The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-05-29 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

Rite Cours.—The whole of the men turned out
in their uniform at Ti o'clock on Thursday last, and
hiving been formed into marching order in the Market •
place, were led by their officers to the Mill-down,the
band playing in their front. A beautiful evening,
and the curiosity to see the corps burn powder for
the first time in Her Majesty's service in honour of
th: anniversary of Her Majesty's birth•day, attracted
to the spot hundreds of respectable persons from the
town and many from the neighbourhood. Colonel
Mans I commanded on the occasion, and after a
feu de joie had been tired, and the men had been put
through numerous ea:illations in line, they spread
themselves in Alain:dung order to the right and
left, rapidly tiring, reloading and firing again, cover-
ing the advance of the amused civilians with admit..
able effect, and by a kind of tielsbday display, repre•
seating by the quick advance and retiring movement,
front and flank skirmishing in actual warfare. The
recall sounded, the men drew in and fell into rank.
They were now drilled in competing', slid having
moved in eschelon and formed squares to repel
attack of enemy, they were again thrown out as
pkirmiahers, tiring over each other's shoulders
. in twos, dropping on the knee, and delivering their
' fire, and tiring from behind cover ; in fact, doing all
that riflemen should do who are preparing themselves
to excel in the destructive art, and learning so to
fight that by taking care of themselves they " may
live to tight aw,ther slay." Having fallen in those
who had not discharged their rides were ordered to
fall out, but only one or two responded to the com-
mand—a somewhat surprising fact, as most of the
70 men assembled must have been comparatively
unused to the handling of firearms, and did not take
their first lesion in tiring unsler the most assuring
circumstances. In fact, the entire proceedings of the
evening justly deserved the praise uttered in our
hearing ; and if the deserved rebuke, "Silence in the
rank,' sharply uttered by one of the officers, fairly
indicates the discipline practises', we may hope to
see our military townsmen assume an efficiency
except on Sundays —that will not only secure to
them public appreciation here, but make them in
batallion the military pride of their hard-working
colonel. Three cheers for Her Majesty were proposed
by Colsnel Manael, and responded to by riflemen
and spectators with a heartiness that only English-
men can give to the noisy compliment. Volunteer-
like, a voice from the ranks proposed • like seimpli•
went to the Colonel. Captain, and "ourselves," all
of whom shared with Her Majesty in the noticeable
honours of the day. We must not omit to refer to
the proceedings over which Mr. Eyers WSJ the pre-
siding genius. Whilst those of the spectators who
amid " stand fire" plearal themselves ny the move
-
mute ansl popping of our military friends on the
upper part of the clown, the gentler and less heroic
portion delightedly promenaded round the excellent
rile hand playing on the lower part of the down.
And it struck us that should the natural attractions
of Slildslowu and pleasant summer evenings have
superadded to these military spectacles and musical
charms, the Blandfiirdians anil their country neigh-
' hours are likely to avail themselves of a recreative
! resort rarely surpassed by pleasing attractions.
FRIENPLY Novak,. r. -- The 29th anniversary of
this useful society is to be held on dune the 19th.
, The Rev. Alfred Littlewood will preach the sermon,
, and Isird S. G. Osborne will preside at the shinier.
BIRDS' Nrariso.—Greece had its one sacred bird,
but Blandford lias its many. A sparrow's mat might
have been seen a few days since in the cemetery
swinging to and fro in the branching sLilk of a wall-
dowel, as pretty a "family secret" as ever had •
flowery hiding-place. Broods of larks have gone
forth from between the grassy mounds, and now a
partridge has selected this place of graves to bring
forth her speckled household, and the ratepayers
of Blandford may congratulate themselves on having
their sacred preserve as well as their sacred burial
place.