DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16513#0124
112 PUNCH, OR THE
MOVEMENTS OF THE INFANTRY.
A handsome suite of rooms, including a large nursery, Lave been taken
fur the Infant Archimedes, in Birchin-lane. It is not expected the
DRAWING FROM THE ROUND.
Infant will make his debut before he is breeched.
The Infant Terpsichore has been obliged, by sudden indisposition, to
interrupt the splendid success of her performances. It was reported at
the Opera the Infant would not be able to perform for some time, as she
was cutting her teeth. She is expected, by her next appearance, to be
perfect in the first set.
The Infant Mazeppa is taken an airing every day in the Park, and,
attended by his nurse, practises for several hours in the ring. At pre-
sent he mounts a rocking-horse without any apprehension of danger, and
is expected, as soon as he can walk by himself, to get on wonderfully.
The interesting family (exactly nine in number) of the Infant Muses
have postponed their performances till next Michaelmas, as it is hoped
by that time that the youngest (Melpomene) will be quite weaned. Clio,
we regret to say, has been very unwell this last week, from eating
too plentifully of damson pudding.
SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM.
We had hoped that the days of playing at Soldiers had passed with the
disbanding of the Volunteers ; but the doings the other day at Chatham
thoroughly banged everything that was ever done by the City Light Horse,
the Houndsditch Heavy Hussars, or the Fusiliers of Fleet-street. We have
heard of the exploits of the Clerkenwell Cavalry, who forced the lines—
clothes' lines—of Bagnigge Wells, and made themselves masters of a post
—a lamp-post—on the main road ; we have been told, too, of the daring
deeds of the Islington Invulnerables, who "gave battle " to an over-driven
ox on the fields of White Conduit; but all this sinks into insignificance
compared with the terrific tomfoolery and military mountebankery
achieved the other day at Chatham.
The following critical analysis of the newspaper report will bear us out
in our statement :—" Some trenches were cut in the ground, in order to
assume that the besiegers were in possession of the outworks." According
to this, the cutting of trenches, to plant celery or anything else, is a mili-
tary manoeuvre ; and when trenches are seen, it must be " assumed that
the besiegers are in possession of the outworks."
The Chatham tomfoolery commenced by the marching down of a few
men, which was to testify " the advance of the relieving army," the cap-
tain of course being the "relieving officer," who, like his parochial prototype,
turned out to be a sort of " lucus a non lueendo ''—a relieving officer from
bringing no relief ; for, " by the unexpected retreat of the relieving army,
the besiegers were enabled to renew the attack." This martial movement
was executed splendidly ; and the " gallant fellows" took to their heels
with a precipitancy and speed which prove, that if it is ever their lot to
" cut and run," they may be implicitly relied upon.
" At 2 the operations commenced by the advance of the storming party,"
and at it they went, shivering stockades and crossing creeks " under a tre-
mendous fire of musketry and artillery"—which they sustained with a
degree of valour that could only have been inspired by the knowledge that
N CHARIVARI.
the "musketry and artillery" were as harmless as so many pop-guns.
The besiegers, in spite of the terrific volumes of smoke by which they were
repelled, succeeded in regaining the (celery) trenches, and " the defenders
retired to the inner line," which was, we believe, flanked by a bastion o(
summer cabbages, and sheltered from the artillery by a breastwork of scar-
let runners. Having loop-holed a row of late peas, the besieged party kept
up a continued waste of gunpowder ; when the sappers, under Capt. Brown,
rushed on a gabion of Jerusalem artichokes, and, dashing across a pontoon
bridge of cucumber frames, stormed a garden-chair, and suddenly blew up
in magnificent style a substantial summer-house. " Lieutenant Chesney,
of the Royal Engineers, then, made a communication across a ditch safe
from the fire of the enemy by carrying a flag of truce," and the celery
trenches being given up, the besiegers immediately manned some asparagus
beds, which were supposed to be the battlements.
This is all very well ; but we strongly object to taking from the hospitals
and sick wards a number of artillerymen in ill health, to take a part in !
the farce as " invalid gunners." This seems to us a most unnecessary in-
fliction as far as the invalids were concerned ; for if it was necessary to
add to the illusion of the scene by representing " the wounded," surely
three were enough to have made a lame business of it without resorting to
the Infirmary.
After having won the battle and got the trenches—celery and all— 1
the 4th Brigade of Royal Engineers must needs " blow in the gate."
After a good deal more blowing up, and blowing down, after mounting to j
the tops of dead walls, mounted with
CHE V A OX DE FRISE,
bv means of scaling-ladders, an operation to which they gave the name of
" manning the battlements," there was a general explosion of all the
gunpowder left on hand, creating a scene, which, the reporters declare,
" nothing but the pen of Napier could do justice to."
After all this terrible tomfoolery, there came an anti-climax of the most
frightful character. The Sappers were proceeding to show how cleverly
they could throw a pontoon bridge over a creek, when the apparatus got
entangled in some coal barges, and the only really formidaisie encounter
of the day instantly commenced between the soldiery and the crew of the
collier. The Sappers and Miners, after a wordy war of some duration,
performed in beautiful order their favourite movement of a retreat, and
bolted back to their barracks amid the oaths and laughter of the gallant
knights of the dingy diamond.
SMOKE AND LOYALTY.
The Mayor of Devonport was thrown into a state of considerable con-
sternation by discovering that all the guns, from which it had been his j
intention to fire a salute as the Queen passed, had been "spiked" in the
most heartless manner, by introducing a bit of wire into all the touch-
holes. The Mayor has offered 20/. for the discovery of the perpetrators of
this most nefarious proceeding ; and the local papers are indulging in all
sorts of speculation, as to whether the "spiking" is connected with any
Chartist movement that may be about to take place or may be not, accord
ing as it may happen.
For our own parts we are disposed to regard the "spiking " as a piece
of ultra-loyalty on the part of some one desirous of sparing her Majesty
the infliction of " a splitting headache" at the hands, or rather at the
guns, of the Devonport authorities. If a private individual could go
nowhere without the roaring of cannon accompanying his progress, he
would justly be regarded as an objeet of the deepest commiseration.
Why the Queen should be made a mark for the superfluous gunpowder of
thick-headed mayors and corporations, we are at a loss to conceive. We
honour the hero who " spiked " the guns at Devonport, and should not
wonder if it was one of Her Majesty's suite who had received private
instructions to " abate the nuisance."
MOVEMENTS OF THE INFANTRY.
A handsome suite of rooms, including a large nursery, Lave been taken
fur the Infant Archimedes, in Birchin-lane. It is not expected the
DRAWING FROM THE ROUND.
Infant will make his debut before he is breeched.
The Infant Terpsichore has been obliged, by sudden indisposition, to
interrupt the splendid success of her performances. It was reported at
the Opera the Infant would not be able to perform for some time, as she
was cutting her teeth. She is expected, by her next appearance, to be
perfect in the first set.
The Infant Mazeppa is taken an airing every day in the Park, and,
attended by his nurse, practises for several hours in the ring. At pre-
sent he mounts a rocking-horse without any apprehension of danger, and
is expected, as soon as he can walk by himself, to get on wonderfully.
The interesting family (exactly nine in number) of the Infant Muses
have postponed their performances till next Michaelmas, as it is hoped
by that time that the youngest (Melpomene) will be quite weaned. Clio,
we regret to say, has been very unwell this last week, from eating
too plentifully of damson pudding.
SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM.
We had hoped that the days of playing at Soldiers had passed with the
disbanding of the Volunteers ; but the doings the other day at Chatham
thoroughly banged everything that was ever done by the City Light Horse,
the Houndsditch Heavy Hussars, or the Fusiliers of Fleet-street. We have
heard of the exploits of the Clerkenwell Cavalry, who forced the lines—
clothes' lines—of Bagnigge Wells, and made themselves masters of a post
—a lamp-post—on the main road ; we have been told, too, of the daring
deeds of the Islington Invulnerables, who "gave battle " to an over-driven
ox on the fields of White Conduit; but all this sinks into insignificance
compared with the terrific tomfoolery and military mountebankery
achieved the other day at Chatham.
The following critical analysis of the newspaper report will bear us out
in our statement :—" Some trenches were cut in the ground, in order to
assume that the besiegers were in possession of the outworks." According
to this, the cutting of trenches, to plant celery or anything else, is a mili-
tary manoeuvre ; and when trenches are seen, it must be " assumed that
the besiegers are in possession of the outworks."
The Chatham tomfoolery commenced by the marching down of a few
men, which was to testify " the advance of the relieving army," the cap-
tain of course being the "relieving officer," who, like his parochial prototype,
turned out to be a sort of " lucus a non lueendo ''—a relieving officer from
bringing no relief ; for, " by the unexpected retreat of the relieving army,
the besiegers were enabled to renew the attack." This martial movement
was executed splendidly ; and the " gallant fellows" took to their heels
with a precipitancy and speed which prove, that if it is ever their lot to
" cut and run," they may be implicitly relied upon.
" At 2 the operations commenced by the advance of the storming party,"
and at it they went, shivering stockades and crossing creeks " under a tre-
mendous fire of musketry and artillery"—which they sustained with a
degree of valour that could only have been inspired by the knowledge that
N CHARIVARI.
the "musketry and artillery" were as harmless as so many pop-guns.
The besiegers, in spite of the terrific volumes of smoke by which they were
repelled, succeeded in regaining the (celery) trenches, and " the defenders
retired to the inner line," which was, we believe, flanked by a bastion o(
summer cabbages, and sheltered from the artillery by a breastwork of scar-
let runners. Having loop-holed a row of late peas, the besieged party kept
up a continued waste of gunpowder ; when the sappers, under Capt. Brown,
rushed on a gabion of Jerusalem artichokes, and, dashing across a pontoon
bridge of cucumber frames, stormed a garden-chair, and suddenly blew up
in magnificent style a substantial summer-house. " Lieutenant Chesney,
of the Royal Engineers, then, made a communication across a ditch safe
from the fire of the enemy by carrying a flag of truce," and the celery
trenches being given up, the besiegers immediately manned some asparagus
beds, which were supposed to be the battlements.
This is all very well ; but we strongly object to taking from the hospitals
and sick wards a number of artillerymen in ill health, to take a part in !
the farce as " invalid gunners." This seems to us a most unnecessary in-
fliction as far as the invalids were concerned ; for if it was necessary to
add to the illusion of the scene by representing " the wounded," surely
three were enough to have made a lame business of it without resorting to
the Infirmary.
After having won the battle and got the trenches—celery and all— 1
the 4th Brigade of Royal Engineers must needs " blow in the gate."
After a good deal more blowing up, and blowing down, after mounting to j
the tops of dead walls, mounted with
CHE V A OX DE FRISE,
bv means of scaling-ladders, an operation to which they gave the name of
" manning the battlements," there was a general explosion of all the
gunpowder left on hand, creating a scene, which, the reporters declare,
" nothing but the pen of Napier could do justice to."
After all this terrible tomfoolery, there came an anti-climax of the most
frightful character. The Sappers were proceeding to show how cleverly
they could throw a pontoon bridge over a creek, when the apparatus got
entangled in some coal barges, and the only really formidaisie encounter
of the day instantly commenced between the soldiery and the crew of the
collier. The Sappers and Miners, after a wordy war of some duration,
performed in beautiful order their favourite movement of a retreat, and
bolted back to their barracks amid the oaths and laughter of the gallant
knights of the dingy diamond.
SMOKE AND LOYALTY.
The Mayor of Devonport was thrown into a state of considerable con-
sternation by discovering that all the guns, from which it had been his j
intention to fire a salute as the Queen passed, had been "spiked" in the
most heartless manner, by introducing a bit of wire into all the touch-
holes. The Mayor has offered 20/. for the discovery of the perpetrators of
this most nefarious proceeding ; and the local papers are indulging in all
sorts of speculation, as to whether the "spiking" is connected with any
Chartist movement that may be about to take place or may be not, accord
ing as it may happen.
For our own parts we are disposed to regard the "spiking " as a piece
of ultra-loyalty on the part of some one desirous of sparing her Majesty
the infliction of " a splitting headache" at the hands, or rather at the
guns, of the Devonport authorities. If a private individual could go
nowhere without the roaring of cannon accompanying his progress, he
would justly be regarded as an objeet of the deepest commiseration.
Why the Queen should be made a mark for the superfluous gunpowder of
thick-headed mayors and corporations, we are at a loss to conceive. We
honour the hero who " spiked " the guns at Devonport, and should not
wonder if it was one of Her Majesty's suite who had received private
instructions to " abate the nuisance."