The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-15 00:00:00

MICE— 4d.
STAMPED sd.

Visit of the Volunteers to Belgium.

Volunteers l n
tlev
eorrsk ov fe
were
Thursday sadnady
stir- and
aidnigh,
f tNe
ront nt
ai ding BRUSSELS, Saturday.
that few of them retired to bed before the small hours
ring yesterday morning at 8 o'clock, when, by a salvo
doors,
aboutit
induce to commence.
of 21 guns, the artillery of the Garde Civique an-
dat
an-
nounced to all Brussels that the fetes of independence
for
oo 1866 ,
were
nor
d td
foggy and damp, but that didkeep people in-
rs ' e
Colonel Loyd Lindsay mornings waso
not
countermand his order for a general parade at 9
o'clock. The Volunteers have found out already that
their commander really commands, and that when he
says a thing he means it in its literal sense. Accord-
ingly, his men were at their post in the great square
of the Museum to receive him when he appeared
with his Staff. An immense crowd of people assem-
bled round the Volunteers. Before the commander
had been very long on the ground all his force was
divided into companies. It had been arranged that
each company was to have its particular colours.
To give effect to this arrangement the company ser-
geant was handed a small silk flag, composed of
mixed hues, and each man of the company received
a rosette of the same shades, which he at once at-
tached to his breast. From that moment there was
no confusion, though in many cases the privates who
stood shoulder to shoulder had never seen each other
before that morning, and though men found them-
selves under the command of officers whose existence'
theyhad previously been unacquainted with. Col. Loyd
Lindsay, on accepting his temporary post at a very
short notice, resolved to appoint officers to com-
mands in the order of their seniority, and he endea-
voured to carry out this principle in every instance.
However, as he was obliged to name his captains,
adjutants, and subalterns within a few days, cases
have occurred in which, unintentionally, the rule
of seniority was violated. But once having made
an appointment he declined to cancel it, believing
that if he did so very mischievous confusion would
be the result. It is, perhaps, too soon yet
to say that his eommandership is a complete suc-
cess ; but, remembering the scattered manner in
which applications to attend the fetes came in
from volunteers in all parts of the country, that
for three days the men themselves had been arriv-
ing in scattered groups, and that the main body
did not reach here for three hours after the time
when the Belgian authorities requested the gallant
colonel to have them all in marching order, it cer-
tainly is not a little surprising that they marched
through the town in the soldier-like manner they
did on Thursday night, and that yesterday morning
their movements on parade and on the route to the
Tir drew forth the loudst commendations from mili-
tary men as well as from civilians.
When all the companies had their flags and
rosettes and were got well into hand, the colonel
marched them past his head-quarters and by the
King's palace. Arrived at the large building which
at the other end of the park faces the Rue Royale,
the Volunteers turned round and came down again
to the Hotel de Bellevue, whence, headed by the
band of the Chasseurs-eclaireurs, they proceeded to
the Tir, the boulevards, streets, and roads on the.
way being lined with spectators. It had been appre-
hended that the mixture of various uniforms in the
one company would give the whole body a very hete-
rogeneous appearance, but this was not so. However
it was managed, the various uniforms were combined
with judgment, and in many cases to advantage, over
the more regular arrangement. The Belgians were
enthusiastic in their admiration of the Volunteers,
and no Englishman who saw them march to the Tir
need have felt ashamed of them. They mustered fully
1,000, and were composed of all branches of the
;Tanntry.
Ireland and Scotland were both represented—the
former by several members of the Royal Irish ; the
latter by many men of Scotch corps' and tha London
Scottish, whose kilts seemed to astonish the Bruxel-
lois not a little. Arrived at the Tir, where they
found the French riflemen already assembled,
Colonel Loyd Lindsay, Lord Bury, and the Volun-
teers were received by Lieutenant-General Plen-
tinck, Commandant Snperieur of the Garde Civique,,ir
M. Dailly, President de la Commission du
International, and the other members of that body.
The Commandant and M. Dailly having addressed
some words of welcome to the foreign riflemen,
Colonel Loyd Lindsay returned thanks on behalf
of the English Volunteers.
In the afternoon and evening our riflemen dis-
persed themselves over the city, looking at the sights.
Such is the anxiety of their Belgian companions in
arms to do them honour and make them the objects
of their hospitality that one rifleman linked by
either arm to a couple of the Garde Civique is a
sight to be seen at all hours in every street. An
anxious crowd surrounds each of the hotels in which
the Volunteers are putting up, so that our National
Guards have " thrust upon them" a greatness which
they never expected to arrive at. On Friday even-
ing the Commander and Etat Major of the Garde
Civique entertained at dinner the French Chef de
Bataillon and two of his officers ; Major Meder and
two Dutch officers ; Lieut.-Colonel L' Loyd d-
,in 6ay,
Lord Bury, Sir Paul Hunter, and Lieut. Furley,
the entertainment being one of the best which
Brussels could provide. The healths of the
and Queen of the Belgians, the Emperor of the
French, the Queen of Great Britain, and the King
of Holland were duly honoured
on the occasion.