The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-15 00:00:00

774 E VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

Lieut.-Col. Crawford; commander of the Robin
Hood Rifles, called a meeting of the manufacturers
and tradesmen of Nottingham on Monday after-
noon for the purpose of considering the propriety
of permitting the young men in their employ
(members of rifle corps) to have a holiday on Thurs-
day afternoon weekly for drill exercise. The
meeting was held at the Exchange Rooms. The
colonel, in stating the object of the meeting, said
he intended to propose that for the next few months
the employers of Nottingham should grant a holi-
day of three hours to their young men on Thurs-
day afternoon for battalion drill. There was to be
a review of the entire corps about the middle of
October by the Duke of Newcastle, after his return
from Canada: He only wished the holiday to be
extended to those who were effective members of
the rifle corps, and as Lord Middleton (of Wol-
laton House) had kindly given him permission to
take the men into his park, he (the Colonel) hoped
the manufacturers would give their assent to his
request. The corps at present, he said, was in an
excellent state of efficiency, and to maintain it in
that position it was absolutely necessary that its
members should have an opportunity afforded them
weekly of battalion drill. He did not wish the
proposed holiday to interfere with the hosiers' Sa-
turday half-holiday, and he wished it to be under-
stood that he only wanted the Thursday's holiday
up to the review, and about half-a-dozen times
during the winter. The attendance being so very
limited no definite arrangements were made, and
the meeting adjournel.
The members of the Ilford or 2d Essex corps have
just had a competition for a Jacob rifle, given by
Mr. John Davis, of Cranbrooke-park, to the best
shot in the first class at 700 yards ; two silver cups
to the best shot in each wing, given from the funds
of the corps, the -winner or the rifle not being
allowed to compete ; a silver cup of the value Of
£5 55., given by Lieutenant Clifton, for the best shot
in the second class, at 400 yards ; a silver flask of
the value of ,E 5 55., given by Mr. Harvey, for the
best shot in the first class at 500 yards ; and a field
glass given by Mr. Doublett, for the best shot in the
first class (winners of previous prizes excepted)
shooting from the shoulder at 300 yards. Among
those who witnessed the shooting were Mr. Alder-
man Finnis, Mr. W. Cotton, Mr. J. W. P. Wat-
lington, M.P., Admiral M'Hardy (chief constable
of Essex, Colonel Palmer (Commandant of the
Essex Yeomanry), Major Laurie and Captain Wig-
ram (Tower Hamlets Volunteers), &c. The first
prize was carried off by Mr. Edward Agar, who
obtained four points ; the second by Mr. S. W. Fry,
who made three points ; the third by Mr. Knowles,
who made two points ; the fourth (Lieut. Clifton's)
by Mr. R. Wilson, who made five points ; the fifth
(Mr. Harvey's) by Mr. J. Hart, who made five
points ; and the sixth (Mr. Doublctt's) by Mr. F.
Mitchell, who made six points.
The Ist, 2d, 7th, 11th, 12th, 15th, and 17th
Companies of Cornwall Rifle Volunteers, from
Penzance, Camborne, Helston, Truro, Hayle,
and Redruth, under Major-General Tremenheere,
commanding the Ist Battalion, were assem-
bled on the 7th inst. in the grounds of Trevethow,
near Hayle, the seat of Mr. W. Praed Ty;ingham,
for inspection by Lord Vivian, the Lord-Lieutenant
of the county. The meeting was one of unusual
interest, and attracted. a large concourse of specta-
tors, no such military demonstration having been
witnessed in the western division of the county
since the beginning of this century. Including the
Hayle Artillery Company, which was also drawn
up in line for his lordship's inspection, 434 volun-
teers were present under arms. The battalion,
after marching past in open and quarter distance
column, went through several mano3uvres with
great steadiness and precision. This was the first
occasion on which these companies had been
brought together, and probably very few of the
Volunteers bad ever seen a battalion manoeuvred.
The manner in which they performed the different
evolutions showed that the zeal with which, at
great personal sacrifices, the Volunteers have de-
' voted themselves to their work will, with perse•
verance, make them in time fit to take their place
in line with regular troops, and they will thus be-
come a most valuable element of the military
strength of the country. At the conclusion of the
%review Lord Vivian expressed his great gratifica-

tion at the efficiency of the battalion, and addressed
to the men some suitable remarks on the Volun-
teer movement generally, and on the necessity of
meetings for battalion exercise, such as he had just
witnessed. He also suggested that measures
should be taken for an early inspection of both the
battalions of the county, in brigade, by Major-
General Hutchinson, commanding the western dis-
trict. All on the ground seemed highly pleased,
and the proceedings closed with cheers for the
Queen and the Lord-Lieutenant, such as Cornish-
men know how to give.