The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-09 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

The London Artillery Corps carried out at Plums
stead on Saturday its periodical fortnightly gun
practice, and made some excellent firing. This bri.
gade has, by permission of the War Office and the
Court of Lieutenancy, made a very desirable change
in its head quarters, and now possesses a very con-
venient orderly room at Old Swan-lane, London-
bridge (109, Upper Thames-street.) Recruits are
there drilled daily between half-past 4 and 8 p.m.
On Saturday afternoon last the Tower Hamlets
Volunteers were inspected in the park attached to
Gidea-Hall, Hare-street, near Romford, the seat of
Mr J. R. Samuda, he being the Major Commandant.
The corps to the number of 400 marched about 12
o'clock from their head quarters, and proceeded by
special train to Romford, where they arrived safely.
The inspection was made by Col. M'Murdo, and
passed off most satisfactorily. At the termination
the whole corps, with a large number of the major's
private friends, proceeded to a spacious and ele.
they were entertained as guests of the major. Col.
M'Murdo complimented the men upon their effici-
-1
ency,
volunteers amused themselves with various
addresses
erected in the park,where
dresses had been delivered
gently
o y
at e r se v marqueeer a

games.
The annual prize v competitions Volunteer
of the 37th Mid-
d 1 eosnedxa(yß l
last,
• (ha
nteer Corps commenced on
concluded on Saturday.
The gold challenge medal of the regiment, pre-
sented by Mr J. Patrick
moom s baun rdy )
were
Patrick, for competition among
the first class men and marksmen, was won by Cor-
poral Gould, with 37 marks, at
300, 500, and 600
yards. The winner also carried off a prize of £5,
given by Mr. Patrick for Competition among those
who had held the medal. The silver medal of the
1, regiment, competed for
-7 first and second class
efficient members, at 200, 400, and 600 yards, was
won by Corporal Day, with 43 marks, The sum of
£2O, given by the commanding g officer, Lieut.-Col.
Corrie, for competition by 9n
-- men of each company,
in file and volley firing, was won by No. 5 company,
the members of which made a file-firing average of
7.20 in three rounds at 300
Yards, and 6.60 in volley
firing, or three rounds at 400 Yards. The sum of
£lO, given by Major Ware, for shooting at un-
known distances between 200 and 400 yards, was
divided into three prizes, which Were won by Cor-
poral Harvey, Private Holmes, and Private Forbes,
who made 31, 26, and 26 respectively v 1 in ten shots.
The shooting throughout Was excellent.
On Saturday the most important review of Volun-
teers which will be held this autumn in the Eastern
Counties took place at Harwich
and Doverconrt.
The locality is bounded en three sides by water—
on the north by the River Stour; on the east by the
broad and spacious harbour formed by the conflu-
ence of the Stour and the Orwell _
; and on the south
by the German Ocean. The entrance to the harbour
is commanded by an extensive fortification, known
as the redoubt, around which is thrown up a very
large mound of earth, apparently close to the walls,
but in reality separated from them by a wide ditch,
crossed at one point only by a drawbridge, which, as
this work was intended to be one of the main points
of attack and defence, was prepared to be raised.
The garrison on this occasion consisted of four artil-
lery corps—viz., 2d Middlesex, 170 strong, Capt.
Cox, who zs senior officer had the general command;
Ist Essex (Harwich), 59, Cant. Daniels; 3.1 Essex
(Greys), 50, Capt. Banes; and 2d Suffolk (Ipswich),
20, Lieut. Cobbold, constituting a force of nearly
, 300. On Beacon-hill, stilt nearer to the mouth
of the harbour, was established a three gun battery,
worked by a. detachment of Colonel Palmer's Essex
Yeomanry Artillery, under the command of Capt.
M'Gorrey ; and at about half a mile distance on the
Dovercour.t cliffs was posted another detachment of
the same force with a battery of six guns, under
the command of Ca ptain Edenborough and Captain
Cater. The la ttor with the tat Essex Engineers

(Captain Bensall) constituted the only defence to
the south, or seaward side of the position, and its
comparative weakness naturally suggested it as the
most favourable point of attack. The redoubt with
its heavy guns worked in embrasures which com-
manded every point of approach might probably
have been able to take care of itself; but in rear of
it was posted a strong infantry force consisting of
the 2d Essex Administrative Battalion (Victoria
Docks) 300 strong, commanded by Col. Capper;
41st Middlesex (Enfield Lock), 300, Capt. Senly ;
and the 3d London, 270, Captain Brett. The duty
of representing the "enemy" was assigned to the
Ist Essex Administrative Battalion, about 200
strong, commanded by Colonel Sir Claude de
Crespigny, and comprising the corps from Colches-
ter, Chelmsford, Witham, Braintree, Maldon, and
Dedham. Aitoget her the Volunteer force amounted
to about 2,000. By the special permission of the
Admiralty, the Magnet gunboat (tender to her
Majesty's ship Pembroke, stationed at Harwich)
was allowed to co-operate in the demonstration, so
that there was at least a semblance of a sea attack
as well as that on land. The plan or idea which
the operations were intended to work was a very
simple one. The enemy was supposed to have
effected an unopposed landing below Dovercourt,
and to have first shown himself in rear of Colonel
Palmer's six-gun battery. A sharp fight took place,
but eventually the guns were so far silenced that a
couple of corps (Braintree and Chelmsford) were
deemed suffieient to keep them engaged, while the
main body made a flank movement in the direction
of the redoubt. As soon as this design was dis-
covered the heavy guns of the fortifications were
brought into'play, and at the same time the battery
on Beacon-hill was engaged by the Magnet. The
firing of the garrison was very rapid and well sus-
tained, but the enemy pressed on to the very foot
of the mound, and had begun the ascent (the draw■
bridge being raised at their approach), when the
defending force of infantry, under Colonel Capper,
was brought against them, and by dint of over-
whelming numbers compelled retreat to the original
position at Dovercourt, where the invader was sup.,
posed to be finally defeated. General Guy, from
Colchester garrison, who was sent down by the
War-office to direct the movements of the day, then
took up his position at the flagstaff, and the entire
force marched past in open column. All the moves
men ts:were very efficiently carried out, and obtained
the warm commendation of the General in com-
mand, the only point of complaint being that in
one or two corps there was talking in the ranks,
which he hoped would be avoided in future. The
General added that he felt proud of commanding so
fine a body of men, and although about to proceed
to China he hoped he should live to meet them three
years hence on some similar occasion. General Guy
was attended by Brigade Mejor Vacher, from Col-
chester garrison, and Captain Bender, sth Fusiliers,
was aide-de-camp.
In Suffolk the Ipswich corps has resumed its
class-shooting. A challenge cup and a prize of £5
given by the mayor of Ipswich (Mr G. C. E. Bacon)
wero won by Private Ilaward, who also holds a
monthly challenge cup. The fifth annual meeting
for prize shooting of the Framlingham corps took
place on Thursday. A silver snuffbox was shot for
at 150 and 250 yards by third class men, and
was won by Sergeant Garneys. The second con-
test was for a silver watch open :to the effective
members of the corps, and was won by Private
Pendle. The third contest was confined to first- class
Volunteers and those who bad obtained eight points
in the previous match. The prize was won by
Private Ashford. The prizes were distributed by
Mrs. Austin.

The annual prizo meeting of the Bristol (Ist
Gloucestershire) Artillery Corps took place on
Saturday, at the battery at tne river's mouth, un-
der Lieut.-Colonel Saville, commandant. Prizes
amounting in the aggregate to about £BO were shot
for with the artillery rifled carbine, long Enfield
rifle, and the 18. pounder guns. The first match
was open to all comers, any weapon, any position,
range 300 yards, target 61t. by 2ft., seven shots.
There were a large number of competitors in this
match, which, however, was not completed, the ties
having to be shot off on Thursday next. The
prizes amounted to £22 10s. The second match
was for Artillery Volunteers, open to any artillery
corps; weapon, artillery rifled carbine; Govern•
ment pattern ranges, 150, 200, and 300 yards ; tar..
gets, Gfr. by 2ft. The winner of the highest prize
was Gunner Brookman (Ll 2 or cup), 30 points.
The third match was open to the artillery batteries
of Gloucestershire and Somersetshire, 18-pounders,
range 8,500 yards, three rounds each. A detach.
went of the Clevedon Corps was the only one that
competed with the Bristol Corps. The prize for
No. I best gun detachment for general steadiness
and efficiency in working, silver eup, value £5, was
awarded to Sergeant-Major Haddon, of the Bristol
Corps.
The Glamorganshire Volunteers had their annual
review on Fort Talbot-moors on Tuesday afternoon.
Colonel Egerton, of Pembroke Dock, was the officer
in command, and he was accompanied by Colonel
Talbot, M.P., Lord-Lieutenant of the county, and
other officers. The whole force numbered about
3,000, or 700 more than last year. The usual evo-
lutions were gone through, after which the men

were formed in threo sides of a square, spectators

occupying the fourth, and they were addressed
by Colonel Egerton, who complimented them on
their efficiency-, and said the movements they had

gone through would not disgrace more prac-
tised hands. The Lord. Lieutenant followed with

some complimentary remarks, and then distributed
the prizes to the successful competitors. The fol-
lowing were the first prizes—Artillery great gun
prize, £2O, to the 2d Glamorgan Artillery Volun-
teers; second do., £lO to the Ist Glamorgan ; short
range, £lO to private Edward Thomas ; long range,
£2O, Corporal Edward Jones ; LordeLieut.'s prize,
£2O. Private Douthwaite ; Lord Lieut.'s prize of
£5O and champion medal to Sergeant Resher ; Lieut.
Colonel Grenfell's prize, £5 58., Corporal It. Jones,
Ladies' prize, £2O cup, Colour Sergeant Williams
field officers' prize, Major Talbot ; all corners' prize,
£2O, Corporal E. G. Williams.
The 3d administrative battalion of the West York
Volunteers, under the command of Lieut. Colonel
Holdsworth, were inspected by Lieut. Colonel Har-
man, the inspecting officer of the district, on Mon.
day week, on Heath Common, near Wakefield. At
the inspection a year ago the five corps composing
the battalion—Wakefield, Dewsbury, Birstal, Selby
and Goole—mustered 391, while this year, with one
corps less, Selby, and that forming one of the
strongest companies in the battalion, the number of
men on parade was 475. After the battalion had
been put through several movements, Col, Harman
addressed the offisers and men and spoke very
warmly of the very fine muster which. was shown;
in fact, he said the batallion was the largest he had
inspected :his year; and it was perhaps owing to
the large number of recruits which must of neces.
sity be among them that in one or two instances
they had shown signs of unsteadiness. On the
whole, their drill and efficiency were such that be
should feel bound to report very favourably of their
bearing to the Secretary of State for War.
A good contest at the rifle shooting took place
near Halifax on Wednesday last between ten of the
Halifax and ten Rochdale Volunteer Rifle Corps.
The ranges competed at were 200 and 500 yds, seven
shots at each distance, Wimbledon scoring.,, In con-
sequence of the absence of three members of the
Rochdale club the averages for the absentees had
to be added to the scores at the conclusion
of the shooting of the squad. The shooting on the
whole was excellent ; indeed, there were as many
as eight bull's-eyes got at the first range, and nine
out of ten at the second. The Halifa%
party won
by 13. The highest scores, 54 each, were made by
Mr. Harrison, Mr. Clements, and Mr. Thomas, all
belonging to the Halifax corps.
The annual competition of tine Durham County