The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-06 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

Vot 'gi''totttbri4ge Obserult.

_
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6th, 1880.

THI4: VOLUNTEER MAJORITY.

On the 81st October, 1859, the formation of '
the first Volunteer Corps received the formal
sanction °tithe War Office of that day ; othat the
citizen army of treat Britain has now cora-
pleted the twenty-first year of its existence.
The Volunteers rre heartily to be congratulated
on attaining their majority as an exclusively
defensive force, and it is a just suLject of pride
that they have grown in efficiency v,ith the lapse
of time. The improvement during the past few
years in numbers, discipline, and general effi-
ciency has been most marked, and it is a satis-
faction to think that the advance has been in a
great measure due to the Press. Inspecting
officers are sometimes too apt unduly to com-
pliment the Volunteers, whereas the Press deaie.
out either praise or censure, as either is de-
served. The chief events of the year which is
pow rapidly drawing to a close have been the
revival of the Easter Monday review, and the
abolition of the system of administrative bat-
talions. Both are likely to bear finit in in-
creased efficiency. With respect to the latter, it
may be mentioned that since 1878 no fswer Lhan
900 subalterns have resigned. If to this number
be added those who have died, or have been
promoted, the lower commissioned ranhs 01 the
Volunteers must be largely filled by m-en who
have but little military experience. It has also
been said that commissions are not sc, much
sought for as formerly. The novelty has worn
off, and the passing away of one-and-twenty
years has tended to beget feelings of the prosaic
rather than of the sentimental kind. But these
considerations notwithstanding, it is to be noted
that the value of the Volunteers as a portion of
our home army is every year increasing, and
that every day the amateur element and tone are
becoming less apparent.
Looking back at the time which witnessed the
establishment of the Volunteer force, it is diffi-
cult now to enter into the spirit of enthusiaam
that then animated the whole of the people in
responding to the Laureate's spirit-stirring
appeal, "Riflemen, form ! " The feeling which
then prevailed was a remarkable contrast to that
now animating the body politic towards our
nearest neighbour. No one in England now
dreams of such a thing as a French invasion.
An invasion by the Kaffirs or the Kurds would
be just as probable. Yet in 1659 its possibility
created much apprehension amongst all classes-
Various incidents had led up to it. It was no
secret that after the conclusion of the Peace
with Russia in 1856, a marked coolness arose
between the Courts of England and France.
Their armies had fought side by side in the
Crimea; but the haste with which the French
Emperor was anxious to make peace after the
capture of Sebastopol, was little to the liking of
the people of this country. The truth was that
after two years of campaigning, succeeding forty
years of peace, we were just beginning to feel
our strength and to:put it forth. Actual
experience in the field had laid bare our short-
comings and had shown the working of a defec-
tive system ; and with that experience we were
prepared to do better. At sea, too, we had dis-
covered some mistakes in our way of going to
war. The magnificent fleet which had been des-
patched to the Baltic amid such high hopes and
great expectations, returned home, having done
practically nothing. The reason was clear. Oar
vast threedeckers, so formidable as battle-ships
in the open sea' found it impossible to thread
the narrow and shallow channels of the Baltic,
and were unable to get even within range of the
redoubtable fortress of Cronstadt. So the
Admiralty set to work to build some scores of
light gunboats and no sooner were these ready

than for reasons best known to itself the French
Government desired to conclude a peace. In
England the feeling was altogether different,
arid it was felt that with a different plan of
tactics both on land or sea, we should retrieve
our reputation. But it was of no use in going
on without our principal ally, and that ally
wished for peace. Fortunately, the success of
the Allied Armies had rendered it possible to
bring the war to an honourable close ; and when
peace was at length proclaimed, it was hailed
with enthusiastic rejoicings by both nations.
Less than two years afterwards a deliberate
attempt was made to assassinate the French
Emperor as he was going tqlthe opera in Paris.
The conspiracy was alleged to have originated
in London, and the French press, in commenting
upon ithe occurrence, subjected the English
Government to much hostile criticism for
harbouring political refugees. The addressf
of congratulation by the army also abounded
with offensive remarks respecting England.
This language caused much irritation through-
out Great Britain, and when in the following
year the Emperor Napoleon went to war with
Austria "for an idea," as he himself said, it was
thought here that peradventure he might have
other ideas in his head equally applicable to
ourselves. At all events the fact stands out
that immediately after the close of the campaign
against Austria in the summer of 1859, the male
population of England began to take pre-
cautionary measures. As month after month
passed on, volunteer corps were formed all over
the land ; and the substantial results remain
even to this day. There was no French invasion
of our shores; the soverign who was then be-
lieved to be a menace to us has passed away ;
he sleeps his long Sabbath of repose amid the
quietude of a Kentish vi!lage, after coming
amongst us as an exile instead of as a conqueror;
and the country which he ruled is now one of
our firmest friends. All the same, the Vol-
unteer force stands out as a monument of
British patriotism of which all Britons may be
jastly and truly proud.