The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-08 00:00:00

THE REVIEW IN HYDE PARK.

The largest muster of Volunteers that has ever
been since the organisation of the force zu3sem-
bled in Hyde Park on Saturday, when they were
reviewed by the Prince of Wales The number
actually on the ground considerably exceeded 30,000,
the force being distributed in 15 brigades, in addition to
which there was a brigade of four rf,giments of the
Guards and the Royal London Militia. The move-
ments were of a Pimple character, the limited Ppace
not admitting of any extended mar cnivres. Oa the
arrival of the Prince, who was accompanied by the
Princess of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and a
briliiant staff, the lines were inspected, this being
immediately follewed by a march past, the whole con-
cluding with an advance in review order. The
weather was tine, and the attendance enormous; but
the general arrangements were of so excellent a cha-
racter that no accidents were reported.—The Daili
Telegraph, in noticing the Review, remarks :

We need not say that the review was a brilliant success in
every way, and that, short of a regular array, it could no-
where be equalled in point of equipment, discipline, and
military precision The several regiments, some of a hich
came from long distances, had to muster, form, and march
to the rendezvous. then they had to be massed on the
gri und without confusion, and afterwards subject
themselves to cl 'se inspection in open oreer—an
ordeal which tells even upon thoroughly trained soldiers, aril
puts every officer and man upon his mettle. They completed
the preliminary steps with that punctuality so essential in
military business, and they marched past with as much
solidity and soldierly bearing as could be expected from corps
not engaged daily in rehearsing the process. Naturally,
some batt dions were many degrees superior to others, and
underwent the test evolution with marked regu-
larity. But the great fact is that when these
thousands were called they Caine, and came in time. Per-
fection in drill, in the carriage of arms, in discipline, can
only be secured by steady practice during months and years.
A. regular soldier when summoned is a deserter if he does not
appear. But these men were under no compulsion ; they
were not hound by penalties to meet at a given moment in
our squares and open spaces • they were willing agents
acting at discretion Nevertheless, they were found at their
posts precisely when required, and nothing in the
whole display could b 3 more svisfactory than such
proof of punctuality to the authorities There have now been
tour great parades in Hyde Park since Hee, when a tentative
appeal disclosed the latent warlike force of England. Queen
Victoria herself presided over the first in 1860, and that
display astenithed Europe as well as the sceptical in this
country. "I came to see National Guards," said a French
officer, "but these are troops" The demonstration of
patriotism doubled our moral force in all regions
beyond the ChanneL Twice subsequently, in 1833 and 1861,
there were similar but less imposing musters. And now the
fourth has surpassed all its precursors, not only in quantiv
but in the quality. Seventeen years after its initiation the
Volunteer brauch of our Aux'llaries puts forth greater
numerical strength and. far exceeds in efficiency the displays
of a former period. . . . . The force gathered together on
SAurday was fortunately a representative one. Although
the main body of the regiments was supplied by the hi me
counties, districts near and remote furnished fine specimens
of provincial ccrps. Devon, Gloucestershire, Sussex, Bedford-
shire, Berk; York, Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham were
admirably represented, while Lancashire sent up a stalwart
and numerous brigade which proved its devotion by
travelling to the field during the day, as d journeying
home all night. It need scarcely be said that the troops
differed considerably in ihysqne, proficiency, and bearing;
but, taken as a whole, the mass, thus sudeenly collected,
may be characterised as having reached a fair average
standard which time and opportunity would soon raise above
that level. lied all been clothed in the national uniform,
the effect not only of their solid masses of brigade columns,
but their marching, would have been far mere impres-
sive. . . .