The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-20 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

On Friday evening last Lieut.-Colonel H. Garnet
Man, the commanding-officer of the Ist City of
London Engineers, attended for the first time a
meeting of the corps, at the City of London Na-
tional Schools, White-street, Finsbury-pavement.
At the conclusion of the drill he addressed the mem-
' bers, and expressed himself highly gratified at the
efficiency already attained, and said he was quite
sure, from what he had witnessed that evening, that
the corps would become a distinguished one, for its
members brought with them both zeal and intelli-
gence. He was sure they would always support him
i❑ carrying out strict military discipline, as that
was as necessary for volunteers as for the regular
army. He should feel great pleasure in imparting
to them suitable instruction in military engineering.
A match between No. 6 company and Na. 13
(Shoolbred's) company of the Queen's Westminster
Volunteers came off on Friday last, at Wormwood
Scrubs. The match was £lO a side at 200, 300, 400,
and 500 yards, five shots at each range, and was
contested by 10 men from each company. Shool-
bred's company proved the winners, having made
184 points against their opponent's 136.
On Wednesday evening a grand ball took place
at the Freemason's Tavern in aid of the band fund
of the 39th Middlesex (Finsbury) Rifles, and was
very numerously attended, there being present re-
presentatives of nearly all the metropolitan volun-
teer corps, together with several officers of the re-
gular army and members of the Hon. Artillery
Company, whose brilliant uniforms contrasted well
with the dresses of the ladies, the majority of whom
wore complimentary mourning, and the more som-
bre dresses of the volunteers. Lord Ranelagh pre-
sided at the supper, and in the course of a few ob-
servations stated that another sham fight was in
contemplatiou for Easter Monday at Brighton. His
lordship said he had placed himself in communica-
tion with several commanders of volunteer regi-
ments in London and the suburbs, and the majority
of them were favourable to his proposal ; and the
railway company had offered to afford facilities for
the transit of the troops. After the delivery of seve-
ral other speeches, dancing was resumed, and pro-
tracted till a late hour. The object for which the
ball took place was-attained.
During the present week negotiations were en-
tered into end have just been finally completed, be-
tween the 2d administrative battalion of the Mid-
dlesex Rifle Volunteers, consisting of the 3d (Hamp-
stead), 13th (Hornsey), and 14th (Highgate) and
three other Middlesex regiments, known as the 12th
(Barnet), the 41st and 33d (Tottenham) whereby a
permanent amalgamation of these regiments, for-
merly in two distinct battalions, is effected, much
to the satisfaction of all concerned, and will be here-
after known better as the 2d Administrative Bat-
' talion, under the command of Major Wilkinson,
with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel; Capt. Taylor,
of the Barnet Regiment, to succeed him as the
Major. This arrangement augments the strength
of the battalion very considerably. It will now
consist of 11 companies, nearly all full, making
the number of effectives amount to almost
1,000, with unprecedented facilities for target prac-
tice, there being no less than five capital ranges
situated at convenient distances for each corps.
One of these ranges at Hornsey, when fully coca
pleted, will extend to a distance of upwards of
1,000 yards.

Returns as to the target practice of the six com-
panies forming the Norwich battalion have just
been made up, and the results indicated are satis-
factory. In the first period 345 men scored 6,052
points, or an average of 17.61 points each ;
in the
second period 221 scored 2,5°8 points; or an average
of 11.30 points each ; and in the third period 106
scored 874 points, or an average of 8.30 points each.
Of the 345 Volunteers shooting 75 were declared
marksmen ; 78 were left in the first class, 127 in
the second class, and 65 in the third class. On
Thursday a match will take place in Earl Spencer's
park at Althorpe, between 11 Norfolk and 11
Northamptonshire Volunteers, crack shots being,
of course, selected on both sides, The match has
been arranged, it is understood, by Viscount Bury,
M.P.,'on the pert of Norfolk, and Earl Spencer en
the part of Northamptonshire.

One or two movements may be reported in con-
nection with the Lincolnshire companies. In a
second prize contest among the members of the
Market Rasen corps, the first prize, a cup of the
value of £B, was shot for at 200, 300, and 400 yards,
and was won by Ensign Goodson, who scored 17
points in 15 rounds. Several items of interest come
to hand from the corps in the Fen districts. On
Wednesday a handsome silver cup, presented by
Lieut. Loomis, was shot for by the Whittlesey com-
pany, the ranges being 300, 450 and 600 yards, five
rounds each. Privates H. and J. Read tied, each
scoring 16 points; but, on the ties being shot off
at 600 yards, Mr. J. Read proved the winner.
On Thursday another cup, presented by Ensign
Bowker, was shot for at ranges of 200, 500, and 600
yards ; Lieutenant Loomis and Private H. Read
tied, each scoring 16 points ; but, in shooting off,
the Lieutenant won. Private J. Read shot again,
although not eligible to take a prize, having been a
winner on the previous day, and again made the
highest score, 17 points. A challenge cup, provided
by subscription, and two prizes presented to the
March company by Captain Catlin and Lieutenant
Dawbarn, were last week presented to the success-
ful competitors, Private B. Brandfurd receiving the
cup and one of the prizes, and Private W. R.
Fuller the second prize.