On Saturday the presence of two English men-of-war in port enabled a second sham-fight to be held. It proved decidedly instructive to all who took part in it—much more so than the provivus ent of the kind, which took place on 9th mber and in which more men were gaged. Another difference between the two battles", and one which will account in amt in great monture for the comparatively turn-out of Volunteers on Saturday, was that on the first occasion the sailors and mantles were called in. to assist the Volunteers to make, good sham fight, while on the second it was the Volun teers who assisted the naval men. The plan of Saturday's operations was in brief follows The naval force was divided into two portions, the smaller of which, aided by fore the advantage of a good the Volunteers, constituted the defending
Position which it was their duty to hold against the larger or attacking force. The defending force was under the command of Lieut, Oliver (H.M.S. Wenderer) and consisted of about 60 blue-jackets and marines, 40 volunteer infantry (commanded by apt, Bright), 6 Light Horse and 95 Artillery, with two guns—about 130 in all. The attackers numbered about 190 aailora and marines, under Gunnery-Lieut. Ewart (H.M.S, Severn) and had a 7- pounder gun. The main body of the ards. They then set out, half a company extending in skirmishing order with the other half of the company in support and the remainder some distance behind. They advanced through a village but did not find the enemy and as the country was all open after this for some distance they know that the defenders must be some distance off, and did not discover them till the scouts reported "Enemy in force on th island to the left and two bridges blown up. The first signal of the approach of the attackers was a distant dropping fire, which continued for about a quarter of an hour before the red coats of the Volunteer infantry were seen gradually retiring before the advancing enemy. The latter, although taking advantage of the cover afforded by a village and by trees, had a good deal of open space to cruss in their advance, and would no doubt have suffered severely from the fire of the two guns, which opened on them at a distance of about 1,000 yards, 'The advance continued to a distance of about 500 yards from the defenders' stronghold, but Lieut. Ewart's men wore brought to a full stop by a creek, the crossing of which, under the concentrated fire of a hundred rifles and two guns, would have proved ruinous, "Cease firing" was sounded at.4 p.m. the limit of time allowed the attackers to take the position, the umpires (Capt. Hall, Commander Gifford, and Major Morrison) deciding that victory rested with the defenders. A small party of Lieut. Ewart's marines, it should be noted, made an attack in rear, but were stopped by the creek, which they were at first unable to crest owing to the Cow Bridge being considered as blown up. They, however, discovered a sampan (which the defenders had overlooked) and by this means crossed the creek, but their attack waa too lute to be of any value. Lieut. Ewart's movementa wore hampered through out by the numerous creeks; and although his men waded through one or two of them up to their palate in water, there were al ays other and deeper creeks in front.
did not come into action at all, owing to these difficulties.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.