The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-22 00:00:00

A NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

The monument provided by a national sixpenny
subscription in memory of those who perished at the
wreck of the Princess Alice, in September, 1878, has
just been erected in Woolwich Cemetery, at the
summit of the hillock where the bodies of the un-
claimed dead were buried. The memorial consists of
a handsome cross of white marble, about 16ft. high,
and on the pedestal bears the following inscription :
"The saloon steamer Princess Alice, returning from
apleasure excursion, was wrecked off Tripcock Point,
by collision with the steam collier Bywell Castle, on the
night of Sept. 3d, 1878. It was computed that seven
hundred men, women, and children were on board;
of these five hundred and fifty were drowned, and
one hundred and twenty were buried near this place.
To the memory of those who perished this cross was
erected by a national sixpenny subscription, to which
more than 23,000 persons contributed. In the midst
of Life we are in death. Jesu mercy.'
At all the graves have been placed small headstones
bearing the names of such of the dead as were iden-
tified.

The BRIGHTON VOLUNTEER REVIEW.
The Commander-in-Chief has sent to the Secretary of State
for War the report mi. the Brighton Review by Prince Edward
of Saxe-Weimar, General Commanding the Southern Division,
and with it the following letter :

"Horse Guards, War Office, 29th April, 1850.
"Sir,—ln forwarding the accompanying report from
General His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-
Weimar on the Volunteer Review held at Brighton on
the 29th March, I have much pleasure in bearing the
racist favourable testimony, from my personal
observations, to the marked improvement that
has taken place in this force during the last
few years. The ,splendid physique and soldierlike
bearing of upwards of 18,000 men who had assem-
bled for this review were most conspicuous ; the
manceuvres of the several corps were effected with
facility and precision, and the firing was delivered
without hurry or confusion. I also remarked that the
guns of the artillery were particularly well served.
This gratifying progress in their military duties
reflects the highest credit upon officers and non-com-
missioned officers and men; on the former for the
zeal and intelligence which have undoubtedly been
shown in the instruction of the rank and file, and
on the latter for the care and attention paid to
their various drills, &c., during their leisure
hours. I also avail myself of this oppor-
tunity to record my 'satisfaction at the orderly
demeanour of the volunteers while off duty. Re-
leased from the restraint of discipline in the
ranks, each individual member appeared to be
conscious that on his own good conduct rested the
credit of his corps, and the force generally; and I am
happy to state that no single exception to this praise-
worthy behavour was brought to my notice. 'I have
now only to state, in conclusion, that I fully concur in
the mention made by his Serene Highness of the cheer-
ful submission of all ranks to the severe hardship which
most of the corps endured on that day; and I cannot,
at the same time, refrain from expressing my entire
conviction resulting from a careful observation of the
recent military display at Brighton, that the nation
possesses in the volunteer force a substantial and trust-
worthy reserve for the defence of the country.—l am,
sir, yours, "GEORGE.
"The Secretary of State for War, War Office."