The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-01 00:00:00

THE SON, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1864

it has by no means lost its interest with the general
public as the meetings at Brighton and Wimbledon
may show, while every such review or general

assembly proves that we have no reason to fear for
the number or efficiency of the force. The sturdy

spirit of perseverance which characterises English-
men is in this instance assisted by a deep-rooted
conviction of the practical value of the movement,

while the mere interest of the athletic and. rifle

practice has had, we may suppose, its influence
upon some. It was felt that it would be a matter
of national reproach and humiliation, if a move-
ment so warmly taken up were suffered to die of
inanition, and we may congratulate ourselves that
the time of trial is so far past that we may rank the

Volunteer movement among our regularly esta-
blished institutions. It has been wisely and judi-
ciously done to arrange prominent meetings in the
course of every year so as not only to keep alive
the interest so generally felt in th© movement, but
to stimulate the energies of the Volunteers them-

selves, to afford a public test of their training and
to encourage the practice of rifle shooting through-

out the kingdom. The Easter Monday review is
looked forward to by many besides the actual

volunteers, and has hitherto passed off most satis
factorily. The meeting at Wimbledon is even
more useful since national skill with the rifle is no
unimportant auxiliary to the Volunteer movement.
At the general meeting held on Saturday, under
the presidency of the Duke of CAMBRIDGE, his
royal highness mentioned some statistics which
afford gratifying evidence that the service has by
by no means lost its attractions. The competitors
for the Queen's Prize in 1862 were 913 in num-
ber, while in 1863 they increased to 1,145. The
total Volunteer entries in 1862 were 1,283, but in
the year following they had increased nearly
1,500. The total all-comers in 1862 amounted to
3,269, while last year they reached the number
of 4,684. With regard to the financial
position of the association its affairs are
satisfactory, although not flourishing. Its
income, last year, amounted to £12,000, show-
ing an increase of nearly 3,000 on that of the pre-
vious year, although the amount expended in prizes
was greater by a thousand pounds. Nevertheless
the amount possessed by the Association in funded
property is so small—only £4,ooo—as to necessitate
prudence, and his Royal Highness, the President,
expressed the conviction of the Council that it
would be wise to defer all great increase of expen-
diture until their funded property should amount
to £lO,OOO. This may seem at first a large sum,
but the Council are probably in the right. Their
income, at present, is principally dependent on
casual and uncertain resources, and however liberal
the public may now be, a movement of national
character and importance should be placed above
the reach of any fluctuations of sentiment or of com-
mercial prosperity. It is thought desirable that the
Association should possess a reserve fund, which
shall put it on a permanent footing, and render it
independent of any sudden reverse or unforeseen
contingency of any kind. One very practical sug-
gestion for increasing their resources has been made
and will probably be put into execution. It is pro-
posed that instead of only one competitor from each
company being allowed for the QUEEN'S prize two
may be selected, and that the entry, instead of 10s.
shouid be 203. The entry being purely voluntary,
there is no hardship in this trifling increase, but it
will make Aseful addition to the income of the
Association. Various other topics connected with
the Volunteers were considered at the meeting on
Saturday, and the sensible practical tone of the
discussion augurs favourably for the stability of the
Aueociation and the efficiency of the force.

Earl GRANVILLE last night moved the second
reading of the Insane Prisoners' Bill. It is satis-
factory that something has been resolved upon at
last to mitigate the evils that have arisen from the
present mal-administration of the law, and the vent
insufficient provision which its statutes now make
for the due administration of justice. As Lord
GRANVILLE explained the alteration which was to
be made, it seems a very feasible one, and one
likely to answer the purpose in view. Instead of
the Secretary of State being called upon, as at pre-
sent, to remove 3 prisoner to a lunatic asylum if

the certificate of his insanity is signed by any two
medical men and two justices, it is arranged that
henceforth the certificate must be signed by two
visiting justices, and two medical men appointed
by. them. Of course, by this means there will be
a greater responsibility resting with the justice, and
the whole arrangements will not be hurried over as
they often are at present, and the public will discover
at last that an important questionlof justice has been
thoroughly mismanaged. The angry altercations
and confused accounts that get abroad in such cases

is very detrimental to the interests of justice, and
must prove hurtful in its effects on the criminal
population, that ought especially to be influenced
by the solemn majesty of the law in dealing with
offenders. Notwithstanding some objections that
were raised, the bill was read a second time.
This is as it should be, for an important change
has now been made, and the danger in these
cases always is that the session be wasted in the
discussion of the proper treatment and difficulties,
and after one has brought forward his plan and
another introduced his scheme objections are raised
to one and the other, and at last the important
settlement is indefinitely deferred. This question
of the lunacy of a prisoner who is condemned to
death is one that ought to be attended to promptly,
and the Government deserve credit for having done
something to put an effectual check to the recur-
rence of a scandal as that which recently took place
in the case of TOWNLEY. Doubtless, there is great
truth in the objections urged by Lord ST. LEONARDS
as to the inadvisablity of introducing an alteration
into la measure because of the excitement which
prevailed in consequence of the mischievous effects
of the said measure. The fact is, however, that
nothing of a remedial nature is over done unless
some great event calls it forth, and the urgent ne-
cessity arises of putting a stop to evils. It is better,
therefore, to act in these matters not quite en regale
rather than to lose opportunities and waste precious
time. It is, then, considering all things, to be re-
garded as a qualifying occurrence, that some definite
progress has been made in the bill to amend the
laws relating to insane prisoners.

Yesterday afternoon witnessed an interesting
ceremonial, which although partly a matter of form
and precedent, was yet raised in some degree above
the level of mere courtly routine. The presentation
of congratulatory addresses to the Prince and
Princess of WALES, on the birth of their infant son,
was more than a simple profession of loyalty. It
expressed in some degree the warm and cordial in-
terest which the public feel in the welfare and hap-
piness of the young Prince and his bride, and the
gratification with which they see the prospect of an
assured continuance of that Royal house which has
become so much endeared to the people through the
virtues and graces of Queen VICTORIA. \Ve have
every reason to hope that when the Prince of 'WALES
shall be called on in the inevitable course of years
to wear his mother's crowc he may wear it as
worthily, as constitutionally as she has done. At
present the young Heir to the Throne has had
little opportunity of displaying his capacities or his

sympathies, but we know that he has studied the
aspects and the histories of the Old World and the
New, that he has had every opportunity of acquire
ing that enlightenment, that toleration and free-
dom from prejudice which form so important
a part of the qualifications of a ruler,
more especially of a busy, thinking, acting
people like our ',own. The interest which
we all felt in the young Danish Princess at
the time of her arrival has only been increased by
her residence among us, and it is now considerably
heightened by the unmerited misfortunes of her
father and her country. We all feel that, however
bright the hopes and peaceful the scenes which
surround her here, her thoughts mast instinctively
turn to the home oilier early life and the people she
so long dwelt among. Even in the pride and de-
light of the young mother, and her confidence in
the future which awaits her little son, should he be
spared to reach man's estate, her heart must be
touched by the terrible anxieties of her father and
saddened by the clouds which are closing round
him. It must be a grief to the Princess that her
adopted country has as yet given no further aid to
him in the struggle, but at least she must feel con-
vinced of the warm sympathy of which all classes
and all parts of the three kingdoms feel with her
sorrow as well as her joy—sharing alike in the in-
ense eagerness with which she watches events in
,he North, and participating still more in her re-
joicings over her infant's cradle,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE,

LitETJTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

VISIT OF KING LEOPOLD TO ENGLAND.
BRUSSELS, MARCH 1, 1.10 P.M.
The King of the Belgians will leave to-morrow
for London accompanied by a small suite.

MEXICO.

PARIS, MARCH 1.

Advices received here from Vera Cruz to the Ist
February state that the insurrection in favour of
French intervention had triumphed at all points in

Yucatan.

General Banine was returning to the city of
Mexico, where he was expected to arrive shortly.

DENMARK AND THE CONFERENCE,
COPENHAGEN, FEB. 29, 8.37

A telegram received here states that the Garman
papers announce the acceptance by Denmark of
the proposal for a Conference.

The Berlingske lidende of to-day semi-officially
denies this statement, and says :—" Should the
basis of a Conference be a political union between
Schleswig and Holstein, or a personal union of
the Duchies with Denmark, the Government will
not accept the proposal."