The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-29 00:00:00

TEN CAMP AT CHALONS.

A letter from the camp at Chalons of the 25th
says :—" We have received our prettiest little battalion,
that of the enfants-de-troupe. Bach corps has now at
the camp, not all, but the twelve biggest boys fulfilling
the important duty of fifers. They are installed in locali-
ties separated from the troops under the care of non-
commisioned officers. The troops, notwithstanding the
sudden changes of temperature, are in excellent health ;
you can judge of that when I tell you that the number
of invalids from accidents, sickness, Ice., is only 150
out of a total effective of 17,000 men. Yesterday the
cavalry manceuvred for a long time in the presence
of the Marshal Gommarading-in-Chief. The belief gene-
rally prevailed at the camp, before having men the new
regiment of carbineers on horseback, that this regiment
would have some difficulty in sustaining a comparison
with the fine body of cuirassiers. It wee nothing of the
sort ; the carbineers are a magnificent body, and quite
equal to their other ' big brothers' of the Guard. This
brigade has, perhaps, no equal in any army in the world
for its horsemanship, general bearing, beauty of its horses,
and brilliancy of uniform and arms. It executed
a charge in line, which was at once splendid and
terrific. The earth trembled under the weight of
the living avalanche. The regiment of dragoons,
like all those armed with rifles, this morning practised
firing at a mark. I carefully noted these shooting exer-
cises. The Foot-Chasseurs are of wonderful address ; the
Zouaves, Grenadiers, and Voltigenrs fire also with great
precision ; the Dragoons do not acquit themselves badly,
for horsemen whose business it is to charge sword in hand.
Every sanitary imprudence is punished hare. The men
have a flannel waist belt, go out oLly well covered, and
never fasting. The workers never go to their duties or
exercises with an empty stomach. The use of absinthe,
that frightful poison, which has made more victims in
Africa amongst the soldiers and officers than the fire of
the enemy, is absolutely prohibited, not only throughout
the camp, but in the two villages of the Mourmelon."

FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.

A MOTHER ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY HER SON.
Yesterday morning one of the most melancholy
accidents that has occurred in this neighbourhood
for a long time took place in Newtownbreda, County
Down. It appears that Mrs. Mary Jane Connor, the
deceased, who resided in Earl-street, removed, in company
with her son Edward, who is about thirteen years of
age, to spend some months for the purpose of recr
friendsui It
ting
her health in the country among her .
was her original intention to have gone to Bangor or
the Spa, but she was prevailed upon to adopt Newtown-
breda. Mrs. Connor had only been a few days in New.
towubreda before the fatal far as we
accident occurred which
deprived the unhappy woman of her life. So
could learn, Mrs. Connor and her son were Bittingthe
at
their breakfast alone in a room in the upier part of
was hanging
house, when the presence of a gun which
on the wall attracted the attention of her son, and
jumping up from his seat, lie took down the gun, and
pagan examining it. As if for amusement, he pointed the
gun at his mother's head, and at the same time gave ex-
pression tothe words, " Mother, bow would youlike I would
shoot you ?" Not for an instant imagining that the gun
was capped and loaded, he pulled the trigger, and the con-
tents went directly through the head of the deceased. tYlien
the boy saw what had occurred, he instantly ran down the
stairs, crying out, " I have shot my mother ; she is yet
living ,• come up and try to save her." The alarm caused
several persons to rush up to the room, bu
could be
t the poor
woman had expired before any assistance
afforded her. The deceased was of a moat respectable
family, and was a widow. Hrs. Connor had only one
son, the boy at whose hands the unfortunate woman
lost her life, and whom, we are told, she in a manner
idolised. Mrs. Connor was about thirty-five years of
age. When the mother of the deceased, who resides in
Earl-street, was informed of the melancholy circumstances,
she nearly fainted sway. The Rev. Mr. Munaughtan
attended at the house during the day, and rendered all
the consolation in his power to the bereaved woman. The
boy, Edward Connor, was taken in charge by
the poli,
and will likely be examined at the inquestday., which will in
all :probability be held on the body to-—Rorthera