MILITARY AND CIVIL. I33
of afeu-de-joz'e, three hearty cheers for Queen Victoria, the march-past, after which the rifle corps were put through the manual and platoon exercise by the Major of the Battalion. The salute was fired from Fort Edward by Capt. Morris’s Battery of Artillery.
The Commander-in-chief being about to visit Scotland, his native country, a farewell review was held on Rochford Square on the 15th of July, prior to his departure, under the command of Major Pollard. This was the largest assemblage of volun- teers that had as yet mustered together,- it comprised a troop of cavalry, a battery of artillery with two guns, and a battalion of infantry, numbering seven companies of Rifles. They were drawn up in review order, facing Kent street, near to which the saluting flag was posted.
On the arrival of His Excellency, at 3 o’clock, he was greeted by the artillery with a salute of 15 guns, after which the line broke into column, and marched past to the music of a lively quick step; reforming line they were then thrown forward by the advance of echelon of companies from the left as the bugles sounded the alarm, then on came a courageous body of horsemen with swords flashing high, directing their attack against the kneeling ranks of the various companies, but when sufficiently nigh so as to ensure a certain mark, fire! thundered the captains, when every trigger was drawn; but on rode the horsemen till the artillery let blaze at them, when about they wheeled seeking shelter from whence they came. Three cheers were then given for His Excellency the Commander-in-chief, which ended the review.
When His Excellency and lady left for England, the Hon. Robert Hodgson was sworn in Administrator of the colony.
At this period vague theories were promulgated among cer- tain classes of the people, causing an excitement such as the Island had not experienced since first it was visited by Euro- peans. This was mainly due to the vexed land question which for near a century had been a source of anxiety to the colony. Feeling aggrieved on account of repeated failures from time to time, to obtain any redress or settlement of the disputes with the proprietors, the tenants organized a confederacy through- out the Island, in order if possible to overcome these difficul- ties. This organization was known as “The Tenant League,”