The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-27 00:00:00

GI4IVD REVIEW OF YORKSHIRE
VOLUNTEERS AT YORK•

tacking force to change the direction of their rout
which was very cleverly done upon the central point
of the first line, the right being thrown forward.
The second brigade then advanced a few paces and
deployed, thus relieving the third, who had hitherto
borne the brunt of the mimic battle. The third in
a very orderly manner retired by fours to the rear.
Line was soon afterwards formed, and the officers
took post in review order. The bugle next sounded
the " Advance" in quick time to a general salute, a
movement which was splendidly performed, and
which astonished all who could appreciate the dif-
ficulty of performing it with anything like precision.
The reviewing officer then expressed his infinite
satisfaction at what he had witnessed, and the re-
view terminated.

On Sept. 28, 1860, and the 25th of the correspond-
ing month in the present year, voluntelf reviews
have taken place on linavesmire, near York. The
contrast between the two spectacles affords an ad-

eee...
ditional proof of what the spirit and energy of
Englishmen—and especially of Yorkshiremen—can
accomplish under combined effort. The review
which took place on Wednesday has for some time
been the greatest and most interesting occasion
which has been looked forward to in the North of
England, and its result will remain indelibly
stamped upon the memory of the vast concourse of
people who assembled to witness the spectacle. In
12 months an immense deal hits been done for the
movement in the county. Last year Knavesmire
was in such a dreadful condition from the preceding
rainy weather that all manceuvres had to be left out
of the programme, and the troops were kept so long
standing in the mud and water that numbers caught
cold, and in more than one instance fatal results
followed. The good people of York, however, deter-
mined to remedy this serious drawback to any fu-
ture reviews, set energetically to work to prepare
against any damp contingency. Several thousand
--
pounds were raised, and Knavesmire—a piece of , TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
ground unequalled in England for a military dis- Sir,—We here have another instance of high
play—has been so thoroughly drained, and other- authority, acting on the best motives, and yet mis-
wise fitted for these reviews, that nodiscomfort need led towards adopting serious error by trusting to
any more be apprehended from the same causes as conclusions drawn from those
ruosn buteas
cased
pqraaecs--
Lionti 1
has experiments
s o r
rife,
with
last September. Then, again, the equipment of the
and whichtc, which it owes so much
men generally is better, their dress more uniform,
the piysigue positively gives evidence of an im- plates of iron, varying from Ito 11 inch in thick-
of its perplexity. A number of small detached
provement, and their efficiency altogether will bear ness, laid on the sands, with their heads reclined
a contrast with that of the corresponding period of to various angles with the horizon,
.and. then . fired
last year ; and, so far as numbers are concerned, it
"power from the minimum service fieldpiece
is well known that they have increased all over the a t with guns of the Armstrong description, varying
in
down
to a diminutive nondescript, purposely built
country. Since this period 12 months, however, exactly to suit the scale of Lilliputian targets—
the Volunteers have lost a most valuable friend, such were these, in reality, Shoebury playthings, a
and the country laments the loss of a Minister in series of amusements with which furnished the
Lord Herbert of Lea ; and since that time also the " remelts" announced in the above quotation. In
Volunteers have received in the most liberal man-
size, substance, weight, connection, position, sup-
port, and every other known requisite for resistance
sup-
per aid from the Government, who have at last there is traceable throughout the means employed
recognised their efficiency as a. well-organised on these trials no single practical condition, either
military force. But the latter gain can hardly in plates or guns, having more than the remotest
counterbalance the loss sustained in the man to approach to the circumstances of an ironcased ship
whom they have been indebted so much. Under the under fire, and proportionately incapable must they
therefore be of affording any sound conclusion as
above auspices and drawbacks, therefore, the present to those best modes of constructing such vessels
review has taken place. which by such means we are fondly supposed to be
Knavesmire, the scene of action, must be well seeking for. Nevertheless, we see that " results"
known to all from its turf celebrity. It is avast plain, thus derived can be openly taken to determine that
surrounded irregularly by gently sloping hills, giv-
question of "form" which is second only, if second
ing to it the appearance of a huge grassy amphi-
in importance at all, to that which is requisite for
theatre. In every positionwheresightthe
giving to these costly' fabrics the highest speed.
a of pro- These experiments, moreover, were expressly made
ceedings could be obtained vast numbers of specta- for the purpose they were thus applied to so soon as
tors posted themselves, More than 30,000 persons, completed—viz., that of invalidating those previous
it was calculated, were present on Knavesmire at the experiments made at Portsmouth in 1860 by private
last review, but nearly that number was en this oc- enterprise, and which proved—what it is difficult to
casion brought to the city by train. York being
believe should ever have been doubted—that
the
same natural laws by which the billiard ball is re-
the nucleus of a railway system, ramifying its pelled from the cushion and the cricket ball from
branches throughout the whole north of England, the bat would equally apply to the sides of iron•
an immense number of carriages was called into cased ships having an appropriate form for the pur-
requisition to convey this vast mass of spectators to pose—i.e., that the " Elloping sides" of the quotation
would evade a large portionofthe force of heavy
the scene and back again. Most of the trains de-
shot striking them ; this principle of shot-deffec-
posited their passengers at Holgate-bridge, where
extensive sidings had been prepared •; and this place tion, as totally distinct from shot-resistance, being
therefore capable of enabling lighter armour, with
being contiguous to Knavesmire, a great deal of less injury to itself, to effect equal protection against
time was saved and much personal comfort secured equal artillery, as compared with heavier vertical
by the arrangement. To preserve order, and also masses when opposing a direct resistance.h
to relieve in some degree the anxiety of numerous denTth The anbdl ey
()rue pr o
or tws
no fl e yadouerrs pnonrttsnmeo
stint b i
eceotr raets p
tohne-
light-fingered individuals as to their ability to take time, make it superfluous to repeat the details of the
away with them, as a memento of the review, any- four days' trial, in which Mr. Jones fully established
thing heavier than they could carry, a numerous the valuable principle he advocates; but of his tar-
body of policemen were stationed on the review get itself it may not be so generally known that in
ground, under the superintendence of Colonel Cobbs, the t 4 inch thickness of skin, and the 1 inch thick-
of the West Riding Constabulary. They also for the
ness of frames, of the iron ship proper which it re-
presents, the structure of the Warrior was followed,
time had charge of numerous refreshment tents with the exception that the frames are 18 inches
placed upon the slope of the hill nearest the high deep and 18 inches apart, whereas the Warrior's are
road, where the commanding officers of the different only 10 inches deep and 22 inches apart. The back-
battalions and corps had made ample provision for ing outside the skin was then 14 inches of ordinary
n• is now 12 inches—the Warrior's ein 18
their tired and hungry men. The other arrange- Incnhese—it of teak, and the particular armour plate g ate -out-
ments, so far as the public are concerned, consisted side the backing, which was then specially fired at,
in the Racing Stewards' Round-house being set was, like the Warrior's, 41 inches thick. The target,
apart for the Lords-Lieutenant, the state-room and of 13 feet by 9, although in size only fragmentary,
balcony for the aristocracy, while the enclosure in yet being strongly secured upon the deck of an old
front of the stand, the roof of the stand, and other gun-brig, n -Iboroi g ,t, becamed part
fio fr e a floating mass of
op
fr o2boa-
eomuaran i
comfortable and convenient places were reserved for yayrds by the ;ca
dhot 68-ponder on with ts
fall
the public on payment of a moderate fee. charge of 161 b., the heaviest smooth-bored artillery
The military arrangements were skilfully drawn in use ; so that every practical condition requisite
up, and were ably carried out by Major Harman, ' to constitute a true experiment was here present
Inspector-General of Volunteers for the North of so far as the size admitted, the severity of proo.
England. The saluting point was exactly opposite being equally unexceptionable. Out of the 33 shots
in all, sustained by the four covering plates, 17 fell
the stand, and the alignment stretched from left to on the particular one specified, within a space of
right as far as the eye of the spectator could conve- 5 by 21 feet, four of them striking one over the
niently distinguish. By the time fixed for the other before any part of the plate was removed,
various battalions taking their positions, half-past and even then without being actually penetrated,
brigade. The first, that
2 o'clock, nearly the whale had arrived, and they
! posted themselves in three.
I or even the soft oodwork beeath it seriously hurt.
It was against these remarnkable results that the
remarkable Shoebury trials I have described were
on the extreme right of the line, was under the opposed, and the extract taken for my text, its re-
command of Lieut.-Col. Thompson, and consisted of ference to the Armstrong gun in particular, was the
a splendid body of artillery from Burlington, Filey, special provocation, so to speak, which led Mr.
Whitby, Scarborough, Leeds, York, and Sheffield. Jones to urge that repetition of his last year's proof
The remainder of the brigade was composed of two
lwedhitcoh
tthoaotkfpulratcheerontrtiahleo2flstthualti,Bathndinwsthicath atgrualin
regiments of engineers from Sheffield and Leeds. noted, as well as ably reported, by your correspony-
The latter class of volunteers attracted a large share dent. On these two occasions the same target, at
of attention, alike by their superior and magnificent the same range of 200 yards, opposed its 42 and, 53-
unforms and their true soldierlike aspect. There inch plates respectively to the fire of the same Arm-
were about 850 volunteers in this brigade. The strong 100-pounder—this time the heaviest piece of
rthiflinedneorrdonneasncseloy!tdpartettebnedsiangeto bel practical—thefsod
Lel,
by
which
second brigade was commanded by Col. Smyth,
M.P., the major attached being Major Van Strau- last year, but tile thicker ones vaenrgti
benzee, In this division were the five picturesquely means Mr. Jones has placed before us the proof of
uniformed corps comprising the Ist West York his principle comparatively as well as positively,
Volunteers, and made up from York, Harrogate, and has shown us that thinner plates angled will,
Knaresborough, Ripon, and Tadcaster. The adjoin-
with less injury to themselves, afford not only equal,
ing battalion comprised many volunteers from
than
superiorevenlof equal merit nearly one-fourth
protection against equal impacts,
Wakefield, h
Goole, Dewsbury, Birstal, and Selby. thiacnke when
r will pates
placed vertical. Besides furnishing
The third battalion in this brigade consisted of East us also, in several important particulars, with a
Riding corps from Howden, Bridlington, Beverley, practical measure of the difference of force which
Driffield, Market Weighton, and Hedon. As may plates in the two cases are required to withstand,
he expected from the men composing companies andl of the actual effects of this difference. Thus—
raised in an extensive agricultural district, this body invanrifiarbilnygbartoktehetothi.nner plates angled angled the
.shot
isatanncet
of troops presented an imposing appearance. The riably flew an estimated distance ofe piecesl oo oao sr
11 ,
270-
fourth battalion, or Ist North Riding, under the yards. The force required to project 110 lbs of ir-
commaed of Earl Cathcart, consisted of the Swale- regular fragments the above distance is, therefore,
dale, Leyburn, Forcett, Stratforth, Bedale, Stokes- the true measure of that which the plate by deflec-
tio had been enabledn to evade.
ley, Masham, Catterick, Richmond, Skelton, and In a t the thicker plates vertical, your
Northallerton corps. The fifth battalion was from firingcor-
respondent
Malton, Hovingham,Scarborough,Helmsley,Thirsk, them Sin. instead of 54. No portion of the force
Pickering, Lythe, and BromPton ; and the sixth of impact was evaded, all had to be resisted, and
and remaining battalion in the brigade was cone- with these differences of effect :
posed of men from the West Riding corps, such as 1. The shot broke up as before, but all fragments
Skipton, Pontefract, Rotherham, Guiseley, Keigh- fell around the target, except those small
which fell back into and around the gunboaetr ones
ley, Barnsley, and Bingley. The total strength 2. All indents were of the full 7 inch diameter of
of this battalion was about 2,350 men. The the shot ;on the thinner plates they were nearly
third brigade was commanded by Colonel Wade, semicircular only-6 inches from horn to bore.
3. The depth of indents weaned 11 inch through-
C.& In this division was a splendid battalion from
out their 7 inch diameter; the minimum being 13
Sheffield, in dark, serviceable uniforms. Similarly inch ; on the thinner plates it varied at the deepest
dressed also was a fine selection of about 300 "good point only of the semicircles, from •:-', to 11 inch, the
men and true" from Halifax, Huddersfield, and general mean being also 11. The greatest depth of
Holmfirth. Leeds occupied a prominent position, indent made by the only shot , which struck the
'l4
leaving the honour of being the most numerous corps
thicker .
The platesthicker when angled was of an inch.
cker plates were much buckled by the
on the ground—in round numbers, 450 men. Hull 4
shot ; the thinner ones very little.
and Bradford were formed on the left of the line, 5. The backs of the thicker plates were more
the former under the command of Lieut.-Col. Pease, seriously injured even than their fronts, being
and the latter under Lieut.-Col. Lister. The strength bulged out to a considerable diameter around each
of this brigade was 2,670. Thus the total field impact, with the centre of the bulge much fractured.
strength may be pretty accurately estimated at
This was, so far as could be examined at the time,
5,285 Volunteers.
behind the plates:where buckled off their backing.
The thinner plate detached by the third shot of the
The three brigades were formed, in the first in- 18th inst. showed on its back only one slight trace of
stance, into three contiguous columns at quarter the ten shot received on the 21st ult., this trace being
distance, and were then deployed into line previous also of one of those six which on that occasion fen
to receiving the reviewing officer, Col. M‘Murdo, within a space of 12 inches by 21.
6. Every shot resisted by the thicker plates would
When that gallant officer arrived on the ground have necessitated the eventual shifting of the plate.
they received him with the usual salute previous to No shot deflected by the thinner plates would have
his inspecting the lines. This routine business being occasioned any such necessity, the damage being
accomplished satisfactorily, the real proceedings of limited to a mere external scar. This does not refer,
the review commenced by the troops forming open of course to the injury done by the six shots on the
column, very limited space aforesaid, when sufficient plate
, right in front, preparatory to marching
.was removed to have allowed. a seventh. shot.to enter,
past- The latter test of the volunteers' efficiency if striking
was creditabl r h d •
y accomp is e in quick time, and These facts will be a sufficient reply to the letter
the brigades then more difficult of your correspondent "C. W. G.," of the 27th ult.,
business
of a . prepared for the
review. Closing to quarter-distance who, in his otherwise perfectly correct views, evi-
column on the leading den tly shares the error still entertained in very
companies, the troops after-wards advanced in direct ' high places, that Mr, Jones's experiments were
echelon of battalions from
the left. This was a rest
meant to show the greater resistance opposed by
py movem • ten , an d
hat object
vertical ones,' whereas his true
rendered additionally aura rye from the fact at object d w pas the reverse one, of proving how much less
the manoeuvre was covered i by a cloud of skir- resistance was required to be opposed by angled
mishers thrown out from the right, and who kept plates in order to do the same, or even more work,
a sharp fusilade during the ti •me occupied in the than vertical ones; and greatly indeed is the country
formation. An imaginary attack was now repelled indebted for that true patriotism which has led him
in company squares, with fixed
by the brigades, so perseveringly, at so much expense and with so
bayonets and firing. The eneray,it is supposed b • little encouragement, to enforce on public notice
, eing the merits of the principlehe advocates.s' l-
imu
repulsed, column was reformed, and transformed into taneously with ' •
his own experiments
that principle
an attacking force by the third brigade deployed has, just received still further proof on a yet more
into line. The attack of the latter was supported by advanced stage in the curvilinear surfaces presented
by Captain Coles's.
the first and second brigades in line of contiguous cess of which in its crupola, the great practical suc-
ecent trials has been so welcome
columns. The enemy having now become dislodged to the many friends who are anxiously watching
from their position, it became necessary for the at- England's unsettled progress towards a fleet of iron,

SHOT-D.EFLECTION v. SHOT-RESIS-

TAIV CE.

" As to the mode of construction of which they had heard
as the sloping sides, that form had been carefully tried, both
as to the power of the guns and the quality of the metal.
He had yesterday an opportunity of seeing some expep
ments made, and had gone carefully over the results with
the persons who had conducted those experiments, and he
must say, as to the sloping sides, that they did not appear
to have any great advantage against Armstrong guns."—
Speech of the Duke of Somerset.