric telegraph from Constantinople to Schumla. 
It is also in contemplation to purchase in Europe a certain 
number of steam-vessels. 
A letter from Constantinople of the 9th states that the 
entry of the squadrons into the Black Sea has redoubled the 
general enthusiasm, and the number ofvolunteers who offered 
themselves for the Turkish army was wonderfully great. 
All classes of society were making voluntary gifts to the 
Sultan, in horses, arms, clothing, and stoves. The various 
commercial houses refused to sell to others than the Govern- 
ment the articles which could prove of service to the troops, 
and they gave it unlimited credit. 
There arrived in Rustschuk from Schumla on the 4th 
instant, says a correspondent, 13 new assistant surgeons, 
most of them French, which enabled us to dispose immedi- 
ately of nine from among the elder regimental surgeons, by 
sending them partly to Widdin, and partly to Kalafat. These 
last are already acclimatised, know the ground, and ride 
well. We at the same time received from Varna a large 
stock of materials for bandages and everything required for 
surgical uses, such as hand-barrows, litters, cotton coverlets 
and counterpanes, tent-beds, and tho like. We had them 
sent on with all speed on sledges and pack-horses up the 
Danube. Thus in the hottest time of it, as far as Little 
Wallachia is concerned, we were able to do more than ever 
for the sick and wounded. The fuel that was brought from 
the Valley of Ternek to Widdin suffices not merely for the 
hospitals, foraging posts, anil camp stations, bnt also for the 
guard-houses, which can keep up now a merry blaze fur ami 
wide around. 
Kalafat, Jan. 11. — The signals of our outermost posts 
aro now placed in a complete semi-circle at about 20 miles 
off, the lower half of the semi-circlo being occupied by the 
Egyptian regulars, the upper half by Turkish companies. 
The Irregulars form the second line, and among the 
entrenched garrison troops, there is a strong sprinkling of 
Europeans, right away from Kalafat are also Turkish and 
Egyptian regulars. The five Foraging posts are stationed 
in the second line of the Rayon, and supplied with so many 
carts and biers, that quick communications take place 
between the extreme Ilayon and the Centre. The gipsies, 
and better still, the natives aro our best couriers, or doers of 
errands and the like. If we can believe the report ju»t 
brought in by our Armenian provision contractors, who 
come from Rustschuk, the five steamers that sailed from 
Constantinople, intend steaming this way up St. George’s 
canal ; tlioy would therefore pass near Matshin and Hirsova, 
and completely cut off the retreat of the enemy to Bessarabia 
and Moldavia. Omar Pasha is exactly the kind of man to 
devise such a plan, and then carry it into execution. 
The attack against Kalafat appeared definitively fixed for 
the 19th, Saint John the Baptist’s day, according to the 
Russian calendar. 
THE WAR IN ASIA. 
Georgia and Armenia. — A bulletin published at St. 
Petersburg on the 17th inst. 6hows that tho Russian troops 
in Asia are in winter quarters, within tlieir own frontiers, 
and that at present no military operations aro in progress. 
NAVAL Ol'ElUTIONS IN THE 11 LACK SEA. 
The following is a list of the Russian naval forces lu tho 
Black Sea : — 
Varna (admiral’s flsg ship) 
Twelve Apostles 
Rostilas "" 
Sviatoslaf * 
Selufonil ' 
The Three Sviatllely 
Sultan Mahmoud 
The Three Tarorchow 
Uriel 
Y agondlb 
Chubry 
Czelem 
Silistria 
Catherine II 
frigates. 
Guns. 
- 120 
• rjo 
. 121 ) 
. 120 
. 120 
. 12(1 
. 80 
. 8 i 
. 80 
. 78 
. 80 
. 81 
. 80 
. 80 
M'dia 
Kovarna 
Flora 
Brallow 
MlzIfYin ’** ” 
Zls-pool '.'.‘.'.I 
Kagul " ’ 
Agathopol !!.!!! 
Fifteon small ships (suoli as brigs, eorvottes, ami 
schooners). 
no 
5G 
51 
GO 
50 
48 
4<i 
STEAMERS. 
Bessarabia 
Gromonoz u 
Grosney j 6 
Total 1,942 
All these ships are not supposed to bo fully equipped. 
Letters from Constantinople of tho 9th inst. stato that 
the Queen, Bellerophon, and Vttlmy, which had been left at 
Buyukd^rd, have followed the fleet, into the Black Sea. 
This movement was supposed to be connected with the re- 
turn of the Retribution from Sebastopol from lier mission 
to the governor of that port, and was thought to signify that 
her message had been ill-received. Merchantmen arriving 
at Constantinople from the Black Sea, reported a Russian 
fleet between Redout-Kali) and Batoum. The Eitropa, 
Austrian steamer, from Trebisond saw the combined fleets 
off Sinope. A letter from Odessa, dated Jan. 12, says, that 
upon receipt of the notification that the French and English 
fleets had entered tho Black Sea, Prince Menchikoff, who 
has supreme command of the Russian marine in the south, 
re-issued the notification first made upon the declaration of 
war by Turkey. According to this document, all vessels 
carrying ammunitions of war, and stopped by Russian 
cruisers in the Black Sea, will be regarded and treated as 
good prizes, whether belonging to a hostile or neutral power 
or nation. No English or French man-of-war had up to 
Jan. 12, appeared before the harbour of Odessa. All tho 
merchant vessels of these two nations were then making 
preparations to leave. 
Port of Sebastopol, January 10. — “On the 7th two 
steamers of the English fleet uppeared before Sebastopol, to 
announce officially to the Russian admiral that the fleets 
had entered the Black Sea, having left the Bosphorus on 
the 4th. The two steamers then departed to join the 
Anglo-French fleet, which will sail towards Batoum. Since 
then no vessel — French, English, or Turkish — has been seen 
before Sebastopol." The Russsian fleet is distributed at 
different points, says the above despatch, while a Constanti- 
nople letter of the 9th, in the Lloyd of Vienna, states that 
the Russian ships of war which had been cruising in the 
Black Sea'had all entered the port of Sebastopol. By a rescript 
dated the 23rd ult., the Emperor of Russia lias conferred the 
order of the White Eagle on Vice-Admiral Staunkovitch, 
Commandant of tho port of Sebastopol and military 
governor of the town. 
AUSTRALLYNA. 
Portsmouth, Jan. 24. — '.he Hurricane, 1,100 tons 
Captain Cate, passed by this port this afternoon from Mel- 
bourne to London. She left Melbourne, Nov. 3, having 
made a good passage home. She called at no port since 
leaving Australia. Her passage round Cape Horn was a 
very fine one. This vessel reports the arrival at Australia 
of the Great Britaiu and the Hellespont steamships. 
Russian Ships op War in the South Seas. — 
“ Sir, — Perhaps it would be of use to mention Mint, just 
before her Majesty’s ship Serpent left Sydney in July last, 
the Imperial Russian corvette Dwina had paid a visit to 
that port, and was there about a fortnight. She was re- 
ported to be on her way to Pietro- Pauloiixki. — I am, Sir, 
your obedient servant, An Officer, late of tho Serpent." 
North Australian Expedition. — On Monday even- 
ing a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society was held, 
the Earl of Ellesmere in the chair. Dr. Shaw, the secretary 
of the society, read a report on the subject of the contem- 
plated “ North Australian Expedition." On the 3Uth of 
May, and 6th of June, 1853, a committee of the Royal 
Geographical Society was appointed to take into their con- 
sideration the expedii ncy of un expedition to the northern 
coast of Australia through the interior of the country. On 
the 27th of July a deputation wailed on the Duke of New- 
castle, the Colonial Secretary, on the subject, who lequesied 
a description of the route of the proposed expedition, us 
also an estimate of the probable expense. On the 24th of 
August following, a communication was sent to the C'dmual- 
office, staling that the expedition was to proceed from the 
Rivor Victoria as a starting point, which the explorers were 
to ascend as far as its water-shed — probably from time 
hundred to four hundred miles south of Cambridge Gulf. 
Thence they were to make n deflection to the eastward, as 
far as the nature of the country and the means of transport 
would pormit, to the River Albert, which streum they were 
to descend till they got to the Gulf of Carpentaria <*n tie 
north coast. If the country explored was fertile, tlie c 
could be little doubt that the sales of land would »••,■(> u* 
outlay of the expedition ; but if it failed in that i' -p*f , " 
would still he valuable in a geographical and scientiti po. t 
of view, and be a saving of future labour, capital, amt 
trouble. The cost of the expedition was estimated at 2,501)/. 
Estimates from Cuptain Sturt and Mr. Eyre accompanied 
the report sent to the Colonial-office. On the 18th instant 
the deputation again waited on the Duke of Newcastle. 8ir 
C. Fellowes, who formed ono of the number, now stated tho 
result of the interview. The Duke of Newcastle received the 
deputation in the most friendly manner, and told them thnt 
tho government with great liberality entored into the views 
of the society, and that the necessary sum would be con- 
sidered in the estimates of tho present year. He said he 
would forward the views of the society even to n greater ex- 
tent than they hud suggested. He said he feared the sura 
required would provo inadequate, and that it would be likely 
to be more productive in results if it wero oxiended. He 
