The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-10 00:00:00

LORD WODEHoUsE ON RIFLE CORPS.

Lord Wodehouse, the Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, presided on Friday last at a
public meeting held at Wymondham near Norwich,
for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Rifle Corps
for that town and the surrounding district. Lord
Stafford, Sir J. P. Boileau, and several landowners
and clergymen of the neighbourhood were present,
and a considerable number also of tenant farmers,
notwithstanding the pressureof harvest operations.
Lord WODEHOUSE said that an attempt was
made some time ago to form a rifle corps in
Wymondham, but the feeling then did not appear
to be so strong as to encourage hopes of success.
That was no reason, however, why another effort
should not be made now. " Better late than
never" was a good maxim, and though they were
rather behindhand they would have the advan-
tage of the experience gained in other places. It
had been proposed to include Wymondham and
the hundred of Floreboe in the corps which
was being formed in Attleborough, but it had
occurred to him that it was only proper first to try
whether they could not get up a corps of their own
in Wy mondham. (Applause.) It would be a great
inconvenience far the Volunteers to have to go to
a distance for their drill, and on that account alone
a local corps was more likely to be permanently
successful; and he felt confident from the commu-
nications he had had with some gentlemen in the
neighbourhood that they could succeed in forming,
if not a company, at least .a subdivision in their
hundred. (Cheers.) It might be considered almost
supererogatory now to say anything in favour of
the movement, because there could be no greater
proof of its advantages than the extraordinary suc-
cess it had met with throughout the country.
Many persons, he was aware, still felt some objec-
tion to joining these corps, under the idea that it
was calling upon them to do something out of their
usual sphere, and to undergo inconveniences which
they were not bound to subject themselves to. He
thought a moment's reflection would show any one
that this movement was precisely in accordance
with the general character of our institutions.
There was not one of us who was not called upon
every day to submit to considerable personal in-
convenience in order to carry on what was in fact
the government of the country. Many gentlemen
present acted in various positions of responsibility
—either as overseers or as guardians of the poor, or i
as unpaid magistrates—all of them offices for which ,
no remuneration was received, and which were dis-
charged for the general benefit, of the public, be-
cause it was the characteristic of Englishmen that ,
they managed their own concerns. (Hear, hear.)
This Volunteer movement was based on the same
idea—namely, that though it might be personally
inconvenient, and even expensive to us to discharge
these local offices in our several counties, we were
bound to undertake those offices; so were we also
bound to ungergo some personal inconvenience and
expense in assisting in the defence of our country.
(Hear, hear.) He (Lord Wodehouse) held that
every man was quite as much bound to contri-
bute to the defence of his country as he was
bound to perform any other duty which might
devolve on a citizen. (Hear.) One of the first
principles on which any society could be based was
that each man should do his best in the defence of
the country. In other parts of the world this was
effected by the personal contributions of the inha-
bitants for the maintenance of an enormous stand-
ing army. The principles of our constitution had
always, however, been opposed to the maintenance
of a large standing army. He hoped. that that
principle would always be adhered to—(hear)--
but then, if we did not have a large standing army,
we must, as reasonable men, provide in some ether
way a force which would be sufficient •to place us
in safety, so that we might have no fear of any
events either at home or abroad. He should say
nothing, after all that had been said by so many
having far greater authority than himself, as to the
purely defensive character of the volunteer move-
ment, but it must be acknowledged—and it was one
of the advantages of the movement—that there was
nothing in it offensive to any nation whatever. It 1
was simply a movement which showed that we were
determined to place ourselves in such a position
that we should be enabled to take our own course,
without having regard to anything but that which
we believed to be to the advantage of the country
and the promotion of general peace and tranquillity
throughout the world. (Applause.) There were
two aspects in which this movement might be re-
garded—both of them, he thought, very advanta-
geous. to it. In the first place, it provided for the
defence of the country ; and secondly, what was of
no inconsiderable importance, it afforded a healthy
and useful recreation to all classes. (Hear.) He
thought we were in want in this country of some-
thing which should bring different classes of society
together by engaging them in some common object
which was at the same time useful and agreeable,
alul such a means of social intercourse and recreation
was provided by volunteer corps. (Hear.) There
was no one, he was sure, who began to practise
rifle-shooting who would not find it extremely
amusing and attractive ; a man felt that he was ac-
quiring an art which some day or other might be
useful, and which at any rate could do him no harm
to learn. The noble lord then proceeded to explain
the necessary steps to be taken in forming a Volun-
teer corps, and observed, with regard to the ex-
pense, that as that deterred many from joining, he
thought it ought to be kept as low as possible. As
the Government now found the rifles, the members
would only have to provide their uniforms and
accoutrements, which he was informed at the War-
office need not cost more than £3 10s., and could
even be provided for a lower sum than that. He
suggested a general subscription for defraying the
expense of procuring a practice-ground, and that
honorary members should be admitted for an an-
nual subscription of from £5 to 10s., with the pri-
vilege of practising at the butt and wearing the
uniform. With respect to the drill, he observed
that a Volunteer, in order to he enrolled as an
" effective," was only required to attend eight
drills in four months, so that the tax on one's time
and convenience was really very trifling. After
offering a donation of £5 to the corps, and express-
ing his regret that his official duties in town would
prevent him from becoming an active member,

Lord Wodehouse, in conclusion, said he believed a
more patriotic movement than this had not been
inaugurated during the present century. Nothing
had been done more calculated to raise England
both at home and abroad—both in her own self-
respect and in the estimation of other nations—
than that we had gone heart and hand in a move-
ment so essentially English, being calculated to
give us a cheap means of defence, and at the same
time to improve the personal bearing, he might
say, of every man who made himself one of a body
of men who were animated by such laudable and
patriotic motives. (Loud applause.)
Sir S. BOILEAU also addressed the meeting in
support of the movement, and resolutions were
unanimously adopted for the formation of a rifle
corps at Wymondham, and appointing a provi-
sional committee to enrol members and make the
necessary preliminary arrangements.
It was stated that more than 50 persons had al-
ready signified their intention to join the corps.
In addition to the £5O subscribed by Lord Wode-

On Thursday afternoon the Lords of the Admi-
ralty proceeded in her Majesty's steamer Light-
ning and steamed round the whole of the Channel
Fleet; all of which, together with the, blockship
Blenheim, 60, Capt. Tatham, manned yards in
splendid style, presenting a spectacle seldom seen
any where, much less in Milford Haven. Their
lordships then went on board the flagship Royal
Albert, 121, and soon after left under a salute of
19 guns Pfrom the fleet. The result of the visit to
the Admiral was soon apparent by the signal being
made to "hoist in boats and preparefor sea." This,
followed by an order for all the fleet to be" hove
short" by four a.m. next morning, made it gene-
rally known throughout the fleet that Friday was
to be a day of exercise and evolutions before their
lordships, outside the haven. Accordingly, a little
after six o'clock a.m., on Friday, the order was
made to " weigh in succession" and " stand out to
sea," which they did in the following order, viz.:
—The Diadem, 32, Capt. James H. Cockburn ; the
Mersey, 40, Capt. Henry Caldwell, C.B. ; the Mars,
80, Capt. James N. Strange ; the Algiers, 91, Capt.
George W. D. O'Callaghan ; the Trafalgar, 91, Capt.
Edward S. Fanshawe ; the Aboukir, 91, Captain
Douglas Curry ; the Edgar, 91, Capt. James E.
Caton, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Erskine; the
Centurion, 80, Capt. Henry D. Rogers; the Con-
queror, 101, Capt. Henry Broadhead; the Royal
Albert, 121, Capt. H. J. Lacon, flag-ship of Via.
Admiral Sir Chas. Fremantle, K.C.B. ; and the
Donegal, 101, Capt. Edward Sotheboy, CB. In
about one hour and a-half the whole were under
weigh, and steaming ont to sea. Shortly after 7
o'clock a.m,, the Osborne, with-the Admiralty flag
at the main, slipped her moorings and went down
the haven, accompanied by the gunboat Violet and
her Majesty's ship Lightning, with the Earl of
Cawdor on board. The fleet were expected to re-
turn on Friday night, with the exception of some
few that will remain at sea for a few days, to go
through a series of practical experiments, both. by
day and night, with Mr. W. H. Ward's new system
of ocean telegraphic signals, to have a personal in-
spection of which was, we believe, the principal
object of the Lords of the Admiralty when they
ordered the present review.

Topgallant-masts were pointed on Saturday on
board the screw steam-sloop Curlew, 9, Comman-
der Shaw, at Devonport.
The screw steam coastguard ship Hopie, 60,
Capt. R. J. J. G. Macdonald, having received her
powder, got up steam in Plymouth Sound on Satur-
day, and proceeded to her station, Greenock.
The screw steam gun-vessel Torch, 5, left Ply-
mouth on Saturday for the Coast of Africa.
The screw steam-corvette Hornet, 17, left Ply-
mouth yesterday, Sunday, for the Cape of Good
Hope and the Red Sea. _ _ _

Great progress is being made at Chatham Dock-
yard in the construction of the large line-of battle
screw steamer Royal Oak, 91, building on No. 7
slip, which has been put in frame, and is to be
pushed forward with all despatch. Her dimensions
will be 245 feet in extreme length, 55 feet 4 inches
in breadth, and of 3.320 tons burden. A 4-gun screw
steamer, not named, has also just been commenced
on one of the adjoining slips, and is being put in
frame.

A curious return was made to the Captain Super-
intendent of Chatham Dockyard on Friday of the
number of workmen and others who were absent
from the establishment on the afternoon of that
day, from which it appeared that no less than 2,000
of the employesof the dockyard absented themselves
on the afternoon in question to attend the races on
Chatham lines, a number stated to be unprece-
dentedly large.
The following appointments were made on Satur-
day at the Admiralty :—Lieut. C. F. Ryder, to the
Agamemnon • Dr. John T. B. Torrance, assistant-
surgeon to the Impregnable, for Plymouth Hos-
pital; John S. Dobbin, acting assistant-surgeon to
the Victory, for Hasler Hospital; Dr. Thomas
Warde, acting assistant-surgeon, to the Exmouth;
C. B. Hargrave, acting third-class assistant-engi-
neer, to the Firebrand ; and John King, second-
class assistant-engineer, to the Spiteful.

THE ARMY.

The following general order, dated the 6th inst.,
has been issued from the Horse Guards, by order of
the Duke of Cambridge :

"Many regiments and depots having omitted to furnish
the annual nominal return ordered by the circular of the
7th of June, 1856, to be rendered to the military secretary,
of casualties among officers, non-commissioned-officers, and
men appointed to the French Order of the Legion of Honour,
the General Commanding-in-Chief calls the attention of
commanding officers to the omission in question, and de-
sires that it may be rectified by every corps in which it may
have occurred.

" These returns are now and for the future to be trans-
mitted by regiments and depots direct to the Under-Secre-
tary of State for War, instead of the military secretary.
" By command,
" JAMES YORKE SCARLET; Adjt.-General."
The following circular has been issued :

" War-office, Aug. 30.
" 1. The arrangements under which the contribution for
the messing of military officers and other public passengers
on board ship, and also their families (when not in contract
vessels), is brought to the credit of the public, having been
under the consideration of Mr. Secretary Herbert, he has
been pleased to direct that from and after the Ist October
next the settlement for such contribution shall be exclu-
sively effected at the termination of the voyage ; no deduc-
tion as heretofore being made from the pay advanced on
embarkation.

" 2. At the termination of the voyage the paymaster or
agent of the regiment to which the officers belongs, or
paymaster or acting paymaster of the depot or detachment
which he may first join, or other public accountant into
whose payment the officer or other public passenger may be
reported, will be held responsible for deducting from such
person, and crediting in the public accounts, the amount of
mess contribution which shall be shown to be due by the
mess certificate to be produced by him.
"3. Officers and others about to embark on board ship
are to take care to provide themselves with the prescribed
form of mess certificate, and to complete or cause to be com-
pleted the same in every particular, including the signature
of the master or purser of the vessel, and of the officer com-
manding the troops on board, before going on shore, or of
the officer himself when there is no commanding officer.

"4. Military officers and other public passengers autho-
rised to proceed in contract steamvessels, or proceeding on
service without troops from one foreign station to another,
or from port to port within the same _command, under
special contracts made by the Commissariat, will be re-
quired, as at present, to pay to the owners for their families
permitted to embark with them the sums for passage and
messing prescribed in the contracts, of which notice should
be taken in the certificate. .

W"
5. A copy of the form of mess certificate is annexed
hereto, and all military accountants should forthwith obtain
an ample supply of the form by application to this depart-
ment. B. HAWES."

The chartered East India troop ship Abyssinian,
1,070 tons, Capt. Thomas, which arrived in the,
Thames on Friday night from Kurrachee, as re-
ported in The Sun, landed her troops at the Custom-
house quay on Saturday morning, under the
direction of the staff officers from Chatham Garri-
son, who superintended the disembareation. She
brings home 264 non-commissioned officers and
men, 25 women, 36 children, and one schoolmaster,
belonging to the 7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon
Guards, 7th Hussars, 3d Bengal Cavalry, sth
Bengal Cavalry, Royal Artillery, Bengal Artil-
lery, Royal Engineers, 7th (Royal Fusileers), 24th,
27th (Enniskillens), 46th, 31st (King's Own Light
Infantry, 52d (Light Infantry), 70th, 79th (High-
landers), 81st, 87th (Royal Irish Fusileers), 93d
(Highlanders), 94th, and 98th Regiments, and
the Ist Bengal Fusileers—the whole under the
command of Capt. Waldy, 46th, Lieut. Sayers,
64th, and Lieut. Lewes, 51st Light Infantry, and
in medical charge of Staff Assist.-Surg. Jameson,
The Abyssinian embarked her troops at Kurrachee
on May 18, and sailed the following day, the pas-
sage to Gravesend occupying 110 days. St. Helena
was reached on July 17, where the vessel remained
only a few hours. The number of deaths on board
during the voyage was seven, including four of the
24th, one of the 51st, one of the 52d, and one of
the 87th. The vessel attempted to put in at the
Cape, but the state of the weather prevented her.
In addition to the wounded and disabled troops
brought home there are also a number of tune"
expired men, as well as those formerly belonging
to the East India Company's Service,
taken their discharge. On the landing
of e
troops at Gravesend they were immediately for-
who
warded to Fort Pitt Hospital, Chatham, where 24
into
hospital two of whom were insane, were taken
hospital for medical treatment, and, the remainder,
after inspection, sent to St. Mary s invalid estab-
lishment. The East India troops proceeded in the
vessel to Blackwall, where they landed.
A number of non-commissioned officers and men
of the East India Sappers and Miners, who have
completed a course of instruction at the Royal
Engineer establishment, Chatham, in sapping and
mining, fortification, and engineering, left Bromp-
torn barracks on Saturday and proceeded to the
East India depot at Warley, to be in readiness to
embark for India.
According to orders received at Chatham garri-
son from the Horse Guards the detachment of Royal

Engineers selected to proceed to St. Helena for the
purpose of repairing the present fortifications and
erecting additional works of defence for the protec-
tion of that island, together with the Royal Artil-
lery and the reinforcements for the St. Helena Regi-
ment, will embark at Gravesend this day on board
the Ackbar, which has been chartered by the Go
vernment to convey the troops to that island. The
officer selected to proceed in
St.eh nrgeleeonfa Regiment
The ,
togetherqmTuhe
quantity
ts ti
Royal
y Cwaoal pt
with
saEal
pi
EngineerspC sapping
. n
theßg a
traanne out with them a large
d mining implements,
e
necessary tools that will be
required by them in throwing up the batteries and
raising the works of defence, in which operations
they are expected to be engaged some time.
Lieut.. Col. Gibbon, R.A., has been appointed to
the command of the Royal Artillery in the eastern
district, and has joined the staff at the camp at Col-
chester. A number of invalided soldiers from India
have arrived at the camp during the past week.
Lieut. Stokes. of the 38th, and Ensign Sunderland,
of the 44th Regiments, having obtained first-class
certificates from the school of musketry, his Royal
Highness the General Commanding in Chief has
appointed them rifle instructors to their regiments,
and they will proceed at once to join their respec-
tive corps, the former to India, and the latter to
China. A small party of married men of the first
battalion Ist Royals, with their wives and families,
left the c imp on Friday for Plymouth, en route for
Madras. Lieut. Dew, of the 88th, and three ser-
geants, two corporals, and five privates of the 9th
battalion, and three sergeants, two corporals, and
five privates of the 10th battalion are to hold them-
selies in readiness to proceed from the camp to the
School of Musketry.
A further effort was made on Friday night last
for the benefit of the widow and orphans (nine in
number) of the late Corporal Coombes, of the Royal
Artillery Band, who precipitated himself from a
window of the Regimental Infirmary, while suffer-
ing under an aberration of intellect. General Sir
Richard Dacres, Commandant of the Garrison;
Colonel Walpole, Commanding Royal Engineers,
and the principal influential members of the town
and garrison, attended a concert given for the
abovenamed purpose in the Artillery school rooms.
The whole of the performers had humanely volun-
teered their services, and every inducement was of-
fered to render the effort of advantage to the bereft
family. The undertaking was extremely successful,
realising upwards of £3O, which will be banded
over in aid of the distressed family.
We regret to notice the death of the Hon-
ourable James Lyon Browne, late lieutenant-colonel
of the 21st Regiment, which took place on Wed-
nesday last at Harrogate, at the early age of
38. The gallant deceased was the eldest son ofLord
Kilmaine, and commenced his military career in
1843 as second lieutenant of the 21st Foot (Royal
North British Fusileers). On the war breaking out
with Russia Lieut.-Col. Browne accompanied his
regiment to the Crimea, and was present at all
the engagements in which it took part, including
the siege-of Sebastopol, for which he recived the
war medal and clasps, and was decorated by the
Sultan of Turkey with the order of Medjidie (sth
class). The gallant officer's commissions bore date
as follows :—Second-lieutenant, Jan. 14, 1842 ; lieu-
tenant, Nov. 8, 1844 ; captain, Dec. 22, 1848 ;
major, Dec. 29, 1854 ; and lieutenant-colonel, April
24, 1855.