The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-03 00:00:00

was inscribed, and be was ileimetantly surrounded
by some twenty or thirty of his countrymen. On
the opposite aide was the enclosure, the admission i
price to which was halfet-guinea, and a very
numerous half-guinea crowd ft exhibited, and we
were informed that, far beyond, there was an im-
mense outer border of the common people," but
we confess that we saw but little of them,—an ob-
servation which we suspect they would be rather
readv to repeat with respect to the proceedings of
the (lay. It did net strile us either at the review
or the rifle shooting that sufficient facilities were
given for the great mass of the people, who are
quite as enthusiastic on the subject of national
defence as their betters, to see what was
going on, and seeing how admirably they conduct
themselves whenever they me indulged and treated
with confidence, we think that a little relaxation
might be permitted in the restrictions on the still
unexhausted days of the =ash.
From some cause or other, her Majesty did not
arrive with her usual punctuality, it being consider-
ably past the appointed tine when the playing of
the national anthem aid the running up of the
royal standard ammonia the unveil of the royal
oorttge. But in Ile dimatimee patience was ma
twinned by some very grid soon& from the bands of
the three regimests of Feetiiiimards, and much in-
terest was excited by the geM medal of the associa-
tion, which was to be peemeted to her Majesty,
and which was ad Meknes handed round for the
inspection of the acre favoured visitors. It is
shunt the sine of a emelywn shoe having on one side
two tginee, 1M aeo t I)ourW, the mem
rillansa; Hadarvo k..gajam
with tho motto "St Perpetual". The Ministerister or
War might then be Seen, scroll in hand, approach-
ing the dais, and accompanying him, the Under-
Secretary, Lord Ripon. Both were very busy
arranging the presentation of the oddments, and
they just had all theme preliminaries finished when
her Majesty arrived. The Queen was accompanied
by the Prince of Wales, the Prince Consort, Prince
Arthur, the Princesses Alice and Helena, and the
Dukes of Cambridge and Saxe-Gotha. In attend-
ance were the Duchess of Sutherland and a full
court, General Grey being in attendance on
the Priuoe Camort Her Majesty wore
a black dress, and white or light-ooloured
shawl ; and the Prince of Wales and Prince Con-
sort ware in evening dress, but decorated, the
Prince of Wake with the Ribbon of the Garter—
the Prince Consort with the Star of the Bath. The
Queen and the whole of the royal party seemed to
be in the beet health and spirits, and would no
doubt have been loudly cheered had the
crowd been near enough to take cognisance ofretlt
fact. As it was, the exclusive and aristocratic as-
semblage who were permitted to approach the
royal pavilion contented themselves with com-
menting to each other on the very pleasing and
gratifying group which the royal family presented
as they stood waiting to receive the address. Her
I Majesty having assumed her usual attitude of atten-
tion, Mr. Sidney Herbert, accompanied by Lord
Elcho, Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, and the other mem-
bers of the council of the Rifle Association, pro-
ceeded to read the following address :
May it pipes your Majesty,—We, the President and
Council of the Mama Rifle Association, humbly approach
your Majesty with sentiments of devoted attachment to
your throne and person.
We tender to your Majesty our grateful acknowledgments
for the patronage and encouragement 'variously extended
by your Majesty and your illustrious anal Royal Consort to
our association, which has beep formed to give permanence
to the volunteer forma This tome, of which • small por-
tion bad recently the boomer of being reviewed by your
Majesty, sprung from the intuitive loyalty and
of your Majesty's people.
We hope that, wide as is the present development of the
volunteer force, it may yet attain to much larger propor-
tions. To ski in this development, and to give permanence
to this force by fostering and diffusing a taste foveae shoot-
ing, are the objects of the National Ride Association.
These, we think, sen best be effected by establishing a great
annual meeting for competition in rifle shouting similar to
the 'fir Federal of Bwitserland, where every two years
prices to the value of 10,000 f. are competed fur, and where
riflemen from the different cantons meet together is friendly
rivalry.
The use of the long bow sod the cloth-yard shaft was
once the pastime of the English people, and at the mutt
time the terror of England's foes. The spirit which
animated our fathers still lives in their descendants, sad the
National Rifle Association hope, by establishing rifle shout-
ing as a national pastime, to make the rifle what the bow
was in the days of the Plantageneta—the familiar weapon
of there who stand forth in the defence of their country.
Such being the objects of our association, it has been
honoured in • special degree with your Majesty's favour and
countenance ; for not only has your Majesty been graciously
pleased to express your approval of our itlertabhg,' and
munificently founded a price, which will be the highest
honour that csa he pined by the competitors, but your
Majesty has even condescended to insuprate in person this
the first prise meeting of the association. We most cor-
dially and respectfully thank your Majesty for this special
mark of your favour ; and we fervently pray that health
f•An=panese may long attend your ilajeety, your Royal
and every member of your illustrious family.

•
To which her Majesty returned the following
gracious reply
I receive with sincere satiefaation the sentiments of attach-
ment to my thinee, ppssnon,and family which have been
expremed by the Prrdsnt Reid Council of your association ;
and I swum you that I, together with my Royal Consort,
have gladly given encouragement to a body whose object it
is to reader permanent an armed force, limited exclusively
to defensive purpose., and founded upon voluntary exer-
tions. . . .

ibsve witnessed with assure the manner in which the
aaeleet fondue of the lish people for manly sod sylvan
voila has been converted by your association to more ink-
pwisat ends, and has been outdo au auxiliary instrument
for maintaining inviolable the safety of our °IMMO° COMA'''.

The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert then read the
following address to his Royal Highness the Prince
Consort •

May it plisse your Royal Highness,—We, the President
and Council of the National Ride Association, humbly ap-
preach your royal highness, and eagerly embrace thie op-
portunity of expressing to your royal highness our grateful
acknowledgments for the pativesge sod rapport which you
have been gratoualy pleased to extend to our association.
Your royal highness is ever found either originating or
giving your enlightened and discriminating support to such
'ohmage as have for their object the advancement of the
Public good and the prosperity of the United Kingdom. To
this smociatioe your royal Ingham' lies however, shown a
special mark of favour by de4ning to become ita pativu, and
nu further proof is wanted ot the value and importance of
the objects we have in view.
We thank your royal highness for the active interest you
have shorn in our uuderte, and for the valuableoolusel
and assistance which we have frequently received at your
bands, u well u for the prise which your royal highness
hr generously afore& for competition by all nations.
We trust that the National Rise Association, honoured as
it is by the favour of her Majesty, and patronised by your
royal highness, will meet throughout these realms with
that couatensuce and support which its national and
patriotic character may be found to justify.
To which his royal highness replied as follows :
Gentlemen,-1 thank you sincerely for your kind address,
sad beg you to be assured that I am very sensible of the
flattering manner in which you speak of any support which
it may have been in my power to afford to objects of
National interest.

Fully appreciating the value and importance of the Na•
tional Ride Areociation, as a means of eowwragUog the
volunteers in their endeavour to acquire that skill in the
use of their weapon on which their whole efficiency de-
pends, it is with peculiar pleasure that I have accepted
your invitation to become its patron ; nor can I doubt, when
I leek around me and see the manner in which the call of
the council has been responded to, that the result will
answer the most sanguine expectation' of this'e who set the
present movement on foot.
In establishing a prise open to the competition of all
nation., my object was to give our British marksmen an
opportunity of comparing their own arms soil their own
skill with those of other countries. Ant lam convinced
the result will be to show that, as the British mauufacturer
is already second to none in the fabrication of the corn it-
milt so the people of this country are not to be surpassed by
any in the knowledge how to use it.
After the addresses the members of the council
ascended the entrade and conversed for seine time
with the royal family, the Queen addressing each
with her usual gracious affability in turn. Lord De
Grey's little son, in full volunteer uniform,
had the honour of a presentation, and was re-
esived with much kindness by the Queen.
The Secretary of State for the HOMO Depart-
ment was in attendance on the Queen, as was the
Earl of St. Germans, who wore the ribbon of the
Bath. Very shortly after the presentation of the