The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-28 00:00:00

upon which a new prize offered by Lord Wemyss would be
shot for, Lord Eteho touched upon the constitution of the
games committee, and went on to say that the regiment was
in possession of capital curling grounds, and that he hoped
young Scotchmen who were now standing about him dressed
in brown and all sorts of mufti, instead of wearing gray and
being in the ranks, would come forward and join the club,
A golf club had also been started at Wimbledon,and though
he did not think the ground very favourable for the pur-
pose he was glad to hear of its establishment. One of the
most successful things at the Wimbledon meeting last year
was the Scotch camp, and neither he nor Lady Elebo could
ever forget the cordial welcome and very charming enter-
tainment which were there prepared for them. The only
complaints made were on the score of limited accommoda-
tion,so many persons having been anxious to join the camp.
Ho trusted that the rules of the National Association-would
permit this drawback to be rectified next year. Their band
was, as usual, very efficient; but he confessed to a little
feeling of uneasiness as to the attendance of the pipers since
he had read the account of the great Darbar held by Sir J.
Lawrence, fearing that the passion for Highland music dis-
played by the 630 native princes might have led these musi-
cians to dash out by the overland route to avail themselves
of such splendid openings. (Laughter.) He must say
that this predilection for the bagpipes showed the Indians
to be a highly civilized people. (Renewed laughter.) In the
Department of Science and Art at South Kensington the
Indian designs and patterns were upheld as the best in
the world; and surely, when we found this highly civi-
lized_ and - cultivated people taking to. the bagpipes the
Scotch had a right to say that those who did not appreciate
such music were in a melancholy state of darkness. (Much
laughter and applause.) Having explained that Lieut.-Gen.
Sir Hope Grant had accepted the post of honorary colonel,
rendered vacant by the death of Lord Clyde, Lord Elcho
went on to speak of the arrangements as to di ill for the
coming year. Experience showed that hitherto in metro-
politan corps too many opportunities for drill had been
given, the result being that Volunteers wore hardly ever
collected together in numbers sufficient for a good battalion
drill until they came to be inspected. No one was to be
blamed for this ; every one no doubt came when he could,
and the day which suited one was not convenient for an-
other; but the evil was not one from which country corps
suffered, because the companies comprising the administra-
tive battalions were always drilled near their own homes by
their own officers, and generally had pretty full musters.
A couple of times in the year they meet for battalion drill,
each company in its integrity going by train to a central
point, and eventually in the same way to their inspection.
Therefore, unless the metropolitan corps took some means
of getting good battalion drills before inspection, they ran
the danger of being worse drilled than the country corps.
What was proposed with this end in view was to concen-
trate the drills, taking pains to ascertain beforehand what
times would be most convenient to the members generally.
All that was requisite was six battalion drills, or nine ap-
pearances in the year, and he felt convinced that volunteers
generally would co4operate with their officers in distribut-
ing these attendances as advantageously as possible. One
of the great features in the coming volunteer year was, as
they no doubt knew, the change of Inspector.. General.
The rules of the service as regarded staff appointments ob-
liged Col. M'Murdo at the end of five years to retire from
the office which he had filled with so much credit and honour
to himself, and unquestionably with such advantage to the
service. It was not by any means desirable that testimo-
nials should be given to every inspector, but Col. M'Murdo
had seen the birth of the movement and had nursed it into
vigour and efficiency,so that among a very large section of
the volunteer force a desire, he knew, existed to present
Col. M'Murdo with some solid recognition on his retirement
from office. He was to be succeeded by Col. Erskine;
and, though it was always invidious to say that one man
was better qualified for a particular post than another, he
confessed that if he had to give his vote on the matter there
was no man whom he should prefer to Col. Erskine, who
had been trained under Col. M'Murdo, and was,
in all respects, a good and admirable officer,
thoroughly fitted for his position. He hoped that when
the London Scottish were next inspected they would not
lose the high character which they had deserved from the
late Inspector-General; and in conclusion he joined most
heartily in the wishes which Lady Elcho had expressed.
The companies, which had been drawn up so as to form
three sides of a square during the address and distribution
of prizes were then marched back to their original position,
lodged arms, dismissed, and the proceedings terminated.