The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-10 00:00:00

The Volunteers.

The Victoria Rifle Volunteer Corps (the Ist Middlesex),
which was an organised body of riflemen long before the
present Volunteer movement, and has supplied officers to
many of the metropolitan regiments, was officially inspected
on Thursday evening by Colonel Erskine, the Inspector-
General, at the Kilburn rifle range. There were four com-
panies present, under the command of the Duke of Wel-
lington, Major Greenhill being the second in command.
The regiment performed the usual exercises of an inspection
during a heavy fall of rain, and the Inspector-General said
with regard to the drill that he bad seen but few faults, and
much which he approved. The officers did their work
quickly, their orders were remarkably distinct, and in
fact the soldierly bearing and smartness of the regiment
left nothing to be desired. A company of the Harrow Vo
lunteer corps kept the ground. On Friday last the officers
of the Victoria Rifles dined with their Lieutenant-Colonel
the Duke of Wellington, to meet Colonel Erskine. In the
course of the evening they were joined by many members
of the corps, for whom supper was laid out in tho banquet-
hall and adjoining rooms. Several well-chosen songs were
sung iu the Waterloo Gallery by Mr. Wighton, accom-
panied by Mr. Aspa, Captains Templer and Bridgewater,
and Lieut. Cunningham, of the 18th Middlesex (Harrows),
having with a detachment of their men kept the ground
during the inspection, also received an invitation to the
dinner. On the following morning, at an early hour, four
baggage waggons, laden with all requisite materiel for the
Victoria camp at Wimbledon, left the head-quarters at Kil-
burn, escorted by a party of 40 meu. The camp, as it was
last year, will be in charge of Lieut. Tomkins, an officer
well and favourably known to all frequenters of Wimbledon.
The Paddington Rifle Volunteer corps was inspected on
Wednesday evening, in Regent's-park, by Colonel Wright,
the deputy Inspector-General of Volunteers, the 29th Mid-
dlesex keeping the ground. There was a fair muster of the
regiment, which was under the command cl Capt. Lochner,
the commandant being absent through illness. After the
evolutions, Colonel Wright expressed his gratification with
the manner in which the corps had drilled, and specially
remarked the smartness of the officers, which he said had
saved the regiment from being at a loss through the absence
of its commanding officer.

The Middlesex Ten to represent the county in the county
matches at Wimbledon, and to shoot for the China Cup,
have been selected by a certain number of the best shots
being chosen to shoot through two competitions. The result
has been that the following gentlemen will represent the
county under Captain Field :—Mr. Little, West Middlesex;
Mr. Hamerton, 12th Middlesex ; Lieut. Marriner, West
Middlesex ; Ensign Pixley, Victorias ; Sergeant Gould,
Bloomsbury ; Mr. Thornbury, Victorias ; Mr. Dawe, Vic-
torias ; Captain Morris, West Middlesex; Mr. Leete,
Queen's Westminster ; and Mr. Hooper, of the same regi-
ment.

On Saturday evening the Ist Surrey Rifles had a grand
fete in their new and commodious head-quarters at Camber-
well, which were opened a week since by the Lord-Lieuten-
ant of the county. There were spirited athletic exercises
and various amusements. The visitors had full opportu-
i nities of inspecting the unique head-quarters, which born-
prise a drill-shed 150 ft. by 52ft. open drill ground, armoury,
canteen, lockers for the members, and every requirement
for a good regiment, which the Ist Surrey certainly is.
The official inspection by Colonel Erskine, Inspector-
General of Volunteers, of the 26th Middlesex Rifle Volun-
teers, being a consolidated battalion formed of her Majesty's
Customs, and St. Katharine and London Dock Company's
Rifle Corps, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
Grey, with Lieutenant-Colonel Manning and Major Collet
as field officers, and Captain Elliot, the adjutant, took place
on Wednesday at Battersea Park. The regiment, which
mustered upwards of 700 of all ranks, was paraded on the
Custom-house quay, and proceeded thence by steamboats.
The battalion having been drawn up in review order to re-
ceive the inspecting officer, he minutely inspected the
ranks, and the regiment having efficiently gone through
the manual and platoon exercises, taking the word of
command from Lieut.-Col. Manning, the usual movements
of an inspection were proceeded with, including forming
open column from line, marching past, which was mostcre-
ditably done ; deploying on front, centre, and rear compa-
nies advancing in line, volley firing by companies from
right to left, file thing:from right of companies, and a volley
of whole line, advancing in direct echelon of companies
from the right, changing front to the left, reforming line,
a change of front on the left company, right thrown back,
forming quarter distance column on centre company, form-
ing square, &c. At the'conclusion of the inspection Colonel
Erskine addressed the regiment on its appearance and effi-
ciency, and made various suggestions. He said he was well
satisfied, and should make a favourable report of the regi-
ment to the War-office. The ground was kept by a detach-
ment of the 2d Middlesex Artillery Volunteers, commanded
by Capt. Harold Eigelbach. Lieut.-Gen. Sir Hugh Rose,
G.C.8., K. 5.1., has been pleased to accept the honorary
colonelcy of the 26th Middlesex—an honour that is most
gratifying to the members of the corps. He was umtvoid-
baly absent from the inspection, having been obliged to
leave London for Dublin, to take command of the forces in
Ireland.

Tho fifth annual meeting of the Edinburgh and Mid-
lothian Rifle Association took place last week in the Hun-
ters' Bog, Holyrood-park. It was resolved, on account
.of
the difficulty of procuring long ranges, and the attendant
expense, to confine the rifle competition to Volunteers,
using the Enfield rifle in Hythe position. The extreme
range available was 600 yards. Tho meeting began on
Monday and closed on Saturday. The gathering was
numerous and the shooting was highly satisfactory. The
prize, entitling the winner to compete at Wimbledon for
the Prince of Wales prize, was shot for at 500 yards,
seven rounds, and won by Mr. 0. Gray in 24 points
and hits. The first of the city prizes, open to all Volun-
teers, was shot for at 600 yards, seven rounds, and
taken by Sergeant Clews, 3d Renfrew, on a score of
21. The Association. Cup was gained by Mr. J. D.
Bruce, Edinburgh Rifles (200 yards, seven rounds) in a
score of 25, and the Lord Provost's cup, value 200, was
taken by the same gentleman in a score of 24,at 500 yards,
seven rounds. The Writers to the Signet prize was won by
Ensign Measles in a non) of 24, at 600 yards, seven rounds.

If anything were necessary to prove the deep hold which
the love of rifle-shooting has taken of the English people
it would be the fact that not even the excitement, tumult,
and conflict of passions attendant on a general election can
put a stop to the great annual trial of skill at Wimbledon.
The test is a severe one. Since Volunteering first attained
anything like importance there has been no general election
in England, and the period now fixed for the electoral con-
tests throughout the kingdom is identical with the limit of
timo covered by the programme of the National Rifle Asso-
ciation ; yet more men have intimated their intention of
coming into camp, a greater number of entries have been
made this year for all the valuable prizes, than at the corre_
spending period of any of the former anniversaries. The
main features of this notable gathering are now so widely
known as scarcely to render description necessary. There
is not a corps at the furthest extremity of the Highlands
that is not familiar with its stirring 'scenes by day and its
social gatherings atlight, from the most trustworthy of all
sources—the reports of delegates sent up by themselves to
sustain the regimental fame in the contests for the Queen's
Prize. Competitors from distant colonies, from far away
Australia itself, have been squadded with the Queen's sub-
jects nearer home, so that to those regions also an intimate
acquaintance with the sights and sounds of Wimbledon
has penetrated. But as that lying nearest our own
doors is often passed over in ignorance of its real attrac-
tion, or, in these days of long ranges, merely because the
custom is to look beyond it at more distant objects, it
may be that there are in London itself some who have
never seen the picturesque encampment at Wimbledon. If
so, they should lose no time in repairing the error ; the site
is one of the loveliest imaginable, and the animation and
eagerness exhibited by all in camp will not fail to be com-
municated to them as soon as their eye takes in the general
outlines of the place. if they know anything of the art of
rifle shooting they will find it studied here upon a scale
such as is practicable, or at any rate practised, in no other
part of the kingdom, with a cosmopolitan taste, too, for
any novelty that enhances the stimulus or elicits peculiar
skill is tried upon an extended scale. This year, for in-
stance, the Swiss targets, which before were used, as it
were experimentally, have been introduced at many of the
ranges. If the visitors know nothing of shooting, but
merely come to view the general effect, or to regard the
British Volunteer under his social aspects, they will derive
information, and no doubt satisfaction, from a walk
through the camp. There they will find him, under can-
vas, it is true, but surrounded with many of those comforts
which the British colonist, better than any other, knows
how to extemporise, in possession of a capital refreshment
room and commissariat, a club-room, a bazaar, a library,
and, to crown all, an Industrial Exhibition. A little further
on visitors will discover special enclosures removed from
the main camp, in which watch and ward are maintained
with especial strictness. Within these enclosures two of
the metropolitan crack regiments, the Victorias and Lon-
don Scottish, spurning the comparative freedom of Volun-
teer life over yonder, " the military lodging-house," as
they call it, have come down to conduct their encampment
I according to strict military regulations ; and, moreover,
volunteer for all and every kind of service that the autho-
rities may r€quiro at their hands. The offices of the
Association also should be regarded attentively, lying
within a neat ring fence, where a whole department,
which in any other country would be a Govern-
ment department, compresses, by the energy and in-
dividual ability of its members, the work of months
into two short weeks. Having visited these various
points of interest, cast their eyes over the widely waving
area of flags and bannarets, particularly ono range of giant
flagstaffs stretching right across the plain, and a dressed"
so accurately that, in standing close to the first of these
poles not one of the others can be seen, strangers probably
will be in a mood to avail themselves of the tramway to
reach the further extremity of the grounds, which consist
of the plateaux of ,tableland lying between the Wimbledon
and Putney stations.

Information concerning every point connected with the
meeting will be found in those compact sixpenny volumes
about double the size of a railway ticket, which are so many
miniature libraries. From their contents it will be seen
that several new prizes have been introduced this year, and
among these conspicuous mention is due to the Challenge
Cup, value 500 guineas, contributed by volunteers in China.
The questions connected with the " International" matches
have been happily and wisely settled by the recognition of
Irishmen as legitimate competitors, both for the Elcho
Challenge Shield and in the International Enfield Match.
In the latter contest, which has been hitherto one for pure
love of country, a magnificent testimonial, value £l,OOO, is
now being raised by a committee, under the presidency of
Colonel the Hon. C. Lindsay. A railway prize has been
instituted by the South-Western Railway Company, who
subscribe £5O for the purpose, and rewards are offered this
year, for the first time, to the 5-grooved Enfield rifle, which
is in the hands mainly of non-commissioned officers and
mounted Volunteers, but not
.eligible in the ordinary
Enfold matches. The carbine prizes have been largely
increased, and it may be said of the prize list generally
that it has undergone judicious and generous revision.
The rule which last year prohibited winners of one of the
larger prizes from winning a second has been rescinded,
being found in practice not to be attended with all those
benefits which Volunteers who advocated its adoption had
anticipated. The Wimbledon Cup, however, which last
year was offered to prize winners as a solace for the re-
striction thus imposed upon them, has not been discon-
tinued in consequence of the change, but is presented again
under conditions suited to the altered circumstances.
Some of the most interesting matches will be decided
this year at a much earlier period than has been usual
hitherto. The Public Schools' match, for instance, which
till now has been always a prominent feature in the second
week's shooting, will be held to-morrow, when the Inter-
national Enfield match will also take place.
In consequence of the sad accident which occurred last
year to one of the markers, a private in the Guards, it has
been thought expedient to make a change in the surgical
department. So far the proceedings of the allsociation had
been wonderfully free from casualties, but this mishap
showed that if any serious injury happened slain it was
likely, among men following military pursuits and leading
for the time a military life, to be one of a military charac-
ter, and therefore, in the opinion of the Council, it was pro-
per that army surgeons, accustomed to the care of gunshot
wounds, should be in charge of the hospital arrangements,
and solely responsible for their administration. This deci-
sion, however delicately conveyed, was not one that could
be altogether satisfactory to the Volunteer medical officers
who have attended former meetings at Wimbledon, and it
is understood that they dissent very strongly from the
views of the Council. The working of the new system is
one that must be tested by results. As far as the military
authorities are concerned, looking to what has already
taken place, it is not surprising that they should desire to
have upon the spot a medical officer of the standing and
experience of Surgeon Major Wyatt, of the Guards.
Wimbledon-common, apart from the business which more
immediately leads to its occupation by the Volunteers, is
sure to connect itself incidentally with something of novelty
to the public. On Saturday experiments took place there
with the object of showing that powder, without any per-
manent injury to its destructive qualities, can, at will, be
rendered non-explosive. A Mr. Gale, of Plymouth,although
labouring under the privation of loss of sight, has in course
of 11 years' patient study devised the means of preventing
the explosion of gunpowder, which same gunpowder, the
instant that his preparation has been withdrawn, may be
I sat fire to and exploded. His secret consists in the admix-
ture. of a sandy substance, which by separating
of powder, prevent them from ignitingsimulttahneeogunslnys.
The grains in immediate contact with the match or red-
hot iron thrust into the mass aro of course consumed, and
go off in smoke, but there the matter ends. Fire is not
communicated to the other grains, and there is no explo-
sion whatever. When tested by weighing on Saturday,
after the uninflammable materials had been sifted away, it
was found that the gunpowder had lost about a sixth of its
volume during the experiments. The remaining five-sixths
exploded instantl that they were brought into contact with
agencies similar to those which before had proved ineffec-
tual. Mr. Gale expressed his willingness to sit upon a
barrel of gunpowder on the common, and allow a red hot
poker to be plunged into it, provided he were first. allowed

The Government of the United States will, there-
fore, be entitled to maintain that such vessels are
forfeited, and ought to be delivered to the United
States upon reasonable applica Lion in such cases
made. Only such application must be made good
in a British court of law it the vessel is found in
British waters.

In the case of a vessel captured at sea by a naval
force of the United States, under whatever flag, the
claim ought to be made good in a court of law of
the United States.

Her Majesty's Government will further illustrate
their views on this head by the enclosures to this
despatch.

Part of these enclosures consist of despatches to
and from Paris. Her Majesty's Government never
can admit that, in presence of a great war which
interrupted and destroyed a friendly and useful
commerce extending along 3,000 miles of the
American coast—a war reducing great numbers of
industrious families of both nations to poverty, and
afflicting a whole continent—the Governments of
England and France should not, as far as possible,
act in concert, in pursuance not of any formal en-
gagement, but a mutual understanding.
Her Majesty's Government, however, are gratified
to find that the United States ho longer claim the
belligerent right to search British vessels, and that
the normal relations of the two countries are practi-
cally returned to the condition in which they stood
before the civil war.

Her Majesty's Government trust that these ex-
planations, founded upon views which her Majesty's
Government have maintained in a spirit of just
neutrality, will prove to be favourable to the estab-
lishment of a lasting and intimate friendship be-
tween the two nations.—l am, &c.

(Signed)

RUSSELL.

The Services of Admiral Fitzroy.

We are glad to learn that attention is being called
to the claims which the family of the late Admiral
Fitzroy have to assistance from Government. Their
case is a very strong one. Since 1825 three expedi-
tions, each lasting five years, have been sent to
survey the coast of South America. The second of
these, under the command of Admiral Fitzroy, was
most successful and important. It opened up the
route „now usually taken through the straight of
Magellan, by which the dangerous navigation of
Cape Horn is avoided, and it led to observations
and discoveries which have made an epoch in the
recent history of science. Those well qualified to
pronounce an opinion say it may be compared to
its advantage with any five years' survey in the re-
cords of the Admiralty ; yet the expenses to which
the country was put by it was small. The first ex-
pedition to which we have referred to cost £lOO,OOO,
the last expedition £75,000, and that of Admiral
Fitzroy only £40,000. He thus effected a saving
to Government of from £35,000 to £60,000. This,
however, he did in a great measure at his own cost,
as many necessary expenses incurred on his per-
sonal responsibility were disallowed at the Admi-
ralty. In obtaining proper surveying instruments,
all absolutely necessary for the proper discharge of
the work he had to perform, he spent £3,000. Hav-
ing no tender or small boat allowed him, similar to
those furnished to the other two expeditions, he was
obliged to hire two:small decked boats, of from 7 to
11 tons, to execute the survey in small bays which
his vessel, the Beagle, could not enter. Their hire
cost him £l,lOO. Before receiving from the Admi-
ralty any intimation of disapproval of the hire of
these vessels, he purchased a schooner as tender to the
Beagle. He had her fitted up, and the cost of doing so,
and the hire of the crew who manned her for a year,
amounted to about £2,000. His whole expenditure,
then, beyond the sum allowed at the Admiralty
amounted to'£6,loo, for which he was never com-
pensated in any way. He had to borrow money to
discharge the liabilities he had incurred, and his
losses involved him in difficulties which embarrassed
him through life. Admiral Fitzroy rendered other
valuable services to the country. The latest and the
most important of these were of course his labours
in the Meteorological Department of the Board of
Trade. It is only necessary to allude to " Fitzroy's
drum" to recall the advantages which have resulted
from the extension round our shores of the means
f:
devised by him of forecasting the i weather.
work was not accomplished without nru e
nseabo Thur
an
must attribute the
mind which it involved that we
and indeed it was to the over exertion of body and
he should
at his post long after have aban-
premature loss of this distinguished officer. He re-
maineddoned it. But the value of his discoveries had been
doubted, and he feared that the work he was so
much interested in would suffer through the diffi-
culty of finding any one competent to discharge his
varied duties. Admiral Fitzroy died poor. His
assets amounted to £3,400, his debts to about
£5,400; and he has left a large family, many of
whom are unprovided for. A better claim than they
have to assistance from Government it would be
difficult to imagine. We therefore trust that their
case will meet with the consideration due to the
memory of an officer who upheld the high reputation
of our navy by his scientific discoveries, by the zeal
and efficiency with which he discharged the difficult
duties intrusted to him, and by the ability and
energy he displayed in establishing a system of
meteorological observations which has already been
the means of an incalculable saving of life and pro.
perty in all parts of the world.—Times.