The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-30 00:00:00

CONCERTS

CANTERBURY HALL
THIS EVENING,
C. H. GOUNOD'S OPERA,
FAUST.
First Time in this Country.
Faust Mr. Henry Herbert.
Mephist^pheles Mr. C. Bernard.
Siobel Mrs. Anderson.
Marguerite ••••• * 'M
/SS Russell.
Conductor Mr. Jonghmans.
And selections from
Dinorah, Trovatore, Macbeth, and numerous other
Entertainments.
Balcony, ls, 'Hall, 6d.
Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come
than and Mimic), W. T. Critchfield, and E. W. Mackney.
Several interesting Pictures are added to the Fine Arts
Gallery. The suite of Halls have been re-decorated and
beautified, and constitute one of the most unique and brilliant
sights of the metropolis.
The gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening.

THE WEATHER..--SUN OFFICE, APRIL 29, 1660,

THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
64—highest since noon yesterday.
38 —lowest this morning and during:the night.
59—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-30.43.

WIND, South-Westerly ; light, with very fine warm
weather, being the first warm day this year.

APRIL 30.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
61—highest sinte noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during the night.
60—this day at noon. _ _

BknomETER-30.49.

WIND, Easterly to South-Easterly, light ; with very
fine weather. The wind has veered round to W., N., and
N. E. during the night.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, Bh. 54m.—Afternoon, 9h. 35m.
To-Ntorutow.-Morning, 10h. 12m.—Afternoon, 10h. 48m.

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THE SUN.
LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1860,

The National Rifle Association comes not only
most opportunely, but very nobly in aid of the
Rifle Volunteers. Within a comparatively brief

interval there has sprung into existence with a
view to the better defence of the mother country a
splendid and already disciplined army of 100,000
of these volunteers. In spite of the sneers of mem-
bers of Parliament like Sir ROBERT PEEL. In
spite of the derision of professional soldiers like
Lord MELVILLE late Commander-in-Chief of her
MAJESTY'S Forces in Scotland. Out of the
dragon's teeth of old dead and buried ani-
mosities there has started forth, fully armed,
and (after the manner of the NAP lERS)
" Ready aye Ready"-100,000 volunteer riflemen,
the National Guard of England, the British
Tirailleurs ! It is the result—remember that—
merely of the first summons. European tranquil-
lity, so far as we are concerned, is still wholly and
absolutely undisturbed. There is not yet appa-
rent anywhere even the vaguest threat of an inva-
sion. So far from this—France is yet our ally.
France that in 1798, under the regime of the Direc-
tory, was mustering her forces at the instigation
of the young Conqueror of Italy, bent then upon
crossing the Channel at the head of what was pub-
licly designated the armee d'Angleterre ! France
that, five or six years later on, under the same
mighty chieftain— then uponthe eve of transforming
his Consular fasces into an Imperial sceptre—was
mustering a yet more formidable army of invasion
upon the heights of Boulogne-sur-mer! Yet, with
France—in contrast to all this—still amicably our
ally—at the very first call to arms for the National
Defence of England, upon the contingency of a yet
unthreatened invasion, there have assembled spon-
taneously in clusters, scattered far at d wide over
this island of ours, 100,000 rifle volunteers. Nation
of shopkeepers though we are—we rose yet at the
first summons, and that, to), in a time of profound
peace, capable of furnishing 100,000 male adults.
Ready upon the instant to leave the desk, and
the workshop, and the warehouse, to throw
aside pen and yard-measure, and all the multiform
implements of art and of industry, to be drilled
into a skilful handling of the deadliest of modern
firearms, so as to improve, as far as may be practica-
ble, at once those national defences, which, though
dictated by common sense, are yet notoriously
known to have been hitherto wholly neglected and