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

trial Exhibition of the works produced by their aid.
This admirable first idea of 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 belies', the enthu-
siasm with which both officers and men entered
into the idea, when we now look at its results es
collected in the room and hall of the late Alder-
shot Clubhouse, 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,
Ist 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 supeei..
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 com-
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
die 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 Mille
tarp Traint—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 Reeiments. Some of these quilts are beau-
tiful examples of industry, perfect in the arraree-
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
ranks, and the masa 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
cennot 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 com-
prise 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
wort'; the attention of the authorities. Indeed, one
of the most important fea,nres of the Exhibition
are these valuable practical hints in the way of
invention of all kinds which the Government are
likely to get from the rank and file if these displays
are encouraged. Thus, Private Southern, of the
2d battalion of the 6th, has invented a lint-making
machine, which he works in the Exhibition. One
has only to look at it to see that the plan is simple
and admirable, and the Government have only to
apply steam instead of hand labour to the machine
to make lint enough in a day to last even a
Federal army for a whole campaign. So, again,
Sergeant Griffiths, of the 75th Regiment, has in

vented an improved aiming rest and stand for pho-
tographic camera combined, which, if we mistake
not, would prove bet ter than the exceedingly clumsy
aiming rests we now have. The 2d and sth batta-
lions of the Military Train send the largest collee-

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 woo

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

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very good collection indeed of watercolours and
- -

crayons, the former by Sergeant Storey and Pri-
vates Huddlestone and Brewster, the crayons by
Mrs. Kenny, the regimental schoolmistress. Pri-
vate Farrell of the same regiment sends some beau-
tiful wood-carvings, Corporal Porter and Privates
Woodward and Arrowsmith, 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-
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
eomplete 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 Eikington need not be
ashamed. The privates of the 87th Royal Irish,
especially
specimensall of Hill, Bill, and Druenner Stevenson, have
g
painting and woodwork, and the
garrieon school
teachers send maps, plans, draw-
ei
jn gq'
Pand models. In addition to the
there is au exhibit:on of loan
industrialittexhibition
E '
articles, consisting of weapons, ornaments, dresses,
Jewellery, coins, and pictures, collected in all parts
of the world. Thera are very' few European
trophies
in this. Of the helmets of the Russianlmperial guard, which
on the hill „hie at Alma, but which are
01;e3 lay thick as leaves
"w 80 scarce, there aro only two in the whale
collection, and only two or three of the old
Russian muskets. 14
But, to make
np for this
dearth of European spoils, the Orientals have paid
double toll, and the rooms
are full of Mandarin
dresses, jade vases,
enamelled bronzes, Indian tul-
wars, swords, and shields, and
trophies from the
Japanese. Most of these works are of great beauty,
many—such as the enamelled brotzzs from the Em-