THE VOLUNTEER DISPLAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7480, 9 November 1885, Page 5

THE VOLUNTEER DISPLAY.

THE CAVALRY,

THE NAVAL ATTACK AND DEFENCE.

To-day will witness one of the meat impoa* ing displays of the volunteer force of the oolony in the form of the muoh talked of attack upon the Waitemata harbour batteries, and subsequent throwing ashore of a landing party at the Tamaki. T,o brigade as many men together as possible, all the available country corps have been ordered to attend. It is expected that there will bo fully 1500 troops, including cavalry, on parade in both parties—the enemy and the defenders. The s.s. Hinemoa, which will as the " Russian oruiser," haa been placed at the disposal of Colonel Lyon (tlfe officer commanding the district), who will have charge of the whole of the operations to bring up the Thames and Whangarei contingents. The arrival of country corps, churoh parade, embarking enemy, torpedo explosion, landing force, and attacks and defence are all dealt with in detail below. ARRIVAL OF COUNTRY CORPS, i, The s.s. Hinemoa, which went to Whangarei and returned via the Thamos, at nnon yesterday, brought up the Whangarei Rifles, Thames Naval Brigade, and Thames Rifle Rangers, to take part in to-day's operations. She was berthed at the Railway Wharf, where the troops were immediately disembarked. The Whangaroi Rifl-e, numbering 41, were under command of Captain Storey, and the Thames contingent .of 107, all told, under Captain Wildman, of the Thames Naval Brigade. Headed by the Thames Naval Brigade brass band, the contingent were marched into town, and sent to their quarters. The following is their parade state :—Naval Brigade : 52 seamen and 4 petty officers, under Captain Wildman and Lieutenants Potts and Allom. Rifle Rangers : 42 rank and file and 3 officers. Whangarei Rifles : 38 rank and file and 3 officers. The Waiuku Troop of Cavalry arrived in town soon after, under command of Captain Hamlin ami Lieutenant Barriball. They had a really splendid turn out of 62, out of a strength of 04. Upon reaching the Metropolitan Ground, where the church parade started from, it was decided not to take part in it, as they were mounted. Their physique and mounts were the theme of admiration among the immense throng of people gathered at this spot. The South Franklyn mounted infantry, under Major Harris, to the number of about 40, also put an appoarance about this time, but, although on foot, they did not take part in the parade except forming upon single rank on the left of the brigade. It was hoped that the Coromandel Rifles would have taken part, but, owing to their uniforms being still in the tailor's hands, they were reluctantly compelled to abandon the trip ; however, Captain Gatland oame up, and will act as field A.D.C. to-day. The Wairoa Rifles, numbering thirty, under command of Captain Crawford and Lientenants Creighton I'2), reached town in time for the church parade, and attended. The Te Awamutu Troop of Cavalry, numbering forty-nine troopers, were brought down by train yesterday afternoon, and alighted at Remuera. The troop were under Major Jackson, Captain Rutherford, and Lieutenants Bruce and Wilson. Mr. Parsons also arrived as acting veterinary surgeon to the troop. Upon coming into town the troop rode to the Metropolitan Ground, lint finding the brigade had gone to the Domain they returned into town. THE CHURCH PARADE. Under moat favourable circumstances it was no wonder that the church parade to the Domain yesterday afternoon was the moi>t successful military pageant that haa taken place in the colony since Her Majesty's forces were here during the war. As a matter of courso, "all Auckland and his wife" turned to see the troops and their manoeuvres.

The crowd at the Metropolitan Ground, en route to the Domain, and the concourse that covered Observatory Hill could not have been less than 10,000. Creat credit is due to Superintendent Thomson for police arrangements. The arrangements at the Metropolitan, under the direction of Sergeant Pratt, were excellent, and could not have been improved upon. When the parade ground was once cleared in the Domain the people were kopt in hand, although at first they were a great source of annoyance to the officers and troops under them. At three o'clock the reveille was sounded, and the corps fell in in three battalions — the Naval Artillery Corps forming No. 1, and the two batteries of Artillery Engineers, and rifle companies, the remaining two divisions. Colonel Lyon was in command, and Major Shepherd was Brigade Major, with Captain Gatland as field A. D.C. Colonel Sir George Whitmore, Officer Commanding the New Zealand Volunteers and Militia, was present in the uniform of a staff officer, while be was attended by Captain J. M. Dargaville, of the Dargaville Rifles, and Hon. Captain Herr Schmitt, of the College Rifles. The following was the parade state No. 1 battalion, in charge of Captain Commandant Leßoy : Auckland Naval Artillery, 91 seamen and petty officers, 1 captain and three lieutenants ; Thames Naval Artillery, 52 seamen and petty officers, 1 captain and 2 lieutenants; Devonport Naval Artillery, 49 seamen and petty officers, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 1 chaplain; Ponsonby Naval Artillery, 56 I seamen and petty officers, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 1 chaplain ; Coast Gluards, 58 seamen and petty officers, 1 captain, and 2 lieutenants. No. 2 battalion, in command of Captain Dignan : A Battery Artillery. 46 gunners and supernumeraries, 1 captain,2 lieutenants, and 1 surgeon; O Batterv, 57 gunners and supernumeraries, 1 captain, 2 lieutenant*, and 1 chaplain; Auckland Engineers, 40 sappers and supernumeraries, 1 field construc- j tor. 1 captain, and 2 lieutenants; Victoria Riflos, 50 rank and file, ] captain, and 2 lieutenants; City Guards, 77 rank and file, 1 captain, I lieutenant, aud 1 chaplain ; Hobson Rifles, 42 rank and file, I captain, and 1 lieutenant; Thames Rifle Rangers, 36 rank and file, 1 captain, and 2 lieutenants; Whangaiei Rifles, 35 rank and file, I captain, and 2 lieutenants; Wairoa Rifles, 30 rank and file, 1 captain, and 2 lieutenants, No. 3 Battalion, under Captain Mahon: Royal Veterans, 56 rank and file, 1 captain, and 2 lieutenants; Newton Rifles, 44 in the ranks, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants; Ponsonby Rifles, 41 in the ranks, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 1 surgeon ; College Rifles, 50 in the ranks, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants ; Gordon Rifles, 41 in the ranks, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants ; Queen's Own Rifles, 45 ia the ranks, lcaptain, and 2 lieutenants. The Auckland Cavalry headed the column with a muster of 25 under command of Captain Seccombe and 2 lieutenants. The column was formed tip in lino headed by the Thames Naval Artillery Hand, numbering IS, and moved off to the Domain via Grafton Road. The Auckland Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Morris, with, 23 instruments, headed the second battalion. Upon arriving at the Don,-in, Bishop Cowie, attended by the i>ev. (». H. S. Walpole (ch:»piain to ■ lh» O batter/ Artillery), were in wait- I ing to conduct service. Several brigade i movements were then gone through, '

The Roman Catholics, numbering about 150, then fell out, and were marched off to another part of the ground for their own service. A hymn was then sung, the Garrison Band playing the accompaniment. Special hymns had been printed for distribution, but through an inadvertence they did not arrive until the conclusion of the service. The special lessons were read by the Rev. Mr, Walpole, and the prayers of the morning service were then read by the Bishop. Thane were followed by the " Old 100 th " Psalm. Dr. Cowie delivered a very instructive address, taking his text from the epistle of the day. In the course of his remarks he pointed out that, in the face of the enemy, all nationalities and creeds in the British army were sunk, and so it should be when they gathered together to worship God. He hoped that the lessons of selfdenial and forbearance learned under discipline as volunteers would have an effect upon them iu the ordinary walks in life. A collection was then taken up to form a fund to assist in repairing and cleaning up the graves of tailors, soldiers, and volunteers who fell in the Maori war. A hymn was sung, and the service was broucht to a conclusion by the pronouncing of the Benediction by the Bishop. The Very Rev. Father Walter McDonald conducted the Roman Catholic portion of the service. After offering up prayer, the rev. gentleman gave a very impressive address, in the course of which he referred in feeling terms to the kindness and attention which he had invariably received from Colonel Lyon and Major Shopherd. He alluded to the honour conferred upon the troops by the presence of such a distinguished officer as Colonel Sir George Whitmore. He concluded with a powerful appeal on behalf of the offertery for the repairing of the graves of soldiers and others who Ml in the war. The total sum collected amounted to £44, but this might have been largely supplemented had the collectors gone right into the crowd of spectators. The Brigade then re-formed into line and marched back to town via Stanley-street, Alten Road, and Prinoes-street, where the companies fronted and each battalion moved off and was subsequently dismissed. Dr. Dawson during the parade had command of the Ambulance Corps, numbering about 25 men, composed of two privates from each of the city corps. The total on parade, including the Auckland Troop of Cavalry, amounted to 1140. Owing to the Onehunga Naval Artillery and Onehunga Rifles having to turn out early this morning, they did not come into town yesterday afternoon. TESTING THE GUNS AT FORT RESOLUTION, ! On Saturday afternoon, Major Boddam was present at the battery at Point Resolution to superintend the testing of the 04-pounders in position at that spot. A gun squad of ten gunners from the 0 Battery, under command of Captain Whitney, fired the guns. A mark of about 1500 yards distant, was taken on the cliff at Orakei Point. Twentysix rounds of shot and shell were fired. The gun stood the testa splendidly, the machinery of the carriage working with precision and rapidity. Some excellent shooting was made) the most of the shots going within 12 feet of the iiag—indeed one shot ricochet-ted and struck the flag. Major Boddam expressed himself as highly pleased with the arrangements and the knowledge of gunnery displayed by the squads. THE ATTACK. The s.s. Hinemoa will leave the harbour at an early hour this morning to assume the rdle of a hostile Russian oruiser, and ill steam out to Kangitoto Channel. In the meantime the Naval Artillery Corps, consisting of the Auckland, Thames, Ponsonby, Coastguards, and Onehunga Companies will betaken over to the North Head batteries by the ferry boats, and will join the local company, and the whole will garrison Fort Cautley. The A.C. stationed there will work the guns. The Hinemoa by this time, about nine a.m., will then attempt to run

past and up the harbour, but fire being opened upon her, and one of the submarine mines laid will be fired with the intent of blowing her up, but in reality will •mash up a raft specially constructed for the occasion as a "dummy" cruiser. The " Hinemoa" being thus foiled, the Naval Artillery with all speed will then embark upon the Hinemoa in boats, and the steamer will run round behind Raugitoto and enter the harbour by the Motutapu Passage aud throw ashore a landing party. By thia time the news of the repulse at tho North Head will have reached town, and the infantry battalions will have takon up their positions to resist an advance upon the city by a land attack. The A Battery will defend the Bastion and the neighbourhood of St. Heliers Bay, while the guns of Forts Cautley and Resolution will cover any attempt at running up the harbour. The " Russian" will then be compelled to run up the Tamaki river as far as navigable and then throw ashore the Naval Artillery. Here they will be met by the battalions of infantry, whose line of defence of the approach to the city extends from St. John's College to the water« of the Mannkau. Should the enemy attempt to take the guns of the A Battery of Artillery by assault, they would then make for Orakei Bridge, and into the city by Remuera ; but the bridge will be teuanted by the O Battery of Artillery, who seeing the water attack abandoned by the steamer, will entrench themselves at this point. Tho rest of the operations then depend upon the success of the enemy, and probably the final attempt to break the line will be made near Green Lane or Ellerslie, in close proximity to the Agricultural Show. It is expected that the laud attack will commence at one p.m. Colonel Sir George Whitmore will act as umpire-in-chief, and there will be assisting umpires in each division, upon whom will rest the whole direotion of the movements when the enemy and defenders are closely engaged.

The troops of cavalry, consisting of tho Auckland, Waiuku, Te Awamutu, and South Franklin (Pukekohe) Mounted Infantry, will be under the command of Major Jackson. It is expected that there will be ISO horse on parade. They will act as scouts and escorts during the day. The whole of the troopers, excepting a small escort for the A Battery, will rendezvous at St. John's College, there to await instructions. The two battalions of infantry will muster at seven a.m., and march to the train, which will convey No. 2 battalion to Green Lane to march to St. John's College, and No. 1 battalion to Ellerslie, from where they will march to Mount Wellington. SKETCH PLAN OF THE BATTLEGROUND. We publish a woodcut showing what will comprise the scene of the bloodless battle to be fought to-day, which will give our readers a general outline of tho ground to be occupied and contested. The outlines of the North Shore and Rangitoto Reef show tho scene of the first attack by the Russian invaders, with the batteries at the North Head on Fort Cautley, commanding the ohannel ; while on the opposite shore of the harbour the guns at Poinc Resolution, and the A Battery at the Bastion, command the western approach of Hobson's Bay. • The plan shows the outline of the south coast i

from Auckland to the Tamaki rivei and a sketch of the leading roadwayß of th isthmus. It is anticipated that the enem will attempt to land somewhere in th neighbourhood of Sandy Point, at the mout of the Tamaki river, as, owing to low watei the cruiser would not be able to get far uj The attacking party will be observed by.th cavalry, and will force their way to Si John's College, where the chief defenoe wi be made. The roadway then leads from SI John's College, to a junction near the extrem inlet of Orakei Bay, and thence dividing, on runs to Remuera, and the other to Greei Lane. From this point, it is. not know what shape the battle may take, but th plan shows with sufficient clearness wht may be attempted, for the openings ar pretty numerous, THE PROMENADE CONCERT. The first of a series of promenade concert to be given in aid of the fund to repair an extend the Drill Shed will be given to-night i the shed. All the leading amateurs of the bit have combined to give their services, and Her Carl Schmitt will conduct. The decoratin committee have spared no efforts to mak the hall attractive. The Hinemoa wil convey the Thames and Whangarei me home again during the evening.