The imperative need that exists for using Richmond Park as
a manoeuvring -ground for Volunteers was illustrated in a most marked way on the afternoon of Saturday' last. On that day Colonel Fludyer (Scots Guards), who com- mands the 3rd London Brigade, gave his command a field-day on Wimbledon Common. The scheme was very ably drawn, and as far as the ground permitted was well carried out by the troops, but had the wide stretches and interesting diversities of Richmond Park been avail- able the tactical lessons which Colonel Fludyer was en- deavouring to teach his brigade might have been brought out with infinitely more effect. But quite apart from this, the crying need for Richmond Park was emphasised by the fact that when the 3rd Brigade reached the scene of operations they found that another force was already in possession of the ground, while yet a third body of Volunteers was pre- paring to make use of the Common. These smaller bodies had, of course, to be dispossessed of the much coveted manoeuvring ground to make way for the more important work of the brigade. Yet all the time Richmond Park was lying a mile away absolutely unused and unusable by any troops. As the official scheme stated with an unconscious irony, nay, pathos. Richmond Park is not to he entered on any consideration."
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