The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-27 00:00:00

Inspection of the First Surrey Rifles•

On Saturday evening the annual inspection of
the First Savrey Rifles took place at the head-
quarters of the regiment, Hanover Park, Peckham,
by Col. APYiurdo, Inspector •General of Volunteers.
The regiment was under the command of Lieut.-
Col. .11‘Doni id, assisted by Major Irvine, Captains
Rogers, Scratton, Ph.arerßobotham, Bristowe, and
Clipperton. The muster, considering the character
of the weather, was exceedingly good, there being
six companies of eighteen files, or something like
from 250 to 300 men of all ranks. On Colonel
Al'Murdo reaching the ground, the men presented
arms in line, the bands playing. The gallant
colonel called some of the men out of the ranks and
examined their rifles, in reference to which he ex-
pressed his approbation. The regiment then
formed into companies at quarter distance and
marel.3ed past in that order, and subsequently in close
column at the table. Having again formed line, and
performed ail the most difficult battalion movements
at the double in the most precise manner,
Colonel Nl'MurtDo addressed the corps. He ob-
served that he had kept the battalion moving at a

rapid rate, because he thought their blood might be
chilled by their being hot, anti another reason was
that he was desirous of seeing whether the batta-
lions were as handy under arms, considering the
rapidity of the movements, nearly every one being
done at the double. He (the gallant colonel) must
say !hat he was much gratified with what he had seen.
It was some time since he had had the opportunity
of inspecting the First Surrey, and he remembered
that on the first occasion their evolutions were very
well performed, but he saw by the movements of
that day that they had acquired the habits of old sol-
diers. Although he had taken them somewhatby sur-
prise .by the rapidity with which he ordered the move-
ments, they had performed them, from the very first
to the lest, without the slightest hesitation or check,
which proved to him that they were thoroughly
well drilled. Indeed, they had done more than any
soldiers would be likely to be called upon to do on
the field of battle, and be must repeat, both to
Lieut.. Colonel M'Donald and to them, that he was
highly satisfied with what he had witnessed that
day.
The proceedings of the inspection then concluded
by the regiment giving three cheers for Colonel
M'Murdo and three for Lieut.-Colonel M'Donald.
A large number of ladies graced the covered gal-
lery during the inspection.
Shortly after the conclusion of the day's evolu-
tions a banquet was served in the spacious drill
shed, which was decorated with flags for the occa-
sion, and at which some hundreds of the members
attended.
Lieut.-Colonel M'Donald presided, and was sup-
ported by Colonel M'Murdo, the Rev. Daniel Moore
(the hon. chaplain), several officers of the corps,
und honorary members.
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing " The health of her
Majesty," said he was disposed to look upon Queen
Victoria as the only real Queen in existence, and
that toast, as well as " The Prinee and Princess of
Wales," and "The Duke of Cambridge," as the
friend of the volunteers,were responded to with great
cheering. A similar demonstration of approbation
was accorded to the toast of "The Army, Navy,
and Volunteers."
The CHAIRMAN said he had not proposed the
health of their gallant guest, the Inspector-General
of Volunteers, in connexion with the previous toast,
because he felt that the eminent services he had
rendered to the volunteers of this country, and to
the First Surrey Rifles in particular, demanded that
they should make the gallant colonel's health a
special matter. (Cheers.) He believed that most
of the great success which had attended the volun-
teer movement was mainly attributable to the ad-
mirable manner in which Colonel kl'Murdo filled
the post of Inspector-General. It was an office
that could not be filled by every military man ;
but there was no doubt whatever that, so far as the
volunteers were concerned, they had the right man
in the right place. (Cheers, amidst which "The
Health of Colonel M'Murdo" was enthusiastically
drunk.)
Colonel M'Munno, in rising to return thanks,
was again enthusiastically cheered, He observed
that he believed that no person could fill the posi-
tion he did in relation to the volunteers without
working with all the heart and will which he did
in their behalf. (Cheers.) He had had all the
advantages of a military education by the side of
one of England's greatest captains in the field, and
if he had not paid attention and learnt something as
a staff officer to one of the greatest soldiers and
patriots that ever. led the armies of this country, Sir
Charles Napier, he must have been a dolt indeed.
He had gone—but, thank God, all those principles
of a soldier which he learnt under that good man
still remained with him (Colonel M'Murdo), and re-
taining those principles, he could not, as an English-
man, hesitate to go heart and soul with the volun-
teers of this country. (Cheers.) After some plea-
sant allusions to the remark of the chairman, that
his idea was that there was only one queen of the
universe, and that Queen Victoria, he said he would
carry out the simile, and say that there was only one
army and navy, and in the whole world but one
volunteer force, and that force the volunteers of
England. (Cheers.) Whilst the Ist Surrey were
drilling that day before him a gentleman apolo-
gised that the ground was so rough. In reference
to that, he must say that he would rather that vo-
lunteers should go through their evolutions on
ground they were likely to meet with if ever they
came into action, than on that which they were
never likely to meet with. Did they ever hear of a
battle being fought on parade ground ? (Hear.)
He never did. When engaged in the campaign of
Seinde h they had a flat desert, and sinty miles be.
goad rose 4
ranee of mountains, which they had
ea
to rea. The
and he recollected generally marched in the dark,
district by ed whilst riding over that rough
the side of the gallant 22d, hearing one
man say to his
comrade in
they were marching ,allusion to the ground
the earth be Well, when God made
eart.)hOavveer'sh‘o‘ t all the rubbish this
way." (Laugnihtit
they were likely to So it was absurd to suppose
battles. (H have smooth ground for fight-
ingthe new act nponvrtahseavbellantereerg
ear.) With
service,a rd to thethe effect
gallanto f
colonel said he
Was increasing(eli
forcee to tell them that the vo-
lunteerrapidly both in num-
bersefficieney—cor eel's)
and
in the metropolitan
especially horPs ses in the country, and in
—perhaps not so muoh
Yorkshire,
in the course of a few
days he expected to review a body
e referred to a statement
8,000 men. (Cheers. of from 7,000 to
andti slet of Wight papers, attack
he had read in one of th I
ing the fortifications,would
aing that not only Wore
require an increase of
they useless, but that
also largely in-
the standing army to man
He seldom' and
the
ltlouched upon poli-
crease the taxation.
y denied this, and
tical questions, hut he emphatically
(Cheers,)
said that the volunteers would man them.
artillery, which Lor
Instead of six battalions of
Hardinge found was all the force of that arm, to de-
fend the United Kingdom—(l
aughter)—E°gland
now possessed the finest artillery in the whole
world, and at that moment they had no fewer than
370 battalions of volunteer artillery, and 30,000
artillerymen. (Loud cheers.) After again hihly
complimenting the Ist Surrey for the Way in
which
they had performed their evolutions that day,
and for their kindness and hospitality to-
wards him, Colonel M'Murdo, in eulogistic
terms, proposed "The health of Lieut.-Colonel
M'Donald," which was also most enthusiastically
received.
Lieut.-Colonel M'DONALD feelingly returned
thanks; and " The health of the Chaplain," " The
Hon. Secretary," " Lieut. Puckle," " The Press,"
" The Ladies," and other toasts, concluded a most
pleasant evening, greatly enlivened by the spirited'
music discoursed by the e.tcellent band of the
regiment.

VOLUNf EER RETURNS.
The following circular has been issued from the
War Office :

" "War Office, July 24, 1863.
" Sir,—The Act 7 Geo, 4, cap. 58, under the provisions
of which returns were required to be sent by you to the
Secretary of State, lord lientenant, and general officer com-
manding in the district, on the Ist of August in each year,
having been repealed (so far as it relates to volunteer corps)
by tb,e Volunteer Act, 1863, I am directed by the Earl de