The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-29 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEER MOVBMENT.

On Saturday the grounds adjacent to Beaufort-
house, Fulham, the headquarters of the South Mid-
dlesex Rifles, were thronged with visitors assembled
to witness a variety of interesting experiments cal.
culated to improve the efficiency of the Volunteers.
Among those present were Lord Ranelagh, the com-
mandant of the South Middlesex, the Hon. Mr.
Curzon, Lord and Lady Radnor, Col. Farquharson,
Col. Bales, Col. Vereker, Mr. Napier Short, M.P.,

Capt. Cartwright, Capt. Hawkins, Capt. Wyld,
Capt. Napier, Professor Wheatstone, Mr. Chevalier,
Mr. Henley, &c. The proceedings were commenced
with experiments upon projectiles made by Capt.
Norton, which were followed by a trial of breech-
loading rifles, several specimens of breech-loading
rifles being exhibited on the ground. To avoid
trouble and danger when a hit was made at the
target the shot was morded by telegraph at the
firing post. To do this the universal and military
telegraph of Professor Wheatstone was put into
requisition. Professor Wheatstone's apparatus is
so arranged as to afford a safe, speedy, and accu-
rate communication between the target and gun,

both at long and short ranges, or whenever distance
in the performance of military evolutions, either in
the camp or field, renders the receipt and despatch
of intelligence necessary. The communication be-
tween the target and gun is maintained by the use
of the ordinary alphabet, so as to enable any person ,
'''ll° can read and write, without any previous in- 1
structio
formed I,nttoo
work the instrument. The target is
divisions, marked with 10 letters, a ,
similar target
or beingthe ball
in the marker's box. The
position
ball on striking the tar-
get
is telegraphed
up to the firing post ,
by the letters :naddicat'ed by the space cut
on the target,
'Phis
off at the gun
upon the duplicate.
police station. apparatus is about to be
adopted at the ;
Another telegraphic
apparatus was also exhibited,. viz., that of Mr.
constregiChe-
valier, of the Ist West India, Regiment. This tele-
graph is different in its
it
consists
from that of
double le: two professor Wheatstone.
galvano-
meters, in appearance like the
needleleetrini:tain'u
instru-
ments
and
now in use at the stations of the Electric
International Telegraph Company, The instrument
ge
at the firing post is connected with the tai.
target is divided into divisions, and when
which completes hitt:
thene
shot presses against a pin, pletes the
electric current and deflects the needle of the galva-
nometer right or loft, thus indicating without the
assistance of any one the position of the hit. Mr.
Henley, with one of the Maynard breech-loadint,
guns—an American invention—at-
self-priming
tracted a considerable share of attention from the
simplicity and utility of this destructive weapon.
One of the features consists of the percussion caps
being wound on a riband and so arranged that the
operation of merely cocking the gun at the same
time puts a cap on. By this apparatus 15 rounds a
minute are easily accomplished. At the conclusion
of the firing a party of the South Middlesex of 25
men, and 100 men of the South Kensington Engi-
neers, threw up a sandbag battery, in order to show
the practicability of defending a road or street.
The battery, 100 feet long and four high, was
thrown up in 27 minutes. The assembly was then
Bounded, and the men drawn behind the battery to
defend it against another detachment, who were
drawn 1,11, on the other side with a view of
,
turning the and for some time the'