The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-07-18 00:00:00

1.14../SCAVit:N. BOP! PICNIC.

The boys who are being trained on board H.M.S.
Itoscawen to be sailors of the Royal Navy, had a very
pleasant break in their usual course on Tuesday last A
picnic was planned for them, far away from the island of
which they have had so much, and right out close
against the little bit of wood at Southdown, which they
had no doubt eyed longingly from the sea. That pert of
Lodmoor nearest Southdown was chosen for the picnic,
and the day was well suited also, being not too warm,
and yet perfectly fine. Before seven o'clock in the morn-
ing, Mr. Collins, one of the boatswains, came across the
bay to Weymouth in the steam Lunch with the provi-
sions, flags for decor-ding the ground, and tents for the
provisions and the ladies. Mr. Groves, the well-known
brewer, of Hope Square, kindly lent a waggon and
horses, and by these the refreshments, tlic.' were conveyed
from Weymouth Quay to the ground atLodmoor. Mr.
Collins and his party at once pitched the provision tent
under the shelter of • tall hedge, and the Mies' tent not
far from where is generally located the telegraph at the
races, and they marked out the ground with the signal
and other flags, including plenty of Union Jacks. About
half.past nine e'oclock steamers towed in several
schooners, etc., filled with merry sailor boys in white
duck trousers and blue jackets and collars —(why laugh?
the collar Is • big part of the sailor-boy's rig out)—and
they landed, and, beaded by the ship's band, numbering
20, under our old friend Mr. Rosenbaum, marched up the
Front, to their own lively music, causing the inhabitant.
to turn out in wonder at the spectacle of 150 or more
sailor boys all in excellent order, hut evidently up for
fun. They bore two hendipoine silk flags, the white
ensign, and the Admiralty dark blue flag, with gold
anchors and ropes, and being commanded by their
officers, and by the instructors, ship's corporals, &c.,
looked thoroughly like a regiment, though their marching
was of that free and easy style that distinguishes the
Jack Tar. Captain Hope was in command, with Lieut.
Cochrane, and the chaplain. Rev. Mr. Dearden : Mr.
Collins and Mr. Kent, boatswains; Mr. Bentley, gunner:
Mr. Yates and Mr. Chorky, schoolmaster,: instructors
Russell. Brown. Cowden. Jenkins, Pollington, Beeney,
Foulds, Kellaway, Leech, Pritchett, Hide, Baker; ammo-
tic. instructor Sergeant Mendell, bugle-instructor Sparrow.
Directly alter they got ihto the field an accident was near
happening which might have spoilt the day, but its con-
sequences were averted by the bravery and promptitude
of one of the boys. The horses, frightened at the excite-
ment of the young blue jackets, ran away with the
waggon and dashed across the ground, the boys scattering
in all directions. Just before it was a little boy, son of
Mr. Russell, gunnery instructor ; hut when the wheel was
within • foot of crushing the child a boy, named French,
rushed swiftly in and, at the risk of his own life, caught
up the child and carried it safely out of harm's way.
French was applauded by all who saw the feat, and we
believe he will be rewarded.

-"When-th;Y-hil-d .set-tre'd down each boy had a bottle of
gingerbeer and bread-and-cheese: and the party at this
time included 512 boys, besides officers, and a very pretty
sight it was to see the orderly lines spread out on the
green turf; it would have been prettier still had the
affair been generally expected in Weymouth, so that more
ladies might have visited the scene. Everybody knows
the picture at Lodmoor with the sea, the coastguard
station on the hill, the woods, the varied country to the
west, Weymouth to the south, Portland and the roads to
the southeast, and so round to the bay again. After re-
freshments the boys were amused with races and other
athletic sports. At half-past one the captain and officers
had lunch at the house of Mr. Burns, the coastguard
station, Mr. Hartigan, ship's steward, being the caterer.
Sports for the boys were resumed; but some of theni found
it pleasure enough to Ile under the shelter of the hedge
and enjcy the dolee Jar fatale. The sports were started
by the firing of a rifle brought from the coastguard
station, and caused great fun, owing to the large number
of boys that competed.
Oug MILS RACE —About 40 started. Pint, Luff ; second,
Aubrey : third, Negus. Luff won by a beg distance; it
was • close race between second and third...
_ .

iiiiir-Liimiiiiii:=Abouiii"sar-teri,init, Holland;
second, Webb ; third, Brooks. The finiah was much the
same as the Luit—the first boy won easy, second and third
very close.
RACE roe bar Cuss BOY& —First, Ilabcood ;
second, R. Carter. About 20 started; HabgoW won
caai
IItY ARDS RACE. —22 started. First, :
u
Pike; third, Arbom. Won by about two yards; three
yards between the next.

THROWING THIS CRICKET BALL-10 competed. First,
O'Keefe, about 100 yards ; second, Dean. about SU yards.
JUMPING IN Sacks (Ist class boys).—lst, Henry Willis;
2nd, Henry Toombs,
JUMPING IN SACKS (lAd claw, boys). —lst, Thomas
Maxwell :2nd. Oliver ; 3rd, Henry Spragg.
HIGH JUMP.—tieven competed, but only three were
fortunate; Holland, Seymour, and Willi.; each jumped
Mt. 3in., but Willis having won other prizes retired, and
it was ruled that Holland cleared the height rather the
cleaner of the other two.

—Ram. -dit7s-r-7=iiipe—i-ii.cudo. }lnit.& Meadows ; second,
H. Kaata : third, J. Galvin.
lluanta Itacr..—(First.riaas Boys). First. William
elton •, second, Charles Hall ; third, David Mires.
400 Yam's' ltacm—(First and second class boys). First,
Ilona. Collier; second, G. Wood; third,_ J. Welch.
lluanut Itacg.—(Gpan to all). First. W. Elliot; second,
F. O'Keefe • third, W. Wooldridge.
Tmuctr,-14;oogn Itaar..—(Open to all). First, T. Monk
and H. Sprang ; second, G. Brown and A. Lawrence; third,
R. Garter and G. Skaggs.
Ttimit-Lcoonn Racei.—(Sccond-class boys). First, Sam
Spading and George Pike; second, Henry Sprang and
Henry Willis; third, William McCarthy and Henry
Po4e.

Vitali/OW RACE. —(opCli to AM. First, Thomas
Johns and Edward Aehwick ; second, Stannic! Sperling
and George Pike.
WIIZZLISAIIIIOW RACIL.—(Yor second-elms boys). First,
John Hawkins and Fred Sal)); aoeond, William Brooks
and Alfred Sell ; third. Charlet; Trott and Henry Brazier.
CON SO LA TION RAWL—First, Henry F.Wof ; second, 11111101
Boot?. ;.Thinl, JamFa
. . .

,
Other boys amused themselves with fencing, plenty of
masks and sticks being supplied; the game of "mice'
and biindnian's buff followed, and so they passed away
the afternoon. A few visitors came out from Weymouth,
and many of the warrant officers and instructors' wives
and families were there. The band played from time to
time, and dancing was attempted; but it did not go with
such spirit as when there are plenty of ladies. Between
four and five, the order was given that those who liked
might bathe under the care of an instructor ; but the
shingly beach at Preston, protected by great rocks arti-
ficially cast there, was notattractive to the boys, and moat
availed themselves of leave to go to Weymouth, with
orders to assemble at the steps at six. Then came the
clearing up ; tents were struck and flags carried off, and
there beim, no need to take home provision, what was
left was given to the boys. A veal pie was thus abandoned
to • group, and the way it IVY demolished was • caution :
one minute veal pie, in the next the boys dashed at it, and
in a few sexinds there was nothing hut the dish. The
ladies went off in various 'carriages,our friend Mr.
Rosenbaum, being conspicuous on the box with a large
party of the fair sex behind him, drove oil amid the
envious applause of the warrant officers who had to see
the ground clear. The impedimenta were packed into a
waggon, all over which sailors and sailor boys clustred
like bees, and • can of shandy-gaff, fortunately discovered
on the road, gave rime to much hilarity, and was drained
pretty dry by the rear guard. So they drove past Sir
Frederick Johnstone's pretty gardens into town, and made
the visitors look with wonder at the streams of sailors and
sailor boy. At the King's Steps and the New Steps they
gathered, the boats were loaded thick with the youngsters,
some of whom exchanged chaff with the crowd who had
gathered on the Quay, and shortly before seven, the
steamer Ocean Pride took two schooners and • whole boat
full of boys, the steamer launch received the band, and
towed the third schooner, and by and by amid cheers
from the boys and the people on shore, the flotilla steamed
out of harbour, with between NXI and NM, for the
Boscawen. The crowd followed them, as far as they could,
a large number running down on the Pile pier, and
watching them into PorUand Roads. It MAI &pretty sights
and made a good finish to a pleasant day, the weather
having been one throughout.