The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-15 00:00:00

PREPARATIONS FOR WAR•

-
Yesterday the inhabitants of the metropolis witnessed
a spectacle to which, for many years, they have been
strangers, and which it is impossible they could see with-
out emotion. Shortly after 12 o'clock the Ist battalion
of Coldstream Guards marched out from St. George's Shr
Barracks, Trafalgar-square, en route for Chichester, pre-
paratory to embarkation for the Mediterranean. Colonel
Bentinck commanded the battalion, Ihich, as it passed St
along the Strand, was enthusiastically cheered by the as- 20
sembled multitude. Even the occupants of omnibuses and
cabs joined in these manifestations, and so great was the 50
excitement to which the event gave rise that for some Di
time the thoroughfare was entirely suspended. At
Waterloo-bridge the toll-keepers were completely over-
whelmed by the torrent of people accompanying the 27.
troops, and who were not to be stopped in their farewell
greetings by any number of turnstiles. The men ap- 22
peered to be in the highest spirits, and marched cheer- 25
fully along to the familiar air of "The girl I left behind
St.
me."
At two o'clock the third battalion of the Grenadier it.
Guards removed from the Tower to St. George's Bar- 50
racks, and they, too, in their passage along the streets, 50
were accompanied by crowds of people. At these bar- ?)(0)
racks they will be reinforced from the other battalions
of the regiment and having made up their effective L)
'
strength as already announced, to 850 bayonets, will be 25
embarked at Gravesend.
Yesterday, also, a draught of 350 picked men from 25
the 2d battalion of the Scotch Fusiliers, now stationed 25
at Windsor, arrived at the Wellington Barracks, to 18
complete the full complement of the Ist battalion, which 20
proceeds at once to the Mediterranean. At half-past St.
eight o'clock in the morning the whole battalion was
St
ordered to fall in at the Infantry Barracks, and soon
after nine o'clock the order to march was given. By s't.
this time the inhabitants of Windsor and Eton bad St.
assembled in great numbers outside the barracks, coin- 10
pletely crowding Sheet-street as far as its junction with St,
Park-street and High-street. Three hearty cheers from 10
the military supplied the signal for departure, and then the St.
troops emerged from the barrack gates. The splendid St.
regimental band pealed forth the inspiriting melody of St.
" Cheer; boys, cheer," which they continued to play until
they arrived at the top of Thames-street. The fifes and St.
drums then struck up the time-honoured tune of " The 12
girl I left behind me." Again the band sent forth its 50
brazen notes to the popular and appropriate tune of 16i;
" Jeannette and Jeannot," and when the bottom of the 165
hill was reached the shrill notes of the fifes and drums St.
were once more heard. As the troops wheeled from 1N
Thames-street into Datchet-lane, the band struck up the 14
British Grenadiers, which popular and lively tune they 2(0
continued to play until they reached the station of the 7(1,
London and South-Western Railway, where a train was 103
in waiting to convey the battalion to London. Here the St.
scene which presented itself was most exciting. The St.
whole population of "the two towns" seemed to be con- 20
centrated in 'and about the station. The whole of the 10
Eton boys were there, with most of their masters. The 12
boys occupied a small elevation at the end of the arrival St.
platform, and when almost all the Guards had taken 50
their places in the train, and the band had ceased to 40
play, the Etonians gave three times three cheers, in ex- r 5
cellent time and with thrilling effect. St
The officers of the Guards have, we believe, arranged 812's
for a farewell dinner at the London Tavern, on Thurs- St.
day, at which his Royal Highness the Duke of Cain- St.
bridge is expected to be present. 50
The brigade-major of the south-western district went 25
from his °head-quarters, at Portsmouth, yesterday to 100
Southampton, to officially inspect the steam-ship taken Ste,
up at that port for the conveyance of troops. The fol-
lowing troops have received their official orders t 2 pre- '4O
pare for embarkation "if required" :-Ist Battalion of 20
Royals, 7th Royal Fusiliers, 21st Foot, 23rd Fusiliers,
38th Foot, 46th Foot, 88th Connaught Rangers, 90th St.
Foot, 95th Foot. 50
Two thousand hammocks have been forwarded from St.
Woolwich Dockyard to Portsmouth for the use of the 16
troops during their voyage from that port to Malta. 16
The Highland Brigade, consisting of the 42d, 79th, 8
8
and 93d Highlanders, are under orders for the East.
50
The order for the 63d Regiment to embark from the
10
Cape of Goed Hope has been countermanded. 10
The regiments now under orders for foreign service
will relieve the several corps in the Mediterranean, but 20
will proceed straight to the neighbourhood of Con- 20
stantinople. 10
Until very lately the greatest difficulty was experien- 10
ced to beat up recruits in Ireland, owing to the mania
for emigration, and other depressing causes. The tide St.
has now suddenly turned, and it will not be long before 00
every regiment in the United Kingdom will be coin- St,
pleted to 1,000 rank and file. 250 men in each regiment St.
ordered on active service are to be armed withMini6 St,
rifles. Colonel Eyre, whose military talent shone so St.
conspicuously during the late Kafir war, is to hold a
high appointment in the British contingent. The corn- 10
mand of brigades will be given to comparatively young 26