The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-25 00:00:00

Majesty, the Prince Consort, and the Emperor and
Empress of the French. The most conspicuous and
attractive portions of the decoration ci nsisted of
six Christmas trees, bending with t}-eir weight
of fruit and 1,500 toys attached to their branches.
A large n amber of appropriate prizes were
distributed by Lady Dacres for proficiency
in study, and each ono shared in the toys of the
trees, This entertainment was patronized by
a great majority of the principal officers of the
garrison and their families, and was witnessed by
the parents of the children, who were invited to
attend.

TILE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

The Prince of Wales, who is the owner of consi-
derable property at Bradninch, Devonshire, has
presented 20 guineas to the sth Devon (Upper
Culm Vale) Rifle Corps.
The contest between 10 men of the A Company,
West Middlesex Rifles, and 10 of the Admiralty
Company, Civil Service Rifles, took place yester-
day, at the practice-ground of the latter corps at
Wimbledon. The following are the number of
points made by each corps at the ranges of 300,
500, and 600 yards, five shots each range :—West
Middlesex—Lieut. G. Marriner, 18 points ; Mr. C.
Hall, 17 ; Mr. G. Hering, 13 ; Mr. H. Legg, 9 ;
Mr. W. Ferguson, 5 ; Mr. H. Jones, 15; Mr. W.
Debenham, 11 ; Mr. F. Debenham, 7 ; Mr. J. S.
Mussett, 7 ; Mr. H. Cartwright, 2 ; total, 104
points. Civil Service Rifles—Captain Willis, 9;
Sergeant Pidcock, 10; Ensign Gripper, 13; Mr.
Ward, 4 ; Mr. Pattison, 10 ; Mr. Spence, 10 ; Mr.
Wright, 11; Mr. Noel Humphreys, 2; Mr. Noel
Smith, 11; Mr. S. Lewis, 7 ; total, 94 points. The'
West Middlesex Company therefore won by 10
points, and, it being a continuation of the competi-
tion originally proposed by Captain Wilbraham
Taylor for a silver cup of the value of £lO, to be
paid for by ths losers, the above company are now
open for a challenge from any other company in
Middlesex to compete at the same range. At the
conclusion of the contest three cheers were given
by the Civil Service Rifles for the winners, and the
West Middlesex, in return, gave three hearty
cheers for their gallant opponents.
On Saturday afternoon Lady Octavia Shaw
Stewart presented the Volunteers of the Greenock
district with a silver bugle. The Greenock,
Gourock, and Port-Glasgow company met in a field
behind the Academy, about 3 o'clock. A - raised
dais was erected at the upper part of the ground,
and in front of it the Volunteers were drawn up,
forming three sides of a square. Lady Octavia,.
accompanied by Mrs. Grieve and Mr. M. Dunlop,
took their stand on the dais, where her ladyship
presented the bugle to Sir Michael, who, as colonel
of the regiment, received it, and after thanking his
wife in the name of the Volunteers, handed it to
the bugle-major, Capt. Sicklemore, RN. Major
Latham called for three cheers in honour of the
donor, which were enthusiastically accorded. The
Volunteers were afterwards entertained at dinner in
Town-hall by Sir 31:;^'''7:<, and their officers.
A corresponde:-: les that the first cadet corps
which has been supplied with an effective weapon
is that of the Blackheath Proprietary School,
attached to the 3d (Lee) Volunteer Rifle Corps, It
consists of 75 cadets, raised by Mr. E. J. Selwyn,
Principal of the Blackheath Proprietary School,
nearly three months ago, and armed with smooth-
bore Irish constabulary carbines of the 1855 pat-
tern, kindly supplied by the Government at a
nominal peice. The corps has attained very consi-
derable proficiency in position and manual drill,
under the command of Captain (Colonel) Hillyard.

LIFEBOA7 SERVICES.

WEXFORD, DEC, 22.