The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

MILITARY SPORTS AT CHATHAM.

CHATHAM, OCT. 17.
The flue open surface known as Chatham Lines was
this afternoon the scene of a variety of athletic sports
and old English games by the troops stationed at this
garrison, in which the non-commissioned officers and
men belonging to the provisional battalion, under the
command of Colonel Jervis ; the corps of Royal
Marines, commanded by Colonel J. A. Phillips ; the
Royal Sappers and Miners, under the direction of Colonel
H. Sandham, R.E. ; and the depot of the Medical Staff
Corps, in charge of Major S. G. Banbury, took part.
It had been arranged that the spoils and games should
have taken place yesterday, and extensive arrangements
had been made for that purpose, but, owing to the in-
cessant rain which fell all sport was out of the question,
and they were postponed until this afternoon. The idea
of giving the troops a day's sport originated with a few
officers belonging to the garrison, and on Colonel Eden,
the commandant, being communicated with, he not only
gave his consent, but entered warmly into the whole
undertaking, the first of the kind ever attempted at this
military station to provide healthy and elevating amuse-
ments for the troops. A committee of officers was at
once formed to make the necessary arrangements, con-
sisting of Major H. Marriott, Royal Marines ; Major
G. B. Rodney, Royal Marines ; Major S. G. Banbury,
Medical Staff Corps; Brigade-Major C. S. S. E. Gordon,
76th Regiment; Captain W. Lyons, sth Fusiliers; Cap-
tain Fitzroy Somerset and Captain F. Brine, Royal
Engineers. A sufficient sum was promptly raised to en-
able the committee to give a variety of prizes to be con-
tended for. As soon as the programme of the sports
was announced the greatest interest was manifested by
the whole of the troops stationed here, and the entries
for the various races and games quickly filled, there
being no fewer than between 70 or 80 competitors for
some of the stakes.

The day unfortunately was dull, and gave early in-
dications of rains, but notwithstanding this drawback, a
large concourse cf persons assembled On Chatham Lines
to witn'rs the sports. Nearly the whole of the troops
of the garrison were also present, having been dismissed
from their barrack duties for tLat purpose. The place
selected for the sports was a portion of the racecourse,
where a large stand had been eree,ed, capable of accom-
modating several hundred persons; and this was filled
by officers and ladies, together with a large number of
visitors. The sports consisted of foot races, vaulting,
throwing the hammer, putting the shell backwards and
forwards, walking in heavy marching order, jumping,
wrestling, &c., in several of which the officers were com-
petitors side by side with the men. The bands of the
Royal Marines and the Royal Engineers were in atten-
dance, and stationed in the vicinity of the grand stand.
The stewards for carrying out the arrangementi
R.M. ; Major S. G. Bun-
were Major 11. Marriott,
bury, and Capt. W. Lyons, sth Fasiliera. Major G.
B. Rodney acted as starter, Major c. S. S. E. Gordon
as judge, and Capt. F. Brine, to whom the troops
are indebted for the amusements, performed the duties
of clerk of the course in a very efficient manner. There
was a large number of carriages on the course, occupied
by the families of the principal officers of the garrison.
The first foot race was open to the whole of the corps
of Royal Sappers and Miners. The course was 300
yards ; and it was won by Corporal Pennington, Private
Ward being second. The Marine plate for the same dis-
tance was won by Private Bloomfield ; Private Titlow
second, and Private Parsons third. The next race, for
which there were 34 entries, was open to the whole of
the troops belonging to the provisional battalion, and
was won cleverly by Private Killigan, 60th Rifles ;
Private Wilford, 81st Regiment, being second ; and
Private Marylon, 27th Inniskillens, third. There was
also a race by the men belonging to the Medical Staff
Corps, which was won by an orderly of thatcorps named
Flint. The most amusing of this kind of sport was afoot
race between a number of veterans who have recently
returned wounded from the late seat of war. The dis-
tance was 100. yards, and there were six entries for this
" veterans' scramble," several of the men. being sup-•
ported on crutches. The prize was won by Private
Moore, of the 88th Connaught Bangers; Private Willis

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT TEE
COLCII6STBR

(From the Chelmsford Chronicle.)
On Wednesday the parade ground of the camp in the
vicinity of Colchester presented the remarkable scene of
a public dismissal from her Majesty's service of Lieut.
Saunders, an English officer of one of the cavalry regi-
ments of the British German Legion encamped here, for
insubordination. Frora inquiries, we learn that Lieut.
Saunders had tendered his resignation, which Gen. Btut•
terheim declined to accept, when the lieutenant not only
refused to do the duty he was ordered, but made use of
some most offensive and unofficer like expression towards
the general, who had placed him under arrest to await
his trial by court-martial. Lieut. Saunders refused to be
arrested, and mounting his horse, endeavoured to ride
out of the camp, when the sentries on duty at the gate-
ways went down on their knees with fixed bayonets, and
repulsed the horse, and the ride-, who was paraded, was
surrounee 1, and taken into camp. The affair was corn-
rnunieae d t t 1 einoniandsr-; -"hief, the Duke of Cam-
bridge, who (....etsidered that as thelegiou was so soon
the
be disbanded, it w& td n t be advisab e to submit tile,
matter for trial by general e, ureinaieial. His Roya,
flightless, tio vever, desired Maj el:soigne, com•
wending the camp, to asf emble the whole of the officers
and some men of each regiment, and in the most public
manner to reprehend Limit. Saunders for his mutinous
and disgraceful and unofficerl ke cr nducto and dismiss
him from her Majesty's service. At 10 o'cloc):: on Wed;
teed ay morning the officers and men formed three .side,°'
a scpare on the parade ground, in the centre of Which
Ma:o •-(.; en Ca coigne and sta4l and Gen. Stutterheim a."
st all, took up their position, when Lieut. Saunders, divested
of his sword, was marched in as a prisoner by the adju-
tant of his regiment. Gen. Gascoigne having read aloud
the Duke of Cambridge's letter, proceeded t) address
Lieut. Saunders in plain and outspoken terms, observing
that he was greatly surprised to find an ( fficsr of his
experience so far forgetting himself as to be guilty of a 3
flagrant a breach of military discipline and ineubordina
thin towards his commanding officer. He might consider
himself extremely fortunate in not being tried before a
general court-martial, when he would most assuredly
have been cashiered ; but it was now his duty to pros
nounee his dismissal from her Majesty's service, not in
cnnsequeeoe of his resignation, but through his insubor-
dination. If he left with the feeling that he had gained
his point by getting out of the service, after the severe
remarks of the Duke of Cambridge, in which he was as-
sured the whole of the officers present concurred, he did
not envy him his feelings, and he now desired him to
leave the parade, as he was no longer an officer. Lit'ut.
Saunders made no reply, and Gen. Gescoig,ne, turning
to the officers, said he would take that oppertuuity of
thanking them, and their veteran Col. von Hacke, for the
extreme willingness and good temper they had displayed.
in the performance of their duties, especially at the time,
they knew they were to be disbanded. He felt sure tha.t
no English troops could have behaved better than the
Briesh German Legion, and, notwithstanding the ferers
entertained by the townsfolk, on their arrival from Col-
chester, they would, on theirdeparture, carry with them.
the good will and opinion of the inhabitants.. Whenever
be went to London he was askedly his friends, " Wells
how du you get on with your Germans I" and be was al-
ways proud of being able to answer, "They give me less
trouble than I ever had, and a better set of men I never
wish to °minuend." Gen. Stutterheim briefly acknow•
'edged the compliment, and shaking hands with Gen.
Gascoigne, expressed to that officer the pleasure the offi-
cers, non commissioned officers, and men of the British
German Legion felt in serving under suchja commanding
officer, and that the kindness they had received from
him would be recollected when they were scattered
tlirough various parts of the globe. The troops then
dispersed, Lieutenant Saunders marched off the parade
with the adjutant, and the same day quitted the camp.

EXTENSIVE CLOTH ROBBLRY AT HUDDERS-
FIELD-VIOLENT CONFLICT TVITII 'THAI
ROBBERS.

On Thursday last, five powerful ruffians, named *Tames
Atkinson, George Brook, John Hardcastle, Saeeuel
Patchett, and Abraham Appleyard, were tried before H.
W. Wickham, Esq , M.P., at tba West Riding Session a,
at Leeds, upon the charges of breaking into the ware-
house of Mr. Wm. Walker, at Longwood, near 'rudders.
field, and stealing ten ends of cloth, worth 1001. The
ca,e h'as excited very considerable interest in the West
Itidieg, from the fact that the prisoners formed part of
a gang of roh.,ers who have from time to time committed
extensive and daring depredations at Leeds, Bradford,
Huddersfield, and other places, from some of which
towns woollen goods have been stolen in one night al-
most sufficient to load a waggon.
Front the evidence adduced on the prisoner's trial, it ap-
peared that the prosecetor, Mr. Walker, is a merchant and.
manufacturer of woollen cloth at Longwood, near Hudders-
field. During the night of the Ist of Aug. his warehouse
was br ,ken open, and ten ends of black woollen cloth car-
ried of Information was given at once to the police, and
Mr. Heaton, superintendent of the Huddersfield police,
took the requisite steps to detect the thieves. Nothing was
heard or the matter for some time ; but at length it oc-
curred to Mr. Heaton that it would be well to examine
various places in the neighbourhood. Among other
places searched was a building at Quarmby, formerly
used as a school, but at present the meeting-place of one
or two denominations of dissenters. In the ceiling of
this building is a trap-door or man-hole, giving admis-
sion ,to a space lietween the ceiling and the roof. An
cuhdoeaomt
uamtbhn
ti
and
aontlideetrheer:nenftontuhdroeuigahhttehreidstroafp-hdleaocrk-iciliototh.thwehifeahlsebyrotohfe,
tickets, numbers, and other marks, were identified as
eight of the Lou ends stolen. Feeling satisfied that those
who " planted " the stolen property would come and
fetch
concealed i t away, the
themselves
io
a n and
adjacent s e v efvr
eaAdlmuoifgterht.oaemir
to offi-
cersattntdee -
Istwatched
o f sein)tigh; t
and by night
then ftrhoem 0
fut the r
s2srtehmoo
mistal to a garden nearer the school, where they con-
tinued their watch night by night till half-past 11 o'clock
on the 3,1 of Sept. At that hour, the prisoners Brook
and Atkinson came along the road, entered the barn,
and subsequently walked towards Quarneby-fold. They
were followed by five or six other men, and all went to
the setteel where the cloth was concealed. One of these
men, the prisoner Patchett, was carrying a new plank.
These men unlocked the door of the school with a skele-
ton key, and entered, while Appleyard kept watch at
the vide of the garden where the officers were concealed,
and only separated front them by a low wall and iron
palisading. The men, who had entered the school
reared the plank so as to give access to the man-hole ;
but at this moment Appleyard saw or heard something
in the garden, and running towards the.sehool, shouted
" All away, all away I " The men rushed out, and
the officers were upon them immediately. A severe
struggle ensued, the result being the capture
of Brook and Atkinson, and the escape of the
others. During the struggle, Brook cut open the face of a
constable with a dark lantern he carried, and afterwards
atteznpted to brain him with a heavy life preserver. He
was, however, secured. Later the same night, Hardeastle
was apprehended at Wyke, near Bradford, at which time
his shoes and trousers were quite wet, and the shoes were
also warm. Next morning Patchettand the other prisoners
were apprehended at their homes, where some housebreak-
ing implements and a new wan
raeith,s
rtooeuvostiaeeadtdannibnaodenuydttoirndot
beyond
se
themselvesearhl trousers ma d e o f
black cloth of the same kind as that stolen were found.
E. Shaw, himself a convict, related a conversation which
he had with Hardcastle on the morning after the rob-
bery, when Hardcastle described its circumstances,ana
stated that the cloth had been planted where it would
re-
main for three weeks or a month.
The whole of the prisoners were convicted, and in
passing sentence,
ns of at
prisoners
Wickham said the court could not forget t
an'y
deedsners woefre violence,a seto t
d concealed th
htehneminthoadthebewe
andu)e nt
the nded
murderoustogether
vigilance of the police bad slumbered,
or/ had blown over. But
pillelataisnvtdinoei,ebtrii)ofey waited for 5 or 6 weeks iti the hope that the
police
them to every.
body exertions which must commendlle
do
designs
activity, vigilance,
zeal, Superintendent Heaton and tits
miserably disappointed, for tthheey had u-ed and CCM-
patieneilila to thew in the highest degree.
timethtaot come.
police were credit' desperate character of the prisoners, the
Looking at
the
f allowing
body
and
do had hoard the case.
them a chance of com-
cella could not think co
The Ben-
et! servitude for the period of eight ears
tence of the court upon they should each
beAPlgacreit‘tluiintypoo;lo/. was awarded to Superintendenty Hea-
ton'
ueitting crime again fortaheloningwa
for hie excellent conduct throughout the transaction.

---
me. SALT AND THE LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN
RAILWAY COMPAlir.—Mr. Salt, after faithfully and
honestly t•erving the London and North-Western Rail-
way Company for thirteen years, during which time he
has receivA the most' flattering compliments from the
directors and the public, has had his engagements sud-
denly and unexpectedly brought to a termination. This
has arisen in consequence of his misconstruction of a
minute of the board, referring to the casual employment
of any of the servants of the company for purposes not
iMwediately connected with the serv►ce of the company.
Mr. Salt, it appears, did not .conceive this minute to
refer to certain hours, when the porters under his charge
were'n•-it required by the business of the company. the
directors'. opinio,n of the Minute did not coincide with
that of Mr. Salt, and hence the termination of his cer-
vices with the company.

c-- c-, - -"A_ce.e-c.-.c'h> NEWSp A 'Eli
',,e
tt -
11th Hussars, being second ; a.nd Ibivate Jacks ..... ‘. - "2 A
Fusiliers, third. The champion's belt, content d: 77-7--- r-:':''-1 .'74,
by the winners of therace,, wes won by Corporal am.. ' ' -,
nington, of the Royal
_Engineers. 'ilher, 'WM aIS4L 41, S
s Yeepstake, run for by officers beloi:girg to the garrison,
which was won by Capta,:i F. Brine, Royal Engineers,
Ensign Mytton, East India CoMpany's service, cruning '
in second. Between the races there were amuse•
ments provided, consisting of jumping in sacks, vault-
ing, wheelbarrow racing, arid other games, which
caused much delight to the troops, who entered into
them with the keenest relih. A race called the "Gar-
rison Melee," of one mile, open to the vvhole garrison,
was won by Ensign Devereux, 87th Royal Irish Fusi-
liers. There was also the Lilliputian Handicap, con-
tended for by the drummer boys and buglers, the winner
be ng Bugler Larkins, 29th Regiment. The Officers'
.Bunt Stakes, of 408 yards, over eight hurdles, were
won by Ensign Makgill, East India Company's Service,
and another race of the same kind by Private Kerwan,
of the R
oyal Sappers and Miners.
The amusements were not concluded until towards
dusk, having
of providing games of this kind for the troops has been
occupied several hours. The experiment
eminently successful, and at the same time reflects the
highest credit on the originators. They are to be re-
peated next year on a larger scale.