The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-13 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

The Secretary of State for War has been in communica-
tion with the military authorities at Aldershot respecting
the rating of Government property, in consequence of
Major-Gen. Hodge, C. 8., haying been summoned to appear
before the magistrates for the non-payment of a poor-rate,
amounting to £6l6s, made on the 30th July last. The de-
fendant admitted the validity of the rate, and refused pay-
ment on the ground that the house and premises occupied
by him were the property of the Government, and provided
for him as quartorslfor himself and family. The case came
on for hearing at the Aldershot Petty Sessions on Monday.
Mr. R. E. Geach, solicitor, of Guildford, appeared on be-
half of the parish officers, and argued that although in
respect to the accommodation reasonably required for his
personal use, or for the necessary discharge of his duties,
the defendant was not liable (as laid down by the late
Mr. Justice Wightman), yet beyond the reasonable ac-
commodation he was rateable, the excess being in this
case caused by the residence of his wife and family
on the same premises. Major Smith, barrackmaster at
Aldershott, having proved that the quarters were the pro-
perty of the War-office, Major-General Hodge said he had
been in communication with the Secretary of State on the
subject, and had received from him the following informa-
tion, based upon a decision of Lord Campbell in the case of
"the Queen v. Fuller." The fact that an officer's wife
and children reside with him in his official quarters does
not make him liable for poor-rates. In Capt. Fuller's case
such an objection was taken, and the Court said, " If he to
exempted he is so in respect both of his personal occupation
and of his family." This was said by Lord Campbell, and
Sir W. Erie, the present Chief Justice of the Common
Pleas, said, " Officers are entitled to a reasonable occupation
by their families. They are not required to be single men."
Under these circumstances the magistrates cot sidered the
defendant:exempt, and the summons was dismissed.
On Saturday a detachment of 70 non-commissioned officers
and men of the first division of the depot brigade Royal
Artillery, in the Chatham district, left head-quarters and
proceeded to Portsmouth, in readiness for embarkation for
colonial service.
The old garrison church at Woolwich, vacated a short
time age on the completion of the new one, has been con-
verted into an amateur theatrical .room and lecture-hall. It
is most a delfanAtrarilelo:yrlyß
Barracks,
e
situated inthe
contains
availablecentre o
ac-
commodation
f th
e
longlinef for about 1,000 persons. The want of such a
building has long been felt,and the War Department readily
coincided with the desire of the Woolwich authorities for

A conference of gentlemen interested in the volunteer
movement generally and in rifle shooting specially com-
menced its sittings yesterday in the hall of King's College.
The object of the conference was stated to be to "enable
those who are interested in rifle shooting, to consider the
management of rifle matches4prize meetings, and other com-
petitions; to impart information as to the apparatus and
weapons employed, the targets, marking, and scoring, and
the various adjuncts of rifle shooting ; as well as to discuss
the arrangements and regulations which have been approved
by experience, or are suggested as further improvements."
The committee by whom it is promoted consists of up.
wards of 80 gentlemen connected with the Volunteer move-
ment in various parts of the country, Captain Macgregor, of
the London Scottish, being the chairman, and Lieutenant
Cunningham, 18th Middlesex (Harrow) Rifles, being the
henorary secretary. The proceedings are to extend over
three days, and the questions to be discussed are classed
under sections, those set down for consideration yesterday
relating to the general arrangements connected with rifle
shooting matches. The chairman of the day was Mr. W.
E. Forster, MX., captain commanding the 23d Yorkshire
Volunteer Rifles, and the secretaries were Mr. Rigby,
Dublin Rifle Club, and Captain Tyrrell, 30th Middlesex
Volunteers.
Captain MACGREGOR opened the proceedings by briefly
pointing out the necessity that existed for some such meet-
ing of Volunteers. They did not intend to hold themselves
out as an administrative body, nor as delegates to procure
fresh legislation, but they were simply a self-constituted
body whose desire it was to elicit information and opinions
which would be afterwards embodied in a report which
could be considered by thov mho felt an interest in the pro-
gressrof rifle shooting. lw."
The CHAIRMAN, after observing that he had consented
to preside less as a practical authority than because he had
not expressed, nor even formed, strong opinions upon many
of the points that would probably be mooted in the course
of the discussion, called upon the gentlemen who had pre-
pared papers to read them to the meeting.
Capt. WOODS (Central London Rifle Rangers) then read
a`paper upon the general arrangements for rifle matches. He
recommended that early entries should be encouraged, but
that pest.entries should be permitted either with or without
additional fee. In respect to squadding in small-bore con-
tests, the squads should not exceed five men, and with the
Government weapon shouitl consist of not more than 8 or
10. If sighting were permitted ,;t the targets not more than
three shots should be allowed. Zhe disputed question con-
cerning ties ought to be considered, anti might be prevented
by the adoption of a code of by-laws.
Mr. BIANCH, of Liverpool, made a statement as to the
decline of rifle shooting in Lancashire, and the steps which
he and others had taken to revive it. He considered that
decline had arisen from imperfect organisation, the evils of
which had not been felt at first when the movement had
novelty to recommend it. The list of prize-winners showed
that the fortunate competitors were a few old hands at
shooting, and some other gentlemen whose natural tastes
and command of time and money had enabled them to attain
a suprising standard of efficiency. It was, he thought; a
great mistake to place all competitors at rifltimatches upon
the same footing as hitherto, the result of which had been
in Lancashire to deter from competition all but a select few.
In order to meet that difficulty a rifle meeting was held at
Southport, at.which the prizes only amounted in value to
£9O, but, being offered to those who hal never won a prize
of £lO, they attracted no less than 189 competitors. Here-
commended the separation of rifle competitions into classes,
so that prizes might not be monopolised by a few, and that a
prize of large value be offered for the best shot, which should
confer upon the winner the championship of England.
Sergeant THORNBURY (V,ctorias) next read a paper, in
which it was suggested that all entries should be made at
least one day before shooting, so that squadding could be
easily and satisfactorily arranged. Post-entries he dis-
proved, and if allowed at all they should not be permitted
later than half an hour before shooting, those thus entering
to be squadded by themselves. Re-entries ought never to
be allowed, as giving an undue advantage to the richer com-
petitors. Squadding should be adopted in all matches,
but where men entered for several contests which were
proceeding at the same time there was great difficulty, and,
therefore, ho recommended that the first stage of the shooting
for the Queen's Prize at Wimbledon should be kept distinct
from the All Comers' Prizes. Not more than two sighting
shots should be allowed, and bad weather should not be per•
mitted to interfere with the progress of a match once be-
gun. lie also suggested that a court of appeal, composed of
practical men, should bo established, to whom, with the
umpire's cousunt, disputed points might be refer red.
The CHAIRMAN observed-that the great difficulty was,
how to provide for the just claims of the first-class shots,
and at the same time to encourage those who had not yet
attained to a sufficient degree of excellence to compete with
such accomplished antagonists.
A prolonged discussion then ensued, in which all the
various points referred to is the papers were debated. A
general opinion was expressed Brest the practice of allowing
sighting shots should he continued, not only because of the
pecuniary advantage it praduced to the match funds, but
because it placed the competitors upon an equal footing
with regard to the particular target fired at. Some gentle-
men, however, insisted that sighting shots were injudicious
and that every rifleman ought to shoot as he would when
sporting or in the battle field. The subject of squadding
gave rise to much difference of opinion, an alphabetical ar-
rangement being objected to as unjust to some and unduly
advantageous to others, Ballotting for squads was sug.
gosted, but objected to on the ground that such a system
would require the attendaace of every man engaged in the
match at the commencement of the contest, and thus in-
volve the loss of time which many could not afford. A
more favourably received plan was that competitors upon
entry should name the time at which they would prefer to
the wishes of those engaged, It was agreed by all speakers
thatfire, aitndwtaahuhsigenhalyblde:quads to be formed in accordance with
desirable
le that the squads should not be
too large. A general concurrence of opinion was also ex-
pressed in favour of not allowing any match to be inter-
rupted by bad weather ao long as the target could be
fairly ol
likely
eal
ycourtto
interfere of al)
'aa
with
responsibility of the umpire, but on the other hand it was
e the
a s
deprecated bysome pge galw
argued that such a tributal would be gladly resorted to by
se eth The SSUtiras
umpires in cases of diffculty. A proposition which was
favourably received was that an authoritative statement of
the facts of each case subbitted to the court of appeal should
be published for the guidance of umpires and the satisfac-
tion of the competitors effected. Some remarks were also
made as to the desirability of encouraging county matches,
which it was suggested could be carried out economically
by the contending parties agreeing to shoot in their own
localities on the same day and as near as possible under the
same circumstances. A divergence of opinion prevailed as
to the practicability of marking misses in sighting shots,
although it was agreed that if it could be done it would be a
great assistance to the shooter to know in what way his
shots escaped the target.
In reply to a remark from Mr. Cunningham,
Capt. PAGE said the National Rifle Association intended
in future to limit the competition for the Queen's Prize to
effective volunteers.
The discussion having closed shortly before 6,
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the meeting upon the ex-
cellent tone in which it had been carried on, and expressed
his belief that great advantage wouldensue to the volunteer
cause and to rifle shooting by the comments that had been
made.
The conference then adjourned.
The subjects for discussion this day !elate to the appara-
tus connected with rifle shooting, targets, magazines, mark-
ing, &o. Lieut.-Col. Wattle, London Sifie Brigade, is to
preside.
On Thursday the subject of special conditions as to
weapons and men stands for discussion under the presidency
of the Duke of Wellington, and there will, also be a sub-
sect ional meeting to consider the subject of artillery matches
with heavy guns.

Bscreindege at Stirling,
neAar thes presented itself 02 the Forth
on Saturday. The
ice had been bearing for some days previouslYl and was of
ingNuleawr
considerable thickness. Oa Saturday afterneon, at least
from 600 to 700 parsons, including a number Wadies) wore
on the ice, when suddenly th° re cracked and broke from
bank to bank. Several extensive blocks of ice tecame de-
tached and floated slowly with the tido downwatis• These
rafts were covered With slaters and others, sem& of whom
leaped from the smaller to the larger blocks. A cry was
made for planks and ladders, which were speedily rocared,
but from the rush made to the side great confution was
caused. Boats were 'attached, but they became fixed
among the ice, and were of little service. At length, when
the alarm had subsided, tbe. large numbers on the 03 got
nelpally by means of planle and
ashore one at a time, pr.
ladders.
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ads me feel lighter and more
cheerful than all the ne I had taken previously."
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both body and mind. ' in diseases of the head, heart, and
kidneys, these pills are inoluable, not only removing dan-
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resulting from ipjtuliQiouB treatment.

Alderman Sir DUKE, M.P., seconded the motion.
Alderman SIDNEY, M.P., said that but for what had been
stated by the senior member of the Court with regard to the
rights of the Court of Alderman, he should possibly have
allowed the motion to pass sub silentio, but he could not help
thinking that, by aptu2g tyclpsop_2B.itivh. the Lriviletres
himself brother magistrates were taken from 6hem.
(Hear, hear.) He was aware there was a jealousy upon
this subject in the other branch of the Corporation, but he
could not help expressing his opinion, notwithstanding what
had been said by Alderman Copeland, that the magistrates
of this great Corporation had an undoubted right to move
an Address to the Crown upon so important and interesting
an occasion as the present, and to present that address,
as any other body of magistrates in the kingdom. (Hear,
hear.) As to the inconvenience that had been alluded to of
so large a body going up to the Crown, if he remembered
rightly this difficulty was merely suggested by the Secretary
of State for the time, and he was not aware that any objec-
tion had ever been raised by the Crown to the magistrates
of the City of London offering it their loyal homage upon an
occasion like the present. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman CHALLIS said he fully concurred in what had
just been stated by his brother alderman. It appeared to
him that this court ought not lightly to give up any of their
ancient privileges, and he could see no objection to two ad-
dresses to her Majesty, one from this Court and one from
the Court of Common Council being agreed to. (Hear.)
Alderman COPELAND wished the Court to clearly under-
stand that he bad no desire to sacrifice any of their privi-
leges, and when the proposition was made originally that
there should be only one address to the Throne upon such
an occasion, he opposed it. If however they referred to the
journals of the Court, they would find that the course he
now proposed had always been taken, and he had therefore
no alternative but to propose it on the present occasion. If
however the Court should be of opinion that a special ad-
dress should be presented by them to her Majesty, he was
quite ready to support such a motion. (Hear, hear,)
The LORD MAYOR then rose and read a telegram he had
received that morning, announcing that her Royal High-
ness the Princess of Wales and the royal infant were pro-
gressing favourably.
Some further discussion then took place, during which

Alderman Sir ft. CARDEN proposed a motion to the effect
that the Court of Alderman should present a special address
to the Throne upon the auspicious event that had called
them together.

The LORD MAT OR, under the advice of the Recorder,
however, ruled that this could not be done unless the stand-
ing orders %fere suspended, as the Court had assembled for
a special purpose.
Alderman SIDNEY said he was quite ready to move that
the standing orders be suspended; but at the suggestion of
the Lord Mayor, and after a few observations had been
made by Alderman Phillips, Sir R. Carden consented not to
take any further proceedings in the matter at present, upon
the understanding that a special court should be called at
an early day to enable him to do so.
The motion of Alderman Copeland was then agreed to,
and the Court adjourned.