The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-08 00:00:00

The London Scottish had an entertainment of a
novel character on Tuesday last, when 70 of the
corps volunteered to act as " navvies" in levelling a
hill which obscured the targets of the 600 yards
range at Wimbledon. The first division worked
by daylight with shovels, picks, and barrows
regularly told off, and changing by sections to give
every man his share of duty. The second division
marched down in the dark, and their pipers sounded
wildly across the heath. Great fires of whin bushes
cast a brilliant glare into the trenches, where the
vigorous efforts of the diggers, and the frequent
upsets of the wheelborrowa seemed to delight and
astonish a number of regular " navvies" who were
lookers-on. Now and then a sky-rocket was sent
up, a catherine-wheel whizzed round, or a red
light shone in the darkness, and squibs and
crackers told how near Guy Fawkes' day had been.
The scene was most lively and interesting; the rest-
ing parties smoking and dancing Highland-reels ;
the boxing-class tossing the gravel out of the
ditch, and the chorus-class blending 'sweet
music with the din of spades. The first division
was commanded by Ensigns Fisher and Sutherland,
Sergeants Brown and Ferguson; the second by
Sergeant Smith; Lieutenant Scott directed the
engineering operations, and the whole was com-
manded by Captain Macgregor.
The members of the West Company of the Lon-
don Scottish corps will have a grand day at Wim-
bledon-common on Friday next, on which occasion
three very handsome silver cups will be shot for, at
different ranges. On the same day the members of
the first-class will, by the kind permission of Gen.
Sir R. Dacres, Commandant of the Woolwich gar-
rison, have some target practice at the butts on
Plumstead-common.

Yesterday evening, shortly before 9 o'clock, a
general muster of the members of the 29th Middle-
sex Rifle Corps was held in the Riding-school of
the Regent's Park Barracks, for the introduction of
Lord Enfield as Lieutenant-Colonel of the corps.
Drill had previously taken place in the grounds,
and there was an unusually large attendance of
members in uniform, as well as ladies and gentle-
men in ordinary attire. Captain Ross, in a brief
speech, said that he had great pleasure in intro-
ducing Lord Enfield as Lieutenant-Colonel of the
corps. Lord Enfield said that it was with no com-
mon amount of pride and satisfaction that three
weeks ago he received a letter asking him to be-
come the head of the corps, to which he readily
consented, and he could only say that if the Lord-
Lieutenant accepted him he would do all in his
power to further the interests of the corps. (Hear.)
He was not altogether unacquainted with military
life, for he had experienced seven years of the duties
of a militia officer. One great thing, he was sure,
in the development of a Volunteer regiment was,
that every individual member should at all times,
through the adjutant, have access to the command-
ing officer; and as long as he was connected with
the corps this should be adhered to. He must im-
press upon every officer, non-commissioned officer,
and private the importance of a regular and steady
attendance at drill. In conclusion, he could only say
that, in return for the proud position to which
they had thought fit to appoint him, his best
exertions would be ever at the service of the
corps. (Loud cheers.) Mr Edwin James, M.P.,
reminded the assembly that the last speaker
had, at a very short notice, almost immediately
after application, consented to act as their leader.
(Hear.) It was, indeed, a proud and glorious
thing that those in high position came forward not
only with money, but personally to defend their
Queen and their country. Mr. James then went
on to relate his sojourn with Garibaldi, and gave it
as his opinion that the present Emperor of the
French never dreamt of an invasion, at the same
time he thought he was so ambitious that the peo-
ple of England were justified in forming and main-
taining Volunteer corps, and that at any threatened
invasion the Queen might repose with ease, rely-
ing on her Volunteers. (Cheers.) Three cheers
having been given for Lord Enfield and Mr. Edwin
James, M.P., the proceedings terminated.
The ceremony of distributing the annual prizes
to the 18th Middlesex (Harrow Rifles) took place
at the National School-rooms at 8 o'clock on Mon-
day last. The contest had occupied two days, and
had been a very keen one, as there were ties for the
first and second prizes, ties for the third and
fourth, and ties for the last prize. The ranges
were 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900
yards, five shots at each ; and the conditions con-
fined the competitors to the long Enfield rifle sup-
plied by the Government to the corps, and to the
Hythe positions. There were 38 competitors, and
the scores above 20 were as follow :—Thornton
30, Mock, 30, Hoare, 26, Avery 2S, Walton 25,
mill 25, G. Smith 24, Captain Templer 23, and
b.
Savage,' 21. At. the 3d-class ranges Thornton,
Mock, Hos7e, and W. Roberts were first with 12
each ; at the 2't.,
'-class Thornton was first with 13,
and at the long ranb-es Capt. Templer was first with
8, having scored a cent: e at each of 700, 800, and
900 yard ranges. These cores were below the
usual average shooting of ti: e corps ; but the
weather the first day had been vet,' unpropitious
—thick and muggy, with continual ra2l, and on
this day third and second class ranges were shk.'t• The
corps fell in at the Grange, Roxeth, and, under the
command of Capt. Templer, marched to the school-
room, where a large company of friends and visitors
was assembled. The first prize, a silver cup,
was presented by Mrs. Templer to Private
Thornton, who beat Sergeant Mock in shooting off
the ties. The corps was formed into three sides of
a square, and Mrs. Templer, advancing to the cen-
tre, addressed them as
rempler
and gentlemen of the Harrow Rifles,—l have had
much pleasure in offering for competition a small
token of the gratitude with which, in common, I
believe, with every English wife and mother, I re-
gard the untiring energy and zeal with which, at
much personal cost and sacrifice, you have made a
;":9 ovement
That this great Volunteer m
bie effort to assure the safety and the sanctity of
our hou.les'
under
—the marvel,end glory of our time—may,
tie means of securing us from
God's blessing, be IL_
uniting all classes in a
foreign invasion, and 01
-v earnest hope.
holy bond of brotherhood, is
on the progress
marks-
the and m
the Harrow Rifles have made as.so
found cqually
will be
look with great pride and pleasure
I ir Queen and cot::n-
forward to act in defence of t
called upon to
men, and feel confident they
I have great pleasure in
do so. Mr. Thornton,
cup, and congratulate Sou
try should they ever be unhappily
resenting you with this
wasp resented by the
,vicar, the
a Holland'srifle,
' ham, to Sergeant Mock, the
on your suNess in the contest." The second prize,
Rev. J. W. Cunning.
ted Sergeant Mock on his skill, and said
musketry instructor of the corps. lie
cdornilgl
raantau
qitable to boththat their musketry in-
it wao cret