Note 462 — 1844.

With the reputation of being the best diver in Europe, he sailed for China in February, 1845. In April, 1847, he was present in the expedition to Canton, and took part in the capture of the Bogue and other forts. Soon after he was reduced from sergeant, but his energy of character and perseverance brought him again into favour, and he is now a sergeant in the corps. He was present during the summer of 1854 at the capture of the Aland Islands, including the demolition of the forts of Bomarsund. After his return from the Baltic he was placed at the disposal of Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney of the House of Commons, to learn the properties and management of a brilliant light that gentleman had discovered, and which he proposed to use in the trenches before Sebastopol to exhibit the enemy, at night, in their works. The experiments were carried out under the auspices of Lord Panmure; and the sergeant evinced so complete an acquaintance with its principles, that the inventor determined to intrust him with its use in the field. Submitted, however, for trial with rival lights to a committee at Woolwich, it was soon seen that its results did not equal its pretensions, inasmuch as the light at a distance was far less intense than in the vicinity of the operator. In this way sergeant Jones was relieved from a nightly exhibition, which would have made him a certain mark for the enemy to shoot at. On the occasion of the trial he also used the Drummond light, a twin invention with that of Mr. Gurney. The third light was an electric flame; all of which were condemned for the sole and sufficient reason that our own workmen would have been more exposed by the illumination than those of the garrison. Sergeant Jones served subsequently in the Crimea.