The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-20 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER OFPICER.B.

TO TIM IWITOI OF TIN ZIPSZOB.

beg to offer you • few remarks on the
muse, of the efficiency of volunteer officers. My opinions
are based on my own experience as a volunteer when serf.
ing on General Garibaldi's staff in the war of 1859, and
• commander of brie in the last war. I have also served
with regular troops both in England and in Italy.
Your correspondents on this subject overrate the value of
• mare knowledge of company and battalion dnll. Some of
the most brilliant officers of volunteers in the last two
Italian wars were almost wholly ignorant of anything of the
sort. It is also a mistake to fancy that examinations of
any kind can with advantage be made compulsory on volun.
teer officers

---Thefintrequhument in one .110 conlll3llll, ■ TOlntltbelll ie
that be should he willingly followed by his men. This rosy,
in the present state of English society, be fully secured 111
the usual manner, by Firing most of the commissions to mm
of territorial or other influence hr the country. The with
requirement is that those who mu lead should know exactly
how it is to be dose. Look for • moment at the
Peninsular War— was the Spanish army any effective
aid to the British? Were not the operations of the British
mneh more usefully seconded by the guerilla'? Aod what
did they know of drill? Yet they did much more good
service than their brother volunteers who were massed is
the battalions of an army. If the volunteers were called
upon to act in this country, they would be best employed in
• similar manner. With this view they must master the
details of what the French cell "la petite guerre," mean-
iug outpost duty, skirmishing, escorting, and all the other
them=operations of war. These they will find in
of Colonel Jebb, wed, if they read French
or German, in the incomparable manual of Dicker.
Time is no doubt that • few lectures, by some officer ex-
portended in the epernlions of volunteers, would greatly
help them to acquire what they want ; but to make any
such instruction compulsory would only deter from per
fitisig by it those meet competent to do so. It is quits
though to place it within their reach, and leave the rest to
their sense of duty, stimulated by the increased confidence
which would be reposed in them by their men.
A cordial desire to contribute towards the efficiency et
the younger officers must account for their being &likened
in these few lines by
Aug. 19. A COLONEL OF VOLUNTEERS.

An order has been issued that the steel vent-
pieces of the 100-pounder Armstrong gam are to be at ones
changed for others made d wrought iron. Several of the
steal vent•pieces hays broken lately on the gun being dis-
charged, and hence the issuing of the present order, which
will be first carried out with respect to all guns issued to
the fleet.

The new depot barrack for recruits of the
Royal Marines is now in full operation at Wslmer. A
library and school have just been formed. Each married
men of the establishment has a plot of laud allotted to him
for cultivation. The present number of inmates, chiefly
recruits from the three divisions of Chatham, Portsmouth,
and Woolwich, is 400, sod, aa a proof of the advantages of
removiu; young recruits from the temptations incident to
large garrison towns, it is worthy of remark that daring
the three months since this depot has been opened in no
case Das an inmate been charged before a magistrate.

The Rev. Alfred Poole has been licensed by the
Bishop of Winchester to the perpetual curacy of Purbrook,
in the county of Southampton, and diocese of Winchester,
on the nomination of the Rev. E. T. Richards, rector of
Furlington.

We regret to learn of the death, on the 13th inst.,
at Lower Walmer, Bent, of Thomas Wiliam Atkinson.
Seq., F.R.G.S., F.G.S., for many yams travelling in Central!
Asia, and author of " Travels in Siberia and on the Amoor."

Madame Tuaaaud's Exhibition w•as hououred on
Saturday night last by a visit from the Dowager Queen of
Spain, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Montpen-
oder and suite.

Letters from Spain say that the heat was increasing
errerywhere ; at Madrid it had attained 110 des. (75 Fah-
=bait) in the shade !

The Journal de Frankfort of the 11th says :
" It may be remembened that a Duke of Wurtomberg some
time since married at Hamburg a Mdlle. Fressini, a singer
a► the Opera in that city. A few days since the Prince de
Lowenstein-Werticheitn, following the example, visited
Hamburg for the purpose of celebrating his marriage with
as actress, a native of that city, Ydlla Amelia Woltrava."

• - -
COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL—DOVER, MONDAY
NOON.—At 8 o'clock this morning the Elizabeth, of North
Shield., Master J. Williams, laden with coal from New-
castle to Enieworth, came into collision with the Ameritna
brigantine Amason. In • few minutes the Elizabeth be-
came a total wreck, and sank in deep water. The captain
and crew were picked up by the Amazon, and brought into
Dover, where they are now sheltered at the Sailors' Home.
The men escaped only with their lives, end were unable to
save any of their clothing. The Amason remains in Dory
Harbour to repair damages. She had a very narrow escape,
as she became entangled in the rigging of the Elizabeth.
APOTHECARIES' HALL—The following are the
names of gentlemen who passed their examitpition in the
science and practice of medicine, and received certificake to
practise, on Thursday List :—L. Fisher, Chorlev, Lancashire ;
L. B. Brunton, Waterloo.place, Limehouse ; E. B. Gardner.
On the Bth inst.—R. S. Adams, Lymington, Hants. The
following gentlemen also ou the mine day peened their first
examination : B. Eddowes, Swinton-street; W. J. Le Tall,
Woodhouse, Sheffield • T. Joyce, Newbury, Berke ; C. D.
Shepherd, Fredericketnet, Gray's Inn.road ; J. L. Newton,
London Hospital.
TH it GOLD DISCOVERIES IN HALIYAL—The recent
discovery of rich gold washings as Lanenburg, about6o miles
westward of Halifax, is causing great excitement amongst all
classes of people throughout the province. At first it was
considered that the gold was confined to the shore, but it
has been found to extend 2.1 miles back, and in fact is
spread all over the province, east to west. At Tangier.
where the first discoveries were made, there are et pretest
about 1,200 men at work. The gold is in mall
quartz veins among slate rock, about 20 feet in
depth. Fair returns were made liv the miners, and
Dew discoveries are constantly being mac of gold.bearing
quartz veins ; but by far the richest diwiegs are the wash-
ing sands at Lunenburg, which are yielding 100 dollars per
day per man. Several mining companies are being formed.
and one extensive firm in North America has taken up 70
claims at Lunenburg, and intends working them vigorously.
The claims allotted by the government are 30 feet by 30
feet, for which the holder pay, 51. annually. A small vessel
will shortly sail for England loaded with the sand to be
washed in England. The Halifax Reporter tastes that four
men at Luneuburg obtained in one day 1.4 h. of the finest
gold. It is confidently expected that Nova Scotia will
shortly be one of the finest gold.produciag countries in the
world. _ _

---
Sou= Kw:rum:Tow Mum:au—During the week
ending 17th August, 1861, the visitors have been as follows:
On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free days, 4.784 ; en
Monday and Tuesday, free evenings. 3.045. On the three
students' days (admission to the public 6d.), 1.043 ; one
students' evening, Wednesday, 147 ; total, 9,019. From
the opening of the museum. 2, ,606.
CIIIISTAL rALACX. OHH SHILLING DAT.••••
MONDAY. AVOCHT 19.—Arhaissions on payment, 4,834;
datte, by lemon tickets, 363 ; total,