The Washington herald., 1913-06-21
(Copydsht. 1913. by A. D. Jaeobson.l }

| Inc naval and milltary tournament dt
| Olympia was more popular this year
than last. because the programme was
better than ever. There were two per-
| formances daily until June Z, and the
financial results added materially TO the
| fS0.0O0 which has already been devoted
to naval and military charities. For the
first time in the history of the tourna-
ment the public has an opportunity OF
seeing the preliminary heats in the COM
petitions. There were so many competi-
tors-750 in all-that the whole of the
morning. every day, had to be devoted
TO wedding them out. They were all
picked men, chosen in regimental con-
tests, and the bouts were remarkably
keen. Arrangements were made by
which members of the public on paying
a half crown gained admission to Olym-
pia.
There were so many popular features
in the tournament that IL is difficult to
say which was the most highly esteemed
Among the two or three that could be
picked out the interport naval field gun
competition held a place. In the center
OF the course over which the guns were
taken into action Is a thirty-foot chasm.
which had to be crossed by means of
rigging sheers and sending the gun and
geer across on a wire jackstay.
A feature which ran the naval gun
competition pretty hard was the physi-
cal training display. The headquarters
gymnasium at Aldershot and the Naval
School of Physical Training at Ports
mouth supplies the teams. and the
picked men of both gave a demonstra-
ton of the exercises which have been
introduced to improve the activity. car
riage, and health of the recruits. The
Aldershot men for the first time gave an
exhibition OF sword swinging.
Some Londoners have been heard TO
say that they are getting rather tired
Of the musical rides; others cannot have
too much OF them. The Eighteenth Hus-
sars, who provided the ride during the
second week OF the tournament. intro
duced a novelty into their performance
They will appear, not in full dress, but
in service kit, and will show how the
men and horses are trained to the
musical ride. This revelation of the
machinery OF the business did prove at
tractive.
The men OF the Yorkshire Regiment
were so successful in their representa-
ton of the firing exercises in old-time
uniforms and accoutrements last year
that they repeated the performance this
time on somewhat different lines. They
showed how the manual, firing, and
grenade exercises were carried out by
the grenadier company OF the Green
Howards" in l14S.
Sir Mark Sykes. lieutenant colonel COM
manding the Territorial Battalion of the
Yorkshire Regiment. was responsible for
the pageant, on which he was engaged
for the last eight months. 1t represented
episodes in the Restoration period. and
was on scale quite unprecedented in
the annals of the tournament. About
800 men and 100 horses took part in the
performance. to say nothing of the ladies.
Two OF the leading characters were rep
resented by capt. F. E. Guest and the
Hon. Aubrey Herbert. whenever their
parliamentary duties permitted of their
appearance at Olympia. The purpose of
the spectacle was to give an impression
of the events following the death OF
Cromwell, when Gen. Monk and his
troops used their power to restore liberty
for the people. and incidentally placed
Charles II on the throne. The action
took place in an arena of London lying
between Ludgate and Whitehall. and is
comprised of six scenes, beginning with
the procession, illustrative of the tri-
umphs of the Lord Protector and ending
with the progress of Charles II to his
palace.
In stage management the pageant has
rivalled anything that has been seen at
Drury Lane or at Olympia under differ
ent auspices. In the first scene in The
where the crowd is shown
enjoying the old-fashioned sports of
rrudgel playing. boxing. bear fighting
Punch and Judy, and thrimble rigging
more than particular care has been be- |
slowed. Historical students were able to |
realize exactly what were the pleasures
Of the people in the middle of the sew
century and to compare them |
with those which now obtain.
One Of the most ancient arts In the |
world, mosaic, in modern times has been |