The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-27 00:00:00

discharged soldiers, there was no longer power under mar-
tial law to detain them in the service of the volunteers if
they chose at any moment to leave it. There was, however,
one class of volunteers in whose favour an exception might

be fairly made, namely the artillery vola-,t, ers and a
small number of mounted volunteers, and he understood

lat it was intended to allow those branches one sergeant

to ezch mounted company of volunteers. (Hear.) But it
would be remembered with regard to armourers and store-
houses, that it was one condition made with the volun-

teers by the Government, that the arms should be deposited
in storehouses, and under the care of arms' keepers, to be
paid for by the Government ; and it should also be borne
in mind that the Government had appointed inspectors as
well as adjutants to volunteers. He felt that the volunteers
themselves would admit that they were now far better off
than they were when the Government accepted their ser-
vices, and it was essential, in order to make them a perma-
nent force, that they should not in the estimates become a
costly one.

Lord VIVIAN thought the time had come when the
volunteers, in reference to their organisation and amaz-
ingly increased efficiency, should meet with increased en-
couragement from her Majesty's Government and the
country. (Hear.) The question was one of great import-
ance, and, as he said before, unless greater encouragement
were given to them by the Gove nment, in a very short
time the country would lose more than one-half of them.
In his own county they were all willing to a man to serve ;
but he must say that some allowance ought to be made to
them, at least in the articles of ammunition and clothing,
and he deemed it right to add, that the time had now ar-
rived when the Government ought to do something more
for the volunteers than they had hitherto done. (Hear.)
He also thought it would be well to have two classes of
volunteers—namely, one who would undertake to serve one
or two years, and the other to be at liberty to servo just as
long as they liked, and to leave or serve at their own
option. He merely wished to throw out those suggestions
for the consideration of the Government, and he hoped that,
in some shape, they would receive practical attention.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said he could not help
sharing the apprehensions of the noble baron who had just
spoken, that the means of supporting the companies of
volunteers, and of the further force for which occasion might
hereafter arise, would fail. That opinion was borne out by
the observations of the Commissioners of the Defences in
their report ; but he nevertheless felt that there was a diffi-
culty in going to the Government directly on the subject.
What had occurred to him, however, was that power should
be given to the magistrates at quarter sessions to impose a
rate for meeting the expenses of the adjutants, and as that
would be a very small one, he could not anticipate that it
would meet with much opposition.
Lord HARDINGE said he could not help thinking also
that, should the present excitement subside, the means of
supporting the companies might fall off, and he therefore
hoped the subject would receive attention.
Lord MELVILLE said he hoped the suggestion would
not be adopted, as there were at present no more non-com-
missioned officers belonging to the several regiments of the
line than were necessary for drilling the men.
Earl GRANVILLE expressed his hope that the spirit
which had been manifested throughout the country in the
development of the volunteer movement would be main-
tained with unabated resolution, in which case there would
be no falling off in the subscriptions. In his opinion, how-
ever, nothing could more strongly tend to unpopularise the
movement than the imposition of rates. He therefore hoped
the house would see the propriety of adhering to the course
shadowed out by his right hon. friend the Secretary for
War.

.. _.
After a fewwords in reply from Earl FORTESCUE, the
subject dropped.
MILITARY STORES FOR INDIA.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII asked by whose direc-
tion, and under whose inspection certain articles of the
value of between £30,000 and £40,000 of a perishable nature
and inferior quality, equal to fifteen years' supply, were
sent out to India for the use of the Royal Artillery at Bom-
bay, as mentioned in a letter from the Governor of Bombay,
dated 12th March, 1860, and referred to in Mr. Wil-
loughby's letter.
Earl DE GREY and RIPON said the only answer he
could give to his assertion respecting the character and
quality of the stores, was the statement of the storekeeper
at Woolwich, that they were of the best description, and
the harness perfectly new. It would, however, be the duty
of the Government to obtain exact information on the
subject.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(YESTERDAY.)

The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter past 12 o'clock

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the Bedford and Cambridge
Railway, Lincoln's Inn, and London and South Western
Railway (Kingston Railway Extension, &c.) Bills were
considered and agreed to.
The Forest of Dean Central Railway (No. 2) and Gal-
way Harbour (No. 2) Bills were amended and agreed to.