The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-11 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER _RIFLEMEN AT ji HE.

An interesting paper has' been delivered at
Birkenhead by Captain V. A. king, of the 2d
Cheshire Rifle:., on the Rifle .Practice at the Hythe
School of Musketry. Captain KING said,—You
will perhaps like to know what we did afilythe,
and I will try to tell you as briefly as possible.' We
assembled there on Saturday, the 23d of July? and
reported ourselves to the General. Now, a 'word
about Major-General Hay ; he is a fins, handsome
man, of very pleasing manners, and much beloved
by all about him ; he is a splendid shot, and is
seldom seen without his rifle in his hand. There
were 42 of us from all parts of the kingdOni, of
all classes; there were two peers, Earl Spencer
and Earl Pomfret ; there were country gentle-
men, there were barristers, there were men from
the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, there
were merchants, there were tradesmen—all classes,
in fact. We reqtf red no introduction ; we
were good friends as soon as we met. We felt
We were all brethren who had a grand national ob-
ject in view, the defence of our native land, and
this was sufficient • introduction. The peer was
treated with no more respect than the tradesman,
or the tradesman than the peer ; and here.let me
say, for the honour of the aristocracy of England,
that the peers worked quite as hard as any of us,
there was no distinction ; they were drilled by
the sergeants just the same as all of us.' On
Monday, the 25th of July, we assembled in the
barrack tent—a rifle, knee-cap, and book of instruc-
tions were delivered to each of us. Wo were
then formed into six sections, containing from six
to nine each. We were No. 1 Section, and con-
sisted of the seven men from the four companies:in
thie neighbourhood. We were then ushered into
the lecture-room to, hear a _few words from the
General. He told us he was a warm friend of the
volunteer movement, which he would do all in his
power to forward, as he considered it essential to
the safety of the country. He thanked us for our
zeal in coming so far for instruction, and stated
that it would give both him and his staff the great-
est pleasure to impart to us all they could in the
very limited time we had for the course. He then
stated that if the volunteer force could not shoot
they were worse than useless, for " suppose," said
he, " there were 200,000 volunteers enrolled, and
Government depended on them, and when the hour
of trial comes it turns out that not one of them can
shoot, why, then, it must be clear we had much
better not have a volunteer force at all ; for, if they
could not shoot, we should be hanging on a
rope of sand. Much better to have 20,000 men, or
even 2,000 men who can shoot, than 200,000 who
cannot." He then combatted and ridiculed the
popular error which has been so much dwelt upon
of late in the newspapers, that nothing but plenty
of ball practice would ever make men good shots.
He told us that such practice only perpetuated
error, in fact, made it worse ; that he could bring
forward many instances where men shot worse and
worse by mere practice. He told us that the less
shooting we had previously had the better ; for
those of us who had never fired a gun were most
probably the best, as he had merely to teach us to
shoot, while those of us who had been in the habit
of shooting were probably the worst, as he would
have first to break them off bad habits, and, until
they were broken off them, it was useless to teach
them to shoot. He then told us that it was position
drill alone which could teach us to shoot ; the more
of this a man had the better. A man had never had
too much of position drill until he had not a single
fault. The first object of this position drill was to
teach men to shoot without ever firing a shot; and
I have not the slightest doubt that this can be done,
I am certain of it. He told us that we volunteers
ought to be such good shots that our fire would be
effective at 600 to 900 yards ; for it would not be
safe to employ us in the field at a less distaneU than
this, as, of course, our drill and discipline could not
be expected to be such as would enable us to come

close quarters with such troops as the Z3uaves,
'or instance. Ho then told us that it was an extra-

ordinary fact that the riflemen of the British arm;

shot worse than any other troops until the last f:N.;
years. He asked if there were any volunteer rifle-
men present who had been embodied some years.
There was a gentleman from South Devon. The
General asked him if they practised aiming drill ?
He said, " No." " Exactly so," said the General,
"you, like all the rest, are Riflemen only in name."
He told us that the great object of the instruction
at Hythe was to raise the intelligence of the
soldier, to make him consider himself an unit,
and not a machine. This, from my short
experience, I can fully bear out ; I feel certain the
course of instruction is framed for this object. Now.
gentlemen, 1 will tell you our daily work for the
first week. The course of instruction was cleaning
of arms, theoretical principles, aiming drills, posi-
tion drills, judging distance drills. In the cleaning
of arms we were not only taught to clean our rifle,
but every part •f the weapon was named and ex-
plained to us. We were taught to dismount and re-
mount the lock, and name every part of it. After
all this explanation we were questioned, to ascer-
tain if we understood all which had been told us.

The lectures on theoretical principles explained
clearly to us the force which drives the bullet for-

ward, the force which stops its flight, the force
which draws it to the ground. The course of the
bullet through the air was clearly described, and
the reason of having to take a greater elevation
when firing at a very distant object. In the aiming
drills we placed our rifle upon a tripod, with a sand-
bag at the top, and laid our aim at the target at all
distances, from 150 to 900 yards. After laying
the aim, it was examined by one of the staff, or the
sergeant, who pointed out any fault that might be
in the aim, such as too full or a little to the left

or to the right. In the position drills we were
taught to handle the rifle, to bring the body
in the proper position for firing, to bring the rifle
to the "present" quickly and steadily. We were
taught always to aim at an object, and never
to draw our trigger until we had aligned the
eye, the object, the back sight, and the fore
sight. The greatest pains were taken with us in
this position drill, as it is the foundation of good
shooting. In judging distance drills, we were
marched out to• the shingles, where points were
placed at different distances for us to observe, and

we then had to judge the distance of men placed at
various distances from us. We were many of us at
the barrack-yard at 6.30 a.m. for an extra drill.
We assembled at 9.30 a.m., and were worked till
1 p.m. ; then assembled at 2.30 p.m., and worked till
4.40 p.m. ; then each section went to the quarters
of one of them, and discussed and questioned each
other on all they had heard during the day ; work
was over at 7 p.m., when we dined. So, you see,
your representatives were not idle. On Monday,
the Ist of August, we fired blank cartridge, and on
Tueslay we began firing ball cartridge, and then
commenced such excitement as I never witnessed
before. The first course was
!the third class. We
fired five rounds at 150 yards, five at 200 yards, five
at 250 yards, and five at 300 yards ; and, if we did
not make 15 points, we were kept in the third
class. Our gallant lieutenant made 29 points ;
another man, Warner, of Oxford, made the same ;
and this was the largest score. I only made 14
points, and, like all blockheads, was kept in the
third class ; but. I have the satisfaction to say, I

got out of it. and am now a second-class man.
Lieutenant Homer is a first-class man, and En-

sign Bower, of the Rockferry Company, has
the honour of being a marksman. The second-
class was five rounds at 400 yards, five
at 500 yards, five at 550 yards, and five
at 600 yards. It was necessary to make
12 points out of these to get into the first class, and
17 of our whole number stuck in the second class.
The first class was five rounds at 650 yards, five at
700 yards, five at 800 yards, and five at 900 yards.
And it was necessary to make seven points out of
these to become a marksman, and there were no
less than 14 who did this. This practice lasted
from Tuesday to Saturday, and I cannot describe
to you the excitement of it. It exceeded anything
I ever saw. Hunting, or "cricket, or boating is
nothing to it. I felt, when I saw it, that there was
no mistake about the volunteer movement; and
there is no reason why there should not be the
same excitement when the Cheshire companies
march from their parade ground for ball practice
as there was at the barrack yard at Hy the. I ought
to tell you that we subscribed for three rifles—one
e
for the best shot of the whole ; one for ti best shot
of the right wing ; one for the best shot of the left
first wing. Warner, of Oxford, won the ; Robert
Tinley, of Liverpool, the second ; Coxe, of Derby,
the third. I cannot attempt to describe to you the
excitement on Saturday afternoon. The struggle
was between Warner and Tinley for the first prize
—they were firing at 600 yards. There were many
spectators, and as each of these men knelt to fire

there was not even a whisper heard ; all seemed
afraid even to breathe. They both got 11 points—a
tie ; but Warner won, as in the previous classes ho
had made 53 points, and Tinley 51. Tinley had un-
fortunately twice aimed at the wrong target., and hit
it, and these two points did not count, otherwise
Warner and Tinley would have been ties through-
out. On Monday we fired 10 rounds file firing, 10
rounds volley firing, and 10 rounds skirmishing.

or firedea r e
The last is beautiful work. We loadeil as we ran,
and fired at distances of 400 to 200 yet as; but we
had to judge .our own distances, and we. were kept
advancing and retiring as.mnch nr; p):::ible, so as to
confuse us. Nov, yon know if at 200 yards distance
we -fired, at an elevation of 400 yards, our bullets
would go at least 5 feet above the target, , If, at
400 yards' distance, we tried,fire.at an elevation of
200 yards, then the tulletivo`uld :Strike the ground
at 280 yards. Now for the result of ()urban prac-
tice.
oestsullyzmyui
e-isuis
urder
eegr
tst
otaet
bee dee
dtf. If ho au tn
( vaeir(elnilia'.)tilisfih.
Allroets Nbi-sahaircleyh:
duced to figures: There cannot be a doubtabout who
shot best and who shot worst. The shooting is esti-
mated by figures, which cannot tell lies. I willnow
give you the figures of merit of each section. No.
2 Section stands first—namely, first period, 22.00;
file firing, 11.66; volley firing, 10.00 ; skirmishing,
5.00; total, 50.66. No. 4 Section.=First period,
20.66 ; file firing, 11.55; volley firin6-, 9.664 skir-
mishing, 7.88; total, 49.64. No.. o Section.—First
period; 18.00 ; file firing, 13.28 ; volley firing, 11.71;
skirmishing, 7.88 ;. total, 48.82. No. 6 Section—
First period; 21.14 ; file firing, 10,10 ; volley firing,
11.33 ; skirmishing, 5.33 ; total, 47.96. No. 1 Sec-
tion—First period, 1814; file Sring, 13.00 ; volley
firing, 9.16 ; skirmishing, 3-83; total, 44-13. No.
3 Section—First period, 17.00; file firing, 12.66 ;
volley firing, 8.00; skirmishing, 3.66 ; total, 41.32.
And the mean average figure of merit of the bat-
talion was as follows, namely :—Single Third Class,
19.36 ; file firing, 12.08; volley firing 10.13 ; skir
mishing, 5.50 ; total, 47.07. Which means that out
of 50 rounds each man on an average had made
47.07 points. Some, of course, had not done so well,
and others had done much better. I winnow give
you the comparison with officers and soldiers who
had passed through the previous three courses at
liyttie. You will no doubt be certain that we
volunteers were a long way behind them ; for
bear in mind they bad 16 position drills—we
had only six ; they have a preliminary course
of 20 rounds of ball cartridge—we had not;
any, but fired, at once in the third class. - The
mean averages are as follows :7-1859, January
=officers, -46 08 ; soldiers, 43.97. April—officers,
46.94 ; soldiers, 44.35. July officers, 45.62 ;
soldiers, 42.62. The mean of this is—officers,
46.25 ; soldiers, 43.65. The General was surprised
at this result he said he expected us •to beat the
soldiers, because, in shooting, intelligence is what
tells, but he could not understand our beating the
officers. He could only account for it by the
fact that we had worked so much harder. You see,
gentlemen, we have done you no discredit. On
Monday night we gave the General and his Staff a
splendid dinner; and on Tuesday we left Hythe
with heavy hearts, for we all felt we were leaving
kind friends ; for, from the General and his Staff
we had met with nothing but kindness and atten-
tion. If ever it is my lot to visit Hythe again, I
should be certain of a warm welcome. Gentlemen,
I think it right to tell you all this, because I feel
I have been at a great school, and, as a good dis-
ciple, I ought to try and impart the knowledge I
have obtained to others. I aai proud of your drill
already ; but I will tell you what I shall be much
prouder of—to see you, at your first ball practice,
show a mean average of 47; others have done it,
and why should
,not you? While at Hythe ice
formed a volunteer association, the object of which
is to hold a meeting in some part of the 'country
once a year, where rifles will be shot for. Now,
there is nothing to prevent one of the fine fellows
I see before me winning the first prize, and a high
honour it will be. All Ican say is that the man
who wins it mast work for it. PalmaM qui meruit
fora t.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Monday Morning.
ANOTHER PAPAL MANIFESTO.

The pastoral letter of Dr. Cullen, read. yesterday
in all the chapels of Dublin, runs to such an extra-
ordinary length in the paper as to defy any attempt
at even a summary of its contents. It is manifestly
intended to be a great State paper for the instruc-
tion of the faithful. The main subjects discussed
are the well-thrashed question of education and the
perilous position of the Popedom. Of the first no-
thing new is to be said, but as the Italian difficulty
is just now the topic of the day it may be as well
to hear what the Pope's delegate in Ireland thinks of
the crisis in the affairs of the Church of Rome.
Leaving the question of education, Dr. Cullen turns
to what he calls another illustration of " hypocrisy
and bigotry acting under the mask of a desire to
put down oppression and support the rights of
man." He then proceeds as follows :
" During the past month we must have all ob-
served that the most wicked attempts have been in-
cessantly made to misrepresent and malign the acts
of the supreme Head of the Church on earth ; and
especially the temporal administration of his States.
In order to persuade the world that the meekest
and kindest of men, Pius IX., was a tyrant and an
oppressor of his people, statements based upon
falsehood and calumny have been recklessly circu-
lated in the press, and every wicked art employed
to show that he was unfit and unworthy to retain
any temporal authority. At the same time the
Pope's Prime Minister, a man who had displayed
extraordinary abilities in managing public affairs,
in most difficult and critical times—a man of unim-
peachable integrity and most virtuous and edifying
in his life, a patron and encourager of the fine arts
was insulted in the most unworthy manner ;
and calumnies against him widely circulated
on the authority of a French scribbler, whose
ignorance and impudence were only exceeded by
his malignity. That many of our statesmen, both
Whig and Tory, Liberal and Conservative, rivals
for the support of fanatics, took part in this vile
combination appears not only from their published
speeches and declarations, but also from the diplo-
matic despatches of a late Minister, Lord Malmes-
bury, of Lord Loftus, Sir J. Hudson, and other Bri-
tish agents, who, in a manner unworthy of their
high rank, urged France and Austria to rob the
Pope of his dominions, and to perform, in contempt
cf public honesty, an act of injustice which they
were ashamed to undertake themselves. While this
spirit prevails in high places, we are not to be sur-
prised that a committee should be projected in Eng-
land, of which the Evangelical Lord Shaftesbury
has provisionally accepted the presidency, for the
purpose of arming a band of rebels in Bologna, con-
sisting in part of outlaws and strangers to that
country, and aiding them in their wicked opposition
to their just and humane sovereign, our Holy Father
Pius IX. And here let us ask, is it not by hypocrisy
of an extraordinary character in men to encourage
treason and sedition, and trample on the laws of the
Gospel, while they assume the name of Evangeli-
cals, and glorify themselves, like the Pharisees, as
models for the imitation of mankind ?

" It would be impossible to notice all the attacks
that are directed by the press against the Pope's
authority, and perhaps it would be almost useless to
answer them ; for they are made by persons blinded
by passion, and inaccessible to reason, who appear
to have nothing in view but to inflict a wound on
the Head of the Church. It is not hatred of oppres-
sion or love of freedom that animates them, but a
virulent hatred of Catholicity, and of that rock on
which it stands, and will stand for ever. But with-
out entering into lengthy discussions, it may not be
useless to notice one or two of the arguments gene-
rally alleged on this question.
" The first and principal ground of complaint
against the Pope appears to be that he is not willing
to extend to his dominions that liberal form of Go-
vernment which, under English influence, and
with the applause of the British press, has been in-
troduced into the Kingdom of Sardinia by its
Ministers, Cavour and Rattazzi. But is there any-
thing in the fruits obtained in that kingdom by the
liberalised form of Government to induce the Pope
to adopt it ? What has been the effect of the re-
forms of those applauded Ministers? Under their
auspices the property of convents and monasteries
has been confiscated, nuns and friars dispersed,
priests and bishops exiled or persecuted, the rights
of the church invaded, heresy and error patronised,
and the fountains of knowledge poisoned by anti-
Catholic and Infidel teaching. All this has been
done under the name of progress and liberality;
bat, to show how hypocritical is such a pretence, we
may add that the boasted liberty of the press has
been assailed, every Catholic newspaper suppressed,
and intolerable and most oppressive burdens placed
upon the people, so that under the care of the
friends of progress, and those who are put forward
as models of good statesmen, a country which 12
years ago was happy and flourishing is now almost
reduced to a state of utter destitution and bank-
ruptcy, and groaning under a fearful despotism.
But, forsooth, their liberal institutions are a suffi-
cient compensation for all their losses and miseries!
It is enough that the Catholic Church is robbed and
oppressed ; this is sufficient consolation for British
Evangelicals in their aspirations for freedom ,• they
are perfectly satisfied with the hypocritical liberty
which gives to a violent and anti-Catholic minority

41,,'74-1008V-4
c174:,c4L.,
K / /.-..'\------, .• .
/ - C.----:"1-74-' • ~,, ...::.----:
.----' AS
the power to insult a d enslave the CatioHelier
)
jority of their fellow•citiiens. . I
"Nor is it the, example alone of Sardinia that is
calculated to make the Popehesitate about listening
to the counsels of treacherous friends. He cannot
forget the scenes that were enacted in his State in
1848; Under the Government then established in
accordance with the Mazzinian views of the Evan-
gelical propaganda, everything was confusion and
anarchy—property was widely cOnfiscated, assassi-
nation was encouraged, and a reign of terror pre-
vailed. Among other misdeeds, I recollect that an
Irish ecclesiastic,Rev.Mr,Keleher,was barbarously
murdered at noonday, in Ancona, merely because
he was -a -.vital-, and known .ti be attached ..tis
the Pepe's jaUthes ity. At present, under the
rkewly proclaimed Liberal Government in .lEmilia
neither life nor property is iespect4 • With such
results bellire-liis,eyes it is scarcely -,lit` expected
that the Pope should consent to apPly%the Sardi-
nian system _of _government to his States; and we
are petsuaded that he would rather encounter the
indignation of Lord Shaftesbury and his evangeli-
cal friends than sanction reforms whose only merit
consists in plundering and oppressing the Catholic
Church; and in persecuting even to death her de-
voted children. '
"Another ground of complaint which is con-
tinually repeated is- that the people of the Pope's
States are dissatisfied, that foreign troops are em-
ployed to keep them in obedience, and that misery,
poverty, and crime abound in them, In answering
this objection it is necessary to recollect that no
human institution is free:from defects, and that no
Government can render all its subjects rich, happy,
and contented. I Political economists and enthusi-
astic statesmen' sometimes proniise to bring back
the golden age, and to banish misery from this
world ; but their schemes are Mere delusions. This
earth is -only apiece of exile and banishment, where
man's lot into suffer and to earn his bread with the
sweat of his brow. There will be always poverty
in this world, and we are to recollect that it is not
a crime to be poor,ler, our Redeemer himself, and
the blessed Virg' ,--71 and the Apostles -were poor ;
and our Lord has , said ' Blessed are -the poor.'
Crimes will always disgrace this earth, for the
children of Adam, tainted by original sin, are prone
to evil and disobedieeke. Hence, even in the great-
est and best governer. states, there were restless
spirits seeking for changes, which frequently onl7
aggravated their miseries; and mutinies, and &edi-
tions, and rebellions spring up from time to time.
Even the British empire is not exempt from such
evils, and very lately it has been considered expe-
dient to repress them in India by fire and sword,
by destroying and pillaging great cities, and even
by blowing unfortunate soldiers to pieces from the
mouth of the cannon. .
" The Pope has never found it necessary to have
recourse to such violent measures, and his paternal
heart never would sanction them. But if great and
powerful States cannot always satisfy all their sub •
jects,is itjust to pretend thatthe sovereign of a small
territory, and comparatively weak should succeed
in so arduous an undertaking? Undoubtedly there
are poor in the Pope's: States, but there is none of
that squalid and degrading poverty which you see
in London and the great cities.ofEngland ; and'we
never heard of millions of his subjects dying of
famine, or having been turned out by exterminat-
ing agents to perish of want on the high roads.
There are crimes, of course, in the,Pepe's States, but
yet you do not hear of continual 'Child murdering,
nor of systematic poisoning, nor do you witness that
degrading and scandalous exhibition of immorality
which renders it impossible for a stranger to pass
throUgh many British cities Without" being shocked
and horrified. Unhappily, too, thereis some discon-
tent in a part of the Papal territory, but it is not
general, and does not. extend to any considerable
portion of the inhabitants; and. what is more, it
owes its origin to foreign influence, and to the in-
trigues and emissaries of secret and bible societies,
and frequently to English money. The leaders of
the party opposed to the Pope in 1848, Garibaldi
and Mazzini, were strangers; the troops that fought
in favour of rebellion were generally Lombards,
Swiss, Poles, and exiles from every part of Europe.
There were scarcely any Romans killed during the
siege of Rome, which shows that they were not
very anxious for the success of the revolution.
Lord Shaftesbury and his friends are scandalised
at the prevailing discontent. But mark their hypo-
crisy. The money about to be collected by that
lord's proposed committee will, without doubt, be
employed to excite and spread disaffection to a
greater extent ; thus bringing about the state of
things of which they complain.
" Now, while the Pope is assailed by evangelical
committees and statesmen,by biblical emissaries and
foreign money, why should he not call on strangers
to aid in preserving his authority ? Every prince
has a full right to do so, and the Pope more than
any other; for in reality those who are called on
to assist him cannot be considered strangers, as
all Catholics are his -children -and spiritual
subjects, and all feel it a right and a
duty to contribute to the defence of him who is con-
tinually watching over the interests of their souls.
Besides, the connexion of the Pope with Catholic
countries is so intimate that he may always be cer-
tain that some noble-minded and religious prince,'
imitating the glorious example of Pepin and Char-
lemagne, of Otho and Matilda, will be found ready
to give assistance to him as the vicar of Christ, and
to preserve his rights. This has frequently hap-
pened in past ages—it has happened even in our own
days ; and hence the Pope does not consider It is
desirable to maintain a large army, or to introduce
military conscription into his States, especially as
his character of common father of all the faithful
obliges him to cultivate peace with all his children,
and to maintain amicable relations with the whole
world."

Meanwhile, the first fruits of the Bishop's pastoral
are made manifest in the following statement copied
from the Carlow Sentinel. As example is contagious
there will doubtless be no lack of similar announce-
ments from other quarters :
" The late pastoral issusd by the Roman Catholic
prelates against further connexion with the Na-
tional Board of Education, and a united system of
education, has already been carried into effect in
Carlow. The schoolmaster acting hitherto under
the authorities at Marlborough-street has been dis-
missed, and the school is now under the manage-
ment of the Christian Brothers. The national
school books are laid aside, and all mementoes of
the Board obliterated by this new order of religious
instructors. On Monday large crowds of children
of both sexes visited the private residence of the
Christian Brothers, where they were registered and
classified, after which books and hisms, of
course permissu sapertoruna, were distributed at a
smart price to the poor, thus blotting out the Na-
tional Board from the map of Carlow. This is the
first intimation that came under our notice of the
war against the National Board. How far the
people of Ireland will accept the new decree, and
carry it out in all its integrity, remains to be seen.
Ultramontanism aims at nothing short of an Italian
ascendancy in this country."

THE DOON EVICTIONS.
The Tipperary Examiner understands that it is
in contemplation to. hold the meeting to protest
against the extermination of Lord Derby's tenants
in Doon, either in the city or in the immediato vici-
nity of the city of Limerick, the portion of the
Derby estates about to be cleared being situate in
the county of Limerick. The requisition will pro-
bably be addressed either to the High Sheriff of
the county or to the mayor of the city,

ROYAL ENC:LISH OPERA,
COVENT-GARDEN.
Under the management of Miss L. Fyne and Mr.W. Harrison.
THIS EVENING, DINO R A H. Messrs. Santley, H.
Corri, St. Albyn, and W. Harrison. Misses Pilling, Thirl-
wall, and Miss Louisa Pyne.
Conductor, Alfred Mellon.

DIVERTISSEMENT. Mdlles. Lequine, Pasquale, Pier-
l'on, and Mons. Vandris.
- - -

Commence at 8 o'clock.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
-•-

rT IS ET-ENING the performances will commence with
AN UNEQUAL MATCH. Miss Amy Sedgwick.
After which, a new Farce, entitled THE RIFLE, AND
HOW TO USE IT. Messrs. Buckstone, Compton, Rogers,
Mrs. B. White, Mr 4. Wilkins, and Mrs. E. Fitzwilliam.
And HALLOWE'EN.