The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-11-04 00:00:00

arum ant Nabo

THE VOLUNTEERS. —The report of the commissioners
appointed to inquire into the condition of the volunteer
force in Great Britain was issued on Tuesday. The
cominiasioners are of opinion that further assistance
should be rendered by the Government, and as the most
expedient way of regulating the aid so ea to secure the
reel efficiency of the force, they recommend, amongst
other things, the following :—That there should be a
grant from the Government of 20s. per man for every
light horse, engineer, mounted rifle, and rifle volun-
teer, who can produce a certificate, according to a form
to be proscribed by the Secretary of State, signed by the
cot 1111 l ending officer and adjutant of his corps, or by the
commanding officer and adjutant of the administrative
battalion to which his corps belongs, that he has atten-
ded nine drills, six of which in the case of a consoli.
dated battalion, and three of which in the case of an
adminietrative battalion, should be battalion or troop
drills, in the course of the preceding twelve months ;
that he is efficient in drill, hiss been fully instructed
in the manual and platoon exercise, and, in addition to
the above drills, has gone through a course of musketry
instruction to be laid down by the Secretary of State ;
and also that lie was present on parade (unless absent
by leave of his commanding officer with the approval of
the Secretary of State) on the day of inspection; and an
additional grant of 103. per man for every volunteer
who can produce a similar certificate that he has fired
a certain amount of ball cartridge, according to the
regulations to be laid down by the Secretary of State.
That in the case of a recruit thirty drills, including a
shott course of musketry instruction, should be substi-
tuted for the drills already enumerated, in order to
qualify for receiving such certificate. That a power
should be reserved to the inspecting officer to disallow
the certificate of any man or body of men whose ineffi-
ciency may be manifest on parade. That the existing
definition of an effective should be repealed. That
divisional or brigade field-days and official inspections
should not be reckoned in the number of drills above
specified. That in the ease of artillery volunteers a
further grant, beyond that already made by the Govern-
ment, of 30s. per man, should be made for every man
who can produce a certificate signed by the commanding
officer and adjutant of his corps_, or by the commanding
officer and adjutant of the administrative origade to
which his corps belongs, that he has attended twelve
gun drills in the course of the preceding twelve months;
has been present at the gun practice of his battery, and
is an efficient gunner; also that lie was present on
parade (unless absent by leave of his commanding officer
with the approval of the Secretary of State) on the day
of inspection. During the first year of service atten-
dance at thirty drills, of which twenty-four should be
gun drills, should be substituted for the conditions above
enumerated. That in addition to all other allowances,
a sum not exceeding 45. per head per annum for each
member who has been certified as efficient, in any corps
where the head-quarters are distant beyond five miles
from the place of meeting of the administrative
battalion to which it belong& should be granted to the
commanding officer of the battalion in aid of the ex-
penses of conveying the memb<l.3 of such corps to
battalion drills. That the adjutant should be respon.
sible to the War-office, in the event of his being
employed to act as paymaster, for all sums received on
account of such corps, and for their having been expen-
ded strictly according to regulation, and that he should
be put on the same footing as an adjutant of disem-
bodied militia.

LORD CLARENCE PAGET ON THE EFFICIENCY OF
THE NAVY.—The Secretary of the Admiralty was pre-
sent on Wednesday night at a banquet given by the
High Constable of Chatham, and in replying to the
Wait of the "Army, Navy, and Volunteers," said:
The British navy was never in a more satisfactory con-
dition than it was at the present moment. He had no
intention of making that assertion in a mere boastful
spirit, but lie made it after full deliberation. Looking
then, at the improved feeling throughout the service,
at the increased facilities for manning the navy, and
also at the excellent feeling which now pervaded the
officers and men of the merchant service, he was justified
in saying that if ever the day came—and God forbid
that it should come—we were never in a better position
to enter into war, and there was never a time when the
navy of England was in 11, more efficient state. It was
impossible for him to refrain from alluding on that occa-
sion to the large body of naval volunteers. The most
distinguished officers in the merchant service entertained
almost a horror of the navy, but at this moment they
had a most magnificent naval reserve of seamen, and
the Choice of the beat officers itt the merchant service.
In order to make themselves thoroughly efficient in
their gun drill, the officers of the reserve were working
day by day, and he therefore felt justified in saying that
if
.at any time England should be called upon to defend
her liberties, the navy, thank God, would be supported
by a powerful reserve. In the several discussions which
hod taken place in the House of Commons respecting
the construction of iron ships, it was asserted that some
ether countries had Surpassed us in that description of
vessel. Thanks, however, to the great exertions which
had been made in our dockyards,our iron-cased fleet was
in such a position sate render us safe from any attack,
and before next spring England would assume her
proper place in that respect. He thought it only right
that the public should be assured of the highly satisfac-
tory state in which everything connected with the naval
department was. On the part of the officers of the
navy be begged to return his most sincere thanks.