The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-31 00:00:00

FIRST lIEAT.

John Prince (Blue) 1
11. White (White) 2
Joseph Cole (Red) 0
Won by two lengths.
SECOND HEAT.

Thomas Cole (Green) 1
John Cole (Pink) 2
R. Meekiff (Stripes) 0
Won by two lengths and a-half.
GRAND HEAT.
White
Blue 2 I Green
A good heat, won by two lengths.
The distance was between Chelsea College and Cremorne,
once round.

The military season is over at Aldershott, and the other
popular places of warlike entertainment are fast preparing
winter quarters. The great Engineer barrack on the banks
of the Medway has kept open a few days later with brilliant
attractions, but only for a short time, and yesterday the last
display was made in one of those interesting and well-
managed siege operations for which Chatham has become so
widely and justly celebrated.
The programme on this occasion was almost as varied in
incidents and effects as any day of actual hard siege fight-
ing. There was cannonading, springing mines under land
and water, escalading, pontooning, crossing bridges, and
blowing up stockades,—in fact, all, and a good deal more
than all, which any one could hope to witness even in a
siege of the most complicated and desperate character. The
day, therefore, was looked forward to apparently with a
good deal of interest, not alone on account of the opera-
tions themselves, but because, perhaps, they were to be
the last of the kind fur the year, and because, as it
was generally believed, his Royal Highness the Com-
mander-in-Chief would conduct the operations in person.
Iu the latter expectation the Chatham public were certainly
disappointed, and also, we imagine, in the operations them-
selves, for from one cause or another the commencement
was delayed till so late in the afternoon that the siege and
sham assault, the only things which bore curtailing, were
all compressed into the space of a few minutes, and the fight
terminated before the firing had well informed the public of
what was going on. The weather, too, as no doubt many
of our readers have had cause to observe for themselves on
similar occasions, exercised an important adverse influence.
During all the early part of the morning it rained with that
dogged obstinacy peculiar to such holiday occasions in
England, and though towards the middle of the day it
cleared up fine and warm, yet the mischief was done,
and any influx of visitors from the country effectually
prevented. The siege works upon this occasion had
been undertaken, to perfect the young officers and
men studying military engineering at Chatham, in
carrying out the most important details of their tactics in
that practical manner which eat only be acquired by the
experience of actual siege operations on a large, though
bloodless scale.
For this purpose, therefore, actual siege was laid to that
portion of the Chatham defences round the steep bill over-
looking St. Mary's Creek, and enclosing the barracks to-
wards New Brompton. It is some time since the siege com-
menced, for everything has been done according to the
most approved rules and regulations of civilised and very
modern warfare. Not a cod was turned which was not ne-
cessary to the attacking party—not a thistle was cut down
or a blade of grass uprooted but upon the soundest strate-
getical reasons. The only difference (rather an important
one, it is true) between the approaches in this case and
those of an ordinary siege was that there was no defence.
No matter what batteries were erected or what dangers
seemed to threaten Chatham, the defenders gave no
heed. There were no sorties or alertes, rifle pits or mines
to contend against, yet, notwithstanding such rather
favourable circumstances, the attack progressed but slowly,
for every step had to be taught to both men and junior offi-
cers, and since the ground was first broken some months
have elapsed ere the place has been completely invested.
However, in spite of all delays, the last approaches, with all
their sanguinary etceteras of mines, fougasses, breaching
batteries, and so on, were completed, and nothing remained
but to "deliver," as it is termed in military parlance, the
final assault at 2 o'clock yesterday, though, as it turned out,
the delivery was by no means made with that punctuality
which usually distinguishes military appointments in such
matters. As we have intimated, it was anticipated that the
Curnmaader-in-Chief would either conduct or witness the
' operation, so, in order to give extra eclat to the occasion,
there was to be pontooning across St. Mary's Creek to the
island, with subaqueous explosions and a trial of various kinds
of improvised bridges for use in the field. The place besieged
was situated in the heights over the creek—a salient angle
of the works, including several strong bastions and batteries,
and defended, of course, like other parts of the Chatham lines,
by a very broad and deep dry ditch. In spite of this de-
AN INTERESTING EXCURSION.—This morning there fence, however, as even the mimic siege showed beyond a
was an immense assemblage of people in and near the doubt, this salient is a very weak part of the works, so
church and schools of St. Thomas, Stepney, to witness the weak, indeed, as to quite justify the opinion that, though
departure of 800 children (who are receiving their educe- an attack on it might occasion heavy loss, it could, never-
tion in the national schools attached to St. Thomas's toeless, be taken with comparatively. as much ease and cer-
Church) for the park of Mr. Pemberton Barnes, near tainty, in spite of its defence, as if, in the case of the pre-
Romford, in Essex, where they are to spend the day. There sent siege, it never fired a defensive shot at all.
were 30.1arge vans, each drawn by two horses, ens aged for Against' this weak point the siege had been regularly
the occasion. The children of both sexes were decorated ressed, with the usual approaches of first, second, third,
with rosettes and ribbons of all colours; there was a profuse and fourth parallele,_e-pits, zigzags, breastwork, and mines,
and their accompaniments of covering
display of flags, banners, and other insignia of holiday-
batteries to each, rifle-pits,
making, and the children, before they left the so that when complete the whole trenches cover a very
schools, set up a continuous cheering and shout-
large extent of ground. Taking the whole, from first to last,
ing for half an hour. The vans for the girls all these approaches were most admirably executed, and
were drawn up in Arbour-street West, and those for with as much care and solidity literally as if the lives of all
the boys in Arbour-street East. One van contained the concerned in the attack depended on them. All the parallels
provisions for the children, guarded by a bevy of fair dames. were deep and capacious, the breastworks high and massive,
Each van, after receiving its little merry freight of humanity, the musketry loops strong and admirably concealed. The
pulled up in Arbour-square. At ten o'clock the van pro- insides of all the works were carefully rivetted with turf
cession started amidst uproarious cheers from the assembled and fascines ; the outsides showed little to the fire of the
multitude, re-echoed by the happy children. As the vans enemy, and there were shell-pits and refuges for the men as if
passed down the Mile-end-road, the children in one every sod had been turned under a tremendous fire of bombs,
and in them only, the expe-
were singing the " National Anthem," in another " Rule with stout and well-made banquettes for the men to stand
Britannia," in a third " Wait for the Waggon," and in others on and fire over the parapet, against sorties or enemy's rifle-
" We won't go home till morning." The last song appeared to
besiegers men. Whenever the zigzags were compelled to turn so as to
be the favourite. The Rev. Mr. Valentine, the incumbent, be exposed, however distantly, to the enfilading fire from
of St. Thomas, Mrs. Valentine and her daughters, the curate the besieged, traverses crossed the approach at close inter-
of St. Thomas, Mr. Warren, the master of the Colet
dinetetheteesde traverses,tbnttlle
schools, the churchwardens, kc., accompanied the excur- had never had to
sion. About 40 young ladies, who intended to join in encounter the enemy's fire, for they were unquestionably too
the demonstration could not find room in the vans, and weak to withstand the effects of any but the very lightest
two more were sent for, which arrived in Arbour-street artillery. The magazines, however, were, as the English
East, at 11 o'clock, and they were soon filled, and drove magazines always are, protected withl the most solid works,
rapidly away. Great preparations have been made by Mr. riencedvais•ltewyr
and the batteries thrown up at various points were 18 feet
Pemberton Barnes to make the day one of great happinweisisl thick in the embrasures. In the construction of the works
to the children, and there is no doubt the little_ onests _ wrought iron solid gabions had been used with the iron-
fullyld fete
appreciate his kindness. The expenses of band hoop gabions and those of the common hazel
have been defrayed by subscription. and ash twigs. The latter d b •
RICHMOND. --- The are re as being
lIER MAJESTY'S THEATRE, RICIIM
of beyond all doubt the best where wood and labour are
success which has attended the restoration ad9dt reopeningisoe more,
this theatre has been most complete; n_
aot :he nobility and as well as the facility with which any number can be made
after a lapse of many years, the resort and transported, gives them an immense advantage over any
performances on Tues-
gentry of the neighbourhood.
The
the Duchess Dowager others for convenience. Niue batteries had been constructed
day last were by desire of her Grace to assist ate the final assault—all of different kinds, but all,
Royal Highness th
of Northumberland. On Friday
his
and Major-General l Sier or nearly all, converging their fire on the casemate battery
Duke d'Autnale bespoke the play;
Frances Countessa and redan wall of the besieged place. The armament of these
Russell,. .
Edward Bowater, Lord J.besieging works seldom exceeded two pieces—howitzers, 18-
the Hon. Justice Haliburton, and
Waldegrave, Gen. Peel, pounders, or 32-pounder siege guns. There was an admi-
other their intention '
influential residents have signified of
Mr. and rably-constructed masked battery—quite hidden—to sweep
doing the same during the season
their
Mrs. 1,
.'f.V• Sidney the dry ditch ; this was No. 4. Nos. 5 and 6 batteries were
are already established favourites,and per performances
applause; placed so as to command the re-entering angles of the be-
are nightly hailed genuinewith
osom
would 1
s eged works. No. 7 battery had a mine of 271 b. of powder
suggest to Mr. Sidney the policy
to breach the redan, and a counter battery next it, and
in the male department, d
ing his companyand impressing also opposite the redan, had the same charge for the
upon them the necessity of being rather more perfect
in same purpose in another deep mine. These works were
their delivery of the text. We are glad to observe the im- connected with a line of
rifle-pits
admirably constructed
provement in the band. and concealed, and in rear of them was a cavalier bat-
EVERY MAN ails OWN TRUMPETER. By G. W tery, looped in all parts for riflemen, and defended with
Thornburg. 3 Vols.—" The spirit, dash, picturesqueness, cohorns from behind. This was the besiegers' right attack.
and completeness which characterised Mr. Thornbury's The left was also of several strong batteries, with some 20
' Songs of the Cavaliers and Roundheads,' will le found fougasses (small mines) in a flying sap, running direct upon
hi every chapter of his new novel. The latter is an exceed. the casemate battery, and almost at right angleswith the cur-
ingly glittering drama, well Put upon the stage, the per- tain to be escaladed. The men at the breaching guns and
swages accurately defined and strikingly varied, the scenery others close to the works were " endangered" by some of
touched by the hand of ad artist, and the action sustained the clumsiest se^ '' t
' .aataile s over the muzzles of the pieces (to
untiringly from the first scene to the last. We recommend aaa-
• t the fire of the besieged riflemen) which were ever
Mr. Thornbury's vivacious book to the world of "-•0 out
readers."--.4theneetent. I _ .auvel devised. In native service such mantlets would fly like grape
inis.
.. among the defenders of a battery, and do ten times more
- ,

~,

chief than either rotted abet °retell. /made the hreasiess
lay what are known among the men by the name of " sap-
pers"—large gabions trebly lined with massive wattles, and
used to shelter the men while digging a rifle pit. Such were
the siege works on this occasion. Five minutes' walk t h sous: h
them would enable the most civil of civilians to understand
more about the na,ure, difficulties, and dangers of a siege
than a twelvemonth of unassisted military reading. It was
arranged that the siege attack was to begin at 2 o'clock.
and eager sightseers, of course, were waiting in crowds
long before that appointed hour—and long after it, too, we
are sorry to say. The Commander-in- Chief was expected
up to the last, but to the disappointment of thousands his
Highness was unable to be present. Sir John Burgoyne,
however, attended by a brilliant staff, arrived at Chathaut
for the operations shortly before two o'clock. The gallant
General, having inspected the troops in review order with-
out knapsacks, proceeded to inspect the model room, while
besieged and besiegers resorted to their allotted posts. The
defence was intrusted to a body of Marines under Lieutenant-
Colonel R. J. McKtllop. The besiegers consisted of Captain
D. Blyth with 100 Marines to work the heavy guns. 'The
Royal Engineers, with those of the East India Company,
were under Colonel Sanditam, the Ist bat 'allot), made up of
vat ious depots ofregituents ut the liue-1,6c0 strong in all
—was under Colonel der%is, tne second battalion under
Colonel Phillips, and the third tinder Calcine! Feirtlough.
The voltaic batteries of the different mines were in charge
of Captains Noble end Scott. All the troops were provided
with 10 rounds et' blank cartridge, and 20 were allowed for
each siege gun. The troops of the line were told off fur
working parties or reliefs in rear of the second parallel for
some time, but afterwards came forward to the ad, ariced
works, occupying them and the intrenched cavalier bastion
as firing parties. The Engineers were told off into the
single and flying saps, as leaders of working parties, in
charge of the descent into the dry ditch, and with the first
line of ladders for escalading. A strong detachment of
troops of the line took charge of the second line of scaliees
ladders, occupying part of the third parallel and works in
the right attack. These dispositions and .arrangements
were made with such admirable good order that a large (wee
was distributed among the batteries, parallels, end ap-
proaches without a sound being' audible, and scarcely In, re
than a head or two peeping curiously over the breastworks
being visible.
The same secrecy, however, was by no means observed
among the besieged, for all their works, even the doomed
casemate battery, against which the mine in No. 7 battery
was to be sprung, was covered with ladies and gentlemen.
As it turned out the patience of these persons was se-
verely tried, in common with everybody else's, for it was
getting well towards four o'clock, and the public were not
only thinking ofgoing away,but were actually doing it when
the signal was given. It was a grand one, for suddenly, with
awful dull roar and heavy shock, the besiegers' mines
were sprung and a great mass of earth and stones, mingled
with thick dense smoke and massive sheets of flame, went
high up into the air with the earth and gabions of the bat-
tery. There was an instant pause as every one looked at
the solemn mass of dust and smoke that drifted slowly away
from the ruined work, and then the attack began—a regu-
lar " delivery of the assault " in one grand crash of can-
non and musketry from every port. All the breastworks,
all the batteries so carefully masked up to the last moment,
seemed suddenly girt with fire. A fringe of musketry en-
closed the place, broken only by the masses of flame and
smoke that marked the position of all the heavy works, from
the embrasures of which, as fast as the piece could be
run out and loaded, came a continued stream of hot
red fire, darting like rows of serpents' tongues to the em-
brasures of the besieged. Everything became wrapped in
smoke and dust, and only the thundering din of the can-
nonade predominated. The men in the third parallels were
hurried up closer and closer, hemming in with a fiercer and
smaller circle each port attacked. It was in vain that the
besieged replied by a heavy fire—there were se many
points from which he was commanded that his defence
was lost amid the din and conflagration that raged
outside. In the midst of this the fougasses (each
a small mine of 61b.) went off' in rapid succession, aiding
more dust and smoke to the encumbered air, amid which
came a rush and heavy tramp of feet, as a strong party of
troops of the line rushed forward, and made a lodgment
where the fougasses had been sprung. From this last place
the fire never stopped or slackened for an instant, the ardour
of the batteries, if possible, seemed increased, and every-
thing denoted a crisis in the affair. The cavalier bastion
seemed a mound of smoke and flame, through which ou the
left could be seen now and then groups of figures pressing on
with ladders towards the curtain, followed at a greater dis-
tance by another line of ladder bearers and storming parties.
There was loud cheering amid the smoke as the Engineers
mounted the counterscarp, and, dragging up their ladders,
began to descend into the dry ditch. Every musket and
gun was discharged at the besieged works to cover this
movement, but still the besieged stood to it manfully, and
poured awful volleys among the assailants. But the latter
were supported by the second line of troops, who, leaving
their ladders against the counterscarp as a means of retreat,
hurried down with the Engineers into a dry ditch, carried
the ladders across, and swarmed up the curtain at every
point, the besiegers breaking and flying in disorder as they
mounted the walls. This terminated the siege operations,
in little more than five or ten minutes after they had com-
menced. In fact, it was a regular assault—short, but mur-
derously hot while it lasted.
Almost the instant that the last guns were silenced, the
public, with the officers in charge of pontoons,] moved
down to the water's edge at the creek, where it was sup-
posed, that, as a result of the siege operations, troops
were to cross on rafts and blow up sunken wrecks, while
some gates of stockades were to be destroyed with live
shell. Previously to this, however, Sir John inspected some
bridges over the creek of the true rough and ready style—
bridges that could be made in the course of a couple of
hours in any field, but which, when pr ,perly made, would
suffice for the passage of any army, and for the most of its
heavy baggage and stores. One of these bridges was the in-
vention of Colonel Sandham, and the strength, simplicity,
and even beauty of its rough construction were universally
admired. There was a lattice-work bridge, too, strong and
simple, but not on qui'e a new plan. Both these bridges were
made of scaffold poles tied firmly tegether with rope, and both
were on the suspension principle. But perhaps the most
curious and interesting bridge of WI was one invented by
Sergeant-Major Jones, which utilised in the most
valuable and importaut manner the refuse iron hoops. These
hoops were simply rivetted into long bands, which were
hung in a segment of a circle between two poles, and on
which again were laid the pontoon " cheeses" or planks,
so as to make a bridge of unusual strength and light-
ness, and one constructed with the greatest ease and
quickness. The only drawback in the use of this bridge is
that, hanging downwards like a slack rope, it vibrates and
oscillates so seriously that it is as much as a man can do
to cross. Guns or horses would be out of the question. If
the pontoon cheeses, too, are used, why not use the pontoons
themselves, which confessedly make the best bridge of all ?
After these bridges had been examined the engineers formed
a pontoon bridge in intermediate order. Some rafts were also
made of barrel pontoons, and from one of these a tower de-
scended into the deep water of the Medway to place a charge
against a supposed sunken wreck. This was to have been fired
by a voltaic battery, but for some sub-aqueous reason or other
it would not go oir. Another charge of Glb. of powder was
then hauled down by the diver by rope, and this was lighted
by a Bickford's fuse, and exploded grandly. An 8-inch
shell, loaded with 21b. Soz. of powder, and hung against a
gate in the shell-house, was next fired to show the manner
of destroying gates and entrances, an effort which was per-
fectly successful, and the gate, though of strong oak timbers,
was blown to fragments. This concluded the programme of
the day. In the course of another week or so all the field
works will be filled in and turfed over till another siege is
planned for next year.

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