The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-07 00:00:00

Aldershott Camp Exhibition.

In this ege of industrial displays and international
competitions it was not to be expected that any
clues would long escape the attractive influence of
the contagion, though, as was to be expected, the
military, with characteristic conservatism, have been
the lag to yield to the general example. Yield,
however, they have, and Aldersnott Camp now
boasts an artistic and industrial exhibition of its
own making, which on its intrinsic merits would
be well worth a visit wherever it was shown, but
which when viewed in connection with its history
and objects, or for its capabilities of development
in the future, is one of the most interesting
and suggestive ijoal
eispoys we have ever seen.
The whole idea is of
otherindustrial
emulation of course not taken as a mere
displays, but is
one of a series of at.,p, which kind and
thoughtful officers at the
caul? have been taking for
the last two or three years •
to Improve the condition
of the soldier, whether in garrisou or under canvas.
It his been this feeling which hes been most laud-
ably encouraged at the Horse Guards
War-office, which has led at Aldershot
bishment of a number of soldiers' clubs, which eon-
taontdh
the eats-,
st thea.
sist of three huts—one for reading, well
supplied
with periodicals and banks; one for games of bag
s.
telle, chess, draughts, &c., end one for such refresh.
merits as tea and ceffee, which are supplied to the
men at very low prices. Already these clubs have
had a most beneficial effect in keeping the men from
canteens, or worse, In the day they are well at-
tended, in the evening crowded, and even for those
'elle do not vire or like to read, club games and cleb
gossip are a:re.td9 found to be a most attractive
alternative to the canteen. A step beyond these
clubs again has been made by supplying the men
who wished for them with tools and materials for
furniture making, joinery, and turnery work; and
though the idea of having workships for recreae
tion, in which such men as chose might so
amuse themselves, has not yet, we are sorry
to say, been carried out, yet such good
use hes been mode of the tco!s supplied them
as to at once suggest the idea of having an Indus-

trial Exhibition of the worl:s produced by their aid.
This admirable first idea 01 course soon extended
itself to artistic work, needlework, and then to works
of all kinds, bona fide the production of officers or
their wives, or soldiers or their wives, actually re-
sident in camp, or who had only been removed
since February. It is easy to believ the enthu-
siasm with which both officers and men entered
into the idea, when we now look at its results as
collected in the room and hall of the late Alder-
shot Club-house, and that this enthusiasm will
grow with each succeeding year of such industrial
displays is as certain as is the success of every
reasonable enjoyment offered to our soldiers.
Every regiment in camp has contributed to the
display—that is to say—the Royal Artillery and
Royal Engineers, the 2d and sth Battalion of the
Military Train, 6th Carabineers, Ist Royal Dra-
goons, 2d Scots Greys, 13th Hussars, 14th Hussars,
let battalion 6th Foot, let battalion 24th. the 37th
and 59th Regiments, 2d battalion, 60th, 73d, 75th,
and 87th Regiments, and not only these corps, but
the wives of the officers and men in each, and the
children from the regimental schools, have sent in
articles for exhibition.

We need scarcely say that in an exhibition which
is really very extensive, and which embraces a large
variety of specimens of painting, drawing, photo-
graphy, carving, cabinetmaking, carpentering, mili-
tary engineering instruments, accoutrements, ar-
mourers'and smith's work, leather, needle, and cloth
work, we can do no more than summarise its general
tendencies and results. The first thing whieh strikes
the spectator is a feeling of regret that such valuable
powers of amusement and self-occupation, always
useful, often highly intellectual, which our private
soldiers evidently possess, should have been suffered
to lie dormant so long for the want of a little fos-
tering care. That they can never be so neglected
again one has only to glance round the Aldershot
exhibition to be assured. The works of officers and
officers' wives form their due proportion in this col-
lection, and no more. Little else need be said of
this branch, for it is not surprising that with their
education, time, and means they should contribute
excellent watercolours, excellent crayons, excellent
photographs, and minor works of art. In not one
single branch or class, however, do they show superi.
ority over the productions of the rank and file. The
soldiers' wives beat the officers' wives in lace and fine
work. Some of the privates send watercolour sketches
which are equal to any in the collection, while in the
matter of cabinetwork and carving, smith's work
and armoury, the men, as might have been antici-
pated, have a clear superiority. In fact, the men
appear to have entered with more zest into the corn-
petition for honours than the officers; and thus the
officers do not win where they ought to have won;
but where the men ought to have won they have
succeeded. From these remarks, however, we must
except the really beautiful examples of wood-
carving and watercolour painting shown by Colonel
:he Hon. H. H. Clifford, V.C., one of the chief pro-
moters of the whole display, These articles are
not surpassed, if even equalled, by anything else
of the kind in the collection. So also must we
except the collection of ivory turnings shown by
Lieutenant Wilkinson, of the sth battalion Mili-
tary Train,—a collection which would provoke the
envy of any professional turner in England; and
so also must we except the fine and well-finished
working model of a steam-engine made by Captain
Butt, of the 75th Regiment.
The specimens shown by the men are, as we have
said, of almost every class and kind, and from their
nature in some respects indicate the right men in
wrong places, or else some strange peculiarities in
taste. Thus, strange, to say, some of the best
specimens of needlework, as exemplified in cloth
patchwork quilts, are exhibited by privates in the
Foot Regiments. Some of these quilts are beau-
tiful examples of industry, perfect in the arrange-
ment of their geometric patterns, and especially
excellent in the general tone and choice of colours.
Equally good, also, are the woven or knitted
wool counterpanes. The Ist Royal Dragoons are
among the largest contributors from the cavalry
reeks, and the mass of the articles sent in are fur-
niture, though when we recollect how heavy are the
drill and stable duties of a cavalry private one
cannot but be astonished that the men ever found
time to finish them. Sergeants Sweet and Lee
and Private Alderson exhibit some mahogany fur-
niture, turned, plain, and polished, which would do
credit to the first upholsterer in London. The Royals
are also strong in wool-work, while the men of the
13th Hussars have mainly contributed watercolours
and photographs. The Artillery appear to have
their inventive bent subdued to what they work in
this collection almost entirely consisting of finespeci-
mens of harness, models of batteries, and Armstrong
guns carefully made to scale. The Royal Engineers,
as might be expected from a corps whose ranks cone-
priso men of almost every handicraft, and nearly all
of whom know two trades, send a most varied col-
lection, which embraces everything, from drawings,
paintings, models, and maps, down to a portable
bath and marble font. Corporal Dagnall shows an
improved cartridge-pouch, which is not only ingeni-
ous, but which is a valuable invention, and one well
worth the attention of the authorities. Indeed, one
of the most important fea,ures of the Exhibition
are these valuable practical hints in the way o';
invention of all kinds which the Governme
likely to get from the rank and file if the, :-.At are
,e displays
are encouraged. Thus, Private gc"utham, of the
2d battalion of the 6tb, has inve Itted a lint-making
machine, which he works in the Exhibition. One
`ace that the plan is simple
has only to look at it to
and admirable, and "(fee Government have only to
apply steam instead of hand labour to the machine
to make lin.; enough in a day to last even a
Federal army for a whole campaign. So, again,
Sergeant Griffiths, of the 75th Regiment, has in-
t;ented an improved aiming rest and stand for pho-
tographic camera combined, which, if we mistake
not, would prove better than the exceedingly clumsy
aiming rests we now have. The 2d and sth batta-
lions of the Military Train send the largest collec-
tion of any corps. Of the latter battalion Sergeant
Lee's three cases of stuffed English birds deserve high
praise. The let battalion of the 6th Regiment is
especially strong in inlaid woodwork, of which
Private Knox and Sergeant Young contribute the
finest specimens. The 59th is very excellent in wool
and patch work, and the school children of this re-
giment send some most beautiful specimens of
needlework. The 2d battalion of the 60th has a
very good collection indeed of watercolours and
crayons, the former by Sergeant Storey and Pri-
vates 1-iaddlestone and Brewster, the crayons by
Mrs. Kenny, the regimental schoolmistress. PH.
vats Farrell of the same regiment sends some beau-
tiful wood-carvings, Corporal Porter and Privates
Woodward and Arrowsnaith, excellent mahogany
furniture, and Woodward, Arrowsmith, and Far-
rell unite their efforts on a child's mahogany cot,
which is beautifully carved and polished. The chil-
e 1
chil-
dren from the school of this regiment also contri-
bute good specimens of needlework, and altogether
the efforts of the corps are most creditable. Private
Pritchard, of the 73d Regiment, is evidently a
skilled upholsterer. He sends as his own work a
complete suite of carved drawing-room furniture--
a patent spring mattress, a portable camp-bed and
mattress, and other things—in fact, his contribu-
tions fill one room. Hospital Sergeant Crowley, of
the same regiment, has some specimens of electro-
plating, of which even Elkington need not be
~,shameet. The privates of the 87th Royal Irish,
especially Hill, Ball, and Drummer Stevenson, have
good specimens of painting and woodwork, and the
garrison school teachers send maps, plans, draw-
ings, photographs, and models. In addition to the
industrial exhibition there is an exhibition of loan
articles, consisting of weapons, ornaments, dresses,
jewellery, coins, Lid pictures, collected in all parts
of the
World. Thera are very few European
trophies
in this. Of the helmets of the Russian
Imperial guard,
which once lay thick as leaves
on the hill fide at Alma, but which are
now so scarce, there are only two in the whole
collection, and only two or three of the old
Russian muskets. But, to make up for this
dearth of European spoils, the Orientals have paid
double toll, and the rooms
- are full of Mandarin
dresses, jade vases, enamell-T1 b
- renzes, Indian tul-
wars, swords, and shields, and t •
rophies from the
Jipanese. Most of these works are of great beauty, 1
many—such as the enamelled bronzes from the Em

peror's Summer Palace at Pekin—of considerable
value.

For the rest, we can only say that the Exhibi-
tion fills well all day, and that almost all the works
made by the soldiers were sold on the first opening
last week at their own prices. The Exhibition is
well worth a visit, and deserves every encourage-
ment and support. Its conception reflects the
highest credit on the kindly thoughtfulness of the
officers who originated it and on the men whose
skill and industry have supported it with so much
credit.