The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-12 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY AT ALDERSHOTT.

It is said, " Put not your trust in Princes," and
the proverb, as far as relates to Royal movements,
seems to hold good in the present day. On Satur-
day it was generally known and believed that the
last Royal inspection of the troops this season took
place on that day, and that yesterday was to be
devoted to visiting the new encampment at Wool-
mer Forest. This arrangement, however, was al-
tered, and her Majesty drove out and inspected the
camp at Woolmer on Sunday afternoon, while yes-
terday morning was devoted to a parade inspection
and review of all the camp Cavalry and Horse Ar-
tillery in the Long Valley. The hour fixed for her
Majesty to be on the ground was as early as half-
past nine, and this, with the complete ignorance
on the part of the public that any review was in •
tended, effected the desired object of keeping off
the sight-seers. Of one thing, however, we may
assure our readers who are given to military spec-
tacles of this kind, that they lost nothing by their
absence on this occasion, for the clouds of dust ren-
dered the review as totally invisible to those on
the ground as if it had taken place in the Curragh
of Kildare.

Precisely to the minute, at half-past nine, her
Majesty, accompanied by the Prince Consort, the
Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and
other members of the Royal Family, and attended
by a most brilliant staff, quitted the pavilion. Her
Majesty rode the same charger and wore the same
half-military riding-dress as on Saturday. Prince
Albert, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cam-
bridge were all in full uniform.
The Royal cortege passed at once across the
heath to the Long Valley, where the troops were
drawn up in one magnificent line of cavalry ex-
tendino. upwards of a mile and a quarter in length.
The Heavy Brigade, consisting of the Ist Life
Guards, and4th and sth Dragoon Guards, were on the
right. The centre was occupied by three troops of
Horse Artillery, with 18 guns. On the left were
the Light Brigade of three regiments—the 10th,
11th, and 15th Hussars. As her Majesty came
upon the ground the whole force saluted, the bands
playing " God Save the Queen." Her Majesty
then minutely inspected each regiment, riding
along the front of the whole line—a ceremony
which occupied more than half an hour, after which
the cortege returned to the head of the Long
Valley, while the whole force rode past in troops at
slow time. This manoeuvre was beautifully executed.
Each troop and battery rode by with the steadiness
and evenness of a wall, and, once past the
Queen, wheeled round with the rapidity of light-
ning, and reformed in squadrons and brigades upon
the plain. Slight as these movements were, they
quite sufficed to show that "seeing" a review would
be out of the question. The dust was in solid
banks, which hid everything; and only at very rare
intervals, and after the troops had been some time
stationary, could the helmets of the Dragoons and
Life Guards be discerned above the cloud, glit-
tering in the broiling sun like points of fire.
The dust and the heat, which had reached a de-
gree of intensity rarely felt in England, made many
imagine that the review would not take place.
After a sort interval, however, her Majesty moved
to a hill overlooking the valley from the south,
and the troops were then rapidly mancevred, though
with what effect it is almost impossible to say, for
beyond one or two movements, when the troops par-
tially emerged from the clouds of hot sand in the
valley, everythinc, was totally invisible to spectators
and performers alike. The first manoeuvre, and,
as it happened, the best and most impressive,
was plainly seen from the south side of
the valley, and this was one
.grand charge
of the entire force. The six regiments,
with the three troops of Artillery, formed a line
that completely filled the valley, which they tra-
versed from end to end with the speed of lightning.
and with a rush apparently •as resistless as the
sweep of destiny. The light and heavy brigades
then .apparently charged alternately, retiring
through the intervals of each other's squadrons
with astonishing rapidity. Two or three
times, also, the Horse Artillery cane into action,
with a rapidity and vigour of tire that, as coming
from only 18 guns, was something perfectly
astounding. The whole review lasted little more
than an hour, far by that time the sun was at its
fiercest, and the heat on the heath was unendur-
able. A little before one her Majesty returned
to the Pavilion again and partook of lunch. Soon
after 3 o'clock the Queen and the whole of the
Royal family left the camp in open pony carriages,
and, escorted by a detachment of Ligilt Dragoons,
proceeded at once to the Farnborough station,
whence the party were conveyed per Royal train
to Gosport.