The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-09 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA,

(From the Times' Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 28.
General Hardee having but 15,000 men to defend
Savannah against the attack of 50,000, under Gen.

Sherman, and by a co-operating fleet, crossed over

the Savannah river on the 20th inst. at the only side

on which the city was tminvested, taking with him

his whole force. He destroyed a large quantity of
stores and ammunition—D.ll military stores, in fact,

that could be made available or useful to the enemy,

and on the following day General Sherman took
Possession. Sherman found in the city according to
his own report to Mr. Stanton, no less than 25,000
bales of cotton—or, according to the report of
General Foster, 33,000---all of which, with the city
of Savannah itself, he presented as a 4‘ Christmas
gift" to the Yankee nation. The Yankee nation
has received it with shouts of joy and gratitude, and
for the second, if not third time has proclaimed Ge-
neral Sherman the true and only hero of the war,
and the predestined saviour of the nation. The
value of Savannah to the Confederacy was greater
'in point of honour and prestige than in solid help to
the cause, and its loss will doubtless be deplored in

the South, and its gain exulted over in the North in
2, degree incommensurate with its military impor-

tance. Some of the Northern journals seem to con-
:alder the capture of the 25,000 or 33,000 bales of
cotton as of more account than the possession of the
city, and go the length of calculating what it is
worth in gold or greenbacks, and what sum it would
fetch in Liverpool if immediately sent across the
Atlantic to feed the hungry mills of Lancashire.
Possibly (and most probably) the calculation is
utterly idle. The cotton may be worth two millions

73 terling, as some of these journals estimate, but it

may be reasonably supposed that Gen. Hardee in

evacuating the city would not have left such a splen-
ilid prize to the enemy, and he refrained from de-
stroying the cotton solely because it was the buna
file property of English or other foreign powers.
This view of the case, however, has not yet been
publicly suggested in New York, though in private

society the explanation is freely offered to account

for what would otherwise be an unpardonable

neglect or oversight on the part of the Confederate

General.

Almost simultaneously with the news of the cap-
tire of Savannah has arrived that of the commence-

ment of the long-deferred attack upon Wilmington
Had it not been for a sucession of furious gales of

-wind, which delayed the formidable armada, and at
one time threatened to send it back to the place
whence it came, operations would have begun at

least a week earlier. As yet the accounts are all
favourable to the assailants ; but too little has been
done, and of that little too little is known to justify
any auguries of the result. Meantime, however, the
North is well satisfied. The press and the people
are more confident than they were at the capture of
New Orleans, of Vicksburg, and of Atlanta that the
rebellion has received its coup de grace, and is no
longer in a position to offer any effectual resistance
to the triumphant progress of the Federal arms. It
is the old story. Hope springs eternal in the Ameri-
can breast. No disappointments, however fast they

may follow upon the heels of each other, can be
geloutrthe bright sunshine of conceit and self-worship
that glows in the heart of the Yankee. His country
is the first in the world, and he is the :first man in
it. Knock him down and he will get up again, and
brush the dirt from his knees, not a bit the worse
for thd fall.' If he do not win this time, he is bound
to win the next. His motto is " Never say die." His
manifest destiny is to go on—prospering and to
prosper—conquering and to conquer. No previous
reverses are sufficient to teach him humility or the
vanity of human wishes; and though the telegraphic
wires haVe scarcely ceased to pulsate with the news
of Sherman's victory, Young—and perhaps Old—
America has already.begun to speculate on the next
move. The imaginative multitude see ten thou-
sand men left to guard Savannah, and Sher-
man, with • the remainder of his army, march-
ing to Charleston. They see Charleston in-
vested by land and sea,—and either evacuated or
destroyed. They see Butler and Dahlgren pound-
ing away at Wilmington, and capturing it after short
resistance. They see Farragut despatched again to
Mobile with better luck than before, and, last of all,
they see Grant, reinforced by Sheridan, making the
grand onslaught upon Richinond which is to put an
end to the Confederacy, consign Mr. Jefferson Davis
to death or exile, and restore, never again to be im-
perilled by domestic or foreign enmity, the mighty
Union, thenceforward and for ever to be the ruling
Power in Christendom,. and the only power on the
American Continent. But these imaginative sim-
pletons, though their pens are traceable in two-
thirds of the newspapers, and their voices are heard
in every place of public resort, do not wildly repre-
sent public opinion. Cooler heads and better trained
intellects look at the facts for themselves, and, know-
ing something of the character of the Southern
people, do them the justice to b6lieve that they are
not only quite able, but quite willing to confront
Much greater reverses than the fall of Savannah.
They incline to believe that in exchanging Atlanta
for Savannah Gen. Sherman has made a brilliant
but an unprofitable bargain ; that. with Atlanta he
has given away the whole of Georgia, with the ex-
ception of the rice swamps around Savannah and
'the low-lying ground between that city and the sea ;
and that with Savannah he has only acquired as
'much land as his own guns and that of his co-ope-
rating fleet can cover. They admit, moreover, that
Sherman's great march has roused the Georgians
from their apathy, made an:end of the peace party
in the State, and converted every Georgian into a
bitter and implacable foe of the North, as bitter as
was ever found in the ravaged homesteads of Vir-
ginia, or the ruined plantations of Mississippi and
Louisiana. There are some, too, who remember
that General Lee declared more than a
year • and a half ago that the Atlantic
cities cost the Confederacy far more to guard
and retain than they were worth, and that if
Charleston, Mobile, Savannah, and Wilmington
were either taken or abandoned he would then be
able to show the North what the war really meant,
and of what enterprises the South was capable.
They remember, also, that, dark as the future of
the South may appear at this moment, it has hitherto
been too proud and self-reliant to imitate the ex-
=pie of the North, and rely upon the aid of the
negroes
th fight their battles ; that if they be re-
duced to extremity for want of men, this resource is
still available to the extent not alone of 100,000
men, but of double or even treble the number ; that
they can offer their sable soldiers who survive the
fight freedom for themselves and families and a
farm of 50 acres ; while the North only offers its
black troops their ply, and, if they survive, the
right to starve in the enjoyment of liberty without
citizenship. And, last of all, they remember that
if the South yield on the point of the employment
of negroes in its armies it virtually concedes the
whole question of negro slavery, makes the emanci-
pation of the race a mere question of time, and thus
removes from the councils of the European Powers
the main obstacle to the recognition of the Corr-
.federacy.
It is, in fact, this question recormition which at
the present moment forms the one drop of gall
in the overflowing cup of Northern exultation.
The indications that arrive from Europe by every
mail of a change of opinion, foreshadowing a change
of policy in this respect, on the part of the leadin,,
'statesmen of the Old World, alarm the Federalists
and all the foolish Americans, who would rather
be citizens or subjects of one great and paramount
Union of Empire--even without the enjoyment of
popular liberty than allow the Union to resolve
itself into three or four smaller but truly Demo-
cratic, Republics. The argument
. that after the 4th
of March next, when he
will enter upon his second
:term of office, Mr. Lincoln instead of being as he
is now the legally elected
successor of Washington
and the earlier and late President of the Republic,
will be only the President of a section, elected by a
section, excites considerable uneasiness lest its co-
gency and validity should be seen and adopted by
Europe. Well or ill founded, or destitute of all

foundation, the impression prevails that with the
expiry of Mr. Lincoln's first term Great Britain and
France will assume a new position towards h( Fede-
ral Government, and that if the South hoh's its own
until that time, whatever be the changinu, fortune of
the war in the interval, its recogniCon will take
place on the three distinct grounds, that it is a de
facto Government, that Mr. Lincoln has no legal
title to its presidency, and that humanity, as well
as the commercial interests of the world, demands
that the war should cease. There are not wanting
cynics who assert that among the public men in
America who would be best pleased at this result are
Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward, and that European
recognition is the very thing, and the only thing,
that would remove an otherwise insuperable diffi-

culty out of their path. In such a contingency it is
argued that it would then be possible to prevent the
further disintegration of the North and the North-

West, and build up a new, free, homogeneous Re-
public, ultimately to include, by peaceable annexa-

tion and consent, the whole of British North Ame-
rica ; but that if the peace be not thus secured the
war will last for 10 or 20 years, or until the North

grow wearied and disgusted, or smash into half-a-
dozen pieces amid a whirl of bankruptcy and ruin,
if not amid a deluge of blood. Whatever amount of
truth may be concealed in these utterances, there

can be no doubt that the question of recognition is
believed in the political circles, both of the Demo-
cratic and Republican party, and in the larger
circles of trade and business, to have lately as-

sumed large proportions in Europe, and that it is
the duty of American statesmen to look it fairly
and squarely in the face. And in order to steal
a march upon Europe, it is urged that in this
moment of victory Mr. Lincoln should act

promptly as well as magnanimously, and solemnly
promise to the South and its leaders to withdraw all
his proclamations of confiscation and emancipation
and offer complete oblivion of the past—if amnesty
and foregiveness are words too galling to the pride of
the Southern leaders—upon the sole condition of
the return of the Southern States to the Union, and
a renewal of their fealty to the constitution. The
error of these reasoners lies in the assumption, first,
that there is any truth in these recognition rumours;
and, secondly, that the South in its heart loves the
Union as much as the North, that anger at the in-

terraeddlin,c; of the Northern Abolitionists with sla-
very was the sole cause of the secession, and that,

assured upon this point, the South would be but too

glad to re-enter the Union and rule it as in the
olden days before the baleful star of Mr Lincoln
arose upon the horizon. The day for all this has
long gone by, Mr. Lincoln and his party can offer
no such terms, and if he could the South could not

accept them. It is much too late for such a com

promise, or for any other. There is a sea of blood,
an unfathomable abyss of vengeance and hatred be-.
tween the opposing sections which no statesmanship
can bridge. Great Britain might as well attempt to
reannex the Union and transform it into its original

colonies by offering them the concessions which
would have satisfied the Americans before Wash-

ington took up arms as the North might attempt
to re-annex the South by offering concessions to
slavery. What hath been shall not be again. The
sooner the North recognises this truth, the sooner
it will be able to turn its abounding energies, its
hope, its faith, its resources, and all on which it
prides itself, to a greater and nobler task than the
restoration of a Union which has served its purpose
and outlived its time--the task of maintaining in
the northern and more vigorous half of its territory
the principles, the traditions, the spirit, and the
practice of Republican liberty.
The foremost men of the party by whose votes
Mr. Lincoln rules, the men who lead the masses and
indoctrinate them with their opinions, are not in
favour of any form of compromise. They see their
futility of concession, and will not prove false to
their principles by admitting, even for the sake of
the Union, that under any circumstances the Federal
Government would either protect or recognise
slavery. Mr. Wendell Phillips, in a speech upon
" Reconstruction," delivered last night before a
large audience at the 'Cooper Institute not only de-
clared himself in favour of immediate and uncondi-
tional emancipation, wherever the armies of the
Federal Government could penetrate to enforce the
manumission, but took the still higher ground that
freedom to the black race was not sufficient. He
claimed for the negroes not only freedom of labour
and of locomotion—which General Banks denied
them in Louisiana—but full social privileges and
the broadest rights of citizenship. He claimed that
the negroes were the true people of the South, and
that they had as much right to vote at all elections,
municipal, State, and national, as the. white native-
born American or the white imported Irishman or
German. The audience lustily applauded the doc-
trine, though there was but one negro present to
report to his brethren the favour in which they
stood with the great apostle of black humanity and
the sympathising crowd that hung enraptured on his
accents. Mr. Phillips may be called a fanatic, but
he is cool, clear, and logical, and has fully weighed
the purport of his public utterances. hie knows
that re-union is impossible, and is but true to his
old love and his early instincts when he insists with
so much zeal and eloquence upon a proposal that
the North and the North-West would scout as
lustily as the South if it were made by a statesman
charged with the responsibilities of office. He knows
that the South cannot be conquered, or, if con-
quered, that it cannot be held as a dependency of
the North. If he be true to his own logic, he knows
also that the sole alternative is the disruption,
which he has done more than any living American
to produce, and the separate nationality of the two
sections, which will be far more conducive to the
happiness and progress of both than an enforced
Union, however large the space it might fill upon
the map, or however dictatorial and offensive the
tone its size might warrant it to assume in its inter-
course with other nations.
There are some of the high officials of the Lincoln
Administration who still entertain their old fashioned
respect for the law and the Constitution, and refuse
to lend themselves on the plea of military necessity
to any attack upon either. Among the number
General Dix stands conspicuous. It was asserted
by a portion of the New York press, when the
General issued his order, No. 80, dated the 28th of
October, in reference to the approaching Presiden-
tial election, that the design of the Government and
of General Dix was to take military possession of
the polling-places on the Canadian frontier on the
Bth of November. The assertion was repeated in
my letter of the 4th of November, and seemed to me
at the time to be justified both by the letter and the
spirit of the " Order." This impression was
strengthened by a subsequent " Order," No. 85,
dated Nov. 2, in which the General appeared to with-
draw from the position he had assumed in consequence
of the unfriendly comments of the press, and speci-
fically notified " that no military force would be
embodied at or in the vicinity of any of the pollint,
places, and that there should be no interference inb
any manner with the right of suffrage." I now
learn on the highest authority, and state upon
that authority, that the previous inference was erro-
neous, and that the precautions ordered to be taken
by General Dix, and the instructions given by him
to the Provost-Marshals and their deputies on the
Canadian frontier and elsewhere within the limits
of his
military department, related entirely to the
arrival prior to the Presidential election of refugees,
deserters, marauders, raiders, and enemies of the
Government, who, on the pretence of voting, might
shooting clown peaceable citizens and
real object of
be expected to flock into Federal territory for the
plundering private property, as in the recent preda-
tory incursions on
ADetroit river and at St.
e
Alban's, in Vermont. The intention of Order No. 80
was to detect and punish such
persons, either before
or after they should have voted, and not in any
way to interfere with the election itself, or to inti-
midate the voters by the presence of the military.
It is gratifying
-to be able to state that sch was
the only meaning and intent of Gen. Dix's orders,
and that a gentleman so highly placed as he is re-
mains true to the traditions of an earlier and a hap-
pier period of the Republic, and that he considers
it a serious imputation upon his fair
principle fame that he
should have been charged, even
aggression upon the sacred inadvertently, withciple of the right of
the people to the free exercise of the suffrage.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The division at Aldershott under the command of
Lieut.-Gen. Sir J. L. Pennefather, K.C.8., formed

up on Thursday morning for field manoeuvres on the

high ground to the south of the Long-valley, in linel
of contiguous columns. Major-General Hodge's
brigade, consisting of D battery, Royal Horse
Artillery, the Royal Dragoons, Scots Grays, and the
14th Hussars, commanded respectively by Colonel
Col. Darby Griffith, C. 8., and Lieut.-Col. Thomp-
son, formed on the right of the division. On their
left were E and F batteries, 9th Brigade, Royal
Artillery, commanded by Major Mackenzie. Major-
Gen. Taylor's brigade, consisting of the 31st, 59th,
and 85th Regiment, commanded respectively by

Lieut.-Col. Eager, Major Bushe, and Col. Grey,
formed next in order, and the centre of the infantry

was formed by Major-Gen. Russell's brigade, con-

sisting of the 39th, 75th, and 83d Regiments, under

she commands of Major Leckie, Capt. Dyer, and

Major Bates. The left was formed by Major-Gen.
Bates's brigade, consisting of the Ist battalion, 14th
Regiment, the 60th Royal Rifles, and the 62d Regi-
ment, commanded by Col. Hawley, Major Brooke,
and Capt. Carter. The object of the Lieut.-General
appeared to be to check an enemy marching "upon
Aldershott from the direction of Reading, and whose
advanced troops had taken possession of Eelmoor
and Pyestock, whose right rested upon Bickley
bottom. The movements commenced by General
Russell's brigade taking a position to the right, and
advancing by regiments in open column of companies
at deploying distance, the left flank of the brigade
being covered by a line of skirmishers. Gen. Bates's

brigade took ground to the left, and advanced by
Bickley copse, covered by skirmishers of the 60th

Rifles. The E and F batteries advanced and came

into action in the centre, and about 200 yards in
front of the division. Gen. Hodge moved up his
cavalry brigade at a gallop, accompanied by D bat-
tery Royal Horse Artillery, and the latter came into
action simultaneously with the F battery. The 14th
Hussars advanced by echelon of squadron from the
right. The Royal Horse Artillery limbered up, and
the 14th formed line upon the leading squadron, and
made a demonstration. The Royal Dragoons and
the Scots Grays took ground to the right, advanced
by echelon of squadrons, formed line on the leading
squadron of the Royals, and halted. Each of these

lines was accompanied by half a battery of Royal
Horse Artillery. The cavalry brigade then retired by
open column of troops from the right of each line.
At this juncture Gen. Bates might be seen far to the
left advancing in line, covered by his skirmishers,

and'attacking the right of the enemy. Gen. Russell
changed position half left, and formed line with the
75th and 83d Regiments, the 39th forming a second
line in their rear in support. Gen. Hodge advanced
alternately by lines of regiments in the centre,
having Gen. Russell on the right and Gen. Bates
on the left, accompanied by the Royal Horse Artil-
lery. Gen. Taylor advanced by line of regiments

in support of Gen. Bates round the east base of
Long-hill, screened from the observation of the
enemy till he debouched on the common to the
north of Cocked-hat-wood. The Grays advanced
in line at a gallop, retired by open column of troops
from each flank, and re-formed on their original
ground. Gen. Russell was now hotly contesting the
possession of Eelmoor-hill with the left of the
enemy, which ultimately gave way, and the E and
F batteries Royal Artillery, bringing their guns up
the bill at a gallop, came smartly intc action, and
secured a good command of the enemy's position.

Gen. Hodge advanced his brigade by wings from
the left of regiments. Gen. Bates, having disposed
of the right of the enemy, took ground to the right,
and advanced in rear of Gen. Taylor, thus acting
in support. The Lieut. Gen. now brought the full
force of his army to bear upon Pyestock-bridge,
which he seemed determined to wrest from the
enemy. Gen. Taylor advanced his brigade in that
direction, as did also Gen. Russell, who, having

taken Eelmoor and forced the left of the
enemy, skirted Eelmoor-hill and advanced on the
road by the canal side towards the bridge. • Gens.
Hodge and Bates, who were supporting the two bri-
grades in action, also advanced in the direction
of Pyestock-bridge. Gen. Bates formed line to the
westward of the south side of the bridge, and Gen.
Taylor pushed his brigade over, assisted by the E
and F batteries Royal Artillery, who still occupied
the eminence in his rear. 'The Royal Horse Artil-
lery galloped over the bridge, covering the advance
of the cavalry, and Gen. Hodge, advancing his
three regiments over the bridge, quickly formed line
on the right of Gen. Taylor, and advanced on Pye-
stock. The Lieut.-Gen., having held this position
for some minutes, performed a retrogade movement
with his division, and Gen. Russell fell back on the
road along which he had advanced. Gen. Taylor
retired from the north side of the canal, Gen. Hodge
covering his retreat Gen. Bates also retired
by lines of regiments. The cavalry brigade retire
from the north side of the canal, covered by D bat-
tery, Royal ijorae Artillery, which came into
action. As they crossed the bridge they occupied
the ground vacated by General Bates. The Royal
Horse Artillery also retired, and the whole of the
troops fell back under cover of the guns of the E
and F batteries, which still maintained their posi-
tion on Eelmoor-hill. The movements of the day
were then brought to a close, and the troops re-
ceived orders to return to quarters, which they
reached about 1 o'clock.
The non-commissioned officers and men of the E
and F batteries, 9th Brigade, Royal Artillery, at
Aldershott, have each subscribed a day's pay to a
fund which has been started on behalf of the widow
and four children of the unfortunate Gunner Burns,
who was killed on Friday, the 30th ult., under the
circumstances reported in our columns. The officers
of the abovenamed batteries have also subscribed.
Some further trials have been made, on the part
of the authorities connected with the War Depart-
ment, with the chilled cast-iron shot, the invention
of Major Palliser, a description of which has already
appeared in The Sun, when the superiority of
the new shot over several kinds of steel shot
was so marked that it has been decided to manu-
facture a large supply of chilled shot during the
present year, the necessary charge for the same
being included in the new Estimates.
Earl de Grey and Ripon, the Hon. Charles Fre-
derick Villiers, and the Hon. T. M. Gibson, members
of her Majesty's Hon. Privy Council, accompanied
by Mr. Arthur Helps, Clerk of the Council, arrived
at the Royal Clarence yard, Portsmouth, on Satur-
day, by special South-Western train from London,
and crossed over to Osborne in the Sprightly, paddle
steamer, Commander G. Allen, returning to Ports-
mouth again at 5 p.m. by the same vessel, and leav-
ing by the special train for London.
Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.8., re-
turned to his command on Saturday, from a visit to
her Majesty at Osborne.
In accordance with instructions received at Chat-
ham from the Admiralty a number of hired workmen
at that dockyard have•been placed on the establish-
ment, in consequence of a number of vacancies hav-
ing arisen from the superannuations which have
taken place under the recently established regula-
tions.

A number of workmen at Chatham dockyard
have commenced clearing away the mud and sand in
the harbour opposite No. 7 slip, on which the iron-
cased frigate Lord Warden is under construction, in
readiness for laying down the launching way for
that vessel, which, however, will not be completed
for some months to come, the frigate having just
commenced receiving her armour plates.
The llighflyer, 20, screw corvette, Capt. Pasley,
sailed from Spithead on Saturday morning for the
Cape of Good Hope and the East Indies, taking out
supernumeraries for ships now on those stations.
The Ilighflyer left by the western channel, and in
passing by Osborne she saluted, with 21 guns, the
royal standard, which, flying over Osborne Towers,
denoted the presence there of her Majesty.
The Dee, steam store vessel, Staff Commander
Raymond, arrived at Portsmouth on Saturday, with
stores, &c., from Woolwich.
The shipwrights discharged, and those about to
be discharged, from the books of the Devon dock-
yard, will have the option of employment in that
establishment in breaking up the screw steamship
Russell, 60, recently engaged as coastguard ship at
Falmouth.
The following appointments and promotions have

been made at the Admiralty .—Lieut. Herbert F.

Campbell to be flag lieutenant to the Hibernia ;
Lieut. Harcourt T. Gammell to the Victory ; Ed-
mund Swain, master, to the Orlando ; W. H. Pan-
ter, master, to the Wanderer ; W. Brown, of the
Victoria and Albert, promoted to be chief engineer;
and W. Powell, of the Dromedary, promoted to be
acting engineer ; J. Sharp, of the Asia, and W.
Green, of the Irresistible, for the Argus ; James
Brough, of the Aurora, and George Edwards, of the
Edgar, for the Trinculo, promoted to first-class
engineers ; Thomas Pattison and George J. Barber,
of the Asia, confirmed as first-class assistant engi-
neers.

The Volunteers.

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES TO THE. QUEEN'S (WESTMINSTER)

RIFLES IN WESTMINSTER HALL.
On Saturday evening the fifth annual distribution of
prizes to the successful competitors in rifle shooting during
tho past year of the Queen's (Westminster) Rifles took

place in Westminster-hall, in the presence of a crowded

and fashionable auditory.
The Hall was additionally and magnificently lighted for
the occasion, upon the principle adopted at the Social Science

meeting. A large dais, covered with crimson cloth, and
ornamented with banners bearing the crown and portcullis
(the arms of Westminster), was erected in front of the recess

!orming the entrance to the House of Commons. Opposite
his the hall was carpeted, and reserved seats provided for

500 ladies. Tickets had also been issued for 2,600 general
visitors. The Corps, under the direction of Major and
Adjutant Charter, were drawn up, forming three sides of a
square, whilst the band was stationed at the northern
entrance. The regiment presented a very imposing ap-
pearance. _ _ _

Lady Constance Grosvenor, who had undertaken the pre-
. _ _ _

sentation, occupied a seat on the dais, and was supported by
the noble colonel of the regiment, Earl Grosvenor ; Colonel

Mlfurdo, C. 8., Inspector-General of Volunteers ; Colonel
Erskine, Inspector-General elect ; Captain Mildmay, Secre-
tary of the National Rifle Association; Lord Gerald Fitz-
gerald, lieutenant-colonel of the 2d battalion ; Majors
Russell and Bushby, &c.
Earl GROSVENOR, in opening the business of the evening,
expressed the sincere gratitude of the Queen's (Westmin-
ster) to those ladies and gentlemen of the district who had
contributed so largely to the excellent show of prizes which
was before them, and he trusted that the members would
prove their gratitude by becoming still more efficient than
they were at-present, and still better shots. He congratu-
lated the regiment upon having this year won the noble

silver shield which graced the centre of their fflspla)

of prizes, "The Scrubbs Plate," a prize subscribed and
contested for by the Queen's, the Victorias, the West

Middlesex, and St. George's, and then went on to express
his regret that there had been a slight falling off in the
number of marksmen as compared with 1863, and hoped
that next year the numbers would be greatly increased.
The best shot of the regiment this year was a foreigner,
and he felt assured that the corps would not view such an
event with any feelings of jealousy, but rather with satis-
faction that a foreigner had been able to wrest the laurel
from them. The best shooting company was the 13th
(Captain Styan's), and he might also mention that several

members of the corps had won various, prizes at meetings
in different parts of the country. The St. James's Com-
pany had also this year become the winners of the Inland

Revenue Cup. The number of marksmen this year had
been 214, against 235 last year. The total number of men

who had fired through their classes this year had been
346 against 415 last year, showing a slight falling off, but
the average of the shooting had been somewhat higher,

being 44.30 against 42.39 last year. He thanked the shoot-
ing committee for the exertions they had made, and he was
happy to say that they had now an acquisition to their rank
in Lieut. Tyler, who had undertaken the charge of the mus-

ketry department, and who, although he only came last
September, had already effected much improvement, and he

was happy to say the burgesses of Westminster had pro-
mised to knock up a cup of the value of 501. as a prize for
next year's shooting. After referring to the advantages and
the propriety of members joining the school of arms, the
noble lord referred to the misfortune which had happened
to the regiment in the death of Mr. Erle last Easter at Guild-
ford, but remarked that he was happy to say the regiment
had succeeded in raising a sum of 3001., which they had pre-

sented to that gentleman's widow, who had unfortunately
been left in straitened circumstances. Arrangements were
being made to place the organisationwith regard to the band
on a more satisfactory footing. He was delighted to see the
gallant Inspector, Colonel Alliurdo, present on this occasion
(cheers)--and as it was probably the last time they should
have the honour of seeing him before his retirement from
-the office of Inspector-General of Volunteers, he was sure
they would all join him in expressing their wish for his
health and long life in whateverposition he might be placed.
(Loud 'cheers.)
Lady CONSTANCE GROSVENOR then came forward to pre-
sent the prizes, and was received with loud and continued
applause. They amounted to several hundreds, and the
aggregate value was represented to be between 1,4001. and
1,5001. Her ladyship addressed congratulatory remarks to
the recipients as they ascended the platform to receive the
reward of their efficiency, and during the proceedings the
excellent band of the regiment played a variety of music,
including grand anarch, Paritani (Bellini) ; overture, 7'an-
credi (Rossini); selection from Faust (Gounod) ; quadrille,
Serandi (Balfe) ; polka, Eclipse (Koenig) ; waltz, Corn
Flowers (Coote), &c.

Amongst the principal prizes were the following : " The
Scrubbs Plate," value 100 guineas, competed for by the
Queen's, the Victoria; West Middlesex, and St. George's
on the Bth August last, and won by the Queen's, who are
entitled to hold the plate till the next competition. The fol-
lowing were the scores :—Queen's, 637 ; Victorias, 631 ;
West Middlesex, 623 ; and St. George's 531. Earl Grosve-
nor's silver Challenge Cup, value 501., to the company
whose figure of merit is the highest, won by No. 13 Com-
pany. A Silver Challenge Cup, value 201., presented by
Major Russell. and won by Sergeant Jas. Clothier, No. 2
Company. A Drawing-Hom Clock, value 101. 10s., pre-
sented by Major Bushby, competed for by marksmen, and
won by Private E. Richardson, No. 2 Company. The first
prize for highek aggregate scores :—A Diamond Ring,
value 121., C. A. Bennett°, No. 13 Company. A Drawing-
room Timepiece value 10i., won by Corporal E. G. Lay-
bourne, No. 2 Company, &c. With regard to • regimental
contests the whole of the prizes appear to be carried off by
the Second Battalion, Ensign Starkie and Serg. Anderson,
No. 8 Company, making the highest scores. The regimen-
tal badges—consisting of chevrons, portcullis (arms of
WeStminster), rifles and stars, &c.—and the companies'
prizes were of the most elaborate and many of acostly de-
scription, among the most prominent of which were—For
No. 1 Company—the Ladies' Challenge .Cup and Silver
Medal, with rifle and stars, value 311. 10s., won by Private
A. Austin. In No. 2 Company there were two challenge
vase; of the value of 211. each ; the first for the Pimlico
division, with portcullis, cross, rifles (highest grade), and
two chevron; won by Corporal E. G. Laybourne ; the se-
cond, with gold badge, card-trap, timepiece,and cross rifles,
won by Private E. G. Pridmore. No. 3 Company—the first
prize, a portcullis and rifle and stars, with prize value 61.,
won by Sergeant R. Oxley. No. 4 Company—port-
cullis, rifle and stars, and prize of 5/. 55., to
Captain C. Vacher. No. 7 Company—portcullis, rifle
and stars, field-glass, and prize of 5/. 55., to Private T.
Oxen. No. 8 Company (Broadwood's) had no less than 54
prizes to be presented, which were equally divided. Ser-
geants A. Anderson and H. S. Walmsley carrying off the
two highest. No. 9 Company—Memorial Challenge Cup,
from representatives of the late Corporal Trigg, value 10/.,
with portcullis, rifle, and star; won by Corporal J. Sarsons.
No. 10 Company—Challenge Cup, value 16/.165., and purse,
5/. 55., won by Private C. Connor. No. 11 Company (St.
Paul's, Covent-garden)—Ladies' Challenge Cup, value
73/. 10s., with Silver Medal, rifle and stars, &c., won by
Private G. Seymour. N 0.12 (St.James's) Company—Silver
Challenge Cup, value 21/. ; the Bidgood Challenge Cup,
value 15/. 155., and a purse of 5/., with rifle and stars, won
by Private G. James. 13th Company (St. Martin's Divi-
sion)—The Ladies' Challenge Cup, value 521.105., won by
Sergeant W. Hooper. No. 14 Company—First prize of
71. 75., won by Private C. Godfrey. No. 15 Company—A
Gold Watch, value 19/., with portcullis, rifle, and stars,
won by Private' Brown. No. 16 (St Ann's) Company—
The Ladies' Challenge Cup, value 31/. 10s, &c., won by
Captain C. Nightingale.. No. 17 Company (St Clement
Danes)—The Challenge Cup, by the parishioners, value
63/., with a gold pin, a miniature billiard-table, a purse,
with rifle and afiis, and portcullis, won by Capt. Scrivener.
No. 18 (King's College) Company—The first prize, value
71. 7s, won by Colour-Sergeant W. H. Kensitt.
At the conclusion of the presentation,
Col. M'Munno, who was received with loud applause,
addressed the vast assembly. He observed that he had
great pleasure in being present to witness the renewed
fruits of the high appreciation in which the 22d Middlesex
Regiment was still held by numerous friends. It was the
duty of an inspecting officer to report to his Government
the efficiency of a regiment under arms where ho found it
so ; but it was a- still more gratifying duty to report to the
Government the proceedings of such a meeting as the pre-
sent, when so large an assembly was congregated to wit-
ness the presentation of the valuable prizes before them,
because it constituted the real foundation of the movement.
(Hear.) He regretted to find there had been a slight falling
off in the number of men who had gone to the targets this
year as compared with last. He attributed this not so much
to the indisposition of the men, but to the difficulties they
had to encounter in getting to the ranges, and to the diffi-
culty of finding ranges for volunteer corps, more especially
for corps connected with the metropolis. On this subject it
was to be regretted that persons who were in possession of
land in the vicinity of the ranges proved themselves such
great opponents to the volunteer force, and took the steps
they did for obstructing the progress of the volunteer
movement, through the medium of the law. It was to be
regretted that through a misapprehension Parliament had
not adopted certain clauses in a bill to protect volunteers
in discharging their duties as efficients, and which would
have prevented the wholesale destruction of ranges. Range
after range, either through foolish fear or the malicious
feeling of indiyiduals, had been done away with, but he

hoped that the time was not far distant when obstructions
to the force he had referred to would be removed. As one
who would always take an interest in the volunteer, he was
happy to tell them that the volunteer force was increasing,
not merely in numbers but in efficiency, and he said this
not only as an inspecting officer of volunteers, but as one
who had seen 97,000 men under arms. He was well satis-
fied with their efficiency, but what he wanted was to see
greater rapidity in their movements. The gallant colonel
then explained the advantages of rapidity of movement
before an enemy, and, in reference to this point, said that
a new species of volunteer corps had been organised with
twenty-one lieutenant-colonels, which would soon amount
to thirty, and they were composed of engineers and others,
who would be able to take the actual command
of our railways, on which rapid transit would be

of the highest importance in the event of our shores being
invaded. (Hear, hear.) Colonel M'Murdo, in a very affect-
ing and impressive manner, alluded to his retirement from
the position of inspector-general of volunteers, and, in
taking leave of the Queen's (Westminster), expressed a
hope for its permanent prosperity as well as that of the vo-
lunteer service generally. (Loud applause, which was in-
creased when Earl Grosvenor came forward and proposed
three cheers for Colonel M'Murdo, which was heartily re-
sponded to.)
Colonel ERSKINE then came forward, and, in a brief
address, proposed a " Vote of thanks to Lady Constance
Grosvenor, and three cheers for her ladyship."
This was also responded to in the most enthusiastic
manner.

Earl GROSVENOR said he had to thank them for the
honour they had done Lady Constance, and he called upon
them to conclude their proceedings by giving three cheers
for the Queen.

The cheers were heartily and vociferously given, and the
strains of the National Anthem by the band brought the
proceedings to a close.