THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8886, 24 May 1892, Page 5

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.

To day Her Majesty QueeruVictoria completes her 73rd year, having been born on May '21, JlO. With one exception, she is the oldest reigning sovereign in Europe. Christian IX., King of Denmark, father of the Princess of Wales, was born in 1818. Her Majesty, however, has reigned longer than any other living occupant of a throne, having been Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for nearly .»•> years. During the whole of that long period she has remained firmly fixed in the affection of her subjects, whose loyalty is as strong and deep-rooted day as it was when the crown of the greatest empire in the world was first placed upon her youthful head. And nowhere, perhaps, is that loyalty moro prominently manifested than in these Democratic colonies. The anniversary of Her Majesty's birthday which at Home is allowed to pass without any general public recognition is here celebrated with enthusiasm and the day kept as a close holiday by all classes. This year in Auckland the chief event of the day will be the sham fight, in which the volunteers will engage, and should the weather prove favourable the operations will no doubt prove exceedingly interesting. Races andother out-door amusements are also announced. SHAM FIOIIT. The excellent arrangements made for carrying out a sham fight on the Queen's Birthday have been marred by the weather, which took the form of a steady downpour of rain during the afternoon yesterday and a leaden sky illuminated by a few stars last night. The fight at the Bastion Point could not fail to be interesting from the fact that a company from the warship Ringarooma is to take part in it. Owing to the uncertainty as to the weather, the definite announcement as to whether the sham fight will take place will be made from Mount Victoria this morning, at seven o'clock. Two guns will be fired if tho display is postponed, and should no guns fire it will take place. Should no signal to the contrary bo {riven, the volunteers will assemble at the Ferry Company's wharf and embarking on board the steamer Eagle they wilL pick up the Ringarooma contingent on the way down. The attacking party will bo under the command of the officer sent from H. M.s. Ringarooma, and the defending party will bo under the command of ajor Skinner. The latter will be allowed half an hour to take up position before the attacking party are allowed to advance, and then each party will be left to their own resources subject to the conditions of war, but bound down by no other restrictions as to defeat or victory. It is expected that during the attack a contingent of the Torpedo Corps will explode a submarine mine. Should the weather allow of the sham fight taking place, the Devonport Ferry Company will run steamers to the Bastion.