The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-19 00:00:00

TOWER HAMLETS.

Last evening a numerously attended meeting was
held in the Town-hall, Poplar, in order to promote
the formation of a company for that district, Mr.
It. Hanbury, M.P., in the chair.
The CHAIEMAN, in opening the proceedings,
after referrin,, to the object for which the meeting
was convened," proceeded to consider the best means
of national protection. Large standing armies were
objectionable, as being likely to engender a spirit of
aggression, and the best means of protecting their
homes and their country was by organizing a large
and
6iffleient volunteer force which would be suffi-
cientor their thorough protection, as, when there
we re 200,000 or 300,000 men ready for the defence
of their shores, they were less likely to have war.
and be trAisted,ttlitelwere prepared to come forward
in defence of
homes, their hearths, their
wives, and their sweethearts. The movement had
already produced a strong feeling abroad that Eng-
lishmen were ecnniann6vd
vi forward
national honour, it beneficial results with refererceld be
estioctrapareoductive of
and com-
merce ; and the best Way of r an invadinf,
force, should the necessity arise, swing
co-operation in the present movement. Ho a C°rdi'ed
HO then
read a letter from his colleague, Mr. By-.
sive of regret that he was unavoidably' npg;eevelinteeci
from attending the meeting.

Mr. C. IVIGRAm then moved the first resolu-

tion :

" That, in the opinion of this rneetil-.2:, the establisluno
of a volunteer force is anJimportant moans of national nde-
fence, and calculated to promote the dignity and indepen-
dence of this country."
He said the chairman had expressed a hope that he
might see 200,000 or 300,000 volunteers enrolled
for the defence of their country, but he should be
very much disappointed if the number was not con-
siderably larger, considering the great increase of
population. Since the time of the last volunteer
enrolment, it appeared as if the Tower Hamlets had

been rather behind hand in the movement, but
early last year the Lord-Lieutenant convened a
meeting of the Deputy-Lieutenants to consider the
question, but then arose the difficulty of obtaining
a good practice ground, and without this essential
requisite it would have been foolish to take further
steps. A practice ground to be perfectly safe should
have a range of 2,000 yards. The delay, therefore,
had arisen entirely from local causes. He concluded
by urging them to come forward, desiring them to
remember that their purpose should be " deeds, not

words."
Mr. F. YOUNG seconded the resolution. He should
not be satisfied with less than half a million of
volunteers, and when this was achieved they would
not then be subject to those periodical panics which
were so injurious to the dignity of the nation—
(cheers), and their country would be left to their
children as great and as free as ever.
The Rev. Mr. BAZELEY, rector of Poplar, sup-
ported the motion, and said he echoed the voice of
his brethren, and in promulgating the doctrine of
peace could not do better than advocate the volun-
teer movement. The country was peaceful in its
wishes, was not smarting under the recollection of
disasters, and had no defeats to avenge ; but no one
could deny the necessity or the duty and propriety
of the efforts they were then making. He was not an
alarmist, but he could not look on the state of the
Continent without entertaining a strong conviction
that complications might arise which might even-
tually terminate in war ; he had every confidence
in their fleet and in their soldiers, but that line of
defence might be forced, and it was their manifest
duty to take every precaution for the defence of
their hearths and their homes. Englishmen had two
faults—they were proud, and, at the same time,
sometimes over fond of needlessly finding fault and
blaming themselves, but there was no Englishman
who could not be grateful for living on British soil,
and feel that his country was worth defending. In
the words of the poet, it was a little body with a
large heart. He trusted that if they ever had occa-
sion to use the rifle, it would be against an invader
who had got no, further than the water's edge, and
that if the barren rock were polluted by the foot-
print of an invader the next tide might wash the
stain away. (Cheers.)
Mr. BURNEY urged the desirability of the move-
ment taking a permanent form, and that the work-
ing classes should be adequately represented. There
were 100,000 working men in that neighbourhood,
and the corps should not be framed with a view to
their exclusion. He meant to say that an expen-
sive uniform would have that effect. The Tower
Hamlets were going in the right direction, and he
would urge the committee to look to the working
classes, by which means the movement would not
be evanescent but permanent.
The CHAIRMAN said there was no intention of
excluding the working classes, and he thought to
do so would be to incur an irreparable injury. The
movement should be one for all classes, as the
mingling of one class with another would be pro-
ductive of beneficial results.
The motion was then carried by acclamation.
Mr. R. GREEN proposed the second resolution :
" That a volunteer rifle company be at once enrolled for
the district of Poplar, in connection with the Royal Tower
Hamlets Rifle Regiment."
He said the resolution was one which came at once
to the point. He quite agreed with a previous
speaker that the movement should not be a class
and exclusive one; they could not in that district
boast of aristocracy, but of the finest class of me-
chanics in the world—(cheers)—and as well fitted
to carry arms as any lord in the land, or member
of Parliament. They must lose no more time, but
organise their rifle corps, and if the French did
land they would give them a warm reception.
( A p plause.)
Mr. ROBERT CHARLES seconded the motion, and
said they had framed the regulations on a broad
basis ; there would be no entrance fee ; but only
the subscription and the uniform would be as cheap
as was consistent with efficiency.
Mr. C. WIGRAM supported the motion. When
travelling in Berne, he had been' present at the
great national meetings of the Swiss riflemen, at
which much enthusiasm was manifested, and he
should be glad to see the same thing common in
England. It was a great honour for a man to con-
test for a great national prize, and he hoped the
Tower Hamlets corps would, by attention and
practice, compete successfully with others.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG also supported the motion in
an address of some length ; after which, it was put
from the chair and carried unanimously.
Mr. ROBERTSON proposed the next resolution,—
" That a subscription list be opened, and a com-
mittee appointed to carry out the organisation of
the corps," whieh, having been seconded by Mr. J.
SAMUDA, was also passed.
Several subscriptions, ranginglfrom 5 guineas to
23 guineas, were announced, and a vote of thanks
having been passed to the chair, the meeting sepa-
rated.