The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-27 00:00:00

TH.Z POI?TS:11DUI'll .R.EVIETV.

All accounts agree in statinc, that the Portsmouth
Review was a pretty sight. Lovelier weather for any out'.
door fete and spectacle could not have been desired or
imagined ; nor, all things considered, was there much tc.
repine at on other scores. It is true that the whole affair
was diminutive ; the narrow field of action being lined
with a sparse muster of spectators, and the military ev°'
lutions being performed by fewer men of all arms than
could make a very imposing show ; but gaiety and prettv
ness took the places of grandeur and pomp, and the ma"'
nificent gave way to the jolly.

CONFLICTING JUDGMENTS.
There will be conflicting judgments, of course, Pasgea,
upon the-review, and we may be sure nothing connote('
with it will escape blame from some sort of eriticisratho
with
delight, Ordinary people will remember the day
delight, and declare, with justification, that it was a rail
display of its kind. Those who affect a knowledge'
military tactics will—also with some shew of justificatlarl
—laugh and sneer at plans which they will term absurd;
and at a shew which they will speak of as tuld!guin°(-1' If
people will insist upon looking at life from different stand'
points, we must expect divergence of opinion. If til°
intention of the planners of the day's proceedings wr'
to give the volunteers and their friends a nice gala rllllr
and a little holiday work, they have done it, anti 55.0 t
„,-
thousands of men and women home gratified. if the 1v13"
of the scientific visitors was to have a keenly consistent
military programme carried out with martial rigour, the/
have a right to grumble to their hearts' content, for the/
had neither the one nor the other.

THE FIELD AND THE OPERATIONS.
The Common on which the review took place is in lta
entire length barely nine furlongs, and is so narrow Oor
anything like manoeuvring is out of the question. 105 for
the sham fight, it was perhaps not more absurd than g'f
sham fights must necessarily be. Military criticism
such things is entirely misplaced. No commanding oilleer
has ever thought of handling his force on such occasions
as it would really be handled in action. Certain contur.
gencies are assumed, in order that certain movements n13.3'
ch n. and that
nu- of mimsr_ he carried out •
is all. Fortifications are, as .a
matter of course, taken
somehow, though they would in regular procedure with.
stand a fortnight's siege. Who dreams of objecting ?
well might one say these are blank cartridges that the
men are firing when they should be ball ; or declare that
Hamlet in the tragedy is not a Danish prince, but 411
American tragedian.

THE MARCH PAST.
The march past was a pretty sight, and was comulenci•
able from a military point of view. Uniforms of regular
troops were in sufficient quantity to enliven the 1001:
extent of the scene, the ground being kept by the 33rd
and 35th Regiments, and two companies of the 40th'
There were in all nearly 3,0C,0 of the Queen's soldiers °TI
the ground, and the volunteers numbered rather 100!'e
than 5,000. The march past began at three o'clocfc!
pretty punctually, General Buller's staff being jelued aC
the saluting point by a mounted party of distinguished
visitors, among whom were A(ltniral Sir James frelr;
Lord Bury, and Colonel Lindsay. Thoueh. the g,r"une`:
was, unfortunately, more uneven in the front of the star
than in any other part of the Common, all the men CO'
trived to avoid breaking, even when they marched lit
grand division;.

THE SHIM FIGHT.
The sham fight was of course the spectacle which
excite
a
le most enthusiasm. To describe it is to dccribe
unreal, but interesting, scene. The fleet representing 0°
enemy opened fire upon the Castle, which soon surfer'.
dered, and was invested by the volunteers. He-vill
polished off this strong work in the brief space of fifteer;
minutes, the victorious enemy pursued their career
success ' •'"•• forcing back the defendr2rs in the
direction u. ....tar works, while the flotilla, set free by the
fall of Southsea Castle, steamed along, hugging the shore.
covering the flanks of their friends, and firm'- with
admirable rapidity at the works of Portsmouth.
The sight of the day, for beautiful precision 01
movement, was an advance in line by the I:°Y3l
Marine Artillery, who were warmly cheered as they Passe,/
:
the grand stand in pursuit of the defenders. ll3vin*
forced back the reconnoitring party to their works, they.
deployed at short range, and opened a tremendous tire of
rifles and artillery, backed by the fire of their fleet. The
defenders, maiming the long line of their ramparts. re'
turned the fire with interest, the volunteer artillery (loin"
splendid service at the guns on the seaward faces 111 I'o
to the flotilla. After a fiercely contested battle, the in•
vaders succeeded in so far reducing the fire from the
works as to give the hope of a successful
•
sanit. During the manoeuvres which attended the
advance and retreat the field•pieces were wheeled
about with much . rapidity in the thick of the
crowd, and that there should- have been no serious
accident seems almost incredible. The effect of men and
boys and women mingling with, and in some cases kading
on, the attacking force, was ridiculous. The people were
so close to the itolunteeis engaged that, Lad one of 00;
by mistake fired away his ramrod it must have spitted
some of them like larks. It, appeared to be very g°c''
fun, and did not much hinder the advance of the invaders'
although it did turn order into confusion. By and h.Y°
the sham fight neared its end, and the tide of battle
gathered close under the walls of the town. The big go°
shook the air, the pit pat of the Snider; sounded like Ode
throbbing of a hundred engines, the bayonets
like lightning when the smoke lifted a littP,
the clear occasional note of the bugle Wa4
never drowned by the other sounds, however
combined and reverberating they might be. 1311t4.
the' garrison now made an attempt to recover.
sortie was made, and for a while the fight was doubtful'
but the fury of the garrison daunted the invaders, Wlich
crushed by the overwhelming rapidity of the fire from tome
breechloader, now fairly retreated.