The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-24 00:00:00

THE VOLIINTZER FORCE.

Observing that when an officer in the position of
Lord Ranelagh declares that the volunteer force is
a sham, we cannot afford to let the remark pass
without examin►tion, the Daily News proceeds to
discuss the grounds upon which his lordship rests
the assertion. He states that the force is at present
so defective in battalion organisation, meaning by this the
manoeuvring as a body and its operation in eombination
with other battalions, that it would be useless in presence
of an enemy. The Daily News fears that this criticism is
just. There are very few regiments of volunteers in which
any knowledge above that of company drill is possessed by
the officers. The simpler battalion movements are got
through in a manner more or less slovenly, the more corn.
plicated are blundered. Moreover, this is so well known
to inspecting officers that they do not venture to put the
matter to the test. Volunteer officers are never examined
before appointment, and battalions are brought together
only once or twice for drill, and when they are, half the
time is occupied with movements of mere parade. Though
without a commissariat, a military train, and ambulances,
• volunteer army would be dead or dispersed a week after
it took the field, yet we give them none of these neces-
saries. Do we expect that our enemies, if ve have
any, will give us more than six weeks' notice to
prepare our own organisation ; or do we believe in
our government having such a Heaven•bestowed
gift for organisation that they can improvise it?
The matter is very serious. Lord Ranelagh has not put it
too strongly when he declared that at present our force is
a " sham."

J 9 TOPICS.

The Times quotes from the Fria/imam and the Nation
newspapers a number of passages, with a view of proving
the toleration of the British government, which it believes
to be without an example in the world. Another object is
to let the Irish party portray itself. The Times also gives
some ammunt of a pamphlet published with considerable
reserve at Philadelphia, containing a manifesto of Fe-
nianism at a time when the organisation was considered
to be in its meet hopeful condition. Whatever substance
there was in the conspiracy, our contemporary concludes,
was imported from abroad.

The Herald thinks M. Rouher should be credited when
he affirms th►t the army bill, so far from menacing ► war,
provides only for a slow and gradual development ; is no
menace, is no response to any challenge, and simply pro-
vides for the maintenance of the great national interests
and the independence of the country. The perusal of the
debates does not either impress the Standard with the
belief that the objections to the measure are well founded.
The burden to be imposed upon France will still fall short
of that cheerfully borne by Prussia.

. .
The Post thinks that the army policy of the French
government has been to a great extent forced upon them.
It certainly does not manifest any warlike intentions on
the part of the chief of the state, even assuming, for the
sake of argument, that this vast increase in the military
strength of France will not prove to have been needed.
The Dail y News contend, that while the funds of trades'
unions ought to obtain the protection of the common law,
this privilege should be accompanied by certain responsi-
bilities, and the funds should be liable to satisfy claims
arising out of the illegal acts of trades' unions. Thus, if •
workman is kept out of employment or suffers any other
injury by the illegal action of a trades' union, it would be
right that its fonds should be liable to satisfy his claim fur
compensation.