To the Editor of the "Norta-Cainwa Darty News." alarm was given in camp. about 8 p.m., the men being then at dinner; the corps turned out and remained under arms til] past midnight when the umpires, Captain Moore and myself, decided to stop the operations, which was done by means of the usual bugle calls. Allthecamp outlying picquets. were then withdrawn and the men dismissed for the night, leaving only the usual quarter guard, but as it was thought that the naval contingent might have gone astray in the darkness the lights in the camp were lit to help them to find their way in the event of their not having already returned to their ship.
Your reporter is obviously unaware of the elementary rule at field manoeuvres that bugle calls are sounded solely by order of the Chief Umpire and convey his instructions to all the troops engaged. The calls used on this occasion, the "Cease Fire" followed by the " Retire," are invariably used as a signal that the operations have ceased, consequently when some twenty minutes later the naval detachment arrived in the vicinity of the camp, they were both seen and heard, it was naturally presumed they were conforming to the order, and the officers of the volunteers were musitly standing about awaiting the arrival of their now friendly foes. The members of the Corps are very grateful to Captain Moore, the officers and ship's company of the " Sirius" for the trouble they took and the thorough manner in which they entered into the spirit of the operations. One recrets, however, that your reporter should, led away let us charitably suppose in his desire to make copy, have handled the truth so very I am, etc., Warson, Major, Commandant, §.V.C, Head Quarters, Shanghai, 30th March.
Our correspondent described exactly what he saw, and though he spoke to some of the S. V. C. officers, no such explanation as that now vouchsafed by Major Watson was made to him at the time, and we entirely demur to the charge that he "handled the truth so very carelessly."—Ep.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.