The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-15 00:00:00

7HE VOLU.N7EE_RS.

The prizes of the London Volunteer Rifle Brigade
were distributed by the Llidy Mayoress on Satur-
day at the Crystal Palace. The attendance of spec-
tators was more numerous than might have been
anticipated, from the wretched weather which pre-
vaied, but the muster of the corps was not so strong
as it ought to have been upon such an occasion.
The ceremony of handing ever the prizes took
place in the transept, upon a dais erected in front
of the Handel orchestra, before which the corps was
drawn up, the cadet company lining
the stairs lead-
ing to the dais. The prizes were arranged upon
tables on either side of the platform, and were cer-
tainly not few in number nor insignificant in value.
Still, however, as the London Rifle Brigade is the
especial representative in the Volunteer army of
the wealthiest commercial city in the world, it
might have been expected that a more liberal
amount of encouragement to its efficiency would
have been extended by the merchants and traders
of the city of London. With the exception of
prizes given by the late Lord Mayor and by
Messrs. Silver and Co., and by the patrons
(comprising 18 or 20 ladies and gentlemen,
some of whom are in no way locally connected
with the city), no single prize has been offered by
any individual or firm in the city of London, and
to the officers and members of the corps it has been
almost entirely left to provide those rewards which
are found to be useful, if not necessary, as stimu-
lants to efficiency. This state of things contrasts
very unfavourably with that which exists to the
west of the city boundary ; but it would be unjust,
we hope, to attribute this apathy to any disapproval
of, or desire to discourage, the great national Volun-
teer movement. Certain it is, however, that more
substantial support is given by manufacturing firms
and tradesmen to the westward of Temple bar than
has yet been accorded by the merchant princes and
commercial firms of the city of London to the efforts
of our citizen soldiers to fitly qualify themselves for
the duties they have patriotically taken upon them-
selves to perform.

Lieut.-Colonel WARDE, in a brief preliminary ad-
dress, congratulated the brigade upon the state of
efficiency to which it had attained. It was one of
the largest Volunteer corps in the country, and no
other corps had attended more large parades than
the London Rifle Brigade, or had acquitted itself
with greater credit. The shooting this year had been
greatly superior to that of last year, but he must
impress upon the members, as upon all Volunteers,to
bear in mind that good shooting was not the only
requisite for a soldier, but that efficiency in drill
and discipline was of the first necessity. He re-
gretted that the Honorary Colonel, the Duke of
Cambridge, who took a warm interest in their pro-
gress, was not present, but he was informed by his
Royal Highness that it was the pressure of public
business alone which caused his absence upon that
occasion. (Cheers.) There was reason to believe
that next year Government aid would be extended
to the Volunteers, not indiscrimately, but in propor-
tion to efficiency, in the shape of an allowance to
the corps for each man who had gone through a
certain amount of drill, and had proved himself a
proficient in the use of his rifle. It was, therefore,
the duty of every member towards his corps to
qualify himself for the grant. (Hear, bear.)
The prizes were then awarded—one, given by the
Lieut.-Colonel, being presented ,to the winner by
the donor's wife—Lady Harriet Warde.
The LORD MAYOR (Major in the corps), on be-
half of the Lady Mayoress, expressed the pleasure
she felt at taking part in the interesting ceremony,
and his own pride at being a member of the Lon-
don Rifle Brigade. (Cheers.) He had obtained
leave of absence during the year of his mayoralty,
but when that term expired he hoped to rejoin his
comrades, the Volunteers of the city of London.
Colonel LINDSAY, of the St. George's Rifles, said
he accepted the invitation to address the brigade
with much pleasure, because he was able to offer
them his congratulations upon their wonderful pro-
gress towards efficiency. He also congratulated
them upon having so excellent a Lieutenant. Colonel
--(cheers)—and upon including among the field
officers the Lord Mayor of London. (Cheers.) He
was glad to believe that the Volunteer movement
was in a healthy condition—that the prospects of
next year were encouraging. He hoped they would
then have the Queen once more among them—(loud
cheers)—and that ample opportunities would be
afforded to the London Rifle Brigade to display the
state of efficiency at which it had arrived. Refer-
ring to the recommendations of the Volunteer Com-
bi
of the ameicsespiotinn,ghaelltohwouagnheets,soams e
destructiveo objections urged against
indepen-
dence of the service, were unfounded. The move-
ment bad never been self-supporting; the Govern-
ment supplied arms, instruction, and ammunition,
wo he
and it was not reasonable that Volunteers who gave
their personal services should also be required to
pay from their own purses. (Hear.)
Colonel
saidel
thoseEltsK present,i
Inspector of Volun-
teers, assumed to be all
friends of theVolunieer movement, would be pleased
to hear him state his ability to give a most favour-
able report upon its present condition. It was true
o
iIE 'Deputyhm
that the annual period elapsing between the dates at
which returns of enrolled members were made-up
showed a falling off of 4,000 from a total of 162,000,
but he thought all would be disposed to agree that
the present year had been an exceptional one. The
distress in large districts of the country could
not have failed to affect classes largely represented
in the Volunteer army. He Wes happy to say that
the reports of all the inspectors gave very satisfac-
tory accounts of the spirit with which the Volunteer
movement was still sustained, and all agreed in re-
presenting the increased efficiency which was dis-
played by all the corps that had been inspected.
Under such circumstances, they were warranted in