The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-23 00:00:00

REVIEW BY THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA
AT ALDERSHOT.

•
The Emperor of Russia, accompaniA by the Grand Duke
Alexis, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and a numerous
suite, including Count Adlerberg., Count Schouvaloff, Ad-
miral Popoff, and Generals Skoßuff, Ryleieffouid Stetzenkoff,
left Buckingham Palace ou Tue.day morning for Aldershot, to
review alarge mass of troops which were assembled there. The
Prince and Princess of Wales left Marlborough House in an
open phaeton shortly before ten o'clock, and drove to Nine
Elms station to meet the Imperial party and were loudly
cheered as they were recognised in passing along the
road. The Emperor and his suite left buckingham Palace
shortly after ten o'clock. The whole of the party were in
private closed carriages, there was no guard of honour, and
the escort was formed of a small party of the Royal Horse
Guards Blue. The route taken was to Victoria Station, down
the Vauxhall Bridge-road, and across the river to the Queen's
private station at Nine Elms,
At Nine Elms the Queen's private station had been beauti-
fully decorated. The whole of the platform was labl with
crimson carpet Groups of choice flowers and foliage and ferns
were most tastefully disposed about the waiting-room and
roam' the bases of the marble pillars, which were wreathed
with flowers. Trophies of flags surmounted the capitals,
and a canopy of pink mid white was raised over the part
under which the Imperial and Royal Party were to pass.
The roadway was freshly gravelled, and Venetian masts
ended with flags, wreaths, and banners.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, attended hy General
• Knollys, Colonel Kingseote, and Major Teesdale and Prince
. Christian, with Colonel Gordon, reached Nine Elms at ten
minutes past ten from Marlborough House. The Princes. of
Wales was most tastefully attired in a purple velvet dress,
white silk jacket, and wits bonnet, tnnthied with purple
velvet and white roses. The Prince of Wales wore the Rifle
Brigade uniform ; Prince Christian and suite being also
attired in brilliant military uniforms. For nearly ten
minutes the Princes mid Princess stood upon the platform
waiting for the Emperor, whose advent about 10.25 was
heralded by the enthusiastic cheering of the spectatom
The Imperial party, who had been e,corted from Bucking-
ham Palace by a detachment of the Royal Horse Guards,
occupied close carriages, the first being occupied by
the Emperor, the Grand Duke, and the Deeliesa of
Edinburgh. The Emperor and the Grand Duke wore
military unit e-nis. the Duke of Edinburgh being
attired in that of a Lancer. Cpon alighting, the Prince
of Wales intr.almed Mr. Castleman, the chairman, to
Use Emperor, and immediately anent-Ards the Imperial
and B. pal party took their seats in the saloons. The special
lett at 10.20, Mr. C. Castlemaia, Colonel Campbell Hon. Ralph
1 Dutton, Captain Jeluiston, Mr Mortimer. and Mr. Hutchings
travelling with the train, which was under the charge of Mr.
1 Archibald Scott, general manager. As the bipedal train
proceeded up the incline, some hundreds Of the company's
employes raised a loud cheer, which was pleasantly acknow-
ledged. Alter quitting Nine Elms the Imperial train
travelled rapidly past Clapham Junction, Surbiton, end
Woking, to the Aldershot station, where it arrived at 11.20.
Great preparations were made at Aldershot for the recep-
tion of the Czar The route from the railway station was
tastefully decorated, and at the station itself there was
arraaßed on either side a magnificent collection of plants. In
Victoria-road and Wellington-street the bunting was plenti-
ful. Immense crowds of people arrived to witnete the so.
slow. S,l regiments of Cavalry, six batteries of Artillery,
three troops and two companies of Engineer. and 24 bat-
talons of Infantry. together with a detachment of the Army
Service Corps, took pert in the operations. Th entire force,
which was commanded by some half-dozen generals and
about the same number of brigadiers, numbered over 14,000
men.

The Duke of Camhridde and a brilliant staff had already
arrived, having kit Waterloo at nineo'clock by special train.
The Imperial party had a splendid retention durind the
journey. the inhabitante of towns end villages turnaig out
and cheering as the train pissed. The weather wee Ana

thenvh occasiondh ..vere,st. The Imperial and Il! aal
nit) were rervii-isi at Air ennui nt I.:, the Duke of Cambriiije
auti Prince Arthur, an escort in furnished by the 7th
Rosa. rate rha oesoet et i,...e.0er he the let Gr,4ldier
smard us, nder cohnie&Gtdd the hate, of the 2.;:d et, t
Iridiem ',Whig the Utah, Nallional Anthem. '.
Tlhe Imperial =ld Bird ~..!,,p! left at once for the review
Newel, liming under triumphal :doh. and tlirojr inn-
r
,eiede et
.peo le sin the way. The rece on nit
erste is Wae a e:il t m;' to , thy heeera hais thrn e
g extr ly prett . Thous. of spectate. fere re-
dell to steepl 'e to and itethe Leak Valley
Akill:4l ' lan . —b -
..-. , .
....t-‘! e feli ,s::e, att ccoak of the military display that then
. - , Pie, %t iii,, fret Thr Times : -
. :lutit at,
~.le rive o'eßick the !looming oi Hic Per! salute
Iron, the leilierj towat.do Burns' Dill told that the Emperor
had arri vett, .1.1 dint! a u hile the long cavalcade of the etatf
. -was seen eosidog ever the saltily downs. etalting are fat's
pace to the right et the use it tuned, anillthe inspection be-
gan. the bawls playlet: the usual airs as Die Empathy passed
r'itt front ottheir !vein], its. From the top of the quitiy down
whith borders the Valley it was easy to make out the Emperor
in itlit dark ercen and g ad Genererstielform, with is elnine of
feathers floating froei his helmet. His Majesty was moulded
on a gray charger : the Duke of Cambridge was
mounted on a roan ; the Prince of Wales wore the Uniform
of the Rifle Brigade, and rode -as every mounted officer of
Rill, ought to ride—a nearly black charger. In the midst
1 of all the horsemen, two low carriages-and-four with 'midi-
' lions in red jackets showed us that some Royal Ladies had
Mlle to the Review. Some of the seectaters, eager and tun
knowing folk, Hemet It migbt be Her Majesty who had
driven over from Windsor : lent those betlenieformed and
provided with glasses knew that it was the Princes:, of
1% nice and the Duchess cf Edinburgh who had tra-
velled down from Loudon by train. An inspection
of troops, even by an Emperor, is not a very ex-
citing spectacle whot it is area a ntile off, vi lien one
can warcely make out who is in the Staff, anti only hears the
bands nein' and then as the wind blows favourably. So all
were glad when it caine to an eml, when the troops began
to move round towards the right, and when the Staff came
over the sandy ridge and crossed the Steeplechase Course to
take up positions at the saluting point. There was a great
stir among the spectators and !mute cheering as the Emperor
came riding on with the Duke of Cambridge Ity his side and
the other Princes near. A more distinguished and brilliant
Staff has never been seen at Aldershot. The Prince of Wales
wore the light blue iiband of St. Andrew, in bright relief upon
his black Rifle tunic. The same riband was worn by the Duke
of Edinburgh over MN Yambourg Langer Uniform, and
by the Duke of Cambridge over his usual scarlet. Prince
Chgistian, in scarlet also, wore tine Garter, and the Duke of
"reek the rthatel of St. Michael and St. George over his
Artillery Volunteer uniform. The Grand Duke Alexis, in
green and gold, wore the Si, Andrew ribatel. Prince Arthur,
who did duty for the day as Aide-de-Camp to the l'onimander-
iu-Chief, wits in his new Seventh Hussar uniform, and rode a
beautiful chestnut. The Emperor reined his horse up at the
salutingpointithe Luke, f Cambrid ..e, awe numandenin-Chlef
ot the British Army, being at His Majeaty s right hand.
To the Emperor's left rode the Prince of Vi alt. and the
Grand Duke Alexis, and near were the Duke of Edinburgh,
Prince Arthur, Prnice Christi., nail the Duke of Took The
Russian suite was posted according to nice gradatiorm of
reek. ninth a clear space on the grass separated the niere
A. D.C.'s and so forth front the mightier members of the
suite. 'line carriages of the two Princessea were drawn up
is a place of honour, anti fee should say—tor none of all the
uniforms on the ground were prettier—that the Princess of
Wales wore white and purple. The Duchess of Edinburgh
was wrapped in a dust cloak, and Clint without reason, for -
clouds of dust were moving even before the march began.
It is Colonel Gamble, Assistant Quarternmster-General,
who pilots the Staff on his t,!rey horse, first along the whole
length of the immovable line of troops, and then across
country to the enclosure between the Royal and Imperial
staudards. The Cavalry bands having been unused opposite
the saluting point began to tap and roll their silver music
as the Hume Artillery came moving up at a walk. At the
head of all is the Head Quarter Staff. Prince Arthur passes
in the line of Aides-de-Camp, and then the Duke ot Cam-
bridge comes by, lowering his sword. This is in compliment
to the Emperor, just as at St. Pei ersburg, we saw his Majesty
himself riding at the head of his Guards before the Emperor
of Austria. After passing the salutiug point the Duke
rides in again to the Emperor's aide, and presently Sir Home
Grant follows. Sir Archibald Alison, Assistant-Adjutant-Geite-
ral at Aldershot ; Colonel Created/. and the other members of !
the Aldershot Staff, ride by, turning off to take thew places
to the right of the bands, and then comes Sir Thomas elltlahon
at the heed of his Cavalry Division. 'line first of these are
two batteries of Horse Artillery under Colonel Tupper. . . .
After the Artillery followed the let Life Guards, undert'elonel
Bate, on , the Queen's Bays, under Colonel Steward ; the Scots
Greys, led Ity Colonel Nugent. The Light Brigade of Cavalry
was commanded by Colonel Jenkins, and numbered three
regiments-- the Carabincens, Lientenant-Colonel Napier ; the
19th and 20th Hussars, under Lietitenant-Colonels Craigie
and Cotton. The Artillery of the list Division numbered
le guns, under Lieuteuant-Colonel Curt., and was followed
by a detachmeet of Engineers, who were succeeded by
the Mid Battalion Greuudier and Cohletreanis Guards and
the lit and 2nd of the Scots Fusiliers, the Brigade being
under Colonel Bruce, its legitiniite chief, Prince Edward of
Saxe-Weimar, being in command of the let Division. The
Guards went by very well indeed, and the Czar e etched then)
intently. Next after them came the Fusilier Brigade, com-
manded by alai...General Herbert, and including the end
Battalion of the 21st, the two Battalions of the :nal and the
104th. The Highland Brigade, under General Parke, con-
sisted of the 42nd, 78th, ilith, and the lard, and came march-
ing bravely en to the skreel of unnumbered pipes. The
Guards had conte op to the stirring strain of the British
Grenadiers, played by the brigaded banile, which had taken
up the marching music from the Cavalry bands a niollielit
after they ceased playing. The splendid order of the Engi-
neer equipment was noticed by all, but the first real cheer was
given to the favourite 42nd. The infantry marched in colunuts
of double companies, and it was a very happy idea to brigade
together four reginumte each of Fusiliers, ilighlatelers, and
RM.. The 2nd Division was commanded by Sir Alfred
Horsford, who went by at the head of it with his Staff. The
leading Brigade was Major-General Erskine's, the tat Wit-
talions of the let, 4th, fuel Ilith rethuents. and the Mel &et-
talion of the 24th. General Smith's Brigade of the not Bat-
talions of the 14th and leth, and the stdli and 7itll Regi.
ments, was followed by the Brigade Id Rifles, under Lord
Alexander Russell. After the Ist Battalion of the eeth,
came the Ist, 2iel, and 3rd Battalions of the Rifle Brigade,
the Prince of Wales havine' ridden out and placed him-
self at their head. The detachment of Army Service
men and waggons which followed looked neat and smart,
and the RU.510.116 scented to take a great interest in them.
'the menet-past over, the tutelary were again brought
up, and went by ia Brigades, ati imposing formation, but one
which nem used up the 24 Battalions. The Cavalry and
Artillery then trotted past, met the parade was ended at a
quarter after two.
"Small as were the numbers, we do not believe that so
well-managed a review of British troops was ever held
before In the first place, it was a most happy thought to
brigtele the regiments by their unifornis, for the masses
of ilisilierS, Highlanders, and Rifle's hail a much
finer effect grouped each together than if they had
beeni mixed up in the usual manner. The troops
themselves, and also the horses, were in splendid order,
and looked snout and efficient in every respect. The march-
hue was very good, and all the details of the parade went
withent a hitch: The regiments kept moving up in the back-
ground. the fixed bayonets gleaming through the dust storm
and never lost their proper intervals. There was no hurry
and bustle, no aides-de-camp riding here and there, but every-
thing seemed to go on like clockwork when the machine had
mire been started. The bands struck up just at the
exact moment, 'and two sets of instriments were lint
heard plajing together in different Unice anti tones.
The Empene• never took his eyes I ill the troops,
but sat still on his horse watching them go by and
raising his tight band from his hip to his helmet as often az
the colours passed. When all had passed for the I ist time
the Staff Dude off to a good point of view at the head of the
Long Valley, and the Infantry got into position for the sham
tight. As the Princesses moved away in their can hinges they
were loudly cheered. The Prince of Wales had also been
greeted with a burst of applause as he came towaids the
flagstaff at the head of his three Rifle battallens, the light
Bite. !Viand across his hreast the sole hit of colour in the

jgoree,u,
rlll4iei

The manceuvre in the Long Valley wasvery simple, being
merely an advance against a supposed enemy. The Fusilier
Brigade was extended across the sandy waste, and advanced
in a strong line of skirmishers, backed up by supports and
reserves. While the Infantry were getting into position, the
Brigades of Cavalry charged to the front successively, tilling
the air with tons of streaming dust. The Cavalry having
wheeled off to the left, the Fusilier Regiments pressed on,
firing as they advanced The batteries had, of course,
taken tip positions on the ridges, the light Mile smoke from
the gnus contrasting with the dun clouds of the now intoler-
able dust. The Guards and Highlanders in line followed the
advanced attack, while Sir Alfred "torsion] detached Brigades
his Division to cover the right and left flanks of the advance,
holding his third Brigade in hand as a reserve. As the
Guards and Highlanders pressed on, and neared the slope on
which the Imperial and Royal staff was gathered, the firing
became heavier and heavier, and at last the Guards and
Highlanders advanced on the Fusilier Brigade supposed
to he brought to a standstill, and charged, retiring after
wards by alternate battalions 'llls brought the pro-
ceedings to a c:ose, and the Emperor and Princes and suite
turned their horses' heads towards the Pavilion, from which
the Royal Standard had been floating all day, aud where a
great lunch was spread. Sir Hope Grist and a number of
other Commanding and Staff officers bad also the honour of
lunching at the Pavilion. It was late in the afternoon before
the lniperial train left Aldershot for London."

" Fourteen thousand nine hundred and twenty men
two thousand seven hundred and ninety-four horses,
and forty-eight guns, was the ' field state ' of the force
which passed under the eyes of the Emperor. The
numbers of the troops were small indeed compared
with those which His Majesty has always within
call at St. Petersburg, and whom he can cause to march
past his palace windows any morning he chooses ; but
(remarks The Times) we may presume to say that their
quality was excellent. We do not mean to say that, neat
and smart as they looked, our Army List cannot match a
dozen times over the horse, foot, and artillery that passed in
review ;tint not a few of our favourite regiments and nearly
all our distinctive military uniforms were upon the ground,
men and materiel were in splendid order, and every English-
man who saw them must have felt content to accept the
verdict which would be passed upon than by the Soldier-
Emperor."