The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-29 00:00:00

STATE OF THE CURRAGiI CAMP.

The following sketch of the state of the camp at
the Curragh is supplied by Saunders's Newsletter.
Rifle matches had taken place there on Friday and
Saturday, the Earl of Carlisle being present on the
latter day :
" The attention of the visitors to the Curragh
Camp on Saturday could not have been attracted
by the state of the ground on which the tents
which had been occupied by the 4th Light Dra-
goons were still standing. Even after two fine
clays the mud was partially dried. Though the sun
was shining brightly, and the wind blowing
freshly from the west, there was still sufficient
water and mud in and around the tents to show
what must have been the discomforts and hardships
attendant upon life under canvass in the locality in
which for weeks past several fine regiments have
endured the rain, which fell without intermission.
It was easy to see that the accounts of sickness and ,
distress which came up from the Curragh had not
been exaggerated. In the neighbourhood of the
tents a person could not have walked without

literally -sinking up to his knees at every step.
The space hollowed out inside each tent appeared
to be a pool of water ; the canvass was stained a -
dirty yellow colour; the ground, torn up by
horses' hoofs, appeared to be even worse
than a marsh—it seemed, in fact, not unlike
newly ploughed field after a week's incessant rain.
On this mud, which under the hot sun was gradu-
ally becoming hardened at the surface, rugs, large
cavalry cloaks, and here and there articles of cloth-
ing were streaming slowly in the sunshine, in which
they were being dried. A glance at the nature of
the ground was sufficient to show any person of
just
those intelligence that the results were
those which might be expected to take place after
a week's rain. With characteristic prudence the
tents had been pitched in a hollow, which might
advantageously be converted into a receptacle for
the surface drainage of the camp. The men did net
suffer one-half so much from the torrents which
penetrated the canvass covering from above as from
the slush and mud upon which they had to lie. If
the visitors began to talk with soldiers about the
camp, he at once heard from men who wore medals
and clasps that they had not suffered greater hard-
ships from wind and weather in the Crimea than
the men of the Light Dragoons, who had only left
the camp a few days ago, had undergone during the
past fortnight. It is strange, when one considers
that there were many other places at the Curragh
where the tents might have been far more advan'
tageously pitched, that no precautions were
taken to prevent the results which have been
described. A body of the Grenadier Guards •
were under canvass on the highest point of the
rising ground on which the encampment is built.
They had, at least, the blessing of walking on terra
firma, instead of wading through a miniature bog.
The earth under their tents was comparatively firm,
but, of course, the rain soaked through the canvass,
wetting their uniforms and bedding, which were on
Saturday put out to dry. The scarlet coats were
dyed of a nondescript hue, and the soldiers looked
as weatherbeaten as if they had just returned froth
a long campaign. It is too much to expect men to
pay for their kits, and el the same time to plaee,
them unnecessarily unde circumstances in which
their uniform must be worn out or destroyed in .n
few weeks. There is, however, some pleasure in
knowing that steps are being taken to remove the
men into more comfortable quarters. After 0
month like the past at the Curragh the soldier wag
well sigh after the luxury of any provincial bar-
racks, however ill-built or uncomfortable."