The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-21 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

OXFORD, THURSDAY.
This evening a grand entertainment was given
by Sir J. Morrell, Deputy-Lieutenant of the county
of Oxford, to Col. North, M.P., and the Oxford
City Volunteers. The dinner, which was served
on a scale of great magnificence, was attended by
the Bishop of Oxford, the Lord-Lieutenant, the
Duke of Marlborough, the Earl Abingdon, Lord
Norreys, the Hon. Mr. Fiennes, Mr. Henley, M.P.,
Mr. Harcourt, M.P., Mr. J. H. Langston, M.P.,
Mr. J. T. Norreys, M.P., the High Sheriffs of Ox-
ford and Berks, the Vice-Chancellor of the Univer-
sity, several of the Heads of Colleges now resident
in Oxford, a large number of deputy-lieutenants
and magistrates, and most of the principal gentry
of the counties of Oxford and Berks.
The cloth having been removed, and the usual
complimentary toasts having been cordially drunk,
The CHAIRMAN then gave " the health of the
Lord-Lieutenant, the Duke of Marlborough,"
which was received with loud cheers.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH, in returning thanks,
observed that since he had the honour of filling the
pest of Lord-Lieutenant it had been an office of real
importance. His first duty was to embody the
militia, and he need not remind them how nobly
the embodiment was T.-oceeded with and how well
their military duties had been discharged. At that
period of their service he had to convey to them his
approval of the manner in which they had per-
formed their duties. His next duty was to watch
over that mighty movement which Englishmen had
put forth in the Volunteer movement. He was

happy to think that this county was almost the

first to join in that movement, and he would pay a
tribute of praise and thanks to the University in
supportiug that movement by at once responding
to it, and by their energetic action having obtained
the high honour of being the 7th corps in England.
Their first step was to obtain subscriptions, and here
at once the spirit and feelings of Englishmen showed
themselves. Hardly a week had elapsed before
£1,500 had been subscribed, while at the same time
Volunteers flocked to the ranks so quickly that
very soon the volunteer force had become equal to
the Militia, and he had no doubt would soon exceed
that branch of the service. They could not shut
their eyes to the fact that this movement had been
the result of actual necessity. No doubt they were
all most anxious to be on the best of terms with
their neighbours, but still they were determined
that their great interests, their commercial cha-
racter, and that vast material wealth which God's
Providence had given to them should not be de-
stroyed by any foe. (Cheers.) They owed it to
Europe and the world that those blessings of free-
dom which they had inherited from their fore-
fathers they should transmit untarnished to their
ancestors—(cheers)—unimpaired by foreign aggres-
sion. (Cheers.) That which really called this
movement into being was the position of a foreign
country. It was useless to point out any particular
Power, and might be disrespectful to name any in-
dividual Sovereign of Europe ; but what all their
aims were directed against was a system which had
once been rivetted on Europe—which might be
termed Napoleonism—and which he was sorry to
say might yet deluge the whole of Europe with
blood. That was a system which this country had
ever shown itself opposed to, even when it had
made head all over Europe, and they were deter-
minedlicw to show that though they were desirous
of living on the best terms with their neighbours,
they were nevertheless prepared to put themselves
in such a position as to be able to say, " Touch us
who dare." (Cheers.) Ho was quite sure that
there was a most anxious desire on the part of all
present for the success, prosperity, and permanence
of the Volunteer movement—a movement which
was interwoven with the hearts of the people. He
could not sit down without impressing on the
minds of the Rifle Volunteers now present the im-
portance of paying great attention to military dis-
cipline, for without that the volunteer forces would
as a help to the regular defences of the king-
dom be utterly worthless. It was only by assimi-
lating them to the regular army that they would
be able to act with it in the defence of their coun-
try, which he was sure it was their most anxious
wish to do. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed " the health of the
Bishop of Oxford," which was drank with loud and
long continued cheering.
The Bishop
in
mhehhte Bishop of OXFORD—Sir, I thank you very
for the way in which you have proposed
y a'r
this great company, and I thank the
guests around your table for the kind manner in
which they responded to it. There may be some
disposed at first sight to say that at such a gather-
ing as this—a warlike gathering—we men of peat®
Are A little Out of pine. b •
u; 4 think that that

would be a very shallow view, for I believe it is in
the interest of peace itself that every warlike con-
stituted armament is equipped, and that, above all,
such a movement as this is most distinctly a move-
ment on behalf of peace. (Cheers.) I may say that
there ought to be nothing which is manly, which is
English, which is brave, which should be a stranger
to them as ministers of religion, for I maintain that
there is no body of men on earth who uphold and
maintain bravery and manliness and old English
feeling more than the English Church. (Cheers.)
Well, then, if this applies to every department of a
well constituted military movement, it must espe-
cially apply to such a movement as this, because
this is prominently a defensive movement, and can-
not be made an aggressive one. Above all, it is
one in which, under no conceivable state of circum-
stances, could we begin by fighting for an idea and
end in the annexation of a province. (Loud and
long continued cheering.) Though this is a peace
movement, I believe it is one which is fraught with
blessings in many ways to the people of this land.
If it did nothing else than bring the young men of
our cities, our counties, our universities, under mili-
tary discipline, and accustom them to the ordinary
athletic exercises which belong to that calling, I
believe that this of itself would be a great blessing
to the land. (Cheers.) We have, please God, a
will and strength which any enemy would find im-
pregnable if he dared to try. (Cheers.) Further-
more, I believe that the very rise of this move-
ment among us has been one of the
greatest possible securities for the peace of
Europe, not only because we have taught the
babblers who held that we were an extinct
and effete people that they were talking the most
arrant nonsense, not only because it has convinced
men that there would be a direct and most energetic
physical opposition to any attack on this land such
as they had little counted on, but because this move-
ment tended to show permanently throughout the
whole civilised world how entirely and absolutely
we were an united people. (Cheers.) Because we
have our comparatively trifling home discords, other
rations think we are a divided people ; but our
quarrels are but as lovers' quarrels, which lead only
to closer embraces and to stricter amity. (Cheers.)
This movement has done more than anything which
could be conceived to convince Europe, watching it
with eager and some portions with alarmed eyes,
that if an enemy of this kind ventured upon the
dangerous experiment of an invasion he would find
that the first ring of a host:le rifle on the virgin
shores of Britain would rouse the whole nation—
men, boys, and even women, who would soon teach
their foe, vrith rules which would echo throughout
the kingdom, that England would suffer no hostile
foot to tread upon its sacred shores. (Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the " health of
Colonel North," which was cordially responded to.
Colonel NORTH, in a short speech which was en.
tirely of a local character, conveyed his thanks to
Mr. Morrell and the visitors present for the honour
which they had done him and the Oxford Rifles by
inviting them to th;s entertainment, He was very
proud to say that the movement had been taken up
most heartily by the people of Oxfordshire, and the
manner in which they had acquitted themselves at
the review in Hyde Park was beyond all praise.
He trusted that the movement would go on as it had
begun, and he was quite sure that in loyalty, in a
desire to serve their Queen, and do their duty by
their country, the Oxfordshire Volunteers would be
inferior to no other. (Cheers.)
The precedings did not terminate until a late
hour.

Yesterday a meeting was held at the Thatched-
house Tavern for the purpose of forming a light
horse volunteer corps for London and its vicinity,
Major J. F. Richardson, C. 8., Bth Bengal Irregular
Cavalry, in the chair. The chairmen said he had
been asked as an Indian officer t ) aid in the forma-
tion of a light horse volunteer corps, and he should
be very glad to afford any assistance towards that
end which was in his power. He would recommend,
however, the format;.on of a regiment of good
irregulars with common hunting saddles, in pre-
ference to a Dragoon Regiment, which, he thought,
without the regular training which the latter un-
derwent, would turn out a failure. He had had
some experience of Volunteer Irregular Cavalry,
having raised a regiment in India, which he com-
manded there during the late disturbances, and he
thought it would be much better to have a regiment
of good irregulars than bad Dragoons. He would
suggest, also, that the corps should be officered, if
possible, at first by military men, and that as va-
cancies arose they should be filled up from the ranks
by the commanding officer. With regard to the
weapons, he recommended lances and swords, which
were essentially the arms of the cavalry soldier, in
preference to the carbine, which he considered ob-
jectionable, except as regarded about 10 men per
troop, who would be available as skirmishers, sen-
tries, or escorts. Mr. J. B. May said he had put
himself in communication with the Lord-Lieute-
nant, who had expressed himself favourable to the
formation of the corps, and about 100 gentlemen
had agreed to join it, among whom were the Earl
of Bessborough, Lord Schomberg Kerr, the Count
de Genlre, Lord Seymour, and Lord Powerscourt,
the latter of whom had consented to take the com-
mand. Mr. Tattersall proposed that Major Richard-
son should be appointed regimental chairman and
hon. secretary pro tern. ; this was seconded by' Mr.
B. May, and carried. Mr. Nevill then proposed
that a provisional committee should be formed fer
the administration of the affairs of the regiment,
and that the following gentlemen should form such
committee, with power to add to their number :
Messrs. Tattersall, J. M. Garrad, J. B. May, Boyle,
and Garden. This was agreed to, and several gen-
tlemen having enrolled themselves as members of
the corps, the business concluded with a vote of
thanks to the chairman.

About 90 members of the Gravesend Artillery
Volunteer Corps, with several of their officers and
band, in command of Capt. Cora. Rosher, visited
Sheerness this day (Thursday) for the purpose of
practice at heavy gun drill, this being the first time
that they have had the opportunity of firing with
shot and shell. The target was stationed at a range
of 1,500 yards from the centre garrison battery.
During the practice the flagstaff was taken from
the target three times, and the whole of the firing
reflects great credit upon both the officers and the
men of the corps, as well as upon their drill instruc-
tor, Master Gunner Alexander, R.A.
The 4th Battalion of Kent Volunteer Rifles, com
prising the companies formed at Canterbury, Ash-
ford, Sittingbourno, Ash, and Wingham, were in-
spected yesterday in the St. Lawrence Cricket-
ground at Canterbury, by Viscount Sidney, the
Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Kent. The
various companies, having assembled in the Cathe-
dral precincts, marched thence to the ground.
At about half-past one o'clock the inspecting-
officer arrived, accompanied by Colonel Luard,
the Assistant-Inspector of Volunteers, and the
commandant of the 4th battalion, Colonel Dixon
Dyke (who took the command), and a nume-
rous staff. The ground was kept by a detachment
from the Royal Kent Mounted Rifles. The bat-
talion having been formed in line, and inspected in
the ranks by the Lord Lieutenant, they were put
through various evolutions and the precision with
which each was executed, particularly the marching
past, elicited marks of approbation from most of
the spectators. At the close of the review the bat-
talion advanced in line and formed in close columns,
and was then addressed by the inspecting officer,
who highly complimented them on their efficiency.
On Saturday last the 9th Suffolk Volunteer Rifles,
numering 100 men, were entertained at dinner by
Richard Garrett, Esq., at his seat,- Carlton-hall ; the
corps mustered in the park at half-past three, and
performed a variety of evolutions in a highly credi-
table manner ; at six an adjournment took place to
the fine old dining-room of Carlton, when about 150
sat down to a sumptuous repast. This fine body of
men mainly consists of workmen in the employ-
ment of Garrett and Sons, at Leiston Works, who
have contributed about £2OO to its funds.

On Wednesday afternoon Lord Hatherton, Lord-
Lieutenant of the county of Stafford, inspected the
two companies of Rifle Volunteers organized at
Burton-upon-Trent. The inspection took place on
the cricket-ground, about a mile from Burton, and
WM witnessed by seTeral thousand persons. Capt.

Abram Bass commanded, and the number of Volun-
teers reviewed was about 150. At the close of the
review Lord Hatherton delivered a brief address of
congratulation and encouragement, and afterwards
inspected the rifle butt which has been erected at
Burton, where the Volunteers possess the advan-
tage of having a ball practice range of 1,050 yards.