The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-22 00:00:00

dowries for the daughtepLof those who fall in
battle, and maintenance foi orphans. A procla-

mation glorifies the attitude of the patriotic
clergy, and contrasts it with that of the same

body elsewhere. The funerals of the slain brought
down tributary flowers from the houses as they
passed. Smiths and carpenters are being formed
into organised sapper corps. Catania was fully
armed and barricaded. Every townland of 1,000
inhabitants has to furnish a horseman fully equip-

ped. Mules for artillery, and linen for shirts and
tunics, are levied. Colonel Neno Bixio has been

promoted by Garibaldi to the rank of Brigadier-

General.

Two steamers, bearing the American flag, have
entered the harbour of Cagliari, having on board
volunteers for Sicily. The Washington has 1,400
men, and the Oregon between 300 and 400.
According to the statement of the captain of the
Oregon, these steamers are only awaiting the
arrival of another, which has a large sailing
vessel in tow, and have together 3,000 more
volunteers. The ardour and zeal with which
these men have taken up the cause of Sicily may
be estimated by the privations to which they sub
ject themselves. The manner iu which the men
of wealth and family have been huddled together,
seems truly revolting. They have scarcely had,
sitting room—and that during the excessive heat
of such a latitude. No slave ship, during her'
middle passage, ever presented such a scene.
Here is an account of a heroine in Catania

"On Thursday, the 7th," says a late advice, we
beheld arriving from Catania the entire garrison
of Catania, as well as the moveable column, united
with the same, in all 5,000 or 6,000 men of every
kind, commanded by Tomage Clary. These
troops have been attacked in Catania by the
people, and, after several days of constant firing,
some 400 or 500 of the royal soldiers were killed,
whilst the loss on the part of the insurgents
was comparatively insignificant. The soldiers
themselves say that one of the nuns from the
window of her cell killed more soldiers than I
could venture to state. She shot with as sure an
aim as the most practised alpine huntsman, and
never missed once. The colonel ordered that they
should fire in platoons repeatedly against the
windows, but in vain. The heroine remained
unscathed, and still kept firing away, killing her
man with every shot she fired."
There is a rumour at Paris that the Emperor
will make a pacific speech on the 26th to the
gainers of prizes at the cattle show.
By a return issued on Wednesday, it appears
that the regular army numbers 68,778 ; depots at
home and abroad, 33,302 ;---total, 102,080. Em-
bodied militia, 15,911 ; disembodied, 52,899
yeomanry cavalry, 15,002 ; enrolled pensioners,
1$,000; volunteer rifle and artillery corps (ap-
proximate number), 122,367. The grand total of
these several departments of the army is 323,259.
The four men in the service of the post-office,
who took a leading part in the recent meeting of
the letter-carriers, held at Harp-alley Schools
and who, were immediately afterwards suspended
by the Controller, have been dismissed, by order
of the Postmaster-General.
It is understood that the returns of the Board
Qf Trade for the past month, which have just been
completed, will exhibit scarcely if any alteration
compared with the same period last year, and
that the slight excess which it is thought will be
fond to appear, arises not from an actual expan-
sion of business, but through increased valuations.
The export trade has therefore become contracted,
fist, through the diminution of shipments to
Aistralia, and secondly, in consequence of the
unsettled position of continental politics.

Wl-HAT 'S TO BE DONE 9

.
Now is the time to come to some understanding
as to the best means for developing the Volun-
teer Movement. It has now reached a crisis
which may prove either its highest culmination,
or the start point from which it [shall rise far
beyond its present limits. Which shall it be ?
It is now quite in our power to determine this
issue. Our national defence is the favourite sub-
ject of the d4y. Caps are in the air for the com-
pletion of fortifications at any cost, Volunteers
are universally applauded as the most constitu-
tioaal defenders of4England. The Queen herself
is to review them to-morrow ; and the occa-
sioa is looked forward to as one of the most
brilliant displays of the kind ever seen in this
country. The whole summer—if we are to have
one this year—promises to be one continuous
succession of volunteer fetes. Under the gracious
beans of Royal patronage, with the countenance
and support of Lords ana coinnion, and amid
the acclaims of a loyal and patriotic population,
the members of this new military organisation
=not fail to rejoice in its success, and to feel
amply rewarded for the toil and cost to which
they have voluntarily submitted. To obtain so
high a position in the estimation and regard of
the whole nation, from the Sovereign to the pea-
sant, is surely worth all the sacrifice of time and
means which it has entailed upon individuals.
The summer (when it comes) cannot, however,
last long. The twelfth of August draws near, and
the Volunteer officers, and not a few of the men,
will betake themselves to ahother kihd of rifle shoot-
ing than that of the parade. The grouse upon the
Scotch hills will be the first to feel the deadly
effects of the recent Volunteer practice ; and
the muster will be forsaken for the moors. Then
will follow the winter season with all its
disadvantages for the prosecution of drill ; and
the continuity of the present active efforts in the
parade having been thus broken, is there
not a prospective danger of a serious falling off
in this spirited movement ? Under present
arrangements the expenses of the Volunteer force
fall leavily upon individuals, and that which is
borne cheerfully during the excitement of a first
season, and under the temptation held out by
royal and popular applause, may come to be felt
as a grievous burden, when re-considered with a
view to its repetition under cooler, and less
advantageous circumstances. If the present move-
ment is allowed to effervesce with the heat of
summer, will it not be difficult to reinspire it amid
the chills of winter ? Ought we not, rather to
seize the present jubilant condition of the force,
and favourable state of public feeling, to make
some provision calculated to sustain and extend
the organisation, and enable it to strike deeper
and wider its roots, so that it may grow up a
strong and ever-green tree, capable of resisting
alike the scorching sun and the destroying blasts
of winter.

Now is the time to secure the efficiency and
permanency of the Volunteer movement. It has
not yet attained anything like the proportions
which it must reach, before it can be said to be
fully worthy of the nation. According to an
official return, issued on Wednesday last, the
strength of the Volunteer Rifle and Artillery
Corps of the Kingdom is approximated at
122,367. These figures, no doubt, represent a
noble army ; but do they at all come up to what
we may reasonably expect they will do ?
Out of a population of thirty millions, what an
insignificant number is a hundred and twenty-
two thousand ? Why, it is little more than one
out of every two hundred and fifty of the people.
Select promiscuously any two hundred and fifty
of our community, and tell us how many in that
number of inhabitants are able and ought to be
willing to volunteer a profession of arms for the
defence of the remainder, including invalids, 'old
men, women, and children? If that number be
taken to consist of fifty families, averaging five
members each—one-half of whom are males
of all ages, how many volunteers might they be
fairly expected to furnish ? Ought there to be