The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-11 00:00:00

THE VOLUNIEER MOVEMENT.

At the ordinary muster for parade, at West-
minster-hall, on Tuesday evening, of the London
Irish Rifle Volunteers, the following regimental
order relative to the melancholy death of Captain
Jones was read by the Adjutant, Capt. Daubney :
"Lieutenant-Colonel the Marquis of Donegal cannot re-
frain from again expressing his deep and sincere regret—a
feeling which he is confident is shared by every individual
in the regiment—at the loss they have sustained in the
death of Captain Jones, an officer who took so deep an
interest in the prosperity of the corns, whose every exertion
was used to promote its welfare and efficiency, who set an
example to all others by endeavouring to make his com-
pany superior to all, and whose vacancy it will be most
difficult, if not impossible, to fill up."

The reading of the order excited strong feelings of
sorrow. It has already been decided on by the
members of the corps to erect a suitable testimonial
to his memory.
The meeting of the various Volunteer Rifle Corps
in the western division of the county of Surrey took
place yesterday (Wednesday). at Denbies, the seat
of Mr. W. Cubitt, M.P. for the division. The com-
petitors had been selected by local contests, and
comprised the 6th, Esher (Capt. Sir H. Fletcher) ;
Bth, Epsom (Capt. Hastie) ; 13th, Guildford (Major
Gill) ; 14th, Dorking (Capt. Kerrick); 15th, Chert-
sey (Lieut. Dowling); 16th, Egham (Lieut. Booth);
and 18th, Farnham (Capt. Ward). The conditions
were five rounds at 200, 300, and 400 yards, for
various prizes, and the marksmen making most
points in the aggregate to be entitled to contend
for a handsome cup, challengb medal, and other
prizes. The prizes and winners' names were as
follows :—At 600 yards.—tat prize, a silver cup of
£l5 value and a challenge mr ial, to be held for one
year, Smith, of Chertsey ; 2d pi :7,e, a cup, value
10 guineas, Alexander, of Epsom, who beat Moon,
of Guildford, in the tie, and to him (Moon) was
allotted the third prize, a cup, valve £5. 400
yards.—A silver tray, value £3 10s., won by Bon-
wick, after a tie witn Vintner. 300 yards.—A very
elegant silver cup and tray, value £7 10s., Lieut.
Higginbotham, of Esher; 2d prize, a cup, value
£3105., won by Keelirg, of Epsom, who shot off
the ties successfully against seven competitors. 200
yards.—A £5 cup, won by Randall, of Epsom.
Messrs. Alexander and Moon won the 400 and 200
yards prizes respectively, but could only take one
prize, and hence the above result.
A highly influential meeting of county gentlemen
was held at the Council•house in the city of Salis-
bury on the afternoon of Tuesday last—Lieutenant-
General Buckley, M.P,, in the chair. Tee object
of the meeting was the establishment of a County
Rifle Association for Wiltshire, under the presi-
dency of the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P.,
Secretary for War ; and rules which had previously
been prepared were unanimously adopted, after an
emendation securing the holding of the annual
shooting match and general meeting alternately in
South and North Wilts.

On Monday afternoon the 2d Northumberland,
or Hexham, Volunteer Rifles were inspected by
Major Harman on the spacious drill-ground in that
town. The men underwent a most satisfactory in-
spection, and at the conclusion were complimented
by their commanding officer.
The Volunteers of Hertfordshire have been in-
vited by Lady Marian Alford to compete for priz'is
for rifle shooting at Ashridge-park, Berkhampstead,
on Friday. Her Ladyship will afterwards enter-
tain the Volunteers at a banquet.

The review at Flixton-park, Suffolk, on Monday,
to which a brief allusion was made in The "Sun of
Tuesday, passed off very satisfactorily. The total
number of Volunteers assembled was 258, exclusive
of bands—viz., the Beccles corps, 58 ; Halesvvcrth,
65; Harleston, 65; and Bungay, 70. Among the
visitors were Lord Henniker, M.P., Lord Hunt-
ingfield, Lady Radstock, Admiral Eden, Colonel
Blois, Colonel and Mrs. Wilson, the Hon. Miss
Waldegrave, Mr. Howes, M.P., &c. The proceed-
ings were chiefly signalised by a practical speech
from Colonel Adair, who said that a distinguished
officer who had founded the present musketry
school of England entertained an opinion, shared
in by all officers of experience, that a very great
proportion of what was necessary for proficiency in
rifle practice could be learnt without burning
powder." But in its time that•burning would come,
and we hoped to see their emulation rewarded by
prizes given to good marksmen in the district.
But the fact that their particular duty in the
first instance was to acquire a familiarity with
the practice of the rifle did not in any way prevent
their being accustomed to manteuvre, which would
enable them to act in concert with regular troops
—cavalry and artillery, especially the latter. They
must always be competent to take their place in
line, to act in small bodies in skirmishing, and be
prepared for situations which would require all
that intelligence and all that confidence in their
comrades which more than anything else distin-
guished the well-trained soldier. In addition to
the review at Flixton, several other matters of in-
terest have transpired in Suffolk in connexion with
the movement. A shooting-match took place on
Monday at Stowmarket. Private Marriott, of the
6% Suffolk, and Sergeant-Armourer Colson, of the
same corps, made the highest number of points,
scoring 16 each. Private Chapman, Ist Suffolk,
and Private Stearn, 6th Suffolk, each made 14.
After the ties had been shot off, the score stocd
thus :—First prize (a silver cup, value £10), Pri-
vate Marriott, 6th Suffolk ; second prize (silver
cup, value £7), Sergeant-Armourer Colson, 6th
Suffolk ; third prize (silver cup, value £5), Private
Chapman, Ist 'Suffolk. The ranges were at 300,
500, and 600 yards, five rounds being fired at each
distance. The services of a corps in course of for-
mation at Wickhambrook have been officially ac-
cepted. A foot company formed at Newmarket is
increasing in strength and efficiency. The Bury
St. Edmund's, cr 13th Suffolk corps, is about to
commence ball practice; and Lieutenant Partridge
has offered prizes to the extent of £lO, to be divi-
ded among the best shots.

The Newport company of the Isle of Wight
Rifle Volunteers have lately completed their course
of musketry instruction under Sergeant Welling. A
silver cup, presented by Major Sir John Simeon to
the gentlemen who should make the greatest num-
ber of points in the course, was won by Mr. Ben-
jamin Arnold. Subsequently there were five prizes
given, which were won as follows :-1. A silver
cup, given by Captain Estcourt and Lieutenant
Tooke, won by Mr. R. Cole ; 2. A silver inkstand,
given by Ensign Pitts, won by Mr. Kelleway; 3. The
sergeants' prize, a gold pencil and pencase, won by Dr.
Castle ; 4. The corporals' prize, a scarf pin, won by
Mr. Hall ; 5. A plated cup, the gift of the Hon.
Assistant-Surgeon, E. P. Wilkins, was won by Mr.
Arnell. This company is steadily increasing iu
numbers, and has already 100 effective men.
A full muster of the 7th Stirlingshire (Lennox
Mill) Rifle Corps took place at Lennoxtown on
Saturday afternoon. The corps was established in
January last, and equipped at the expense of their
employers, Mr. Dalglish, M.P., and Mr. James
Hertz, of Sedgewick-park, near Manchester. The
company consists of 80 effective members, and an
instrumental band numbering 20, the whole being
in the employment of the firm of Dalglish, Falconer,
and Co., Glasgow. After they had performed vari-
ous evolutions, Mr. Dalglish complimented the men
on the marked proficiency to which they had at-
tained. The Volunteer movement, he remarked, had
now reached such a magnitude and become of such
importance that the Government of the country
must recognise it more than they had hitherto done.
The 7th, or Cheltenham Company, under the com-
mand of Capt. Gibney, assembled to the number of
50 on Monday, on their practice ground at Southam
for the purpose of shooting for five prizes, consist-
ing of three very massive and handsome silver
goblets, presented by a lady ; a Nuthall rifle, pre-
sented by the commanding officer, and a gold pen
and pencilcase, by Mrs. R. Gibney ; distance-100,
200, 300, and 400 yards ; four rounds at each dis-
tance. The shooting was good, and the number of
hits marked proved the utility of position-drill and
continued practice, At the conclusion, after shoot-
ing off ties, the score stood thus—Private Bond, 23
points, first prize ; Sergeant Wakefield, 22 points,
second prize ; Sergeant Bryant, 21 points, third
prize ; Corporal Page, 20 points, Nuthall rifle ;
Private Bennett, 20 points, gold pencilcase. Among
the company present were the Earl of Ellenborough,
Sir John Hope, General Fiddes, &c. As each cup
was presented to the fortunate winner the com•
mending officer offered a few remarks, usually urg
114, -
• the necessity of posit ion and aiming-drill, and
of avoiding carelessness in firing.
A review of the whole corps of the Glamorgan-
shire Volunteers took place at Margarn-park, the
seat of Mr. C. R M. Talbot, M.P., Lord-Lieutenant
of the county, on Monday. The inspecting officer
on the occasion was Col. Raymond, commanding
Bth depot battalion at Pembroke Dock, Col. Bruce
commanding the brigade, with Capt. Bennett, Ad-
jutant of the Glamorgan Light Infantry as Brigade-
Major. The various Volunteer corps commenced
arriving a little after 12 o'clock. and among the
first on the field was Major Hewitt's company, of
Cardiff Artillery. The other corps arrived in quick
succession, and were marched off to a distance from
the parade-ground for the purpose of forming them

into battalions. At about half-past 2 o'clock the
arrangements were completed, and the various bat-
talions moved into position in an open piece of
ground of about 15 acres in extent, at the east end
of the park. They were divided into four battalions,
—viz., one of artillery, under the command of
Lieut.-Col. E. Morgan, of the Royal Glamorgan
Artillery, and three of infantry, respectively com-
manded by Lieut.-Col. E. R. Wood, Royal Glamor-
gan Light Infantry; Major J. P. Traherne, of the
same corps, and Major Hume, Deputy Inspector of
Volunteers. The battalions were formed in con-
tiguous quarter distance columns, right in front,
after which the order was given for " officers com-
manding battalions and companies to the front."
After getting their instructions they rejoined their
respective corps. On the whole, considering that
the Glamorgan companies of Volunteers never have
an opportunity of drilling together, the review
went off well. The ground was kept by parties of
the county militia.
A meeting, signalised by its being the first meet-
ing at which any attempt has been made to extend
the Volunteer movement to purely rural districts,
was held yesterday (Wednesday) at the Grand
Stand, Ascot, Sir William Hay ter, M.P., in the
chair. Present, Major-General Seymour, Colo-
nel Loyd Lindsay (Colonel Commandant for
Berks), Hon. Colonel A. N. Hood, Mr. J. Arbuth-
not, Mr. C. C. Ferard, Major Scott, &c. The chair-
man, in his address, stated the object of the meeting
was with a view of establishing rifle corps in the
parishes of Sanninghill, Winkfield, Warfield, Bin-
field, East Hampstead, and places in the neighbour-
hood thereof, who had not already taken part in the
Volunteer Rifle movement. He observed that the
movement had already taken root as far as the
towns might be considered ; he seed not go beyond
the boundaries of this county to adduce ample proof
of that ; at the same time it must be remembered
that, although their particular movement might be
deemed late, it was to the best of his knowledge the
first effort made to extend this important object, as
far es the purely rural districts were regarded, they
had no doubt that all the districts would second
their efforts, which would unquestionably be at-
tended with success. It had been ascertained that
the effective male population numbered upwards of
400, aud if a moderate percentage of those joined
the numbers would meet their ant;cipations. After
the meeting was addressed by Major-General Sey-
mour, the Hon. Colonel Hood, Major Scott, Colonel
Loyd Lindsay, Mr. J. Arbuthnot, and Mr. C. C.
Ferard ie favour of the movement, resolutions were
passed appointing a committee to cellect subscrip-
tions and to confer with the future commanding
officer in reference to finances, dress, regulations,
and general movement of the corps. The subscrip-
tion for an effective member was fixed at 10s. a-year,
and for an honorary member a donaticri of £lO with
£1 vunua"y. Several subscriptions risom both classes
were received before the meeting separated. A vote
of thanks fo the chairman, proposed by the Hon.
Colonel A. N. Hood, ard seconded by Mr. C. C.
Ferard, brought the proceedings to a close.
The i",fle competi" ion at Yo7k terminated yester-
day moving, which was occupied with shooting
off the "ties" made during the six shooting,
commencing on TucFclP,y week. The first "tie"
was that made by seven competitors for Lady Mary
Thompson's challenge cup. The distance to be
shot was 900 yards, at which, in consequence of
the mist and heavy rain which fell at that time, it
was with some difficulty that the targ&c, could be
distinguished. The competitors all missed the tar-
get the first round. In the second, however, Pri-
vate Bell made the best centre of the meeting, and
won the handsome trophy given by Lady M.
Thompson. The next tie, for Lieu Tenant-Colonel
Briggs' silver cup, between Sergeant Gibson and
Private J. Thorpe, was won by the former, who, in
accordance with the condition upon which the
prize was given, became disqualified to win Capt.
Meek's cup and the subalterns' (2d Company's) CUD,
for the former of which he had succeeded in making
a tie, and for the latter the largest number of
points. Capt. Meek's cup consequently became the
property of Private William Robinson, while the
subalterns' cup was shot for by Sergeant Pearson
and Private Oglesby, and won by the former.
With this the whole of the contest had been de-
cided; and in the afternoon the corps mustered
strongly at the Guildhall, when the several prizes
were distributed to the successful competitors—viz.,
Sergeant Gibson, Sergeant Pearson, Corporal J.
Cooper, and Privates F. Bell, W. Robinson, H.
Anderson, Bainbridge, R. Anderson, and G. Whit-
well.

The inauguration of the Ist battalion of the
Somersetshire Rifles (consisting of the Bath, Bath-
wick, Widcombe, Walcot, Keynsham, and Avon-
dale companies), took place at „Bath on Monday
last. The proceedings commenced with a review
on the racecourse on Lansdown in the presence of
Colonel Inigo Jones, the lieutenant-colonel of the
battalion, just appointed; Sir William Miles, M.P.,
colonel of tho North Somerset Yeomanry; and
several other officers, the Volunteers being under
the command of Captain Randle Ford, the
senior eaptain of the regiment ; Mr. A irey, for-
merly a subaltern in his company, but now of the
21st Foot, act;ng as his aide-de-camp. The corps
executed the ordinary evolutions of a field day in a
highly creditable manncr, the volley firirg and
light infantry movements calling forth especial
commendation from the military men present. In
the evening the Volunteers, with their fellow.-
citizens, to the number of near 500, sat down to a
banquet at the Guildhall, under the presidency of
Colonel Jones, who was supported by Mr. Tire,
M.P., the rector of Bath (Mr. Kemble), Dr. Fal-
coner, Admiral Saumarez, and many other persons
of note in the district. The usual toasts were given
in pithy terms and duly honoured, the Hon. Mr.
Byng, the veteran Volunteer of 1803, now re-
enrolled in the Queen's Westminsters, responding
for the Volunteers of England.
In the account of the match with the Ist (Hast-
ings) company Cinque Port Rifles and the 3d com-
pany (Rye) it was stated that the men fired " ten
shots at each distance," whereas they only fired
five shots at each distance.