The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-18 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

Last evening, at 8 o'clock, the members of the 3d
City of London Rifle Volunteers assembled in their
old mustering ground at Guildhall to take part in
the annual ceremony of the distribution of prizes.
Though the display of plate and trinkets which the
regiment has in its power to make on such occasions
may not be of as ample a character as in other and
more opulent corps, it is nevertheless substantial,
and has this distinguished characteristic—that the
rewards and inducements to exertion tendered to
the men are not the fruit of extraneous contribu-
tions, but are confined to donations by the officers
of the corps. The regiment on parade enjoys a de-
cided advantage over many Volunteer battalions by
reason of its scarlet uniform, the excellence of its
tailoring and general accoutrements, and not less, it
is just to say, by the admirable bearing and drill of
the men themselves. Although the body enjoys the
distinctive name of the " Working Men's Corps,"
there are rumours that its prestige attracts to the
ranks a higher class of recruits than the title would
strictly import ; and certain it is that character has a
great deal to do with the facilities awaiting a member
on his entrance. A man who can be trusted to
pay for his uniform eventually has no difficulty in
obtaining this, in the first instance, and, if tem-
out of work, will not be pressed for arrears.
The regtmeub 1 100
men all ranks,
of whom 750 are efficients earrung °1
grant. The Lord Mayor last evening, in presence
of the corps, expressed his admiration of the con-
duct of the members—a circumstance which, in the
face of recent controversies,was not without import-
ance or encouragement. He hoped next year to be
permitted to testify in a practical manner his sense
of the value of the services of the battalion, at once
to the country, and to the credit of the class from
which it drew its strength, by a contribution to the
regimental prize list. Col. Richards acknowledged
in suitable terms the kind and complimentary ex-
pressions of the Chief Magistrate, and the services
rendered by the Lady Mayoress in giving, by her
personal co-operation, additional value to the prizes
in the eyes of the recipients. To the music of the ex-
cellent band of the regiment the corps then marched
out of the hall in the direction of head-quarters.
The sixth annual distribution of prizes to the
members of the North Middlesex Rifles, who had
distinguished themselves in the various competitions
during the year, was held last night in St. Pancras
Vestry-hall, which was crowded to its utmost capa-
city by " citizen soldiers" and their friends. Mr.
Thos.Chambers, Q.C., M.P., presided, and was sup-
ported on the platform by Lord Ranelagh, Mr. H.
Lewis, M.P., Lieut.-Col. Whitehead, Major and
Adjutant,Charter (Queen's -Westminster), Quarter-
master Greene, and several of the other officers of
the regiment. The Men of the corps were drawn up
at both sides of the hall, and the regimental band,
which was stationed in the gallery, played at fre-
quent intervals during the proceedings, which were
throughout of a very interesting character. Lieut.-
Col. Whitehead, in opening the meeting, said the
Volunteer movement was no longer an experiment,
but had now all the attributes of a permanently
established institution. He was glad to be able to
inform those whom he had the honour of address-
ing, and especially the friends of the North Middle-
sex Rifles, that the numerical strength of their re-
giment had been reinforced during the past twelve
months. They had had 67 recruits, as against 53
who had resigned, leaving a gain to the corps of
14, which was a small addition in itself, but still
constituted a proof that its efficiency was not de-
clining. They could not realise now the rapid in-
creases which were made in the infancy of the move-
ment, when enthusiasm was high; but he was con-
fident that if ever an occasion arose thousands who
new kept aloof would fly to the ranks of the Volun-
teer' t°Bllstain their fellow-citizens in defence of their
country. Since their last meeting
agreat war had
been waged between Prussia and Austria, in which
a mighty army hadbeen destroyed, not so much on
account of deficiency in numbers or physical strength
as inferiority in the arms which it had used against
an enemy provided with breech-loading rifles. Aus-
triae was now raising 1,000,000
soldiers all told
Under such a state
uner
while it was said that France
Was endeavouring to
exceed that number by 200,000.
of circumstances England should be prepared, and
so it was advisable that every branch of the army
should be kept in the highest possible position
of
efficiency. After an allusion to the recent reception
of the Volunteers in Belgium, and having expressed
a confident hope that the hospitality which had been
extended to themselves in Brussels would be returned
tenfold when the citizen soldiers of Belgium would
pay a visit to England in 1867, the Lieutenant-
Colonel concluded by thanking the men under his
command for their exemplary conduct, not only
during the past year but also duringthe entire period
he had the honour to presideover the interests of the
regiment. The chairman then called on Mr. H. Lewis,

M.P. (who was compelled to leave at an early hour),
to present the battalion challenge cup given by Mr.
P. Graham. Mr. H. Lewis said that he was greatly
pleased at being allowed to take a part in the pro-
ceedings of the evening. He did not agree with
some who said that non-efficients were not worth re-
taining on the roll, for they should remember that
even though not equal to others of their comrades
they still retained some of their military knowledge,
and would be valuable as assistants in time cf emer-
gency. The chairman said that 4,000,000 soldiers—
some said s,ooo,ooo—were now being armed on the
Continent, and England should be watchful when
such an attitude of things was presented throughout
Europe. A universal war was imminent, and we should
use our exertions to promote the efficiency of our vo-
lunteer army. The moral influence of the movement
was considerable, as events in Belgium proved, and
it behoved all good men to assist in its development.
The presentation then took place. The list of prizes
was so lengthy that we can merely specify the prin-
cipal rewards and the names of those to whom they
were severally awarded. No. 7 Company challenge
cup, presented by Lieut. Bebb, to be competed for
once a year and to become the property of any mem-
ber winning it twice—Colour-Sergeant Heathcote ;
first of No. 7 Company's prizes, Private Church ;
No. 1 Company's first prize, Private Thurston ; No.
1 Company's first ladies' prize—Sergeant G. 0.
Wells ; No. 2 Company's first prize—Corporal
Jackson ; No. 4 Company's first prize—Sergeant
Humphrey ; No. 5 Company's first prize Corporal
Barker; No. 6 Company's first prize—Private Rose;
first of the drill prizes—Corporal Harris ; No. 8
Company's first prize—Private Abbott ; No. 6
Company's first extra prize—Corporal King ; first
of the Non-commissioned Officers' prizes—Corporal
G. Davey ; battalion prize presented by Colonel
Viscount Enfield, M.P.—Private Thurston ; bat-
talion prize presented by Colonel Whitehead ; first
of Major Peter's prize—Private Berry ; Ladies'
prize—Colour-Sergeant Robinson ; the St. Pancras
Board of Works prize—Private Simpson ; first of
Churchwarden's of St. Pancras prizes—Private
Malkin ; Mr. Pole's prize—Sergeant Pickworth ;
Mr. Robertson's prize—Private Macdonald ; sub-
scription prize—Private Church ; Mr. Forbes's prize
—Private Chappell ; Mr. Berry's prize—Private
Walls ; Mr. Francis's prize—Corporal Wells ;
Tradesmen's prize—Private Withers ; first of Con-
solation prizes—Private Bromley ; first of subscrip-
tion prizes—Sergeant Johnson ; first of adjutants'
prizes—Private Malkin (No. 8 Company) ; Staff
prize, presented by Mr. W. Brown—Sergeant-Major
Guerin. The battalion challenge cup, presented by
Mr. Peter Graham, finally competed for by eight
members of the regiment who had won the cup
during the year—Private Thurston (No. 1 Com-
pany), who scored 50 marks. Sergeant Pickworth
(No. 1 Company), who had scored 89 marks, was
declared to be the winner of thebattalion medal and
badge. After the prizes had been distributed, Lord
Ranelagh, in reply to a vote of thanks, said that
though the Volunteers were able to perform evolu-
tions in small bodies, they were not yet able to do
so in collected masses. He recommended one uni-
form for all the Volunteers. For this he gave seve-
ral reasons. He concluded by expressing his satis-
faction at being allowed to be present at the meet-
ing of the evening. Votes of thanks were then ac-
corded to the donors of prizes, and to the chairman,
and after three cheers for the Queen had been given,
the meeting terminated with the performance of the
national anthem by the regimental band.

Execution of the New Zealand Thugs.

(From the Otago Daily Times, Oct. 20.)

In our last summary it was stated that Bur-
gess, Levy, and Kelly had been tried and found
guilty of the murder of Felix Mathieu, one of four
persons who were murdered by the prisoners, in
company with James Thos. Sullivan. Sullivan was
afterwards tried and convicted of the murder
of James Battle, an old whaler ; but the sentence of
death passed upon him was commuted to penal ser-
vitude for life, in consideration of his having been
the means of convicting the other three, who were
left for execution.

On Friday, Oct. 6, the sentence was carried into
effect on Burgess, Levy, and Kelly, in the gaol-
yard of Nelson. All the men died protesting the
truth of the statements they had made, and Kelly
and Levy repeatedly declared themselves innocent.
Burgess was the first to speak. Ile declared that
Sullivan was the murderer of Battle, Mathieu, and
the surveyor Dobson, and that Levy and Kelly were
entirely innocent of all the murders. Ile acknow-
ledged himself to be morally guilty of Dobson's
murder, because he knew of it both before and after
it was perpetrated; buthe asserted that Sullivan was
actually concerned in all the rest. He expressed him-
self happy on a morning so glorious and bright, and
had it not been for the regret he felt at the unme-
-;491 fate of Levy and Kelly he could die happily.
1%-oily - statement, of the style and cha-
racter of which the following
will p,ive an
idea. It commences :—" A good morning, but au
unpleasant morning to you all gentlemen, country-
men, brothers, and spectators of one of the most
awful, terrible, dreadful, fearful, shameful, pain-
ful, mournful, revengeful, hateful, wrongful, un-
justifiable, ignominious, inglorious deaths and mur-
ders that ever took place in the wide world since the
creation of Adam, and a sad morning to my poor
self ; and may God be merciful to me, a sinner, and
not a murderer !" After referring to the atonement
of Christ, he continued—" Since I have been born
I trust Almighty God has searched and tried me, to
see if there has been such wickedness in me as ever
to know the certainty of the Maungatapu murders
until Sullivan confessed. May I never be forgiven
my sins upon earth, or after I shuffle off this mortal
coil and appear before Almighty God, if I am not
innocent of killing, or being with any person that
did kill, on the Maungatapu or elsewhere, any other
murdered men in the world! If my assertion and
adsyci
enngd wordthe
fatal be
annodt the
unwelcometruth, I
sheaopffeoltdhat
and a f t e rt hle
bolt is drawn that will launch me out of this world,
and that whilst my frail and worthless body of clay
bvoildyt and
,:t he
is dangling in the air, the devil will be watching for
the moment my soul dep irts from this
it may be borne on the wings of the
devil
bottomless pit of hell at a speed more rapid than
the light of the sun reaches our earth. Yes, at a
speed as quick as that which I believe to be the
fastest thing that travels, for I can think to heaven
in an instant." He next termed Sullivan "The De-
mon of the West Coast and the Maungatapu Moun-
tains Assassin." He prayed for a blessing on the heads
of the people of Nelson for their efforts to discover
the bodies of the murdered men. He praised what
had taken place on the part of the people of the town
named after the gallant hero of the sea and ocean,
and the conq*eror of old England's enemies, Nel-
son, the inimitable wonder of sea-fights and war,
and hoped he. was happy ;
upon God to
bless him, for he liked a patriot. He then copied a
hymn referring to the hour of parting with all
earthly things, and concluded his dying
speech thus
—"And this hour has been fully before me the great
part of my life ; but never as it should have been,
until after my arrest. But may I find life and
heaven with God ! So farewell to everbody, from
Tommy Noon, called Kelly."
Levy evinced the least emotion. He complained
that the authorities did not allow him money to se-
cure witnesses, that he had been unfairly treated
by the Press, and that had he been tried elsewhere
he would have been acquitted. He appealed to the
editor of the Colonist to give his statement for pub-
licity, and declared by Jehovah (putting on his hat),
and mentioning the place of the murder of the four
men, that he and Kelly had been six hours away
from the society of Burgess and Sullivan. He com-
plained of his treatment in prison, and of favour
Be ulg gioe
s as
professed
been shown to Sullivan, and concluded by
protesting
rhrisofeinssneodcence. The preparations being
completed, the men ascended the scaffold with their
r
advisers, and all knelt down in prayer.
penitence, and hin God,
thanked all the officials for kindne°sPs,3
and said
he was quite readyo to
dn: submitnos toto sentencetshpeeak.” 4vyo, fwthhoe
lGaiwv.e Kmeellayfeejwacmulatree; ,
teOhs God, I am not ready.eo lwhile
was still kneeling on the drop, cried out in a loud
and distinct voice, " I am innocent."
kneeling, attempted to rise and address the, pp

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