The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-01 00:00:00

The Volunteers,

The 4th Tower Hamlets, which formerly formed an ad-
ministrative battalion with the 6th Tower Hamlets, has so
strongly recruited its ranks as to be entitled to a separate
staff, and it is now made a distinct battalion under Lieut,-
Colonel De La Rue. A large drill ground has been pur-
chased for the use of the corps by the honorary colonel, Sir
H. De Hoghton, and the presentation of prizes by inhabi-
tants for good shooting has been the means of encouraging
the members to practise beforo the target, for which facili-
ties are offered by the acquisition of butts at Brentwood and
Tottenham.

The 6th Tower Hamlets, under Lieut.-Col. Money, has
also lately had large additions made to the regiment, and
the presentation of a handsome silver cup, value 100 guineas,
by the inhabitants of the district, through the instrumen-
tality of Mr F. Till and Mr J. Bacon, has induced a very
large proportion of the regiment to class and make them-
selves otherwise efficient, in order to be qualified to compete
for this prize, which is to be the winner's absolute property.
The cup is about three feet in height, and contains about
120 oz. of sterling silver.
The Finsbury Rifle Corps (39th Middlesex) was lately in-
epected by Col. M'Murdo, who expressed himself as pleased
with the manner in whichthe regiment, which is commanded
by Lieut.-Col. Penton, acquitted itself on this occasion.
The muster rolls show a steady increase of members since
the Government grant, through which the cost of joining
the regiment is much lowered. The watchmakers and other
manufacturers of the neighbourhood in which the head-
quarters of the regiment are situated have acted very libe-
rally towards the volunteers by presenting valuable articles
for competition, and the ladies halve presented a cup, valued
at £3O, for the same purpose.

The prize competition of the 9lh (West) Middlesex Rifles
which opened on Thursday at the Wormwood Scrubbs butt,
was concluded on Saturday. The chief winners of the bat-
talion prizes were Sergeant Garner, Private Corruack, and
Sergeant Baker. The regimental challenge cup was won by
Sergeant Garner. Sergeant Grey won the officers' and ser-
geants' prize of £lO, given by Messrs. Snelgrove and Mar-
shall, and Corporal Prosser won the rank and file prize of
£lO given by the same firm. Lieut. Matriner, Private Witts,
and Private Bass were also winners of prizes at different
ranges.
The engineering inspection of the let Middlesex Engineer
Volunteers took place on the 25th ult., under the superin-
tendence of Colonel M‘Murdo and Colonel Erskine. It con-
sisted first of the trial of some new small infantry pontoons
which the members of the corps had made under the direc-
tion of the inventor, Captain Fowke, R.E. The trial of these
took place on the ornamental water of the Horticultural
Society's gardens, and proved their efficiency. The earth-
works were next inspected, and these consisted of a sunken
gun and mortar battery, together with a single sap leading
to a series of rifle pits on a neighbouring eminence. The
battery (which was revetted with sand bags and laid with
platforms, &c.) was separated from the sap by a sunken
roadway, over which, as a medium of communication, the
corps had thrown over a trestle bridge. Other members of
the corps were, besides those engaged on the works, occu-
pied in treeing batteries, making gabions, fascines, &c. The
rifle pits consisted of single pits and also of a chain. After
the inspection the officers of the corps entertained Colonel
M'Murdo and Colonel Erskine at dinner at Willis's Rooms;
the honorary colonel, Sir John Burgoyne, being unavoid-
ably absent from London.
On Saturday an encampment formed by the Ist Norfolk
administrative battalion of Volunteers in Gunton-park, at
the invitation of Colonel Lord Suffield, was broken up. It
was formed on Wednesday afternoon, so that the Volunteers
were three days under canvas. The troops assembled were
the Holt company, Ensign Wilkinson and 20 men ; Cromer,
Lieutenant Cramer and 11 men ; Dereham, Lieutenant
Freeman, Ensign Barwell, and 42 men; North Walsham
and Statham, Lieutenant M. Shepheard, Ensign Shepheard
and 77 men; Downham, Captain Reed, Lieutenant Bracken-
bury and 35 men; Aylsham, Captain Scott, Ensign Lombe,
and 50 men ; Fakenham, Lieutenant Palmer and 15 men ;
Holkham, Lieutenant Blythe and 35 men; iteepham,
Lieut. C. Wodehouse, Ensign Parmeter, and 23 men. Be-
sides these corps the lst Norfolk Light Horse, under the
command of Captain J. Hay Gurney, accepted the invita-
tion of Lord Suffield and arrived with the rest of the
troops on Wednesday evening, Their strength was four
officers, 1 sergt. major, 3 sergeants, 6 corporals, 1 trumpeter,
12 bandsmen, and 40 men. The battalion was commanded
by Colonel Lord Suffield, seconded by Major Holloway, and
the adjutant, Captain Bellairs. The chief event of the three
days for which the Volunteers were encamped was a review
by Captain Ibbetson. This took place on Friday afternoon ;
the troops marched past about 4 p.m., and afterwards en-
gaged in a sham fight. Colonel Ibbetson, who was accom-
panied, of course unofficially, by Lieut.-General Windham,
C. 8., complimented the troops at the close of the manoeuvres
upon the manner in which they had comported themselves.
The volunteers then proceeded to dinner, which was pro-
vided at the expense of Colonel Lord Suffield, who was sup-
ported by Lady Suffield and a party of friends. After a few
toasts had been given and responded to Lord and Lady
Suffield and the assembled troops and visitors adjourned to
a "camp fire" in the Wimbledon fashion, where songs
were sung, interspersed with performances by the band of
the first Norfolk Light Horse. It was midnight before the
camp fire was suffered to die out. Drill and shooting for
prizes formed the staple occupation of the encampments.
The principal prize was a silver cup, offered by Lord Suffield
for the beat shot at 200 and 503 yards. Government rifles
to be used, and five shots to be fired at each range. After
a well-sustained competition this contest was decided in
favour of Private Richardson, of the Fakenham Corps, who
scored 31, added hits and points together. Some other
prizes were also awarded, and some good practice was made.
Tents were procured from the War Department, and
these were fixed in a double row in the same part of the
park as was devoted to the purpose last year. Near the
tents accommodation was provided in the shape of lava-

tories, &e., and not far from the observatory were the
tents in which the officers were to mess, and Nhere the
public might obtain r%•freshments. These tents were erected
in the form of a square, ono aide of which consisted of
a very large marquee, reserved for the use of the men,
and capable of affording accommodation for 500 or 600
persons. The tent appropriated to the use of the public
was 120 ft. in length. Another tent of large dimen-
sions was used as a larder, and there was a separate tent for
the officers' mess. At 6 o'clock each morning the reveille
was sounded, and the camp then presented a busy scene.
The men turned out as the roll was called by the sergeants,
and halt an hour afterwards they were briskly employed in
putting their tents to rights, turning out their blankets and
palliasses, and raising the canvass for the admission of
fresh air. At 7 o'clock came breakfast, then came drill and
Bhwting—while some some of the men engaged in cricket
and other amusements. The weather was dry and fine, but
rather sultry and oppressive.
The volunteers of Barks held their annual prize meeting