The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-03 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

The inclemency of an English spring, as eiddegeed by the
weather of the two days preceding Easter Monday, was
elmost snitch., t to deter any Volunteers except those pos-
sessed of exec.:sive patriotic an'. •.0 non contemplating the
Journey to Dover with feelire fnl Friar°, and no doubt
determined some few waverers or tavern- ..f remaining in the
metropolis; mingled showers of snow andsleet, accompanied
by a biting north-easterly wind, rendering all but the
strongest averse it locomotion, and certainly present-
ing anything hot a strong inducement for trying their
effects on the bleak heights of Dover. The weather
on Sunday evening was the reverse of promising, yet
notwithstanding that untoward circumstar ce the numbers of
Volunteers who were on Monday morning conveyed from the
various metropolitan termini did not fall short of the esti-
mated cmitingents—makhrg due allowance for those who
had previously availed themselves of the facilities afforded
by the railway companies, and made the journey at their
leisure, thus warding the extreme physical test which is
borne by those who, rising at three a.m., know no rest until
nearly the same hour the following morning.
The greater portion of Os v lunteers who sta) ted on Mon-
day were astir before &mil a tnarehing towards the various
stations, the indications of the weather being extremely tin-
propitious; rain and sleet had fallen at intervals during the
night, the streets were wet MIR somewhat muddy, and the
wind rough and piercing. As the morn gradually dawned,
however, th, re was a favourable chutge, and the thick heavy
clouds which for a long time threateeed to break over the
metropolis slowly gave way to a clearer sky, which was
eventually succeeded by bright sunshine, until at six a
there was every prospect that the good fortune which has
hitherto attended the Volunteers at their animal reviews
would be again realised.
At Dover, although preparations had been actively going
on for several days in the principal streets, antis the streets
eading to the station, duriug the few hours of " e.rly morn"
wonders had been wrought—bunting had grown by thousands
of yards, and the tall white-washed poles planted on either
sides of the roads leading from the stations to the sea side
were hung with bannerettes, and gracefully festooned Irons
one end of the route to the ether; while the balconies and
windows of the houses bad undergone the some suitable
change line or two arches of welcome commenced several
days ago were also completed. One of these, near the
Town Hall, was really a beauthul specimen of the decorative
style. It was crowned with evergreens, and spanned the
roadway, the crown rising to an elevation of at least 20 feet,
and the abutments were filled with transparencies, repre-
senting on either side the London Se ittish, the London Irish,
the let City, and the Artillery Volunteers, all at "present
arms," and each in his appropriate attitude. The crown of
the arch was surmounted with a trophy consisting of the
Royal arms encircled by the flags of all nations, interspersed
with a profusion of suitable emblems and mottoes.
About ei ;lit o'clock the strains of a band in the distance
Indicated the first arrival from London, and the trains soon
afterwards errived in quick succession, the multitudes in-
creasing in the streets, windows and shop fronts becoming
adorned with fair beauty, the bells of the churches sending
forth merry peals, and the whole, notwithstatelieg the dull
weather, soon presented a pie tore of the moat animated and
inspiriting description.
In consequence id the bad weather—a perfect gale blowing,
with rain and snowntorm—the gunboats were nrdered to re-
main in harbour ; and drenched, but not doheartened, the
Volunteers were marching to the heights.
At ten o'clock the troops had nearly all assembled on the
sea front, but the wind still blowing a gale, and the sea
breaking with emit force osier the Parade, they had, every
now anti thee, to beat a retreat. The officers in command
were holding a commit of war whilst the volunteers, drawn
up in close columns were gooti-temperedly receiving a
thorough drenching, and at eleven o'clock, an order WRS
issued to break till three, when, if the weather permitted,
the men were to march past the General.
No sooner was the word to break up given than regiments,
red, green, and gray, resolved themselves Mtn their original
elements. Not even the Ferret went more suddenly and
completely to pieces than did the solid military array of a
few misutes previously. Every house of entertainment in
every part of the town was throeited with applicants for
food or shelter. Uniforms were to be sorts in all the min-
dower Dover was literally its the hands of the V. hinteers,
and the satisfaction of the inhabitants at the unlooked-for
openings for laisieess than create.% was proportionate.
In little niore than half an hour, however, the weather
moderated, awl his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
arrived at the Lord Warden Hotel. With the Commander-
in-chief cantons. Royal Highness Prince Arthur, his Serene
Highness Prince Tech, Lord Granville, and a mounted
escort. They had ridden across from Widmer Castle,
encounterieg the storm on their way, and the tDst inquiry
of the Duke was as to the cause of the acetic which met
his eyes—Vollinteers not under arms or in formatiou,
but wandering about in all directions. Explanations; were
()tiered ; he was assured that the step taken hail not
been adopted withont consideration, and apparently
had met with general approval. The !hike, however,
was plainly of opinion that the Review ought not to
be postponed. and eliciting corroborative expressions from
those whom he addressed, he issued peremptory instreetiona
to his Staff to cause the brigades to lie reformed. Donlits
were not unnaturally expressed by some of the commanding
officers, and even by General Lindsay himself, as to the feast.
bully of getting the men, so recently dismissed, together
asain. "Nonsense," was the Duke's reply, "Sour..! the
Assembly at once, and let the men be marched to the field."
Earnestness and tension produced their usual effects; the
crowd of bystanders anti Volunteers loudly cheered the
remark, and greeted the Royal party with renewed welcomes.
And while mounted officers hurried hither and thither, as
well as the crowded state of the streets would permit, the
Colnmander-iu-Chief himself cleared the vicinity of the
South-Eastern Railway terminus, almost single-handed,
sending men right and left to "fall in."
Any one wlm has assisted at an excursion, or picnic, where
members of the party have strayed off in different directions
and lost sight of each other can ferns some notion of the
difficulty of getting the Volunteers together again (remarks
the Correspondent of The Tiines,frorn whom wears quoting).
Though 'the Assembly " was sounded in front of every
hotel, in all the leading thoroughfare', and almost at every
street center, there were reasons —IT at least excuses—for its
not being obeyed with alacrity in all cases. Many had been
wet through, or nearly so, and it calls for an effort, even on
the part of strong-minded men, to struggle into damp boots
or coats again at a moment's notice. Many had food or drink
before then) when the bugles began: some had actually left the
town, or made other arrangements for the day ; while, of men se,
there was a proportion—though happily a small ele—of men
who flatly avowed that they " felt themselves Vt.ly corn.
fortable, :red did smt mean to stir." Among the steadiest
Vibinteers alai tbere were conflicting opinions ; some held
fitmly to the " tits ee o'clock" tinier given iu the tint in-
stance, disemiragieg as well meant but mistaken interfer-
ence, the efforts of those who were emleavouring to brin:
about an inunediate parade. SlllllO whose rendezvous lay in
tie east had to go West in the first ins) atter to get their
rifles. As soon, however, as two or three hands had been
got together, and the steady tramp of a butt dims SW route
for the Heights was heard, indecnion and conflicting cur-
rents came to an end, and three-fourths. or possibly blur-
t-if ths, of the Volunteers in Dover instinctively fell frets their
places.
Taking all the circumstances into account, the weather and
consequent elate of the roads, the sudden dispersion and
still more unforeseen recall, it late the credit of the force, as
military men cheerfully admi 'led, that within two hours and
a half from the time the Duke of Cam' oridge issued his orders
at the Lord Warden the head of the column—not taken
indiscriminately in the order of arrival, but arranged as
nearly as possible in accordance with the original distribu-
tion in the Warmflice retunrs—marched past the flagstaff in
rear of the Castle-hill Fort, two milss and upwattis as ay
from the town.
on leaving the Esplanade the troops, headed by their
bands, marched on to the Castle Heights. The streets on
their route were decorated with Venetian flags and other
draperies, and notwithstsudiug the severity of the llay and
the sweeping wind to which the heights were exposed, many
ladies in carriages, on horseback, or on foot, wo e among
the lookers-on.
His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief took up his
position at the saluting base, with his Royal Hiseness
Prinse Arthur on his right hand. Prince Teets rode past at
the bead of his own brigade of Surrey Artillery, Sllti then
joined the Royal circle at the flagstaff. General Sir Hope
Grant aud a brilliant staff were immediately in rear, and in
striking contrast to their British scarlet were too Austrian
uniforms. The passage of regiments hefore the Commander.
in-Chief was sustained with as eructs regularity as circum-
stances permitted, and the various compass'es were entitled
to much praise for their soldierlike hearing.
The march past concluded shortly bef.or, four o'clock, and
most persons presumed that the di11...01d corps would be
taken straight bank to Dover with a view to their epeedy
departrire by railway. The Commander-in-Chief, however,
was bent apparently upon adhering, as far as time permitted,
to the original programme. Acmodingly, as the various
regiments passed the flagstaff orders were sent them to mareh
up ern the points indicated in the plaits prepared before-
hand, and long lines of many.coloured uniforms spread
themselves, in compliance with the Duke's orders,
over what appeared to be, and doubtless were, massy
miles of country. Of the artillery corps preseet,
the majority were despatched to Dover Castle. The
engagewent was supposed to begin at some distance from
the Castle between the rival lines of skirmishers, hut it
gradually drew nearer to the walls, and then the fortress
took its part in the fray. To the general public this was
the most attractive portion of the spectacle, for between the
nondeacript hue of the ebalky soil and the kindred haze of
the smoke from the guns the movements of the rival armies
were followed with difficulty, and when, later on, the firing
extemled to the fleet the ioterest in this direction cm-
minated. The Royal Sovereign and the Scorpion, for some
time before they opened fire from their turrets,
had lain broadside on to the Castle, with bul-
warks lowered end the muzzles of the guns showing'
hut it was feared that the same cause which had
prevented the other vessels from yellowing out of harbour
to fultil their share in the progranune misht hinder the large
ships from condos; into diction. The general d, however,
was reaiisurell when, with a roar that shook the houses in
the town, the guns of the Royal Sovereign and Scorpion
opened. The cannonade was la iskly sustained both on land
and at sea for a considerable time, and the shades in SA ening
were 1 alliug when the final signal was given, arid besieger
and besieged ended their differences amicably.
At night the Castle and the ships-of-war were illuminated
as ith the magnesinin light.
All the special trams conveying Volunteers on their return
to London left Dover by a quarter-past 8 in the evening, and
the trains were got off without accident.

In the course of the review and the field operations the
following casualties occurred :-.-One of the Path Foot fell
dead on parade of heart disease ; William Ilaghae, of the
oth Essex, sprained his knee ; Janice Datson, of the Intl
Surrey, sustained some, not serion", contusions of the head ;
and Robertnheringham, of the 20th Kent, met with a similar
accident.