16 SEPTEMBER 1871, Page 1

The Aldershot Army has been engaged during the week in

marching, camping, drilling, and outpost practice. The three divisions have hitherto worked separately, each in its own area, but now two have united, south of the Hog's Back, against the third, to which is entrusted the duty of barring the routes to London. Somewhere, in the angle between Aldershot, Guildford, and Liphook, severe actions will be fought during the coming week, and the tactical skill of the officers and the discipline and training of the men will be tested. Hitherto, the divisions have not acted strictly as if they were in the presence of an enemy ; now we assume they will be less lax. Great defects, crying loudly for serious treatment, are visible to the experienced eye; but on the whole, the experiment—tried for the first time, be it remem- bered—is full of encouragement, and the results are creditable to the Army. The Russians, however, as we learn from an account of their mauceuvres, are far more in earnest, and mimic war more closely than we, even to the extent of breaking bridges and tear- ing up lines of rail!