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

THE LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE.

The annual distribution of prizes competed for and won
by the members of the London Rifle Brigade took place on
Saturday at the Crystal Palace. It is rather curious that
this corps, which especially represents in the Volunteer
force the great city of London, sheu'd hold its annual meet-
ing at a distance of six miles from its head quarters, while
in almost every other instance the ceremony of distributing
prizes is performed in the district to which the particular
corps is attached. It would seem to be more appropriate
to invite the City of London Rifles to Guildhall rather
than to compel the Lord Mayor to meet them on a winter's
-c my at Sydenbai.i. The ceremony on Saturday took
place in front of the Handel Orchestra, which was hand-
somely decorated, and the fortunate winners received
their respective rewards from the hands of the Lady
Mayoress. Among those who occupied places near her
ladyship were Lady Harriett Warde, the Lord M yor,
the Sheriff; Aldermen Dakin and Bagley, Mr Alderman
Rose, 241. P. (Major in the London Rifle Brigade), Mr Alder-
man Finnis, Colonel Erskine, Deputy-Inspector of Volun-
teers, Colonel Wilkinson, Rev. Dr. Mortimer, &o. The
prizes, which were numerous, and of a varied character,
exceeding £7OO in value, were exhibited upon tables on
either hand of the Lady Mayoress, and among the contri
bators were the Merchant Taylors', the Clothworkers', the
Grocers', the Fishmongers, the Vintners', and the Drapers'
Companies, but there was still noticeable the absence of the
great names associated with the wealthy commerce of the
city of London, Messrs. Silver being almost the only re-
presentatives of that numerous class who might be expected
to take an especial interest in this the city corps of Volun.
tears. The list of prizes and prize winners was too long for
quotationl and it must suffice to state that among the most
successful members of the corps were Private Wyatt (win.
ner of the Queen's prize at Wimbledon) Colour-Sergeants
Phythian, Stuckey, Churchill, and Cross, Corporal Wor-
tham, Privates Cranwell, Stanford and Butler. The prize
given to the best shot in the brigade fell to the lot of Private
Wyatt, whose appearance on the platform was hailed by his
comrades with loud and continued cheers. One prize was
given by the father of the late Ensign Bannister, "in re-
membrance of the many happy hours spent by hie late son
in the London Rifle Brigade."
Precisely at 6 o'clock the brigade, which mustered in fair
strength, marched into the Palace, headed by their band,
which it was especially announced had taken first prize at
the late competition in the Horticultural Gardens.

Lieutenant-Colonel WARDS, commanding the brigade,
briefly addressed the corps, and congratulated them upon
the increased list of prizes which were to be distributed on
the present occasion, exceeding in value those of last year
by nearly £4OO. That, however, was not the only subject
for congratulation, but it was especially gratifying to find
that the great city companies and those whose good opinion
it was desirable to obtain had shown their approval of the
efforts of the members of the corps to arrive at excellence of
shooting and efficiency of drill. The past year had been to
him, as commander of the corps, one of great satisfaction.
His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, the hono-
rary colonel of the brigade, had inspected theni, and had
bestowed npon them a praise which they highly valued.
(Cheers.) They had done well in shooting, and he could not
but refer with pride to the fact that the first prize in Eng-
land, the Queen's Prize, had been won by a member of the
London Rifle Brigade. (Cheers.) Not only that, but in the
first 30 there were included three members of this corps, and
in the second 30 one member, making four members of the
Lontron Rifle Brigade who were eligible to compete for that
great prize. Although they could not hope to carry off the
Queen's Prize always, yet he hoped their success this year
Hehe might,to unt the
it
ceo°ne(rwscnyepweffiahve
et
omeoecuet
oriekr'le
dsnront.
f:toonawtfohlit.
would encourage them to persevere in their efforts to arrive
at excellence. The strength of the regiment had been
steadily increasing, no less than 250 secruits having joined
within the last year, and the accessions had much outnum-
bered the resignations.
The distribution of prizes was then proceeded with, and
at the conclusion of that ceremony a vote of thanks was
pased to the Lord Mayer and the Lady Mayoress.
The LORD MA.YOR, in responding, said he thought the
Volunteer movement had begun at the right time, had been
carried on in the right way, and would produce the right
result, by warning other nations not to interfere with our
rights or our liberties.
Volunteers,
disciplineenhLo
permitabl touthen ni
haidtot ioevsneecrssoduofß, gallant
leetow:the
in:aheeeeto..l
Lieut.-Col. WARDS said he had hoped that Col. M'Murdo
would have been present to address a few words to the Bri-
gade, but that gallant officer was engaged in inspecting
officer'santhe caborspens.ce
Brigade, express their high admiration of the manner in
which Col. M'Murdo had performed his duties towards the
Volunteers during the five years in which ho had been in
had it not beenofblo.erhECarlosflk.oiMfute‘hleanaßrdroiogffi'sacdseetrehawedyhexohparwnesadsseoedvmerhinitsehnerimely.
movement,theg r
ect
Volunteers would not be so decidedly pronounced as they
citpehinrieeaaislbriefiln ee
present
friends.uht
poi
om supply
ttto
itthis
gave
hieapv interestingeopvhl
eai place. official
ostl 100 soldierly
Colonel
EhrnleebcrutliCliKtolueais ltwioEtifisii et
tDhe qualities
eaetaphtnisuesdemtfryatich.
11I'Murdo to remain longer at the head of the Volunteer
nowsor were.
would be CiCn
h occasion,
acquaintanceCc (Cheers.)
esi deior, snm un much
t onlypleasure
w twith
becauseth
st to
fi eet
was received with cheers, then addressed the Volunteers and
his