The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-04-01 00:00:00

If rmo nob Nabo.

"URGENT PRIVATE BUSINEIB."—A circumstance
arose lately in one of the battalions of Guards ordered
to Canada, which was very near originating • very
serious question, in which the privileges ot the House
of Commons and the maintenance of military discipline
might have been brought into antagonism. It appears
that Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Hugh Annesley, of
the Scots Fusilier Guards, and M.P. for Cavan, de-
manded, and as a matter of right obtained, leave from
his battalion while it was on it. way up to Montreal
from St. John's, New Brunswick. The battalion was on
service, cud very arduous and trying service, and leaving
it at the moment, with a political truce between the two
sides of the House of Commons, was not, perhaps,
strictly in harmony with the usage of the army. How-
ever, standing on his constitutional right as a member
of Parliament, Lieutenant-Colonel Anneeley took his
leave of absence about the time of the meeting of Par-
liament for the purpose of attending to his duties as •
knight of the shire. But, instead of repairing to West-
minster, be seems to have yielded to the attractions
which the locality holds forth to • sportsman and to
have devoted himself to moose shooting. ihis was
rather too much for the &Hoer in command of the
Guards, who, though obliged to allow an officer away
for Parliamentary' duty, did not conceive that it was
dealing fairly with the other officers to make them do
his duty while be was amusing himself in the primeval
forests of Canada. Accordingly, Lieutenant-Colonel
Annesley was polled up, and a long investigation would
no doubt have taken place had not the errant fusilier
accepted the option given him of retiring from the ser-
vice. This was, on the whole, perhaps the easiest way
of terminating an affair that might have brought about
much eomplieation and unpleasantness.— Army and
Navy Gazette.
WHAT ARE WZ TO DO WITH TEI VOLUNTEERS ?
Sir. A. H. Eton writes as follows to the Times :—You
will perhaps allow ine • little space in your columns to
I state what I believe to be the views of a very large
I number of officers in command of provincial Volunteer
toms. We Ido not grudge contributing out of our
private means towards maintaining our corps in
efficiency. We take • pride in the Volunteer force.
We believe its existence renders war less probable and
lees to be dreaded. We know that it tends to draw the
various duns of society together in the bonds of one
common cause—the good of our country. We do not,
then, object to spend as much money as we can afford.
But we wish to spend it, not in swill matters as clothing,
accoutrements, and targets, which we think the nation
would gladly furnish, but on objects likely to keep alive
the interest of Volunteers, and render them diligent,
active, and skilful in the work they have undertaken ; for
example, prises for rifle shooting and heavy gun practice,
as well as travelling expenses to reviews on a large scale,
expreesly recommended by Government. But we are
told in rather an off-band manner to go and beg for aid
among our friends and neighbours. Ws do not like
periodical almagathering of this kind. We think if the
nation values what we have done and what we are
ready to do it will anticipate our necessary require-
ments by a small annual grant ()le every effective
member ill each corps to be laid out for the
benefit of the corps by the finance committee. It is
said In souse quarters thatlnen who cannot con leniently
afford to pay for renewing thisir uniforms, and accoutre-
ments, ead oentributo towards the eurnant espouses el

their corps, ought never to have volunteered, but
should have entered the militia. The suggestion is
ungracious, consid, ring the sacrifices these men have
already 'node. It is impolitic, if we reflect that a time
may again come when we 611.11 hail with enthesiasin
Veluisteera from all chases of society. But I contend
that it also inaccur.ste. TIMUIAII,I3 of men have
volunteered who never would have dreamt of enlisting
Its the militia, and who yet cannot conveniently pay
their way after incurring the first expense of on outfit.
But such nom I have no liestitation in asserting form
part of the very backbone of the Volunteer force. It
oil be a dis'eater—l will not say disgrace—to the
nation if they are coldly permitted, nay, encouraged, to
quit the force, never aqain to return to it. The
generslity of Volunteer officers consider that a grant of
a year for each effective member, to be expended
by the finauce committee of each corps, would be
adequate securethe permanence of the Volunteer force.
Such an expectation is so moderate, and the alternative of
losing our Volunteer force so melancholy in every point of
view, Bust I cannot bring myself to believe that the
leading membern of the Government are really aware
of the importance of the question at issue. I cannot
believe, for example, that Lord Palmerston is acquainted
with the feelings of the great bulk of Volunteers
throughout the country, or with the nature of the
crisis now imminent to the Volunteer movement.
Otherwise it eeesus inexplicable why the limited expec-
tations to which I have referred should be coldly and
almost contemptuously ignored. Yet we are not per-
mitted to meet and discuss our difficulties, and snake
known our wants. I trust that you will at least de us
justice se far as to give publicity to them in the Tinies.
On Wednesday afternoon a meeting of peers and
members of Parliament friendly to the volunteer move-
ment wos hehl in one of the consmittee.rooms of the
House of Commons', to consder the present position of
the volunteer force, and what steps should be taken to
give it permanency. Lord Elleuborough was called be
the chair; and a resolution was proposed by Lord Echo,
and seconded by Lord Shafteebnry :—" 'flat, in the
opinion of the meeting, it is desirable that a Royal com-
mission be appointed to inquire into the present position
and prospects of the volunteer force, and to suggest
what measures, if any, may be required to give it per-
manence." This resolution was carried unanimously;
and on the motion of Lord Bury, a deputation of lords
and commoners, non-volunteera, was appointed to lay
the resolution on the part of the meeting before the
Secretary of State for War. TI e meeting. which was
throughout characterised by the utmost unanimity and
earnestness of purpose, terminated in a vote of thanks
to the chairman, which was proposed by Lord Overate's°,
and seconded by Lord Truro.
A Kentish contemporary states that on Saturday
morning a private of the 64th regiment underwent cor-
poral punishment, in preeence of the whole of the
troops quartered in the garrison at Dover. his offence
was insubordination and the destruction of his kit, and
the punishment inflicted wan fifty Imams, which he
endured without wincing. On the lead stroke being
given he turned round, exclaiming " Domino !" A
great number of civilians were attracted to witness the
revolting spectacle, including—will our readers credit
it ?—several femalea. The Kentish female konto must
be strong in the stomach.