A watercolour showing Sappers and Miners throwing a pontoon bridge over Virgina Water in forty minutes, accompanied by firing by the Royal Artillery and watched by the royal party from the other bank. Signed, dated and inscribed: "Geo. B. Campion" and "Passage of Virginia Water / Camp Chobham 53". During 1853 war between Russia and Turkey appeared inevitable. Such a war would destabilise the Near East and interrupt British trade routes to India, and the British army prepared for involvement in the conflict. In July 1853 the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Grenadier Guards and 42nd Highlanders practised their military skills at Virginia Water in Windsor Great Park. From a boat on the lake, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert watched a pontoon bridge being constructed. The event was described in 'The Times', 6 July 1853. This watercolour was originally mounted in Souvenir Album VI. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert compiled nine Souvenir Albums during their marriage. These albums contained watercolours and drawings documenting their life together and were arranged in chronological order. The albums were dismantled in the early twentieth century and rebound in new volumes with additional items, but a written record of their original contents and arrangement still exists.