The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-25 00:00:00

THE PAPAL MARCH OP THE FUSILIER
GUARDS.

•
The adjourned inquest on the body of Edward'
Norton, of the Pallier Gaeta', who died at Guildford on'
Wideseday last frees the nave
e of tie heavy march
between Kingston and Gui= was opened at the Bear
Inn, Guildford, last evening, fore Yr. 3. B. Capron.
berousdt coroner, and a jury.

Thepromedings created much excitement in the town,
nod the inquiry was adjourned to the Militia Depot.
-•- - -

Lieut.-Colonel Dalrymple, Captain Cooper, and Assistant.
Surgeon Turner, of the Fusilier Guards, were in attendance.
The Corooer having reed the evidence adduced at the
opening of the inquest on Thursday evening,
Aseistant•Surgeon Turner was examined. and deposed—l
was with the column of the 2nd Fusilier Guards whiles on
the march from Kingston to Guildford. We started from
Kingston stair o'ckith, and breakfasted at Cobham shortly
after nine o'clock. I did not notice the deceased "wilco.
kill until he fell down at the top of the hill coming into
When he fell he had his coat unbuttoned and
his knapsack off. Most of the men had their stocks off,
but I cannot say whether he had his on or not. I took him
to the shady side of the road and gave him some wins,
nada le swallowed with great difficulty, vomiting basset.
diately afterwards. He was afterwards taken up in the bog-
gle, waggon and placed under a true on the lawn in front of
lbs. Harbert% house. He was quite unconscious at that time.
He was afterwards taken to the White Hart, where he died.
He occasionally took wine before his death, but with great
difficulty. Deward was • sober man, and has never been
in the hospital. It is the duty of a non•commisioned officer
when a soldier falls out on the march to bring him to the
surgeon, and deceased was not brought to me, therefore I
concluded that he had not fallen out before. The day in
question was very hot, and the road from Ripley to Guild-
ford (the last six miles) was very dusty. I think the beer.
skin is the best head.dress for a soldier, as it protects the
head more than shams. I believe that the deceased died
from sunstroke He had on his bearskin when he fell. I think
that a man would be lees likely to be affected by sun in a
bearskin than if he wore a forage cap. Most of the moo had
their stocks off during the march ; they were not prevented
from taking them off.
By the Jury—We halted on a common near Ripley,.
where there was some very impure water, and it was very
difficult to keep the men from it. It is very injurious to
drink water when en the march. The men generally have
water bottles, but I do not think they had them on the day
in question. The deceased put on two pair of trousers, by
his own choice, to prevent them being put in his knapes•ik.
A men is not allowed to wear two pair of trousers. The
weight of the kit in the knapsack is about 17Ibs. I con-
sider 701bs. to be an extravagant weight. Several sick men
were carried In the waggon; some of whom were foot sore,
and others ill from drinking water. The post mortem ex-
amination bears out my opinion that the deceased died from
sunstroke. It might have happened in Hyde-park, or any.
where else.

Colour-Sergeant John Sinclair deposed—l saw the de-
ceased on the march from Kingston to Guildford. Re did
not seem distressed or ill until be fell down about • quarter
of a mile from Guildford. He was then taken to the road-
side and attended by the doctor. He did not fall to the
ground' he staggered, and two men caught him in their
arms. I ordered them to take his knapsack off and unfasten
his stock. I spoke to the deceased, and he seemed conscious,
but he did not answer. The deceased's dress was a tunic
trousers, stock, and Mandrin. His kit, which weighed
about 491b5., consisted of knapsack and straps, mess tin and
cover, shirt, one pair of socks, 7 brushes, 2 towels, 2 hold-
alls, containing several small ticles ; be also had a great
coat, a long Enfield rills, and 20 rounds of ball cartridge
weighing altogether about 49Ihs. The usual kit for a
march, including everything, is 481bs. 6oz. We do not out-
sider 18 miles too long a march.
By the Jury—The weight of the beank in cap is about 270 z.
I find a bearskin very oppressive on a hot day. I should
prefer a forage cap. Generally speaking men unbutton
their tunics without any notice being taken of it. I believe
the officers wore forage caps whilst on that march.
Lieutenant• Colonel John Hamilton Dalrymple—The 2e4
Battalion of Fusilier Guards started from Kingston at 6.10
in the morning, arriving at Cobham at nine and Guildford
at two o'clock. The day wu very hot —one of the hottest
days he had seen in the unless. Why I wish to be exa-
mined is to contradict the oviduct° of private Burroughs at
the opening of the inquest as to the weights the men carry.
I inspected the kit of private Norton after his death ; it wax
191bs. 12os, arm accoutrements, 161135. 4oz. ; bearskin cap,
2lb soz. ; clothing, 1011 m. Bos. ; so tint everything hecarried,
including the clothes be stood in, weighed 491b0. 120 s.
I have also to state that a bearskin is about the hest cap •
soldier ma wear in hot weather. It protects the head from
the sun. I have also to say that all the men were allowed
to take off their stock, if they liked. In the Crimea the
Guards were the only men who did not throw away their
ceps. The general length of march was 15 nil* per day,
but there was no halting place between Kingston and Guild-
ford. The men did not seem more distressed than usual on
• long march. As officer was with us who had marched •
greed deal in India, and 110 said that it was ea bed as an
Indian march. The men were cautioned shout drinking
water. The men were not obliged to wear their bearskins •
many of them took them off, but many men prefer marching
in them.

Private James Reece—l knew Norton, and marched with
him as his left-hand man. He was first token ill about two
miles out of Guildford, but lie did lint then fall out of the
company. He was in the riot About fire miuutes. He
marched on till we tame dose to Gui'dont. when I saw hen
fall against his right-hand man. He was then taken out of
the ranks, and I marched on. The deceased did not ►eave
the woks until he fell out fur the last time. I never heard
the deceased say he would rather fall down and die than
fall out again. If he had said so I must hare heard it, as I
walked by his side all the way.
Private William Allard, who gave similar evideoce, said—
After deceased fell to the rear, about a mile and a half
from Guildford, I lent him my pipe to smoke. I said I
would play him a game of skittles at Guildford, hut he re-
plied, " No, I shall sot play you to-eight." I did not
notice then that he was ill, or anything of the kind.
The jury deliberated for some time, and then returned
the following verdict :—" Death from naturalcausee, as this
result of sunstroke received on the march between Kiogstois
sad Guildford."

MrArum or PArrarri, SorTH Krioitworow.—•
Number of visitors for the week ending June 22, 1,850.
Total number Mom the opening of the museum free &say
(May 12, 1655), 317,936.