The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-05-31 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH.

FoEIIATION OF VoLLINTEER RIFLE CORPS

on Thursday evening a meeting convened by his
Worship the Mayor, P. Dodson, Msg., in reply to a
requisition signed by about 40 tradesmen of the town
and others, was held in the I nildhall, for the pur•
pose of considering the propriety of forming a
Volunteer Rifle Corps at Weymouth. There were
between 50 and 60 present.

Mr. STE.MALI., Town Clerk, was voted to the chair
in the absence of the Mayor. The Chairman raid that
the Mayor had requested hint to inform the meeting
that his absence was unavoidable, and he had sent some
documents relative to the subject to be discussed, includ-
ing the circular to the Lord Lieutenant from the Secre-
tary-st• War. The preliminary steps he (the %airman)
thought essential were, to first ascertain the opinion
of the present meeting regarding the desirability
of the formation of a Rifle Corps, and next, whether it
was deenitiil right to appoint a committee to communi•
rate with the Earl of Shaftesbury. The Chairman then
read the Government circular, and Kahl he should be
happy to bear any suggestion from gentlemen present.
Col. VANDLLEVII inquired if there were any circuit
named for the corps ?..

The eitaiuuss.replied in the negative, and reiterated
his observations as to the course best to be pursued on
the present occasion.
Mr. Pant AN LETHISRIDGZ moved, "That this meeting
resolves that it is expedient to form a Volunteer Ride
Corps for Weymouth and its neighbourhood, in order to
assist Her Majesty's regular forces in the defence of the
country, in the event of the state of European politica
rendering sue!) defence unfortunately necessary.'
Mr. T. R. °Hoven seconded the 'imposition, remark-
ing that there could be no doubt as to the expediency
of forming such a Corps in the present condition of
the continent. A force of the sort proposed would be
purely d ~,,, estic, offering no threat to foreign powers.
The practicability of the matter, however, dependei on
the money that could be raised, for he did not see that
• corps would be obtained if each member were obliged
to have kit costing from E 8 ElO. Amongst • oorps

ef sty ta, the poorer ieml younger lumbers would ren-
der a fund to &set dime. absolutely necessary.
Mr. W. J. Hitt mid stepe should he taken to get gp a
eiffistription ; and as. beginfttrur he mentioned that he
Mel teemed a letter from Viscount Wilton, MY., en•
closhig elreqtre for IEIO. and doubtless a like sum woold
be subscribed trt the other representative of the borough,
Mr. Brookes.
Colonel Vannuuteg &MOO 11n such matt en of
&WI might to be left to a cominktte.
Me, ',swoon thought that prima facie the Weymouth
corps shook: be onitisiaml of artillery, hut an Portland
and the Nothe were heing no well fortified an artillery
corps would be superenrynstory.
Mr. Cilociteß mid assisted in lining thee, Yeomanry
corp., awd thought the first step must be the appointing
of a annuli ttes„e nil then communication could be
°pencil with the Lor4 Lieotenent. As to the clothing
and arms they for the I:res./it might he done withoitt.
There wa.s a deal of drill to he zone through which could
be managed very well in plain clothes. In the Yew
manry when they bud no swords they used wooden ones,
I arid out having carbines they substituted hurdle sticks;
mot efficient vsvalry soldiers had thus been formed. Ho
offered his eervicte ea a drillonaster.
The CHAIIIMAN put the resolution, and it was carried
ummiinously.
Colonel VANDELECR moved that thou present form
the nucleus of a co iiiiiiiiiiiii with power to add to their
number. The following gentlemen were ther appointed
a committee to co 11111 l nnicete with the Lord Lieutenant
and carry mit the needful details :—The Mayor, Colonel
Vandeleor (Chaiman), /dews. W. J. Hill (Secretary),
Groves, Septisiume Msee, Frederick Ayling, Pritchard,
Alexander Samson, John ?isnot, Hibbs, H. B. Wels- ,
ford, Smith, Crickmay, Iltorfand Moines, Richard Coinmns, Frederick Arden, and Dr. Tigard.
The Chairman, in the name of the Mayor, gave the
emninitlee the free use of the Guildhall for their
meetings.
Mr. MACE held that Government ought to furnish the
weapons and belts of the corps, for many men, though
willing to join the corgi, would he unable for want of
I fonds. Providing all the necessaries would fall heavily
! on the committee, for calculating the cost of the aecon-
treinents at 4:10 each man. only 40 could be equippedu
by an outlay of 1:400. As the Government would have
the articles at the breaking lip of the corps, thus was a
point he thought should be urged on their attention.
He referred to proceedings at a recent meeting held in
Nottingham.
Mr. 011oree then pmpneed— "That it be an instruction
to the committee to put themselves, through their secre-
tary, into oominunicetion with the Lord-I,ieutenant, and
I ascertain from him his Mentions with regard to the for-
, relation of a Rifle Corps in this county, and to solicit his
advice in the organisation of the same at Weyinouth ;
I and that this meeting be adjourned until convened again
by the Chairman to receive his Lordship's reply." He
(Mr. (;roves) thought if • corps *ere formed at Wey-
th it ought to correspond with similar carpel at Dor-
chester, Bridport, and other pieces in the county, in
order that they might act with unanimity, and by this
means there would probably be a better esprit du corps.
Mr. 11111111 S read a report of the meeting at Notting-
' ham, already alluded to, and which was presided over
by the Duke of Newcastle, Lord-Lieutenant of that
county, urging that the Government should supply arms,
he, to volunteers.
i Mr. HILL, after consenting to act as secretary to the
I committee, seconded the resolution, which was then put
and uminimously adopted. He likewise moved that the
resolutions be advertised in the local papers, but the
proposition met with no support.
Mr. SAilims moved a vote of thanks to the Chair-
man, which was duly acknowledged, and the -neeting
broke up.

The Itth Company of Royal Engineers, which
recently proceeded (rum Chadian' garrison to Wey-
mouth, for the purpose of erecting fortifications on
the coast, have commenced erecting a 7-gun battery
in the neighbourhood of Weymouth, this being one
of the first of the series intended to be constructed.
The troops are working early and late in order to
get it completed.