The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-14 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

On Wednesday evening the spacious board-room
of the Euston station was the scene of an interest-
ing ceremony, an occasion for which it was gaily
festooned and decorated, that of the presentation of
prizes to the 20th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps.
Colonel Erskine, the Inspector-General, presided,
and among the numerous company present were :
Lord Ranelagh, Mr. Harvey Lewis, M.P., Mr.
Thomas Chamber:, M.P., Colonel Bigge, the Com-
mandant, Colonel ilodgoon, of 79th Highlanders,
Captain Scovell, of the 96th, Captain Mahon, of
9th Royal Lancers, Captain Rogers, late of the Came-
ronians, and other officers and gentlemen. Colonel
Erskine opened the proceedings by giving the gene-
ral comparative statistics of the corps, showing that
its effective strength remained exactly the same as
last year, that the " paper men"--i.e., the non du-
cients who had not reported themselves for drill,
had been struck off the rolls, and that the shooting
capabilities of the regiment had greatly increased
this year, there being 58 marksmen against 15 of
last year, and 102 first-class men as against 47 of
last year. Ile pointed out that there were still a
great number of non-effleients on the rolls, and he
urged several points for the consideration of the
non-efficients, with a view of showing them the ne-
cessity for their rendering themselves efficient. Ile
stated that the comparatively small numbers who
attended drill at one time led many people to sup-
pose that the Volunteers were not in earnest, and
though he was fully convinced that England in the
hour of danger, if such an hour should ever arrive,
would have no lack of her sons in the field, yet he
thought that for the honour of the service all who
had enrolled themselves as Volunteers should prove
their love of it by attending as often as possible
on the parade ground. Mr. Harvey Lewis,
M.P., then addressed the assemblage on
the occasion of present ing some special prizes.
He expressed the great pleasure with which le-took
part in that ceremony, and the deep interest lie
took in the great movement of which this
corps was so creditable a part. lie said nothing had
shown the determined independence of the English
character more than this movement, and it had
proved that they were so attached to their institu-
tions and their couutryas to be ready to uphold them
with their lives. He looked upon the Volunteer in-
stitution not only as important in proving the at-
tachment of Englishmen to their country, but as of
importance iu training the young men of the nation
to the use of arms, as they thus gained physical
strength, and were imbued with the most patriotic
feelings. He assured his hearers that Parliament as
well as the country knew the value of the force, and
regarded it as a most valuable auxiliary of the army,
and he was sure that it would be most heartily sup-
ported. He concluded by saying that he was con-
vinced that if the country required her sons they
would prove themselves in every way worthy of their
forefathers. The prizes, which were very numerous,
were then distributed. The champion of the year
was Sergeant Rudd,
and the winner of the chief bat-
talion prize was Lance-corporal Snowdon, who re-
ceived a gold watch, value ten guineas, given by Col.
Bigge, and the honour of a few bars of a triumphal
march. Thanks having been voted to the prize donors,
Lord Ranelagh was called upon to speak, and, after
claiming acquaintance with the regiment as one he
had met on many a muddy field, he went on to speak
of the relative force of the great Powers of Europe,
and said it was unquestionable that we were rather
behindhand, and thatwe must put our fighting house
in order. lie was sorry that the Conservative Go-
vernment, which in former days had done good ser-
vice in strengthening the fighting power of the coun-
try, had not yet shown auy sign of life, and he hoped
the press would call upon the Government to show
what was being done in this respect. He went on to
speak of the great advantage given to the country in
having the breechloading rifle, and concluded by
observing that the force would be greatly strengthened
by having one uniform for all infantry regiments of
Volunteers, and this uniform, he urged, should be o f
the national colour—namely, red. His lordship
was warmly cheered, and the proceedings concluded
after a pleasant speech by Mr. Chambers, M. P.

The New Organisation of the French Army.

PARIS, Dec. 11,
The Constitutionnel of to-day publishes the fol-
lowing article, signed by M. Limayrac, upon the
new
Theimportant
organisation of the
events
Europe have produced a strong feeling in France,
which should neither be misrepresented nor under-
rated.the signification of this feeling spread
g
classes? Is it a mean thought of jealousy?
amon
No. France is too great to be envious, and rejoices
to seeideas of progress and civilisation develop them-
selves among other nations—if necessary, she assists
in the development. is it a menace, or a thought of
revenge? Still less. France has been in no way con-
cerned. Neither her honour nor her interests have
been engaged. What agitates the country is a pa-
triotic movement, and the most legitimate national
feeling. New facts have been revealed, new forces •
have manifested themselves in Europe, and it be-
came a question, as M. de Lavalette stated in his
circular, of maintaining intact our rank and influ-
ence in the world. The Emperor and his Govern-
ment have thought and felt with the public mind ;
and we know with what care, what. wisdom, and
with what patriotism the high cornulk;Aon ho.; ela-
borated the project the principal bases of which have
been settled to-day. 800,000 men, such is the strength
of the effective considered necessary, after mature
deliberation, to assure the defence and maintain the
dignity of the country; 400,000 or 420,000 men form
the active force, and nearly the same number con-
stitute tLe reserve. The period of military service is
reduced by one year, and will be six years in all,
either in the active army or the reserve. The re-
serve, exercised during a certain period every year,
and divided into two portions, will be incorporated
in the event of war with the active army of the

' peace establishment, and
as may be required. Of the
serve, the first will be under thL
der of War, to meet the necessities of the active
force. The second can only be called out by decree.
In addition a Mobile National Guard, the strength
of which is estimated in the project at 300,000, will
be destined for internal defence; that is to say, the
defence of the frontiers, strong places, and the coasts.
In time of peace the Mobile National Guard will be
relieved from all service and all displacements.
With respect to the principle of exemption it is
maintained, and its application will be regulated in
proportion to the re-engagements of the preceding
year, since exemption only applies to the active
army. But this does not prevent any extensive
system of substitution being authorised between the
young men of the active army an l those of the
reserve of both classes. The reserve service will bo
rendered still less onerous by the greatest facilities
for marriage being accorded to the young soldiers.
Further, all those will be relieved from duty at the
depots who shall have been declared sufficiently in-
structed in the manual exercise. The reception
which public opinion will accord to such a project
is not doubtful. The public, let us repeat, know
with what scrupulous care it has been elaborated
and discussed, and with what information the Em-
peror was provided. His Majesty himself has made
military matters the study of
_his whole life, and
possesses a familiar khowledge-of the organisation
of all the great armies of Europe. The public will,
above all, appreciate in this project the perfect con-
sonance with which he adapts himself to the require..
ments of our intellectual and democratic society,
while meeting the necessity for the defence of our
territory. If we are a military nation by tempera-
ment and aptitude, we arc no less a nation inclined
to the noble labours of the mind, and the profitable
application of tho sciences, agriculture, industry,
and the arts. There could be no question, then, of
making a soldier of every French citizen, of bri-
gading all France, as some journals at first pre-
tended to believe. But it was necessary, without
overthrowing the admirable system of our army, to
revise and adjust it to the necessities created by the
military progress of neighbouring nations and new
circumstances. To attain this end without wound-
ing the sentiment of equality and justice so deeply
rooted among us, without injuring the other great
interests of the country, without placing useless
obstructions in the path of youth, or in the develop-
ment of individual aptitude, such was the difficulty.
It has been resolved, and this happy solution will
certainly obtain the adhesion of the whole country,
who will find in it fresh motives for gratitude to-
wards Napoleon III."

CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY.

The report of the directors, to be submitted to

the general meeting on the 21st inst., shows a bal-
ance to credit of £59,211 10s. 11d, on the revenue
account, which, when added to £1,284 6s. 2d., the
balance carried over in January last, makes a total
amount of £60,495 17s. ld. applicable to dividend.
After deducting the dividends on the preference and
debentuire stocks, and the balance of interest account
a net sum of £28,339 3s. remains to the credit of re-
venue. Out of this the directors recommended that
a dividend of 2- per cont. be declared on the ordi-
nary stock, which will leave a balance of £3,272 ss.
6d. to be carried forward to next year. The num-
ber of visitors during the year has been 2,067,598,
a number larger than during any previous year, and
exceeding those of the preceding twelve months by
no less than 309,082, of whom 149,525 were visitors
paying the price of admission for the day. The
directors continue to keep a careful watch over the
expenditure in all departments of the palace and
grounds--both the ordinary working expenditure
of the establishment, and the special outlay for at-
tractions. The former of these, when not before
the full board, is in the charge of a committee
of directors, whose enleavour is to keep it down
to the lowest level reached in former years,
without neglecting the' works necessary to maintain

the undertaking in full egiciency and repair.
The amount under this head has been swelled
during the Fist year by the renewal of the boilers
for imlting the building, by the completion of the
internal illumination, the enlirgement of the con-
cat-room, and other works, amounting in all to
about 4000—works which, as necessary and as ma-
terially improving the palace, are satisfactory in
themselves, and might very fairly have been charged
to capital. Under the head of outlay for special attrac-
tions, the expenditure during the past year also calls
for remark. These undert ►kings are invariably
submitted to the full board, who have for their
guidance a complete system of returns represent-
ing the outlay and results of similar events in
former years. It would be gratifying to the board
to dispense with many of these special events, but
it is evident that the company's returns, dire'A and
indirect, increase in a proportionate ratio as such
popular attractions are presented, and the necessity
for their continuance, in a greater or less degree,
as circumstances arise, is therefore obvious. The
board think it requisite thus specially to allude to
the cost of these attractions, as they caused the re-
ceipts of the past year to exceed those of any former
year except 1862, when the Exhibition took place,
in which (as was al ,o the case in 1864-5), the pro-
fits of the Handel Festival were included.
The chancre in the mode of issuing the guinea sea-
son tickets, by which they date from the commence-
ment of the month in which they are purchased, has
continued to work well, and 3,000 more have been
sold than in the previous 12 months. The attraction
of the Saturday concerts is still on the increase, as
is conclusively shown by the crowded state of the
concert room on every occasion, and by the large
advancee itoamount taken for reserved seats.
Th
department has fully maintained its
exhibitors'
in trh;
position, and the receipts show a slight increase over
those of former years. The refreshment department
participates in the general increase in the number of
visitors, and it will be observed that the revenue
from this very importan source has reached the
large sum of £19,613 163. 7d. The directors con-
tinue to be satisfied with the manner iu which the
service of this department is conducted by the con-
tractors. Since the meeting in June last, the com-
pany has sustained a truly severe loss in the decease
of Mr. Thos. Newman Farquhar, the chairman, who
died after a very short illness on the 30th July last,
after having filled the chair for nine years. The
board do not recommend that the vacancy created
by Mr. Farquhar's decease shall be filled up before
the June meeting, the regular time for the election
of directors. In the meantime the directors have
elected Mr. Arthur Anderson as their chairman.

KING GEORGE OF HANOVER.—The National
Gazette of Berlin says that King George of Hanover does
not consider himself as at all deprived de facto of his sove-
reign functions. He has just dismissed Colonel Gundell,
who had invited his officers to state if they wished to enter
the Prussian service. General Bulow-Stolle has obeyed
this order, and transmitted Colonel Gundell's command to
the senior officer in the regiment.
CLOSE OF THE GROUSE SHOOTING IN LANARK_
SHIRE.—The season for grouse shooting closed on
Tuesday, and notwithstanding its rough preface a most
successful season's sport has been generally obtained
unfavourable weather which
prevailed throughout the country, and birds upon the whole have
been
consequencen u numerous, and
of the
unusuallyve
t a n
dmwild, particularly in the
regions of the Upper Ward and other exposed situations.
euteinLg days, it
Leamington, was
Carmichael,
butpurie(lvea,iislyedtoCrawfordob during
ta
irna the two
ast,gw.to,
or opening ps
tlhowever, rapidly improved
anything
in condition, and the quantity of grouse and other game
shot far exceeded that in any ea
In the north-eastern districts osftshoenefoournty the
grouse last six
was,
some of the hills, unusually scarce, and birds small; while 120
ou other shooting grounds in the
north-west grouse were
abundant,
and sportsmen bagged large numbers. On all
the moors iu the Lesmahag•iw and .A.vondal, districts the
?rt, was excellent. The Walst-m range produced but a
small number, and shooting Was, ill a Brest OPMSllrft, tanta•
doued in that quarter by the end of August. In the south-
eastern parts of the shire the sport was pretty fair, though
not so good as formerli; but grouse shooting altogether
was bettor than on average soasons. The cover shooting
with regard to number and condition of game has not been
equalled for years, and the keepers and others represent
that, notwithstanding the great slaughter, all kinds of game
Hamilton, and Drum-
areiltop still plentiful. Oa the lands of Douglas Castle, Car-
s teani
eiss; Ca
I:olrnnewtaht
ehi,.ol\wTiesrhea ‘
bagged within a few days nearly
v, Mn'
2,500 head of game, including pheasants, woodcocks, par-
tridges, snipes, hares, rabbits, &c. The season has been
highly favourable for game of all kinds, and on protected
grounds they are reported to be thriving well.—Scotsman.

74.. t
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