The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-02 00:00:00

'aat an?! Militia!).

ADMIRALTY. JAS. I.
Commander Frederick William Sidney to be
captain in her Majesty's fleet. l'ommander Joseph Samuel
Hudson to be captain in her Majesty's fleet. Lieutenant
Marcus Augustus Stanley Hare to be commander in her
Majesty's fleet. Lieutenant Edward Francis Clarke to be
retired commander under the provisions of the Orders in
Council of let of August, IssiO, 9th July, 1864, and 24th
March, IM6.

Ahll RALTY, JAN. 1. —A P NTMENT 4. —COM-
!sander H. F. Nicholson, to the Vlctoryt for service in the
fioy■l Alfred.

taptain—F. W. Sidney, to the Challenger, additional.
for nurveying service.
Paymasters W. Illyth, to the Princess Royal, for din.
posal ; G. W. D. Sunnionds, to the Fiagard. additional,
for service in the Crocodile.

"THE DEVIL'S OWN."

TO THI YDITOR Of THE ZIPISIC4S.

tits,—Owing to its appearance in your impression
of Saturday last, extensive circulation has been given to a
paragraph taken from the Law Toe- relating to the Inns
of Court Volunteer Corps. The paragraph in question,
after intimating that the corps was declining in strength
and efficiency, concluded by stating that a new system of
drill had been introduced since Colonel Brewster's death,
and that nino officers and a proportionate number of
privates had resigned. The number of officers holding
commissions in our corps, exclusive of the field officers
and staff, is 20 ; and the inference obviously intended to
be drawn from the above statement is, that a secession of
a large body of officers and men has taken place in conic.
quenoe of the introduction by our present distinguished
lieutenant-colonel of a new system of drill.
The statement is utterly without foundation, and the
inference involves a gross imputation upon the excellent
spirit and good discipline which have always prevailed in
the corps.
As the senior officer present at headquarters I have
caused the muster rolls of the corps to beciuunined, and I
am in a position to state, officially, that since the esta-
blishment of the corps in 1859 the total number of officers
who have resigned their commissions is eight, of whom
only three (viz., two lieutenants and one ersigel have
retired since Colonel Brewster's death ; that the r. tire-
meat of these three officers took place from causes wholly
unconnected with any alteration in the system of drill,
that the vacancies were immediately filled up, and that
two of the throe are now serving in the ranks of the corps
as privates.

Judicial and other appointments, openings for a pro.
feuional career as well in other parts of the kingdom
as in India and the colonies, commissions in other corps—
these and many similar canoes which do not affect other
volunteer regiments, combine to withdraw many from
our ranks; and undoubtedly we could wish that the
junior members of the profession came forward
in greater numbers to supply their places ; but
the average lou of non-commissioned officers and privates
from resignations has been no greater since, than it was
before. Colonel Brewster's death ; and I can oonfidently
state that no resignation has occurred in consequence of
any alteration in the drill. The number of enrolled mem-
bers, as shown by the annual return for the Ist of Decem-
ber, Imid, made shortly after Colonel Brewster's death,
and long before the appointment of our present command-
ing officer, was 787, and as shown by the annual return
for the Ist December last, 7*id.
The efficiency of a corps is to a consiOerableextent a matter
of opinion ; but as to this we may safely rely on the well-
known impartiality of the Inspector-General of Volunteers,
and the public and official judgment which he passed upon us
at our inspection in November last, that "the corps presented
the urne soldier-like appearance and the same smartness
and intelligence of movement which had hitherto dame-
terised them, and that he was not surprised to find that
they maintained their old reputation." I have good
reason to know that this opinion was shared by other dis-
tinguished military officers on the ground.
The very hest feeling precede between Colonel Sargent
and the 1,-st of our battalion. At this season of the year
the corps is *tattered, but every member that I have met
has alike expressed his indignation at what appears to be
an unjustifiable attack upon our commanding officer, and
upon his managen.ent of the corps, which has always
been charwctcriaed by great judiciousness and an
earnest desire to consult the wishes of the members on
all points connected with discipline and drill. Colonel
Sargent's great military experience and his distinguished
services in the Crimea, China, and elsewhere are well
known to the public, but the writer of the paragraph in
question is probably as ignorant of them as be undoubt-
edly is of the internal condition of our corps.—l am, &c.,
JOSEPH W. CHITTY, Captain, LC.E.V.
Lincoln's-inn, January 1.