The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-16 00:00:00

TEE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

Last evening a crowded meeting was held in the
Whittington Club, Arundel-street, Strand, " to pro-
mote the success of the Royal National Rifles." Sir
John Shelley, M..P., occupied the chair. Several in-
fluential gentlemen were present. This corps has
been formed for the purpose of affording increased
facilities to those who are desirous of contributing
their personal assistance to the patriotic Volunteer
movement; and it is to be hoped that by reducing
the expense of membership to the lowest possible
cost, and by introducing a system of weekly pay-
ments, those numerous and intelligent classes who
have hitherto been precluded from joining the
movement will avail themselves of the opportunity
thus afforded to them of assisting in the defence
of their country. These battalions, as forming
part of one brigade raised throughout the metropo-
lis, offer peculiar advantages to the industrial classes,
who by pressure of business occasioually, change
their residences, as, with the consent of the com-
manding officers, a member may be transferred from
one battalion to another without expense or altera•
tion of uniform.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said
the meeting had been called for business, aid it
would be a waste of time if he were to dilate on the
advantages of the great Volunteer movement to this
country. Formerly it would have been the duty of
a chairman at a rifle meeting to dilate on the move-
ment, but at the present time it was an established
fact, and in every part of the country men were seen
ready to defend their homes and families. The Vo-
lunteer movement had had at'least one effect—we.
heard no more of the bluster and bombast of certain
French colonels. We had been called a nation of
shopkeepers, and now we were rapidly becoming a
military nation—(cheers)—and foreigners were
commencing to look upon us in the light of a Scotch
thistle—better let alone than touched. His only
object in coming there that evening was to ask for
support to the Royal National Rifles. As an owner
of property in a seaboard county, he had taken part
in the great Volunteer movement there, and it was
his conviction that if the movement were to be suc-
cessful and to become permanent every class of her
Majesty's subjects ought to be represented, and in
his own county he made it a rule. that the expenses
ought to be kept in a limit, so as to enable every
one to join. A correspondence had been going on
between himself and Lord Elcho on the subject of
artisan corps. Lord Elcho had a fear of the jarring
of classes. He (the chairman) had no such fear,
but if they wished to make the movement popular
they must not have expensive uniforms, as gentle-
men might get tired of them when the novelty 'had
worn off, and refuse to renew them when worn out.
As for special artisan corps, he himself would not
join a corps where any distinction was kept up be-
tween the members. A 'large sum of money had
been voted for national defences, but London would
remain defenceless. Therefore it behoved every one
to support the movement, and thus contribute to-
wards our national defences. Up to the present time
the Lord-Lieutenant of the county had not recom-
mended the Royal National Rifles to the Govern-
ment, giving as a reason that the Queen's West-
minster Rifles had not completed their complement;
but he had every reason to believe that Lord Sails-
blry would soon recommend them to Government.
He was gratified to see the way in which the corps
had been supported in the metropolis, and, although
Lord Elcho found fault with the way in which the
corps was established, that noble lord had already
formed a metropolitan company on the very same
principle, thus showing that he approved it. After
some further observations he concluded by impress-
ing upon the meeting the necessity for the forma-
tion of Volunteer corps, and recommending the
Royal National Rifles to their support.
The Hon. Mr. BERKELEY, M.P., next addressed
the meeting, and, after a few preliminary observa-
tions, said he knew of no circumstance in the annals
of history like the springing to arms so spontane-
ously of a whole body of Englishmen. The move-
ment stood alone, and would be recounted as one of
the most remarkable instances of the age. It was
extraordinary that the words of the great Duke of
Wellington should fall to the ground when he re-
commended us to be prepared for a foreign foe.
But the state of Europe at last made the people of
England reflect that a large force might at any
moment be thrown on our shores. They also re-
flected, however strong, brave, willing, and
hardy the Saxon race might be, that a large force
of unorganised men was no match for a weak
body of disciplined men. Seeing the attitude of
France the English people had resolved not
to give up without a blow their wives
and families to foreign ravishers. (Cheers.)
He had hoped that the Government would have
treated the Volunteer movement in a different man.
nor ; they ought to have found the arms and
uniform. Had that been the case there would have
been no breeches-pocket reasoning. But it did not
please the Government to do it, and they threw
cold water on the movement. The spirit would not
be quenched, and thousands of men provided them-
selves with the' uniform and arms. It was a mat-
ter of regret that the Government would not sup-
port the working classes in their wish to defend
their country. He was a working man's member,
and there was not a more loyal class in the country.
The Queen might walk in the most dangerous
parts of the country with no better protection than
the 'corking man. He trusted the movement would
go forward, and the Royal National Rifles succeed.
He concluded by moving the following resolution :

"That this meeting considers it desirable to encourage
the formation of Rifle Corps throughout the kingdom, and
views the Volunteer' movement as one which should be in
every respect national, And is of opinion that it should em-
brace every class of her Majesty's subjects."
_

Mr. IV-ALTER seconded the motion, which was

carried.

Mr. BERTOLACCI moved, And Mr. BRADFORD
seconded the next resolution, as follows :
" That this meeting is of opinion that the Royal
National Rifles afford peculiar advantages to all classes,
and therefore pledges itself to support tuNi further the
objects of the said corps, and is of opinion that it is the
duty of every patriotic Englishman to co-operate by every
means in his power."

The motion was then agreed to.
Mr. WALMISLEY moved the third resolution :
" That the committee be requested to continuo to collect
subscriptions and enrol members."

uniform and
many
He stated that the annual subscription for an.
feffective
Duke of Cam bride
member was 10s., and theeeoperopusskt
possessed of u
aa
dc cvoaunttraegme es n
or, £d3r ; the
aranted them the use of the Wellington Barracks ,
the Lord Mayor the Guildhall, Lord Combermere
the Tower, and the First Commissioner of Works
Westminster-hall. The resolution was also agreed
to. A great many names having been enrolled, the
meeting separated with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.
The 9th Surrey (Richmond) Rifle Corps finished
on Saturday a contest for a medal and silver chal-
lenge cup on their range on East Sheen-common.
The distances fired were 300, 500, and 600 yards,
but owing to the blowing weather during the week
the scores were but small ; one of the unsuccessful
competitors had made in private practice the pre-
ceding week 19 points in the same ranges, but for
the cup the highest score was only 11, made by
Captain Ommanney, Private Ifertslet scoring 10
points for the second place. This corps sent two
competitors to Wimbledon for the Queen's prize,
one of whom was in the 40 and the other among
ti4tieis making the points which entitle some of
91em to rank in the 40, but both these gentlemen
'were beaten on the present occasion. The cup is
'of silver, handsomely chased, of nearly £25 value,
bearing the names of the donors, who are honorary
members, and it is to be annually shot for by.the
effective members of the corps, a medal being given
each year. After the firingwas concluded the cup
and medal were presented to Captain Ommanney by