The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-09-22 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER MOVEMENTS

DEPARTURE OF GARIBALDI'S
EXCURSIONISTS FROM. LIVERPOOL,

THE HIGHLAND VOLUNTEFRS AND
GA.RIBALDI'S SYMPATHISERS.

Last evening, by some unexplainable circumstance,
our reporter visited the drill-ground of the Highland
Volunteers, and there he found a large number of that
corps at drill, many of whom were clad in their full
uniform—the clan Sfalcolm tartan kilt—which has been
so universally admired not only for its neatness, but its
cheapness. But shortly after the corps had gone through
some of its. exercises, for which they were highly com-
plimented for the progress they had made under the
training of their drill-sergeant, by the commanding
officers and Major Falkner of the Artillery, who were
also present, an order was given to "stand at ease,"
which was obeyed with great alacrity; and immediately ,
afterwards _ . _

Lieut. PETRIE appeared in front of the company, and
said,—Men of the Highland Company, we are to be
honoured this night with a visit from the excursionists
to Italy. (Cheers.) Those volunteers who are going to
join Garibaldi. (Cheers.) The work in Italy is not over;
and Garibaldi is not the man to stop before he has
finished his work. By his single arm he has achieved
much—he has broken the neck of the tyrant, and nearly
made himself master of Italy, and is fast on his way to
Rome. (Cheers.) The excursionists will have an
opportunity of seeing the city of Rome, because, no
doubt, they will get there before the shooting season
commence. Now, my Highland friends, lam sure you
will not object to their having this room for a short
time to-night, as they are about to leave, and go
on their excursion. (Cries of "No, no.") And
I am sure before these valiant excursionists leave this
room, you will give them a real Highland farewell.
(We-will do so.) I have now the pleasure of introducing
to you Major Styles. (This officer, who had just entered
the room, was received with the greatest enthusiasm.)
Captain Hampton has been very kind to us, and he is a
member of our company ; and lam sure you will receive
him and hil excursionists with a good hearty Highland
cheer. I need not say much more to you ; but I believe
from what I have heard from the newspapers, that there
is already a large number of spring carts and vans ordered
within a hundred yards of Rome; therefore, there is no
doubt, but there will be something for them to do when
they get there; but I should advise that the nice old
gentleman who is making these preparations to take care
of himself and provide other quarters : he will find it
more safe for himself.

Captain Hampton, accompanied by Serjeant-Major
Moore, (both of whom belong to Garibaldi's army,) then
entered the room, and were received with the greatest
applause ; and Captain Hampton said,—As a member
of the Highland Company, he would take all the respon-
sibility upon himself, and he was quite sure that they,
as Scotchmen. would forgive him. (Applause.)
The excursionists having been formed into line, Capt.
Hampton briefly addressed them, and said that he
was to have the honour of being the captain of that
regiment, which was to be the light regiment, and he
had no doubt would be the "crack regiment."
Major STYLES then addressed the excursionists, and
explained that their expenses would be paid from Liver-
pool to Naples or wherever they might land. They
would be provided with all the necessaries of life on
their journey, and when they disembarked they would
be provided with a uniform—a scarlet shirt and canvass
overalls—such as he then appeared in ; but he distinctly
told them that they would have their work to do, and
would have to "rough it," as he had done; but when
they returned to their own country, as he hoped they
all would, they would be looked upon as something
superior to what they had been.
Three cheers were then given for the Highland
volunteers, Major Styles, Captain Hampton, Lieutenant
Petrie, and Ensign 4Macpherson, and nine times nine
for Garibaldi and the Queen, when the excuraionist
retired, and the Highland volunteers resumed' their
drill.

Tyr ".NEWTO,N REVIEW " RIFLE
CONTEST.
ALTERATION OF THE PROGRAMME.

in consequence of the very numerous entries, which
considerably exceed 1,200,, and far outnumber those at
Wimbledon, the committee of the " Newton Review"
Ritie.Contest have found it absolutely necessary to modify
slightly the proposed programme, which was recently
published. No less than 245 persons had entered their
names for the Grand Cup at the time of closing the lists
on Tuesday. Several applications were subsequently
received, but, of course, refused. Each competitor will
fire 15 rounds for this prize—five shots at each of the
three distances—and although the ranges on the grounds
will be lt; altogether—a number which will also make
the contest, in this respect, superor to 'that of Wim-
bledon—the time occupted in the shooting off will be
S. long, that the first day must he set apart for this prize
alone. The estimated time which the shooting will
occupy i^ from ten o'clock in the morning till five in the
evenin,.
For Wednesday the original programme will stand
good, namely—The Legh Challenge Cup, for which
there are 120 entries ; and Mr. Robert Barnes's prize,
for which 12S competitors have come forward.
The Ladies' price, which it was intended should-
be shot, for on the first day, is thrown over till Thursday:
The contest for this cup will be very spirited, if we may,
judge from the entries, which exceed those for any of
the other prizes, being Ito less thin 260; but the time
occupied in the shooting will not he so long as the
numbers might appear to indicate, as the competitors
fire only five rounds each. On Thursday, also, Mr. W.
C. Brooks's prize of £5O will he shot for. There are
160 competitors. The original arrangement in this
case has been adhered to.

The shooting for the prize of 420, open to the volun-
teers of Great Britain at 900 yards (90 entries), and for
Mr. Whitworth's prize of a rifle, open to all Iratiom, at
900 yards (92 entries), will be postponed fmTlitrcadaY
.
till Friday.

The shooting for the above prizes will occupy all the
four days whielt-the Committee originally intended to
devote to the contest, but the unexpected magnitude
which the whole affair has assumed at the last moment
makes it necessary to prolong the contest to the end of
the week. Consequently, the two prizes which were
intended for the Friday, will be shot for on the Satur-
day. They are the £5O Prize, open to comers from All
nations, at 800, 900, and 1,000 yards, and for which 88
competitors have entered; and the Southport Cup, also
open to all nations, at the sanie diAtauces, tog which 87
entries have been made.
The place where the targets are bEing fixed is only a
short distance from the Southport new pier. A portion
of the §ands will be enclosed, with the consent of the
Lord of the Manor ; and for admirss
within the space
allotted to the shooting a charge,we believe of a shilling,
will be Made, Sexeral first-class marksmen have entered
for the all-corners' prizes, many of them winners of
prizes at Wimbledon and elsewhere ; hut we believe
Mr. Ross, of Wimbledon celebrity, will not shoot on
this occasion.

A GERMAN OPINION OF ENGLISH

VOLUNTEERS.

The Allgeineine Afilitay-Aibungs published at Darm-
stadt, and considered 'the first military paper in Ger-
Neny, gives an account, by a correspondent, of the
ewton Review, and of the rifle movement in general.
After giving a full account of the display, the writer
says :—" England, as well as Germany, is arming to
repel the attack with which Bonapartism threatens her;
the British volunteer riflemen arose from the same cause
which made Prussia double the number of her battalions
of the line. It will, therefore, be of interest to the
German military public to receive some detailed infor-
mation -on the present state and the fitness for actual
service of the British volunteer army ; for thia array,
from its very origin, and in virtue of its fundamental
idea, is an enemy of Bonapartism, an ally of Germany.
After criticising the dress and the appurtenances, it
says—" The first year's drill has taught the volunteers so
much of the elementary movements that they may now
enter upon skirmishing and rifle practice. They will be
far more handy at both these kinds of work than the
English line, so that by summer, 1861, they would form
a very useful .army, if only their officers knew more
about their business. This is the weak point of the
whole formation. Officers cannot be manufactured in
the same time and with the same means as privates. Vv
to now it has been proved that the syiljingneas and the
teal
of the mass may be relied upon, as far as is
required for making every mart a soldier as far as
necessary. Bat this is not sufficient for the officers.
As we have seen, even for simple battalion movements,
wheeling in column, deployments, keeping distance (so
important in the English system of evolutions, where
open columns are very often employed) the officers are
not by far sufficiently formed. What is to become of
them on outpost and skirmishing duty, where judgment
of ground is everything, and where so many other diffi-
cult matters are to be taken into consideration? How
can such men be entrusted with the duty of telling care
of the safety of an army on the march ?, GioTcrnraent
has made it binding upon, every officer of volunteers
to go to Hythe for three weeks at least. So far, so
good; but that will neither teach him to conduct a
patrol, nor to command a picket. And yet, the
volunteers are chiefly to be used for light-infantry
service—for that very kind of duty which requires
the services of the cleverest and most reliable of officers.
Tf the whole movement is to lead to something, this is
the point where Government will hare to step in. . All
companies which are still existing—singly, or by twos
and threes—ought to be compelled to combine together
in permanent battalions, to engage adjutants from the
regulars. These adjutants should be bound to give to
all the officers of their respective battalions a regular
course of instruction in elementary tactics, light in-
fantry service in all its branches, and the regulations
affecting the internal routine of service in a battalion.
The officers should be bound, besides attending Hythe,
to do duty, for at least thiee Weeks, with a regiment of
the line or mililiain some encampment ; and, finally, they
should, after a' certain time, be ali made to. pass an ex-
amialltion, proving that the have learnt at least the
most thdppelWatile part o their business. Such a course
of instruction and examination of the officers ; further,
a medical examination of the men, in order to weed out
those who are physically unfit for field service (and
there is not a few); and an annual revision of the com-
pany lusts, for the removal of those men who do not
attend drill, who only play at soldiers, and will not
learn their duty—if this was done, the 120,000 men
now existing on paper would he considerably refin-_e_d,
but you would have an army worth three furies tt1:1107.
that,whic which
it now
is croetpmotratedl2toh, Oar
ttm,:nt ini'sfie's are
authorities
it would
busy dinitssingtbe imOriant question, whether
ortwiv
all
not be Osirable' 'clothe,. til,e first 'ccoi„ur
rune volunteers in the sa very (leslcatn.,
of the line."

-4------

"Stranger's Prize" was shot for on Wednesday last,
THE PRIZE RIFLE SHOOTING AT HALIFAX.—The
the distance being 300 yards and at the double target.
The competitors were members of any volunteer regi-
ment of any arm of the service. The prize Vim tAn.
lw
by Private Wheaton, of Leeds. For the.pyiZe offered
by Michael Stocks,
Esq. (a, Nyesgey tticharda's rifle,
patent breech loading), tjAeKe were ua less than fifty-
two crack. coicuppaors. The distances were 200 yards
apt. 4L,o4arils. Lieutenant Rolroyde got the highest
number- of points, but as that gentleman had already
secured a valuable prize, he generously gave it up
to the next best shot, Private Pegler. On. Thursday,
the shooting for the suuT-box. (value £(5),-• offered by
Capt. lioldsworth,_took place. It was won by Sergeant
Winter, Lieut. Holroyde being, gtcautt. The £5 cup,