On this page
-
Text (4)
-
726 THE LEADER. EiSAgtfRbA^
-
CHRONICLES OF CHOBHAM. The energy of the...
-
THE FLEET. Thebe seems to be now some au...
-
LETTERS FROM PARIS. [FBOM OtJR OWN COBBE...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
726 The Leader. Eisagtfrba^
726 THE LEADER . EiSAgtfRbA ^
Chronicles Of Chobham. The Energy Of The...
CHRONICLES OF CHOBHAM . The energy of the commanders in exercising the troops , and the interest of the people in the whole experiment , seem uuabated . On Saturday , great crowds came from town to gee the manoeuvres . The evolutions were novel and well done .- The supposed enemy occupied , a-strong position , somewhat similar to the centre of the allied forces at Waterloo , having Colonel Challoner ' s extensive plantation in their rear . They were dislodged from this position and driven through the woods , whence , obtaining some fresh accession of strength , they ultimately drove back the attacking force , whose retreat was covered by brilliant charges of cavalry .
• The retreat and fighting in the wood was an exceedingly interesting and animating sight for those who had the courage to enter the plantation in the ranks of the enemy . As they retired before the advancing brigade of Guards and the 35 th , every hedgerow and ditch was gallantly contested , the defenders lying down concealed , taking steady aim at the advancing forces , and affording no opportunity for being picked off by the other side . Still , however , in overwhelming numbers the resistless brigade of Guards pushed on till they arrived at a thickly-wooded fir plantation , where their red uniforms and tall bearskins , ill concealed by the bare fir poles , made them excellent marks for the enemy , who now secure in the tall ferns of an open space , skirted by the plantation ,
kept up a steady and destructive fire . At length the ppen space was reached by the Grenadiers , who , forming in line at its uppermost verge , poured tremendous volleys into the retiring foe . The artillery was brought up as near as possible to the edge of the wood , and to the loud and long reverberations of the musketry was added the deafening thunders of the well-served cannon , while , through the dense smoke that enveloped the wood , the lightning flashes of two thousand muskets revealed the long martial front or the scattered files of the camp forces . At length the firing slackened , and ns the white wreathing smoke ascended as a curtain , the enemy were seen advancing , and the forces , apparently so irresistible but a moment before , were scattered , and rapidly retracing their steps before the foe . On Monday and Tuesday , the troops rested . The manoeuvres , on Wednesday , had a classic ground for their performance . Runnymede " saw another sight" than that of John and his barons . Close by Magna Cbarta Island , near a bend of the Thames , and in the park of Felix Prior , Esq ., were concealed a body of those " onemies , " whose bold deeds at Chobham have lately been so frequently recorded . These were dislodged from their position by the Chobham division of the British army , which crossed the river upon a pontoon bridge , and having gained a complete victory , marched along the north bank of the Thames , across Staines-bridge , and returned in martial order to their encampment . The attack was well conducted . The attacking party moved in three divisions . With the exception of the 79 th Highlanders , the whole of Colonel Lockyer ' s brigade bivouacked in the fields as a reserve force ; the cavalry also dismounted and rested their horses till occasion required their services . The appearance of Sir It . England ' s brigade , ns it debouched from the woods on the top of the hill , and formed in the open fields on the Blopo , was grand and imposing , and attracted , as was expected , the attention of tho enemy , who supposed that the whole of the forces were about to occupy that position and to make an attack on their right . Ah soon ns the light brigade had formed , the heavy batteries emerged from tho -wood , and firing over the heads of tho infantry , made a strong demonstration on this part of the enemy'b forces . This attack was followed up by the light companies extending their front and pressing on as skirmishers of the main body . While , however , this wan going on , the enemy—whoso experience of Lord Seaton ' s tactics ought to have taught him better—concentrating his whole attention upon his right , and wasting his energies upon a forco which wan out of his range , allowed tho 79 fch Highlanders to bo pulled ovor the river in " punts , " and permitted tho Suppers to proceed with tho construction of a pontoon bridgo ovor a narrow bond of the river , of ubout one hundred feet in breadth , without firing a gun . Too "late- . tho enemy discovered his fatal mistake , and tho first intimation of thin altered state of , things was made in tho shape of the advanco of tho gallant Highlanders , who unexpectedly poured in a tremendous flro upon his right flank > Staggcrcd , but not defeated , tho enoiny sternly rallied , and abandoning tho ground on tho right , boldly and resolutely attacked tho 79 th , who fell back to cover tho pasriuge of tho river , which was also protected by tho Artillery on tho opposite bank . "Big with the idea of driving tho Highlundcra into tho river , tho enemy pressed on as if to assured victory . Suddenly , und at
first apparently without cause , the enemy halted in his career ; a moment after , however , as the heads of the advancing column of the Grenadiers was seen emerging through the woods on the bank of the river , light dawned upon the hapless foe- ^ -he was completely entrapped , and the retreat of the Highlanders was but the snare which drew them to their fate . Still pressed on over the pontoon bridge the dreaded battalions of the Guards , who , as they deployed into line on the open space , poured in volley after volley on the all but discomfited Sappers and Fusiliers . Driven from one position to another , they at last endeavoured to make a stand on the side of a ditch . Some batteries of
artillery which had by this time crossed the river , were brought into play , and the enemy was ultimately driven into the shelter of the orchard , where they surrendered at discretion .
The Fleet. Thebe Seems To Be Now Some Au...
THE FLEET . Thebe seems to be now some authority attached to the report of her Majesty ' s intention to review the fleet at Spithead , and the 2 nd of August is the day at present fixed upon ; but the day will of course depend upon divers circumstances , such as the state of the weather , the Queen ' s health , and " foreign affairs . " Certain it is that the Duke of Wellington was recalled to Spithead to fonn _ the principal feature in the display , and the following , we believe , will be the force collected for the purpose : — ' ~ m Where at pre-JSames . Guns . Class . sent lying . Duke of Wellington 131 Screw three-decker Cruising in the Channel . Neptune 121 Sailing three-decker Portsmouthharbour . Waterloo 120 Ditto Sheerness . Queen 116 Ditto Plymouth . St . Jean D'Acre ... 101 Screw two-decker Devonporfc . Agamemnon ... 91 Ditto Portsmouth . Prince Regent ... 90 Sailing two-decker Spithead . London ... ... 90 " ^ . ¦ ' Ditto Spithead . Blenheim 60 Screw two-decker EnratoTO . Hogue 60 Ditto Spithead . Edinburgh 5 S Ditto Spithead . Ajax ... 68 Ditto ^ Spithead . Impe ' rieuse ... ... 50 Screw-frigate Spithead . Arrogant 46 Ditto Spithead . Sybille 40 Sailing-frigate Plymouth . Amphion ... ... 34 Sorew-frigate Spithead . Tribune ... ... 30 Ditto Sheerness . Sidon 22 Paddle-frigate Spithead . Highflyer ... ... 21 Screw-frigate Spithead . Terrible 21 Paddle-frigate Spithead . Odin ; 16 Ditto Spithead . Encounter ... ... 14 Screw-corvette In search of the Duke of Wellington . Leopard 12 Paddle-frigate Spithead . Desperate 8 Screw-corvette Portsmouth . Barracouta 6 Paddle-sloop Sheernesa . Vesuvius 6 Ditto I Spithead . Banshee 2 Express-boat Spithead . The Blenheim was to leave Kingstown for Spithead on the 26 th , and all other ships and vessels on the home station , in the above list , or not included , but which are ordered to join the Spithead fleet , are to be at their anchorage -fey the 2 nd of August . The above is a more powerful fleet in character than ever assembled at this station , and no review of any » uch force has ever been made by royalty since the visit of the Allied Sovereigns to Portsmouth , on which occasion the Prince Regent reviewed the fleet at Spithead ( on the 23 rd of June , 1814 ) , in their presence : — The ships of the line were moored in one line from tho N . E . to the S . E . end of Spithead , thus : —Sceptre , 74 ; St . Domingo , 80 ; Bedford , 74 ; Rodney , 74 ; Chatham , lAs ; Ville de Paris , 110 ; Impregnable , 98 ; Prince , 98 ; Tigre , 74 ; Queen , 74 ; Magnificent , *! ' 4 ; Stirling Castle , 74 ; Montagu , 74 ; Norge , 74 ; and the following frigates and sloops : —Andromache , Ackbar , Apollo , Galatea , Ceres , Belle Pottle , Cerberus , Cleopatra , Magicienne , Tartarus , Amphion , Tisiphone , Foxhound , Banterer , Tyrian , Orestes , Archer , JEclipse , Bittern , Hope , Penguin , Chanticleer , Martial , Urgent , Harrier , Snap , Reynard , Sparrow , Freya , and Fervent . The Impregnable carried tho Royal ntandard of England , as that was tho ship on board which tho Prince Regent and his foreign allies took up their position on tho interesting occasion . Tho Villa de Paris carried the flag of tho Lord High Admiral . Tho Chatham carried tho flag ( union at tho main ) of tho Duke of Clarenco aa Admiral of tho fleet for the occasion , Rear-Admiraltho
Hon . II . Blaclcwood acting aa captain of tho fleet , and Rear-Admiral Lukin acting as tho captain of the ship . Tho Prince carried the flag of Admiral Sir R . Biekerton , Bart . The Rodney carried tho flag of Vico-Adiniral G . Martin . Tho . Tigre carried tho flag of Rear-Admiral T . B . Martin , now ' Sir T . B . Martin , Admiral of tho Fleet , and Vice-Admiral of the United-Kingdom ; and tho Queen carried tho flag of Rear-Admiral Sir T . Lafonoy , Bart . The Allied Sovereigns ( the Princo Regont , the Emperor of Russia , and tho King of Prussia ) and their illustrious suites , including tho Duko of Wellington , Bluchcr , and tho othor heroes of that
memorable era , proceeded ihharges to the westernmost ship of the line , and reviewed the whole lip to the flag , ship . The majestic appearance of the ships of the lite the first-rates especially , was at once the admiration and wonder of the Allied Sovereigns . ' : The fleet at Spithead seems to engage as much attention , from foreigners of distinction as does the camp at Chobham . It has been visited lately , by the following distinguished personages : —Prince di Carini , the Neapolitan Ambassador , and suite ; General the Count
de Montebello , General of Brigade and Aide-de-Camp to the Emperor of the French ; General Ozaroff , Aidede-Camp to the Emperor of Russia ^ and staff ; Count Bernstorff and Baron Brandenstern , from Berlin ; Commandant le Connote Reille , Colonel on the staff of the Emperor of the French ; Don Argel Villabois , from Spain ; Colonel Laurencez ; Lady Langdale and party ; M . de Kleuze , Chamberlain to the King of Bavaria ; Count Perponser and party , Count Euzenbarg and party , M . Wasserburger , Captain Salvador , and Lieutenants Tole and Youzon , of the Swedish navy .
Letters From Paris. [Fbom Otjr Own Cobbe...
LETTERS FROM PARIS . [ FBOM OtJR OWN COBBESPONDENT . ] Letter LXXXIII . Paris , Thursday Evening , July 28 , 1853 . The great event of this week has been the decision of the Court of Cassation upon the affair of the Foreign Correspondents . Their decision quashes the judgment of the Court of Appeal , and completely nullifies the claim of the Government to violate the secrecy of
letters entrusted to the Post . This has been the talk of all Paris . No one expected such an act of firmness from the Supreme Court—the public no more than the Government . The former is delighted to see the Government kicked by Justice ; the latter is proportionately vexed at what it naturally conceives to be a check to its pretensions , a diminution of the arbitrary powers it had insolently arrogated . Let me give you , the text of this memorable ' decision .
" The Court of Cassation , considering that Art . 88 of the Code of Criminal Instruction , set forth in the sentence of the Imperial Court , confers upon the Juge d'instruction , and on him alone , the right of seizing letters at the post : that it confers this right upon the said juge d'instruction only in the case of misdemeanour ( rfe ^ 7 ) , andofsuchoffencebeingproved : that , consequently , the Prefect of Police , a magistrate dependent on the Government , and removable at pleasure , has no
right to execute such seizure : that even if he had the right to seize , he ought only to have done so in the case of offence proved : that in the present case there was no offence proved before the Opening of the letters seized : that the accused had been condemned on the proofs resulting from the letters seized and opened ; that these proofs could not be produced : quashes and annuls the sentence of the Imperial Court : orders restitution of fines , and refers the case to an Imperial Court , which will be ulteriorly designed . "
The Government , however , will not allow itself to he stultified in this way ; it will prosecute further . I <> is already reported that tho Court of Amiens has been fixed upon for this purpose . The affair of the complot rouge as it is called , has ended in a condemnation , Felix Pyat , Caussidicre , Boichot , Avril , are sentenced , in their absence , to ten years' imprisonment , and six thousand francs fine . The poor old woman who figured in tho trial on the charge of having distributed seditious writings , is sentenced to six months' imprisonment and 100 francs fine . It was Jules Favre who conducted .
the defence , and he did so with all his peculiar verve and irony . " Tho law officers , " ho said , " hnvo vanda of this widow , Libersallo , a principal agent of the Commune rSpublicaine—they pretend that the members of the society have been in tho habit of meeting at her house , and that she has co-operated in an active distribution of these ' Letters to the French People . ' Now , if wo bolievo tho indictment , there is a party consp iring against tho Government . What party is there 8 < r abandoned by Gods and men as to establish its headtow
quarters at an old fruit-woman ' s ? This really is inuch of a joke . This old woman is a respectablo mother of a family—a woman full of dovotednoss to her duties , but who has never mixed in politics . Monsieur l'Avocat Imperial lms tried to make out of this poor old soul of sixty tho Jpanno d'Arc of tho Commune revolu-Honaire ; but , an the certificates of respectable person * of her neighbourhood , who have known her for twenty years , will assure you , sho is simply « , fruit-woman , has never ceased to bo la fruitihre la - plus fruitier *
du monde . ' " Tho affair of tho Opera Comiqne is still undergoing examination . Tho examining magistrate has ronouncci his intention of soi' / ing tho threads of tho vast conspiracy which , he pretends , enfolds all Paris , and hi * thrown himself upon the provinces . Divers P « r" 011 * have boon urrosted in four or five departments . Av ^ O
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), July 30, 1853, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_30071853/page/6/
-