The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-24 00:00:00

THE JAPANESE AMBASSADORS AT

ALDERSHOT.

Yesterday morning the Japanese Ambassadors,
accompanied by Mr. Macdonald, the attache to the
Embassy, were present at a review and sham fight,
given expressly for their entertainment at Alder-
shot. It was originally intended that they should
have arrived at the Farnborough station at 11
o'clock, at which hour everything was in readiness
for their reception, when a telegram was received
stating that they had missed the train, and must
not be expected until 12. On their arrival by the
later train they were received by Colonel Clif-
ford, Sir Alfred Horsford, the Deputy Adjutant-
General ; and Major Paget Bayly, who conducted
them to the three carriages which were in waiting
to convey them to the ground where the review was
to take place ; an escort of the 9th Laneers, com-
manded by Lieut. Erskine, accompanying them.
During the early part of the morning the usual
English fete weather prevailed ; the silvery white
sand peculiar to the spot, mingled with a drizzling
rain, being whirled in clouds across the desolate moor
by a bitterly cold wind. Notwithstanding the state
of the weather, numbers of ladies were present, both
on horseback and in carriages. Under these rather
unfavourable circumstances the review commenced.
The ambassadors were stationed on a rising ground
which commanded a view of the Long Valley where
the sham fight was to take place. The troops, con-
sisting of 5,933 infantry, 1,079 cavalry, and 518 men
of the Royal Artillery, with 30 Armstrong guns,
were under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir
J. L. Pennefather, K.C.B. The movements com-
menced by the troops marching past in the following
order :—The A, B, and J batteries of the Royal
Horse Brigade, the A and B batteries of the 4th
Brigade, at a walk ; the 9th, 12th, and 13th, and
16th Lancers, also at a walk ; the 2d battalion of
the Ist Regiment of Infantry, the Ist battalion of
the sth Regiment, the Ist battalion of the Bth Re-
giment, and the 61st Regiment, marched past by
companies in quick time, each brigade preceded by
its bands and staff. The infantry then retired over
Eelmore-hill, and formed in order of battle in line
of contiguous columns, while the cavalry galloped
past left in front. In the sham fight which then
commenced the enemy were supposed to have ad-
vanced from Odiham, with the view of attacking
the camp, and to have come into position with their
left on Pyestock Ridges by the Basingstoke Canal,
their centre upon Cocked-hat Hill, and their right
in Bicklay Copse. The object of the troops was to
turn the left flank of the enemy, and thus to pre-
vent his advance in the direction of London. To
effect this the whole of the artillery were placed in
line directly opposite to the supposed position of
the enemy, the infantry being brigaded in a line of
contiguous close columns in the hollow in rear of '
the artillery. The 9th Lancers were drawn up in
rear of the centre of the line, and the 12th and 1611
in rear of its left. A cloud of skirmishers was ad-
vanced into the plain, covered by the guns, which
had already opened fire. The brigade on the right
then advanced against the enemy's left, and made
them retreat, the skirmishers of the centre brigade
meanwhile clearing the small wood on Cocked-hat
Hill of the force whieh occupied it, thus com-
pelling the enemy to throw their left back and
retreat upon Hungry-hill. During the action the
9th Lancers followed to support in rear of the left
of the brigade on the right, and charged to their
front when this brigade had dislodged the enemy's
left from the heights of Pyestock, in order to cut
them off whilst retreating. The brigade having
changed its front to the left, the cavalry regiments
remained in rear of its right in order to protect that

flank, and advanced in their support up to Beckley-
copse. Meanwhile, while the centre brigade had

succeeded in forcing the centre of the enemy's posi-

tion, the 12th and 16th Lancers made two brilliant
charges in succession on the open, and then re-
formed in front of the enemy's extreme right, caus-
ing kim to beat a retreat upon the rising ground
below the left of Cresar's-camp. The second brigade
h avitg, in conformity
with the movements of the
first
brigade, changed its front to the left, and
effectually seeured a position on Cocked Hat..hill,
some
theguns were brought up at a rapid pace across
plain from
their original position, and played
upon the
wood in which the enemy was concealed.
The enemy heavily en
order
the left, which had also
changed its front, in
lample time to retire upon to give his left and centre
on Hungry-hill. Skirmiasand make
good his position
ad-
vanced against his right ; anerasthyvere therefore
form-
ing squares, were aided by a repetition ey,suddenly
by the 12th and 16th Lancers, Nvh of charges
former charges remained in resoehad since their
the left of the infantry. The left brigade, hi
rear of
while, advanced in support of t_ga.de, mean-
skirmishers, and the cavalry was
thug
line of
enabled
to fall back in rear of its left, leaving the infantry
to farce the enemy back upon the crest of
the eorti.
fled hill, known as Caner's-camp, in possession of
which it was deemed expedient to leave them, -as it
was now half-past three o'clock. The charges of
the cavalry were brilliant, and the movements and
firing of the infantry excellent, whilst the rapidity
with which the Armstrong guns were loaded and

fired showed how much more formidable they must
be in serious warfare than the now nearly obsolete
old-fashioned muzzle-loading field pieces. The
palm for bravery and dogged determination, how-
ever, must be given to the spectators, who defended
every hill with dauntless resolution, regardless of
Tolley after volley that was poured into them at 50

yarda range, until they were at length surrounded