The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-25 00:00:00

THE SUN,' LONDON, MONDAY 7EVENING, JUNE 23, 1860.

fifty thousand of well trained Rifle Volunteers
would effectually prevent this Contingency. We
earnestly hope that some means may be devised for
extending the movement, so as to embrace all classes,
and thus make the force not only large, but what it
ought to be in the truest sense—national. We have
the best possible material for effective rifle troops
in the more skilled and intelligent workmen and
artisans of our large to*ns. hey would gladly
join in the movement, but they cannot afford the
preliminary expenses. Surely some means might
be devised for meeting this difficulty; and if so,
while it still continues to spread amongst other
classes, we should in a few months obtain double
the present number of volunteers. With 250,000
volunteers in regular training the question of
national defences would be practically settled in
the cheapest and most expeditious manner.

(From the liforning Herald.)
" High sight it was and haughty," the scene wit-
nessed last Saturday in the wcrld's metropolis. We
can recall no grander ebullition of patriotism to mind
than that displayed at the first review of our Volun-
teers. It boots not to speak here of the equipments,

marches, and manoeuvres ; how citizen soldiers
wheeled, and circled, and pressed on in dense, un-
broken columns to the word of command ; what
accuracy, precision, steadiness of movement were
exhibited by battalions of civil recruits; how the
chivalry of England, Ireland, and Scotland com-
peted in noble rivalry, and what corps excelled,
where the nation contended with spontaneous emu-
lation, in martial bearing3and all the pomp and cir-
cumstances of war—these things belong not our
argument, and they deserve a separate notice. But
that mighty heaving surge of national Volunteers
with its ridge of bayonets and crest of rifles, its
never ceasing sweep and resistless swell, was a
spectacle worthy of the pen that sketched " Mar-
mion." To us, however, it appertains to " point a
moral" rather than " adorn a tale," and so far as we
can gather up in one view the thoughts that rise be-
fore the mind's eye on beholding such a manifesta-
tion as that of Saturday last. To us, then, the
great feature of note was this, that every person
present at the review appeared to have a personal
interest therein. That marvellous picture of
Thucydides, where he describes the departure of
the grand armament for Sicily, at once took posses-
sion of the faculties. Every one gazed at the
assembled Volunteers as though they knew and re-
cognised in that dense phalanx many an acquaint-
ance, many a friend, many a relation. It seemed
as though this idea was uppermost—" Yonder is a
gallant, imposing, devoted array of patriots, every
man ready to lay down his life in defence of father-
land, The Sovereign of the realm will this day
acknowledge and publicly testify her approbation
of that spirit of self-denial and generous patriotism
which is the embodiment of that vast mass. Hence-
forth every man of them bears a charmed life ;' he
is consecrated to his country's service in his country's
need, and yet I claim many among them as my own
friends." It was not, therefore, as a mere military
demonstration that we can contemplate the review
of our Volunteers. The gorgeous array of soldiers
hired to defend their country may strike the senses
and dazzle the outward vision, and convey to the
spectators a bewildering notion of splendour, and
magnificence, and terror; but it never appeals to
the feelings, save on very rare occasions. This, how-
ever, was the distinguishing characteristic in Sa-
turday's demonstration, for the absence of flaring
costume and glittering equipment was the most
marked of external features. A military review
inspires most men with a chilling sense of cold
steel, hard stocks, formal salutations, and stereo-
typed mechanical motions, and is neither congenial
to the habits nor feelings of Englishmen. Our
Volunteer review acted as an electric battery upon
the whole assembled myriads of spectators ; it struck
a chord which vibrated through the metropolis and
the empire, and thrilled again responsive to that
very spot where one universal chorus of acclama-
tions greeted the Queen of England. But there was
no note of defiance heard in that vast assemblage.
The conviction that reigned in every breast be-
tokened more self-reliance than threat or menace
breathes. There sat that confidence of calm
assurance on every countenance which defies
fear. No heart quailed or felt any misgivings,
because the triple brass in which it was encased had
never admitted the shafts of doubt. Let, therefore,
no foreign prince or power affect umbrage at the
volunteer movement. We know, indeed, that
when last organised, it was to hurl back
the challenge of war across the Channel. Napoleon
I. was lying in wait for a spring upon our shores,
but though he chafed long in his lair, the intended
victim was delivered from the peril. In 1803 we
find it stated that England could muster over
300,000 volunteers, but then the danger appeared
imminent and all but present, and accordingly the
object aimed at was near, tangible, and generally
recognised. No °me out of all that myriad throng
of last Saturday seemed impressed with any such
feelings as those which throbbed in the heart of
the country some 60 years ago. There was no al-
lusion to France, no mention of Napoleon once
heard, though the calm, self-possessed, undoubting
confidence which pervaded all was also mingled and
softened by a sentiment of gratitude that such a
force existed. It was felt to be well for us that the
Volunteer movement was resuscitated, but no one
cared to justify the general conclusion on any spe-
cific grounds. " There," we said to ourselves, " are
our national defenders ; it may be that they will
not be needed, but come what may, it is better to
be prepared." And we are glad that this is the
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but it was brought home to us more nearly in the
Crimean war. How, then, is a commercial people
to be trained up to arms except by some such sys-
tem as that of our Volunteers ? It is not enough
that our regular army and navy be supported by
voluntary enlistment. Conscription and the press-
gang are happily unknown in this age of our coun-
try, and they could never be adopted again, But
however honourable to the national spirit, and how-
ever satisfactory, the gratuitous self-sacrifice of our
countrymen to the cause of their native land is not
likely to be fostered and strengthened, but rather
to ebb and decline by a studied depreciation of the
profession of arms. Moreover, our previous de-
fences are not sufficient, even now, to guaranteesthe
security and integrity of our dominions. On every
ground, therefore, of high policy and healthy pa-
triotism it behoves us to encourage, extend, and
render permanent that movement which, on Satur-
day last, was stamped with the national signet as
one of the defences of this kingdom. We confess
it seems to us a reproach not free from dishonour to
onr fair fame that some 30,000,000 of people, whose
ancestors conquered in every region of the globe,
both on land and sea, should be liable to repeated
panics on account of events in a country separated
by the ocean and which not fifty years since was
totally vanquished. No wonder we suffered in our
influence when we invited ridicule and the finger
of scorn. When the Cobdenic era of peace shall
have broken upon the world, when wars cease in
all lands, and the voice of strife is hushed for ever,
when the lion lies down with the lamb, and ambition
and cupidity are merged in universal content--
when, in short, human nature assumes the attri-
butes of the Divine—then, and not till then, can
we afford to ignore the profession of arms. We trust
that the demonstration of last Saturday is but the
preface to a drama of many acts. We rejoice, also,
that its success was beyond cavil, and beyond all
anticipations; for there were not wanting those
who have " damned" the movement " with faint
praise." Our Volunteers may now go on their way
hopeful and assured of no stinted nieed of national
approbation. Already they have lived down the
snPer of fools and the slander of factions, and
silenced every voice save that of commendation.
Their self sacrifice and ingenuous patriotism is re-
cognised and appreciated by their fellow-citizens,
and the highest and the most revered personage
in the state watches with a glow of admiration their
noble and disinterested efforts in behalf of their
country's safety. Let them, then, persevere and
still add to their ranks in the proud consciousness
that theirs is the cause which ennobles man and
immortalises heroes.

(From the Horning Post.)

Could the old Greek poet who sang to his coun-
trymen that " not stone walls, but stout hearts"
formed the sure defence of cities—could he have
witnessed the scene which the capital of England
presented on Saturday afternoon, he would have
acknowledged that the citizens of modern, equally
with those of ancient, States are imbued with a
perception of that truth. The review of the Volun-
teers in Hyde-park gave an earnest to the coun-
try ; the account of its details will convey to all
foreign Courts an impression of the real, practical,
business-like manner in which the question of the
national defences has been taken up by the English
people, of the intensely' patriotic feeling which it
reveals, of the spirit of self-sacrifice which it dis-
plays, and which it in a far higher degree sug-
gests. England has not exchanged her sword for
the ledger, as gloomy prophets had once predicted,
and jealous rivals had been led to hope. All the
wealth and splendour, all the luxury and ease, of a
highly-developed civilisation have neither dead-
ened
nor dulled the instinots"by which .successive