The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-21 00:00:00

THE EASTER VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

PORTIMOLTH, Mane
The local authorities, aided by district com-
mittees, are making every exertion to render the first
great volunteer review at Portsmouth a complete nooses.
To meet eontingent expense* about 9001. has already been
contributed. sod there is a manifest disposition on the part
of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood to
!strengthen the Mads of the executive committee to the
utmost porible extent.
One of the most interesting features in the review will
be the employment of the naval brigade from the Excel-
lent gunnery ship and other ships in harbour. About
1000 men will, it is expected, be landed, and as it will be
high water in Portsmouth harbour about two o'clock on
the day of the review' the defending force will be further
cepplemented by a division of gunboats, launches and pin-
naces, to float which there may be sufficient water when
the tide is high, but which stand a good chance of contri-
buting to the ludicrous features of the affair by being left
on the mud.

The scene of the mimic light will be on the land
or north side of the borough of Portsmouth, and beyond
the lint new line of fortifications, which extend from the
east shore of Portsmouth harbour to the west shore of
'Amgen harbour. The troops will first of all rendezvous
for the most part on the glans of the old fortifications of
Portsmouth and Portsea ; the batteries of artillery oocu-
pying other convenient open spaces which are to be found
in the borough. That' will then march to lionthsea-com-
mon. which is only a short distance, and consists
of a fine open parade ground, with a well-formed espla-
nade and charming sea-beich on its south-western, south,
and south-eutern limits. Five miles away, overlooking
the waters of Spithead, is the Isle of Wight with its bold
undulations and charming varieties of scenery ; and
looking in • south-easterly direction, away to the left is
the English Channel.
After the formal ceremony of marching past the review-
ing staff is concluded, one division of the troops will re-
turn to the railway station, about a mile distant, and pio-
ns.' to Crisham, • little village about four miles from
Portsmouth, at the southern base of Portsdown-hill,
which is part of a range of downs stretching for some
miles from east to west, in • parallel line with this pert of
the south coast. This division will constitute the force
whose object is to attack Portsmouth on its northern front,
sad it will take possession of the bill, and probably
of the village of Cotharn, and the hamlets of Vrering
and Farlington which are in the same line. TOmain
body of volunteers will then take the road, or rather they
will advance in three divisions in parallel lines from Ports-
mouth, the thief divides proceeding northward by the
only turnpike leading out of Portsmouth, the right wing
taking the Copier, and the left wing the Tinier made,
to the first line of new and yet incomplete fornication'
to which we have already referred. The distance from
the " m -fast" ground to those fortifkationsis about
three miles. eyond this IMO, however, there is only
cam high way, sad • brand, military road leading into the
old turnpike road; and as there is tole wowed • wet military
ditch, and • narrow channel intended eventually to form
the line of water communion on between Portsmouth and
Langston harbours, pontoon bridges will be be =
requeltime, and new military roads for short
Pimp Cm-nor-lane on the right, and Tipper o the WI,
will hays to be improvised for oho occasion at the expense
of the local committee. It is at this point that the
action will in reality begin the object of the defenders
being to dislodge the atttteecking force from the petition
which it holds in the village and hamlets at the foot of
Portadown-hill, and drive them beyond the outer line of
fortifications which weepy the most commanding positions
on the summit of the hill itself. These strong works,
however, have net yet received their armaments, and
instead of being vantage points to be fought for by the
contending forces they will simply be used as platforms
for the benefit of those of the spectators who may be
fortunate enough to obtain tickets of admission, and will
commend • view of the whole operations of the field. The
view, iadeed, from the enmesh of this bill is one of the
most extensive and varied to be found en the South Downs
:firtagland. lacking north there is an expensive and
landscape of thoroughly English inland scenery,
stretching away from the western extremity of
the old forest of Here to the charming hills and valleys which '
give ',barmen and beauty to the neighboorhood of Good-
wood. Looking south, there is, in the immediate foreground,
the Wend of Porte*, • dead fiat of ground upon which the
borough of Portsmouth stands, and which is only detached
from the mainland by the narrow channel or ditch win-
seating Portsmouth and Langston harbours. From
this point a large pan of the Isle of Wight is com-
prans:led in mes vism, as well as a consider-
able length of the western or Solent Chanoel. Imms-
dist* to the right gibe ben of the bin looking from Fort
Widloy. is 'the etalllessed sedis and rural village a
Poreimplurierimg
ashiroreay.
io:thertmenth
standing new sanlil
liinA dr
woodlands of the Good-
wood eolith Thai An be no tatter Nom Omil
lag s view cif the speithim erthe ethooteoriaree'llen
from tie assoinit sad sentient hoe of Poriniessaidn.
which rises nearly WO feel above• the level of the sea
near its base.
It I. undoestead tint the review would have taken pleat
under tbopeeenal alonsiten sf his Gerd Ifighasse the
Dale d ad Abe tails- petoosse
We the 711 • asp the or.
of
=eat w !eh takee those poiowara to
NYIRIL PALACII, OMB Samara Mar.
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