The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-21 00:00:00

TEE VOLUNTEER MOVEMEIV,T.

Yesterday the commanding officers of the various
corps of Rifle Volunteers received the following
War-office memorandum, as to the improper and
unserviceable state, in many instances, in which
the arms of Volunteers had been found on inspec-
tion, arising from dirt, rust, &c.:—

" War-office, Nov. 19.

" The Secretary of State for War has learned with
regret from the reports of inspecting officers that
some of the Government arms in possession of cer-
tain corps of Volunteers are nearly unserviceable
from dirt and rust ; that in some instances rifles
which were foul from previous firing had been left
uncleaned for a month, and that in others some of
these valuable arms had been taken away by mem-
bers of the corps, and even lent out by them for
private purposes.
" Mr. Secretary Herbert, in reminding command-
ing officers of their responsibility in regard to the
Government arms intrusted to the corps under
their command, thinks it necessary to point out
that the barrel of the rifle is so delicately finished
that the action of rust inside must inevitably de-
stroy the integrity of the grooves, and that conse-
quently, independently of the discredit which at-
taches to a corps the members of which prove to be
unfit to have the charge of such weapons, serious
damage is done to the property of the public by
those whose pride it should be to maintain their
arms in perfect order.
" The establishment of officers and non-commis-
sioned officers for a company of Volunteers is amply
sufficient to ensure a proper supervision of firms
consistently with other occupations. Mr. Herbert
is, therefore, forced to the conclusion that neglect
of duty must always exist in corps where arms are
reported to be nearly unserviceable through dirt.
"The cleaning of a rifle constitutes an important
part of the drill of every recruit. See Field Exer-
cises,' section 33, part 6.
" Too much pains cannot be taken to inpress
upon the minds of the men the necessity of preserv-
ing their rifles at all times in the highest condition,
and the impossibility of 'producing accurate shoot-
ing with them when dirty.
" This is the lrst exercise in which the recruit
is to be:instructed.'
"The habitual inspection of arms upon parade
forms an equally important branch of the duty of
an officer.—Section 31, part 6.
" With the arms at the port' and at the
.' half-
cock,' the inspecting officer will pass down the ranks
to ascertain that the locks and the sights are ser-
viceable and perfectly clean, and that the nipples
are free from rust. With regard to the examina-
tion of the barrel, the piece of rag kept in the
pouch having been placed in the jag or slit in the
head of the ramrod, and passed down the inside,
the officer will proceed to ascertain if the inside of
the barrels are clean or otherwise. If clean, no dirt
should appear on the rag.'
" These are simple rules, and the strict observance
of them should become the habit of every officer
and Volunteer.

"DE GREY AND RIPON.
"To the Commanding Officer Volunteer
Corps."

LONDON NATIONAL RIFLES.

A public meeting for the purpose of promoting
the success of the London National Rifles was held
yesterday evening at the sale-room of the Corn
Exchange, Mark-lane; Sir John Shelley, M.P.,
presided.
The Corps mustered to the number of 400 at
Westminster Hall, and, having gone *rough the
ordinary parade drill, marched to the place of
meeting headed by drums and fifes, under Drum-
Major Harrison.

The CHAIRMAN, after a few preliminary obser-
vations, said it was not necessary to praise the Vo-
lunteer movement, as it was now praised by every-
body. It was not long since the late Duke of Wel-
lington had ridden along the coast of Sussex to
discover the weak points upon which an enemy
might land ; but at that time Englishmen had
slurred over the question of national defences. It
had, however, been again raised by the flourishes
of the French Colonels, and by the fact that the
nation which had hitherto cared so much for glory
was increasing its armaments. It was also known
that the man who was at the head of that na-
tion united wonderful courage and talent, and had
the knack of never letting any one know what
be was going to do. But the British lion
was roused, and 200,000 Englishmen by
joining the Volunteer movement had shown that
they were determined to defend their hearths
and homes. He had never doubted that English-
men would most bravely defend their country, but
the question was what defence they would have
made had they been taken unawares. He had no
fear now, and he believed that nothing had more
raised the character of England among the nations
of Europe than the way in which the Volunteer
movement had been responded to. (Cheers.) The
movement was also beneficial socially and morally;
all work and no play made Jack a dull boy, and he
could assure them that, after the first irksomeness
of drill was over it caused a good deal of amuse-
sent. The Volunteer was taught to hold up his head,
put back his shoulders, which gave plenty of room
for his lungs. The movement wthasa,t,thheeremfoirgeh,
might say
conducive to health. Besides
that if a lady had two or three young men paying
their addresses to her she would be sure to select
the young man who
and laughter.) Rifle shooting
was excellent excite-
ment, and he could state this from
experience, as he
passed a great part of this year, when Parliament
was up, with a gun in his hand. If the Queen
should appoint him to the command of the corps he
would make the drill as little tedious as possible,
and he would make rifle-shooting the main object.
He then expressed his disagreement from Lord
Elcho, who had suggested that Government should
issue a commission to inquire in what way the