The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-03 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who
is honorary Colonel of the Civil Service Regiment
of Volunteers, has honoured theLieutenant-Colonel,
Viscount Bury, M.P., with an interview, in which
he announced his intention of,presenting a challenge
cup to be shot for by the members of the regiment.
The rules and conditions under which the cup
will be shot for will be published as soon as the
Lieut.-Colonel receives his Royal Highness's com-
mands on the subject.
Another contest for the possession of the Harrow
Challenge Cup took place on Thursday last, a day
unfavourable for making high scores on account of
the high wind. The competitors were the 2d com-
pany of the 14th Middlesex (Harrow), they having
recently won it from Shoolbred's corps, and the
12th Middlesex (Barnet). The match resulted in a
victory for the Barnet corps, who are now, by the
conditions relating to the cup, open to a challenge
from any single company in Middlesex. The fol-
lowing is the score, the terms being 10 men, Go-
vernment rifles, five shots at each range named,
Hythe scoring, points only being counted :—The
Barnet corps, at 300 yards, made 52 points ; at 500
yards, 42 ; at GOO yards, 25 ; giving a total of 119.
The Harrow corps, at 300 yards, made 50 points;
at 500 yards, 41 points ; and at GOO yards, 27 points;
making a total of 118 points. The Barnet corps was
thus victorious by one point.
A dramatic entertainment by members of the
Honourable Artillery Company tooktprlsace on Wed-
Artillery -
nesday night last at their head
ground, Finsbury. A large room
ment, the establish.
e
ment, known as the Albert-roam,
was the one
selected for the theatre, which was tastefully fitted
up for the occasion.
A farce by Mr. Oxenford,
a Halfpenny," was the first piece
entitled "Only.
This was succeeded by Mr. Planche's
played.
comic drama of ‘6Not a Bad Judge,,, and Blanchard
Jerrold's farce of " Cool as a Cucumber." At the
conclusion of the performance dancing began, and
was kept up with great spirit till a late hour.
A balance of £1 19 lls. 53. has been placed to the
credit of the regimental band fund of St. George's
Rifles, accruing from the proceeds of the concert
which was given in St. James's-hall on the 14th
nit. The concert in question was the third annual
one which has been given by the regiment.
It is the intention of the St. George's to hold
its annual regimental ball shortly, which will no
doubt be as attractive as the two previous balls have
been.
The annual general meeting of the members of
the Norwich corps was held on Thursday last. Col.
' Brett, the commandant, who presided, said that the
1
numbers of the corps had slightly, bat only very
slightly, diminished during the past year. He

i

trusted that, as the season for drill was coming on,
recruits would enrol themselves. The balance sheet
presented showed that the total receipts for 1862,
including a balance of £212 from 1861, amounted
to £649, and a balance of £237 was now carried
forward. The practice range is to be increased to
1,000 yards. The Norfolk Light Horse Corps has
just had a successful ball at St. Andrew's Hall,
Norwich ; the company numbered 360 of the leading
inhabitants of the district. Several additional re-
cruits have just been obtained for the Attleborough
corps.
In Essex, the Rochford corps has just celebrated
another anniversary at Southend. The proceedings
closed with a dinner in the Pavilion refreshment-
room, to which about 100 gentlemen sat down, Capt.
Tawke presiding.
In Lincolnshire, the Boston battery of Artillery
has been reviewed by Adjutant Humphries. At the
conclusion Captain-Commandant White addressed
the men, and expressed his satisfaction at the man-
ner which they had gone through their thin.
, t hey had four guns mounted at the battery, two for
shot and two for shell practice ; and ho hoped that
when the weather became more settled they wou d
recommence drill both with large and small arms.
At Lincoln several fresh recruits have been obtained.
The Louth battery of Artillery has been officially
inspected during the last few days, and presented
an efficient appearance.

A letter has been received from the Duke of New-
castle, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, inti-
mating that her Majesty has been pleased to accept
the services of a second company at Newark.
The annual meeting of the Devon County Volun-
teer Association was held on Friday last, at the
Castle of Exeter. There was a large and influential
attendance. Lord Churstou presided. The report
of the council of the association for the past Sear
was read by Mr. J. Duckworth, and after alluding
to the satisfactory position of the Volunteer organi-
sation of the country it proceeded to recapitulate in
detail the chief events of the year in connexion with'
the Volunteer corps of Devonshire. It was sug-
gested by the Military Affairs Committee that the
suggested county brigade field-day should be held
on Little Haldon in August, and a resolution to that
effect was carried. The report, also being con-
sidered satisfactory, on the motion of Lord Cour-
tenay, seconded by Mr. Drewe, was carried MM.
con.

On Saturday the long-expected match between
the 15th company (Messrs. Shoolbred's) of the
Queen's (Westminster) Rifles and the H (Messrs.
Marshall and Snelgrove's) company of the West
Middlesex, took place at Wormwood Scrubbs, un-
der very unfavourable circumstances, the rain fall-
ing in torrents and the wind blowing a gale from
the south. The match commenced at half-past 10
o'clock, the respective squads being under the com-
mand of Capt. Shoolbred and Marshall. The con-
ditions were 10 men on each side, the ranges 200,
500, and 600 yards, 7 shots at each, Hythe position
and Wimbledon scoring. At the close of the shoot-
ing, at 2 o'clock, the scores stood thus :—Queen's,
421 marks ; West Middlesex, 378. It will thus be
seen that Messrs. Shoolbred's company were the
victors by 43 marks. The best scores made on the
winning sides were by Private Mayes, 52 marks;
Sergeant Robinson, 46 ; and Ensign Shoolbred, 45.
The annual general meeting of the 40th Middle-
sex corps was held on Saturday at the Court-house,
St. Andrew's, Holborn. The meeting was well at-
tended. The secretary read the report, which
stated that, although during the past year there
had been an increased expenditure on account of
rent of the range and the building of the ammu-
nition store, the committee had been enabled to
reduce the total expenditure of the general fund
to less than that of the former year. The
committee had secured, through the kindness of
Mr. J. G. Hubbard, M.P., permission to erect a
shed upon a piece of ground in Gray's-inn-road,
near the head-quarters. The committee had also
entered into arrangements for the use of the ranges
of the 33d Middlesex at Tottenham. The interest
of the inhabitants of the district was still evi-
denced in the corps, for in the first year they had
presented them with an embroidered set of camp
colours, as well as a handsome challenge cup, and
they had also promised other prizes. The financial
statement showed that there remained a balance in
hand of 1348 16s. 9d. The estimated liabilities
were 134 10a., against which the arrears of the past
subscriptions might be set. Major the Hon. H. G.
Campbell moved the adoption of the report, which
was seconded by Quartermaster-Sergeant Scott and
carried unanimously.
A match took place last week at Wormwood
Scrubbs bet ween the 2d and 3d companies of the
Queen's (Westminster) Rifle Volunteers. The wind
was, unfortunately, high at the time. Sergeant-
Major Bardell and Sergeant Musketry-Instructor
Homer commanded, the former as umpire. There
were eight members on each side, and the ranges
were 200, 500, and 600 yards, five shots each,Wim-
bledon scoring.
The annual meeting of the 29th (North) Middle-
sex Rifles, was held on Wednesday last at St. Pan-
cras' Vestry-hall, Lient.-Colonel Whitehead in the
chair. The secretary read the report, which was
adopted. In anticipation of the Government adopt-
ing the report of the commissioners to inquire into
the condition of the Volunteer force, relating to a
grant of money, the council reduced the subscrip-
tion of effective members for the year ensuing to
10s., conditionally that a grant of 20s. per man be
made by Parliament this year. Captain Cameron,
as representing the 29th, who fired for the borough
cup at Wormwood Scrubbs, presented a tankard to
Sergeant Humphery, who made the best score on
that occasion.