The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-25 00:00:00

TIIE CAMP AT CHOMIAM COMMON.

The military authorities at Chobham certainly seem
determined to take the public by surprise occasionally
as well as the camp. It was definitely announced that
Tuesdays and Fridays would be selected for the per-
formance of field exercise ; yet already is this regulation
departed from. We believe the cause of this change
may be traced to the fact of such a large concourse of
spectators assembling upon the ground on those occa-
sions, when the public are aware, and not only impeding
and harassing the troops in their movements, but also
seriously endangering their own lives. Of course, when
the camp was formed for purely practical purposes, and
with a view to give the troops as much hard service as
can be seen.. in times of peace on, s,ehome station, the
attempt to'ilake a holiday-show of it is far besides its
true objects. ;To those who are really interested in the
practical progress a. our forces, any day at Chobham
will always afford matter for interesting contemplation,
while to the gobemouche, who merely pays his fare down
to witness a !tsigkt," and just-knows-enorigh of military
matters to eriffibtlrhim to distinguish between a havre-
sack arid a troop of horse artillery, there is also enough
of novelty to repay him even if it fails to instruct him.
A.B we have already stated, there will, as a general rule,
if the weather be good, be a field-day on Tuesdays and
Fridays, though there will hardly be a day in the week
on which some evolutions will not be gone through. Yes-
te.rday the weather was again unfavourable at Chobham.
It rained heavily at about 11 in the morning, and be-
tween two and three part of the same thunderstorm that
visited the metropolis raged pretty smartly over the
camp. The wind also swept across the common with con-
siderable violence. One or two of the men's tents upon
the more exposed situations were completely blown down,
and many others more or less deranged. It was only
with extreme difficulty, and by the officers supporting
the tent poles, that the large mess tent of the 42d High-
landers upon the hid was prevented from being com-
pletely blown away. Early in the morning, before pro-
ceeding to parade, the 93d struck their tents. There is
not a day passes during which all the regiments on the
ground do not pitch their tents at least once a day. This
is done as much for the sake of airing the ground as of
exercising the men, and the proficiency they have already
attained in this manoeuvre is something surprising, when
the shortness of the time they have been in camp is taken
into consideration.

Date -,185

The whole force paraded yesterday morning on the
ground in front of the camp at the usual hour. The in-
fantry were put through a variety of manoeuvres, and
the cavalry also appeared upon the ground, though they
they did not take much share in the exercise. Each
man before going to the field was provided with 10
rounds of ammunition, none of which was expended,
greatly, as it seemed, to the disappointment of a pretty
considerable attendance of visitors who were posted
upon the heights. We imagine they would have been
more reconciled with their visit had they been aware
that his Royal Highness Prince Albert was expected to
arrive in the course of the afternoon, and remain for the
night, in order to witness a grand night surprise of the
whole foroo. The Royal visit and its purpose was only
known to a few, and did not generally transpire in the
lines until the Royal standard being hoisted at the
Queen's pavilion proclaimed the arrival of the Prince
Consort to the whole camp.
His Royal Highness came down by a special train on
the London and South-Western Railway, which left the
Vauxhall Station at a quarter to four, and arrived at
Staines at a quarter to five, from whence the Prince pro-
ceeded to the camp. General Lord Seaton and his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridgo, and a distinguished
party of officers received his Royal Highness upon his
arrival, and conducted him to the royal pavilion upon
the Magnet, which had previously been prepared for his
reception.
His Royal Highness almost directly after his arrival
proceeded through the whole length of the camp on foot,
visiting every part, and minutely inspecting the tents of
both the officers and men. Invitations were given in
the evening to a number of the officers, who had the
honour of dining in the Prince's tent in company with
the generals of brigade.
The general orders in the evening gave no intimation
of the coming surprise except by impressing upon the
officers the necessity of cautioning the men tobii always
in readiness every night to turn out under arias upon
the first beat of tatoo. The orders further stated that
20 rounds of ammunition would be served out to each
of the men, but this is supposed to be for the grand
field-day which will take place to-day (Saturday), in
honour of the officers of the suite of his Majesty, the
King of Hanover, Who have accepted invitations to be
present.
• We believe the exact time fixed for the surprise is be-
tween two and half-past, but how long the troops may
remain under arms after they have turned out none can
tell.
His Royal Highness will remain in camp until after
the review of this day.

PORTSM H, JUNE 24.
_Qtrr
Shepherdas/seEmdbelh,ed Goldsmith,
arks\V aotn-
A e,..-Trt-martial, comprising nea'r-Admiral Corry,
PresiAnt, Captains Chads, Martin, quin E. H. Scott,
HendersOTh Ra-s-saY,P
th'ismorn
son, Hutton, gifrara, and Mr. G. L. Greetham, Deputy
Bennett C, a
Judge-Advocate of the flee:,
board the Victory, to try ThoZlas
gunner of the Royal Marine ArtAller; corps, serving on
board the Arrogant, on the following ebk:rges :
"1. For having, on the Ist of June, 103, remained on
the sower deck of her Majesty's ship Arrogant -when the
handg were ordered up to reef topswi.s. 2. For havina„ ou
the same dett, refused to do any work, and for making uct:
of expressions Eitarrersive of all discipline. 3. For baying,
on the same day, ett-tgls his superior officer, Sergeant
Crowson, in the execution et his duty."
The evidence showed that t the day named in the
charge, when the hands were piped on deck to reef
topsails,, the prisoner remained on the loser deck, and,
on being asked the reason of his not going on deck
by Sergeant Crowson, he replied, '' Because I dos%
choose to." The sergeant immediately reported hire
to Lieutenant Searle, R.M.A./ who told him to
order the prisoner on deck. This Crowson proceeded
to do when the prisoner said to him, " Have you re-
ported me t" "Yes," replied the sergeant, when the
prisoner struck him with the back of his hand in the
mouth, saying, " Take that ; you shall not report me
for nothing. ' He was subsequently taken before Capt.
Lowder, R.M., Lieutenant Haggard,' R.M., and Capt.
Fremantle ; and on being asked why he did not go on
deck when ordered, he replied, " Because Ido not in-
A ROBIANCE OF REAL LlFE.—This new
tend to go on deck again in that or any other ship." FORTUNE ;
The prisoner, in defence, denied striking the sergeant, work, from the pen of Mr. Coulton, appears to be ex-
and alleged, as the cause of his present conduct, the citing much attention, it being evident that most of the
tyranny of Captain Lowder. characters in it are • drawn from real life. The silly
The Court declared the charges proved, and sentenced peer—the "used up" aristocrat, Cavendish—the elegant
the prisoner to receive 50 lashes on big bare back ;_ to be idler, Bellstar—the high spirited Geraldine—the self-
mulcted of all pay and allowances due to him ; and to be sacrificing Darner—the capacious capitalist, Lawton—
imprisoned in Winchester gaol for two years. The Court the 'cute John Smith—the sensitive, nervous, Una—
added, they considered it right to remark that the pri- may all be looked upon as ilving personages. The
Boner was unable to substantiate his charge by witnesses characters of the lawyers, Rock, Stone, and Flint, also
against Captain Lowder. , can hardly be mistaken.
The Princess Royal, 91, screw two-decker, on taking REVENUE OF CANADA.—By the published estimates
the water yesterday, drew aft 20 feet ; forward 12 feet of the revenue and expenditure of the province of Canada
7 inches. Her engines, of 400-horse power, have been for the year 1853, laid before the Assembly at, the
manufactured by Maudslay, and a portion of ttem are beginning of this month, it appears that, there it) a,„nrt
on their way to this port in the Cyclop'g Stain -transport. plus of revenue amounting to 70,0001., after deducting
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane and a party of the interest on the public debt and a sinking fund of
ladies went out last evening in his yacht Fanny for an 75,0001.

The following regiments have been warned with the
order of readiness to comprise part of the force for the
second encampment at Chobham, on the 14th of July

next :
CAVALRY.— Royal Horse Guards (Blue), 2d Dragoons
(Greys), 4th Light Dragoons; and Bth Hussars.
INFANTRY.—The 2d Battalions of each of the three
regiments of Foot Guards, the 7th, 19th, 35th, 79th,
88th, and 97th Regiments of Foot.
ARTILLERY.—The proportion to be encamped, in suc-
cession to the present force now under canvas, is not yet
decided.