Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/512

Rh 474 A L D A L D the Casquets, a group of rocks extremely dangerous to ships coming up the English Channel. On these rocks there are three lighthouses, with revolving lights 112 feet above the water. ALDERSHOTT CAMP, a standing garrison for a large force, situated about 35 miles from London, on the confines of Hampshire and Surrey. It was established in May 1855, and was intended as a military training school, especially for officers of the higher grades. Its germ is to be found in the temporary camp on Chobham Ridges,. formed in 1853 by Lord Hardinge, then commander-in- chief, the success of which convinced him of the necessity of giving our troops practical instruction in the field, and affording our generals opportunities of manoeuvring large bodies of the three arms. He therefore advised the pur chase of a tract of waste land whereon a permanent camp might be established. His choice fell on Aldershott, a spot also recommended by strategic reasons, being so placed that a force holding it covered the capital. Nothing came of Lord Hardinge s proposal till the experience of the Crimean campaign fully endorsed his opinion. The lands at Alder shott an extensive open heath country, sparsely dotted by fir woods and intersected by the Basingstoke canal were then acquired by the Crown. The first occupants of the camp were two battalions of the Guards and seven of embodied militia. On the return of the Crimean army, cavalry, artillery, and infantry of the line arrived and took possession of the lines of wooden huts and the permanent barracks, which had by this time been erected. Since then Aldershott has varied little in its principal features. It is separated into two grand divisions, styled the north and south camps. Beyond the latter are the permanent cavalry and infantry barracks and the queen s pavilion. Farnham is the nearest town, being only 4 miles from the south camp; Guildford and Godalming are 10 and 12 respectively, Windsor 18, and Reading 21 miles. The soil on which the camp stands is a light peat, and a fruitful source of discomfort to its inhabitants. A little wet turns it into tenacious mud, while a little sunshine produces a black dust, not soon forgotten by those who have campaigned in the &quot; Long Valley.&quot; The force stationed at Aldershott at the beginning of 1874 was composed of 1 cavalry and 3 infantry brigades ; in the former there were 3 full regiments, in the latter a total of 11 battalions, with several depots of regiments abroad. Besides these, there were 2 batteries of horse and G of field artillery, 2 companies of Royal Engineers, and 4 troops of Royal Engineers train (with pontoon, &c.); 7 companies of the Army Service Corps and 2 of the Army Hospital Corps to provide for transport, and the services of bakehouse and slaughter house and hospital made up the total strength of all ranks, as shown in the returns dated 1st January 1874, to 10,601 men, 2198 horses, and 48 guns. It is a lieutenant-general s command, and one highly prized, from its essentially military character and the practical experience it affords in handling a considerable force. Sir William Knollys (afterwards comp troller of the household to the Prince of Wales) was its first chief. He was succeeded by Sir John Pennefather; Sir James Scarlett followed; then Sir Hope Grant, who held the command in 1874. Naturally so large a military colony soon attracted other elements to Aldershott heath. Within a few years a town of Aldershott sprang up close by, and increased rapidly. Here the professions and all trades are well represented; there are respectable solicitors, surgeoas, bankers, brewers, many schools, a steam printing press, a weekly military paper, and numerous shops. Dur ing the summer months or &quot;drill season&quot; the camp is a scene of incessant activity; field-days and parades follow in rapid succession, and owing to the camp s accessibility from London, the troops are often turned out at a few hours notice to make a show for royalty or foreign visitors. Yet there is much to beguile vacant hours; many clubs for cricket, croquet, racquets, and the drama a gymnasium, and several excellent libraries. Admirable charities also exist for the assistance and relief of the soldiers wives and children. (A. G.) ALDHELM, or ADELM, Sx, Bishop of Sherborne in the time of the Saxon heptarchy, was born about the middle of the 7th century. He is said to have been the son of Kenred, brother to Ina, king of the West Saxons; but, in the opinion of William of Malmesbury, his father was no more than a distant relation to the king. Having received the first part of his education in the school of Meildulf, a. learned Irish monk, he travelled in France and Italy for his improvement. On his return home he studied some time under Adrian, abbot of St Augustin s in Canterbury, the most learned professor of the sciences who had ever been in England. The fame of his learning soon spread, not only in England, but in foreign countries. Learned men. sent him their writings for his criticism; among others, a son of the king of Scotland is said to have sent his compositions to Aldhelm, &quot; entreating him to give them, the last polish by rubbing off their Scotcli rust.&quot; He was the first Englishman who wrote in the Latin language, both in prose and verse ; and he composed a book for the instruction of his countrymen on the prosody of that language. Bede says that Aldhelm &quot;was a man of universal erudition, having an elegant style, and being wonderfully well acquainted with books both on philosophical and reli gious subjects.&quot; His Latin was in later times considered somewhat barbarous and corrupt. From one of his letters to Hedda, bishop of Winchester, concerning the nature of his studies whilst at Canterbury, he appears to have been, indefatigable in his endeavours to acquire every species of learning in his power. For a copy of this curious epistle see Henry s History, vol. ii. p. 320. King Alfred declared that Aldhelm was the best of all the Saxoa poets; and a favourite song, which was universally sung in his time, nearly 200 years after its author s death, was of his composition. He was a musician as well as a poet, and made his own songs the medium of instruction and refine ment to his barbarous countrymen. After having governed the monastery of Malmesbury, of which he was the founder, about thirty years, he was made bishop of Sherborne, where he died in May 709. He wrote 1. DC octo Vitiis Printipnttl&amp;gt;us. This treatise is extant in the Uibliothcca Patrum of Cauisius. 2. jEnigmaiuin Versus Millc. This, with several other poems of his, was published by Martin Delrio at Mentz, 1701, 8vo. 3. A book addressed to a certain king of Northumberland named Alfrid, on various subjects. 4. De Vita Monachorum. 5. De Laude Sanctorum. 6. DC Arith~ metica. 7. DC Astrologia. 8. A book on the mistake of the Briton, concerning the celebration of Easter ; printed by Sonius, 1576. 9. De Laude Virginitatis ; published among Bede s Opuscula. Besides these, he wrote many sonnets, epistles, and homilies in tho Saxon language. ALDINE EDITIONS. See MANUTIUS. ALDINI, GIOVANNI, a distinguished physicist, born at Bologna on the 10th April 1762 (died 1834), was the nephew of Galvani, and brother of the statesman Count Antonio Aldini. Devoted from his youth to the study of natural science, he was chosen in 1798 to succeed his former teacher Canterzani in the chair of physics at Bologna, His most important service consisted in the numerous experiments by which he sought to secure the better appli cation of science to practical purposes. The subjects of galvanism, the illumination of lighthouses by gas, and aa asbestos or fireproof fabric engaged his special attention, and on all of them he published the results of his researches. He was master of the leading European languages; and. most of his works were published in Italian, French, and