The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-14 00:00:00

AN AUSTitAiTAN

The Inquirer, a West Australian paper, gives an account
of an expedition to the North-East Interior, led by Mr.
Forrest. It is satisfactory to the colonists to know that
the geographical results of the expedition are of substan-
tial interest, and serve to break into the terra incognita of
interior Australia. Dr. Mueller and other gengeMen. in
Victoria are anxious that- the search should "be'fkrose-
cuted.lurtlor,.and that an *expedition should be started
from tbd Murchison River, tracing out its sources, and
passing toCargentaria. in reference to these expeditions,
it has been pointed out that the. camel, and not the bone
is the:an,llollPeciallY-Si4e4tr the ta.gk ef.lpelletpting,
intzi il*fh"l4vilkinit.ric4rind 'a:typber -9f :these
bcAte -14;i-OittAkiect Sfr9ni-Victolia to tiie 'nue
plored retioilkof rekt.:itiStr'l4.a.' 'The Mahon:LTC pre:Si
speak highly of the caPabilfties of the camel, both from
colonial experience and that of America, to which it was
introduced a few years ago. The results have been
satisfactory even beyond expectation.

VOLUN7EER MOVE.MEN7S.

LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE.

The intimate association of the London Rifle
Brigade with the city of London imparts a certain
historic interest to every episode in its career. How-

ever fashionable it may be to deride the social attri
butes of municipal authority, it is indisputable tha

it is often advantageous to obtain the assistance of
its influence, and of even the cumbrous properties
of civic magnificence. So at least it has appeared
to those to whom the command of the London Rifle
is entrusted, for on every recurring occasion on
which the distribution of prizes to the members of
the regiment who may have distinguished them-

selves during the previous year has taken place,
they have invited the Chief Magistrate of the City
and his colleagues in office to denote the civic re-
cognition of the Volunteer movement. The merit
of discretion must be amply credited to those in
command for selecting the Crystal Palace as
the scene of this annual display. When its
members are assembled in the grandest

theatre in the world, the ceremony is performed in
the midst of picturesque surroundings, the
aesthetic character of which cannot possibly be
rivalled in any of the other enclosures in which such
presentations are usually held. A certain interest,

not altogether pleasurable, attached to the distribu-
tion of this year on account of the fact that an
attitude of circumstances now exists with regard
to the brigade which must result in somewhat seri-

ous consequences however it eventuates. That con-
sideration, however, in nowise interfered with what
may be fairly called the festive attributes of the
annual gathering which took place on Saturday at
Sy denham.

The aspect of the centre transept when the pro
ceedings commenced was most animated and im
posing. The orchestra, which had received a par
of its Christmas decoration, was crowded to its
uppermost bench, and the variegated costumes of
occupants were thrown into conspicuous prominence
by the long lines of light which ran round the
spacious amphitheatre. In that part of the audi-
torium next the stage of the orchestra the men of
the regiment were drawn up within barriers, so that
their movements could be performed as expediti-
ously as if they were on the field at Wimbledon,
whilst above, around, and behind them, were
dense crowds of spectators, the extreme contingent
of which seemed to have taken up its position
in those recesses which in another fortnight will
be dedicated to the honour of Dick Whittington
and his traditional companion. Tastefully con-
structed trophies of flags, and gracefully designed
groupings of bannerets, constituted the characteris-
tic decorations for the time. In the centre of the
raised dais on the stage chairs had been placed for
the most distinguished visitors, and at each side of
these the prizes were displayed, with manifest re-
gard to artistic arrangement. At five o'clock pre-
cisely the Lord Mayor arrived on the dais, accom-
panied by the Lady Mayoress and Lady Harriet
Warde, who graciously divided the duty of pre-
senting the prizes to the successful competitors.
The programme was opened by .
Col. WARDE, who, in addressing the Lord Mayor
and the Lady Mayoress, said that, on behalf of the
regiment, he thanked them most heartily for the
honour they had done the regiment in honouring
the 10th annual distribution of prizes. He esteemed
the recognition of the corps by the chief civic dig-
nitary
.as of inestimable value. Having graciously
thanked the ladies for their presence the gallant
colonel proceeded to state that the parades of
the regiment had been very well attended dur-
ing the past year, and that whenever the Lon-
don Rifle Brigade bad to take part in a field-day,
whether at Brighton, Dover, and elsewhere, it had
done credit to its commander and honour to itself. •
1,056 men represented its present strength, which
was less than he was able to indicate last year.
Every regiment, like every house, had a skeleton
in its cupboard, and the London Rifle Brigade con-
stituted no exception to that rule. There had been
a falling off in the number of extra efficieuts, and
also in the number of efficients. People should not,
however, therefore urge that the corps was in an
unsatisfactory condition, for a simple explanation
could be afforded fur the deficiencies specified—the.
regiment bad lost its range. He approached the
second subject, which embarrassed him, with much
greater regret. They knew what he referred to,
and he could only say that he was willing to furnish
the matter in dispute to some high authority in the
War-office. There had never been greater unan-
imity in the regiment, and whatever might be the
decision it would be ratified by himself and the men
under his command.
Tho prizes were then distributed. When it was
stated that the list constituted a small pamphlet the
impossibility of enumerating the winners succes-
sively will be obvious.
WllO tho' Cpxnoy preniatQd cup,which