The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-02 00:00:00

THE NAVY.

The Virago, 6, paddlewheel steamer, Commander
M. B. Dunn, has left Chatham for Pembroke, for
the purpose of towing the screw line-of-battle
steamer Revenge, 91 guns, which has been recently
launched, from that dockyard to Portsmouth, where
she is to be fitted for sea. The Virago will return
to Chatham to tow the Eurydice, 26, to Portsmouth,
to be used as a training ship for the Britannia, 120.
Admiralty orders have been received at Chatham
for the whole of the ships of the crew reserve, com-
prising the 2d division, to be fitted with their sea
fire-hearths.

The Rochester, Heather, master commander, has
sailed from Chatham for Devonport and Pembroke,
with a large quantity of war stores for those dock-
yards.
Captain J. H. Parry and 64 non-commissioned
officers and men of the Royal Marine Light In-
fantry, with 20 men of the Marine Artillery, have
left head-quarters, Chatham, and embarked on board
the Cressy, 80, screw steamer, ordered to join the
Channel fleet.

The Sealark, 8, tender to the Britannia, went out
of Portsmouth Harbour to Spithead on Saturday.
Her Majesty's proclamation was yesterday morn-
ing posted at the gates of Portsmouth Dockyard,
offering a bounty of £lO to able seamen under 45
years of age, £5 to ordinary seamen ; L 2 to lands-
men above 20 years of age. Petty officers to be
paid for their badges. Seamen gunners money to
be in• reused from 2d. to 4d. per diem ; acting gun-
ners from ld. to 2d., &e.

The Osborne paddle-wheel steam yacht, at Ports-
mouth, is ordered to be got ready for immediate
service, reported for the Mediterranean, to be placed
at the disposal of his Royal Highness the Prince
of• Wales.

•
We understand that there at the present time no
less than 700 vacancies for young gentlemen as
cadets in the naval service.
It has been suggested by competent authorities
at Portsmouth that the fitting out of the second
class steam reserve ships, in the event of their
being required for any sudden emergency, would
be greatly facilitated by their having their neck-
laces and futtock shrouds fitted, tops on, and top-
masts pointed prior to their being placed up the
harbour in reserve.

Late on Friday evening last a telegram arrived
at Sheerness to send the Royal George screw steam-
ship to Devonport, and the Colossus screw steam-
ship to Portsmouth. The various departments have
since been employed getting their gear, sails, &c.,
on board ready for their departure. The Edgar,
Queen, and Trafalgar are to be sent round to the
Western yards immediately they can be got ready.
The Phaeton (late 50 guns) is being lengthened,
in No. 1 dry dock. The Waterloo (late 120 guns)
is being cut down in No. 2 dry dock, at Sheerness.
Captain G. H. Seymour, C. 8., took up his com-
mission and joined the Hero, at Sheerness, on
Saturday last. The Hero is under orders to leave
Sheerness for Spithead on Tuesday week next.
All the Coastguard men in the vicinity of Sheer-
ness available for sea service are under orders to
hold themselves ready to leave their respective
stations.

The Hon. Charles G. S. B. Elliott, C. 8., A.D.C.,
has taken up his commission and joined the Cressy
at Sheerness. She has been moved from her old
moorings to Blaekstakes, where she is receiving her
powder, shell, shot, &c., ready to join the Channel
squadron at Spithead.
An Admiralty order has arrived at Sheerness to
enter an additional number of shipwrights,
caulkers, smiths, joiners, labourers, &c., to meet the
pressing demand for fitting out the different ships
at that port.
Admiralty instructions were on Saturday received
at Woolwich Dockyard, directing Mr. Sturdee,
acting master shipwright, to hasten with all pos-
sible despatch the completion of the various new
class steam frigates in progress of construction,
and to augment the working establishment of his
department for that purpose. About 200 additional
hands were accordingly ordered to be taken on
forthwith.
The masts and gear belonging to her Majesty's
steam frigate Firebrand, commissioned, were on
Saturday received at Woolwich, for fitment at that
yard, in consequence of the crowded state of Sheer-
ness yard.
The sailing transport Gills left Woolwich on
Saturday laden with rockets, shells, and other war
stores for Portsmouth ; the Benjamin Buck Green,
for the Mauritius; and the Royal Rose, for Bar-
badoes.
There has been considerable excitement in the
Liverpool freight market. Rates to Malta have
gone up to 20s. for coals from Liverpool, and
about 275. 6d. has been paid from Cardiff. To ,
Gibraltar the rates have also advanced from 14s.
to 18s. 6d. and even 20s. is asked. From Cardiff
to Gibraltar 20s. is demanded. This advance °:11
coal freights to the Mediterranean has arisen in

...iili
VICTORIA R.—Whereas it is our Royal intention
to give all due encouragement to all such seamen
and landsmen who shall voluntarily enter them-
selves in our service : we have thought fit, by
and with the advice of our Privy Council, to pub-
lish this. our Royal Proclamation; and we do
hereby promise and declare, that all such able
seaman, fit for oar service, not above the age of
t- &sr under the
_age of 20 years, who
s a , oiiOFrttroTe Ili-r-.15M - iliii "lif lune 'next ----- -- -
voluntarily enter themselves to serve in our
Royal Navy, either with the captains or lieu-
tenants of our ships, or officers employed in
tenders or at rendezvous on shore for raising men
for the service of our navy, shall receive as our
royal bounty, the sum of ten pounds each man ;
and all such ordinary seamen fit for our service,
who shall so enter themselves as aforesaid, shall
receive the sum of five pounds each man ; and all
such ablebodicd landsmen, not above the age of
twenty-five, nor under the age of twenty years,
who shall so enter themselves as aforesaid, shall
receive the sum of forty shillings each man as our
Royal bounty, such respective sums to be paid
them by the respective paymasters of the ships on
board which they may be serving, immediately
after the expiration of twenty-one days from the
date of such entry. And we do declare, that the
qualifications of the seamen and landsmen so
entering themselves, as aforesaid, shall be certified
by the Captain, Lieutenant, or Master, and Boat-
swain, or other Warrant Officer of the ship or
vessel where they shall enter. And for prevent-
ing any abuses by any persons leaving the vessels
to which they shall belong, and entering them-
selves on board any other our ships and vessels,
in order to obtain the said Bounty Money, We
do hereby declare and command 'that such
seamen and landsmen belonging to any of
our ships or vessels as shall absent themselves
from any of the said ships or vessels to which
they shall belong, and shall enter themselves on
board any other of our said ships or vessels, in
order to obtain the said bounty, shall not only lose
the wages due to them in the ships or vessels they
shall leave, but also be severely punished accord-
ing to their demeritl.
Given at our Court at Windsor, this thirtieth
day of April, in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, and in
the twenty-second year of our reign.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN;

THE ARMY.

The following General Order respecting the new
system in the Royal Artillery has been recently
promulgated to that arm of the service :

"Horse Guards, April, 1859.
"His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief
has much pleasure in promulgating to the Royal Regiment
of Artillery the consent of Her Majesty to the establish-
ment of a School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness, to take effect
from the first of April, 1859.
" His Royal Highness avails himself of this opportunity
of impressing upon the whole regiment of Artillery a sense
of the great benefit which ought to be derived by the corps
from the advantages which a school of gunnery presents to
all who shall enjoy the facilities which such an establish-
ment will afford for individual improvement, as well as for
the advancement of artillery science in general.
"As some little time must necessarily elapse before the
details of a first-rate system of artillery instruction can bo
arranged, his Royal Highness will on the present occasion
content himself with indicating the general principles which
will guide those officers of the corps whom he has intrusted
with the preparation of that system, and, although time and
experience may suggest improvements in the details, the
broad outline of the system will doubtless undergo little or
no change.

" An artilleryman should unite with proficiency in his own
branch of the service many of the qualifications of a cavalry
or infantry soldier, and it is therefore hoped that, while
officers will naturally use their utmost endeavours to
train efficient gunners, they will not lose sight of the great
advantages to be derived from a thorough knowledge of the
drills and manoeuvres of both services, in enabling them to
conform with confidence and judgment to conbined move-
ments of all arms. Fer the furthering of this object the
directions contained in the recognized manuals are to be
strictly adhered to, and it will be hereafter pointed out in a
course of instruction' what portion of the infanry
manceuvres may be dispensed with by the Royal Artillary.
As an infantry soldier is not considered fit for the rank of a
duty man until he is Well versed in the proper management
of his weapons, so an artilleryman is to be considered a re-
cruit until he is properly instructed in the essential requi-
sites of an artillery soldier. Commanding officers of artil-
lery will therefore bear in mind that gunners are not to be
detailed by them for duty' until dismissed gun drill. Thus,
if attached to a brigate liable to coast duty, a course of gar-
rison gun drill must be completed. With a view to ren-
dering this period of probation as short as possible, 'system'
is absolutely necessary, and this system will be the subject
of mature consideration by the Staff of the School of Gun-
nery.
" At all artillery stations opportunities are afforded for
instruction in those mechanical operations (commonly called
the repository course) which form such an essential portion
of an artilleryman's training, and commanding officers must
adhere strictly to the distribution of time as allotted to the
various departments of instruction, in order that uniformity
of system may be maintained.
" The instruction in the management of rifled ordntnce
will form the subject of special arrangements, and will in
the first instance be carried on under the immediate super-
intendence of the staff of the school of gunnery, and be gra-
dually disseminated throughout the corps. It would now
be premature to enlarge on this portion of the subject.
With regard to the theoretical instruction of the non-com-
missioned officers and men of the artillery, his Royal High-
ness would remind officers of the numerous opportunities
which offer of impressing upon those under their command
how inseparable artillery practice is from the deductions of
theory, and how a knowledge of the general rules of mecha-
nical science will facilitate all operations, whether-as regards
the acquirement of good gunnery or the management of
heavy ordnance and military machines. Such opportuni-
ties should not be thrown away, and his Royal Highness
trusts to the officers of the corps to impart to all under their
instruction as much as possible of that theory which is the
groundwork of all gunnery. Difficulties will, doubtless,
present themselves, but his Royal Highness is convinced
I that a determination and cheerful co-operation on the part
of the officers of the Royal Artillery will tend to obviate
such difficulties, and that such assistance will be afforded
him his previous acquaintance with the artillery service
leaves him no room to doubt._

" On the formation of the School of Gunnery the Reposi-
tory at 'Woolwich will be placed entirely under the Corn•
mandant, with an officer of the school to carry on, under
his orders, the gunnery instruction of the garrison ; and
should the Commandant find it necessary, he will detail
subaltern officers to assist this officer in his duties.
" The following is the detail of the Staff of the School,
viz.:—one Commandant and Superintendent, one Field
Officer and Chief Instructor, three Instructors in Gunnery,
one Brigade Major, one Adjutant and Quartermaster, one
Captain. Instructor (carbine), one Schoolmaster, one Ser-
geant-Major, one Quartermaster-Sergeant, six Sergeant-
Instructors, one Sergeant-Conductor of Stores, two Orderly-
room Clerks, two Storemen.
" And his Royal Highness has appointed the following
officers to the School of Gunnery, viz. :
" Commandant and Superintendent—Colonel Mitchell.
" Chief Instructor—Brevet-Colonel Gardner.
" Brigade-Major—Brevet-Lieutenant-ColonelS. E.
Gordon.
" Instructors in Gunnery—Major Ward
.
Captain Hay, and Major Taddy.
1 Artillery
" Carbine Instructor—Captain T. Brown.
" Adjutant and Quartermaster—Captain Alderson.
(Woolwich),
" By command of his Royal Highness the General Cora-
raltar, mantling-in-Chief.
" G. A. WETHXRALL, Adjutant-General."oll.°raturda—,
The undermentioned batteries of
Major Strange's
were required in garrison orders Saturday, at
Woolwich, to be held in readiness oGproceed as fol-
____o!p_tain, Green's bate?
lows :—Captain Blosse's battery form lb.
ere likewise
Cap-
tain M'l)ougall's for Maltroa,nl:ol.l:lais w
for Corfu. The following
Avo.lVeh, (aptain Travers s
lyieli, Lieut.-Col. Morris's
ordered to take place :
from Aldershott tolirooi
from Aldershott to
eli, Captain Wragge's from
from Sheerness to W-o.°l,wleh, Captain Forbes' from
Sheerness to Woolivic 1 , I\i_TJaor Strange's from
i
Sheerness to isroolNu
Sheerness to voonport, Major Williams' from
Liverpool toDovonport, Major Carthew's from Pon-
broke to Alderney, Capt. Vernon's from Alderney to
Portsmouth, Major Talbot's from Shorneliffe to Bal-
lincollig, Capt. Mercer's from Ballincollig to She'll-
dare, captain Brent's from Woolwich to Devon-
port, Major Ingilby's from Sheerness to Ports-
rasey ; Lieutenant-Colonel Wright to proceed front
oWoolwicheapttoaiDneGvoanbbpeotr:s from Woolwich to Guern-
sey
early in May for Sheerness, where they
l'ltihe: Norfolk Artillery Militia will leave Great
Will perform garrison duty:

RuYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean.
THIS ElTElglica will be presented Shakspeare's historiea'
play of KING RENRY V.
King-HMI, V., Mr. C. Kean; Chorus, Mrs. C. Kean.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lekke, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING will be performed the new and original
Comedy, entitled THE WORLD AND THE STAGE. The
Characters by Messrs. Compton, Buckstone, Howe, W. Far-
rell, Rogers; Miss Amy Sedgwiek, &C.
After which, a new Classical Extravaganza, entitled
ELECTRA IN A NEW ELECTRIC LIGHT. Messrs.
Compton, Braid, Clark, Mrs. Wilkins, Misses Fanny Wright,
Zliza Weekes, and Louisa Leclercq.
And A DAUGHTER TO MARRY.
Commence at 7.

NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPHI.
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster.
THIS. EVENING, THE SERIOUS FAMILY. Messrs.
B. Webster, Billing-ton, Toole ; Miss Woolgar, Miss Sims.
After which, THE DEVIL ON TWO STICKS. Mr. J.
L. Toole, P. Bedford, Misses Woolgar, Keeley, Arden, and
Kate Kelly.

Followed by THE PRETTY GIRLS OF STILBERG.
Mr. B. Webster, Billington, Eburne, Misses Woolgar, Keeley,
and Arden.

Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith.

Doors open at a quarter-past six—Commence at seven. Box
Office open from 10 to 5 --no charge for booking. No fees to
servants permitted. A registry kept of all articles found.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough
THIS EVENING will be produced a new Comedietta, by
J. M. Morton, Esq., entitled WHICH OF THE TWO ?
supported by the company.
After which, THE MAID AND TEIE MAGPIE.
To conclude with VANDYKE BROWN. Mr. J. Clark.
Commence at 7o'clock.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.
Lessee and Manager Mr. William Cooke.
Immense Success of INANightly lIOE —Overflowing Rouses
'N.

THIS EVENING, the performances will commence with
a new grand spectacle, founded on Sir Walter Scott's popular
work, entitled IVANHOE; or, The Lists of Ashby, intro-
ducing among the vast resources of this great Hippodramatic
Ternple,Tournaments, Processions, Banners, Combats, Tilts,
Victories, and Achievements in extraordinary magnificence.
Ivanhoe, Mr. R. Phillips ; Isaac of York, Mr. Jas. Holloway;
Richard of England, Mr. Herbert ; Robin Hood, Mr. Wm.
Cooke, jun. ; Rebecca, Miss Bathurst; Lady Rowena, Miss
Dowton.

After whieh, the matchless and unrivalled SCENES IN
THE CIRCLE, introductng Mr. John Henry Cooke, the
Eeatest equestrian in the world : together with Miss
mily Cooke, Madame Blanche, Madame Bridges, Madlle.
Fleurette, and Madame Francisco, being the greatest amount
of female equestrian talent ever seen in one night in any
theatre. Grotesques—Messrs. Hemming and Thorne.

To conclude with the Farce of BATHING.
Dress Circle, 4s. ; 80xe5,..35..; Pit, :2s, ; Gallery, is. ; Upper

Gallery, 6d
Private Boxes, £1 4s, £2 2s, and £1 Is.
Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips

(lANTERBURY HALL AND FINE ARTS
V GALLERY. Westminster-road.--Open at Seven.

EVERY EVENING during the week will appear
THE DELEPIERRE FAMILY,

Consisting of three Juvenile Violinists, viz., Jules, Juliette,
and Julia Delepierre, aged, respectively, FOUR, SIX, and
EIGHT years.
- - -

The perfect execution by these Lilliputian Artistes of some
of the most difficult and brilliant Solos, Duets, and Trios ever
written for the violin, has excited mingled wonder and admi-
ration in Continental Musical Circles, and drawn forth enthu-
siastic tributes of praise from the Public Journals of France
and Belgium.

They will perform EVERY EVENING, at NINE and
ELEVEN o'clock, in addition to the usual Entertainments.

THE WEATHER.—SuN OFFICE, MAY 1.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
59—highest since noon yesterday.
46—lowest this morning and during the night.
52—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-29.85.
WIND, Easterly, fresh, with fine weather, but dull in the
morning.

MAY 2.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
si—highest since noon yesterday.
50—lowest this morning and during the night.
54—this day at noon.
BAnomwrEn-29.97—rising.
WIND, North-Easterly ; fresh, with cloudy but fine
weather.

Tile terrible game has been duly opened. There
is no longer any doubt that a war has commenced,
of which it is impossible to predict the results, or
to say what Powers will be involved in the contest.
The energetic and able exertions of the British
Government have been for the present neutralised.
It has been admitted on every side that nothing
was left undone to preserve the peace and tran-
quillity of Europe. But where there is an in-
flexible resolution to proclaim hostilities where
similar obstinacy is exhibited on every side, and
captious objections are taken to even the most
reasonable propositions, it would be utterly impos-
sible for even the most talented and earnest nego-
tiators to prevent the outbreak of hostilities.
Austria has unquestionably invaded Piedmont,
and she justifies the step on the ground
that its neutrality had previously been violated
by the reception of French troops. Under such
circumstances she felt that the step was essential
to prevent her adversaries from obtaining an ad-
vantage. It was, as asserted by the Cabinet of
Vienna, an indispensable proceeding ; more par-
ticularly as the revolutions in Tuscany, Massa, and
Carrara, and the disturbances at Borne and in
Sicily have rendered immediate action necessary.
It is asserted by the Viennese journals that a
sharp contest took place at the Bridge of Buffalora,
and that the Austrians had obtained a decided
victory with considerable loss to their adversaries.
This statement must, however, be taken cum grano
salis, in the absence of authentic intelligence from
other quarters. It is only from Vienna that we he-ar
of this alleged triumph ; but then it is more than
Probable that if resistance was offered the result would
have been in favour of Austria, whose forces were
quite sufficient to overwhelm any that could for the
moment be brought against them by France and
Sardinia. There seems to be no doubt that the
towns of Sutra, Pallauza, and Arena, on the Lago
Maggiore, have been occupied; that twenty bat-
talions and eight batteries of cannon also entered
the Sardinian territory by way of Gravellona, and
had seized on the province of Novara ; while a
third took the road through Abbeate Grasso, and
advanced during the night to Casale.

Meanwhile VICTOR EMMANUEL has not been
idle. • He has, it appears, placed
_himself at the
head. of his army, and has been surveying the line
of the Dora, probably with the intention of im-
peding the progress of the invading army, and
preventing their arrival at Turin before the
French auxiliaries are enabled to afford adequate
assistance.- The fortress of Alessandria, as
may be anticipated, will be defended to
the last. Its preservation is essential to
Piedmont, and, if secured by Austria,
it would materially add to the existing difficulties
of Sardinia. Austria is for once thoroughly in
earnest. She 'will neither consent to any of the
much-required and anxiously looked-for reforms in
the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom, nor will she eves
abandon her undue interference in the quasi inde-
pendent- states of Italy. France is also equally
.resolved; but should she meet with the success she.
anticipates , we fear that the advocates for Italian
liberty rill find that it is only an escape from what
the homely proverb terms "the frying-pan into
the fire,,, and that France will be scarcely more
liberal in its treatment of what it will
be disposed to consider as conquered territories than
Austria itself with all its admitted maladministra-

tion.

It would be well it' either party should gain so
decisive a triumph as to lead to an early settlement.
There is one chance at least for an arrangement.
The Austrian Exchequer is wholl—y bankrupt. A loan
- of 200,000,000 florins is imperatively required, but
as it is significantly remarked, the
present being impossible, the National Bank is
to advance two-thirds of the amount in
new notes,
which for the present would not be redeemable in
specie. This would be a wipe and prudent step,
.but that, 'unfortunately, the firpt condition Which

would render such notes unavoidably acceptable
throughout the empire is dispensed with. They
will not be received in payment of taxes, which
must be liquidated either in silver or coupons of the
national loan. This unfortunate error on the pact
of the Viennese Cabinet will neutralise all the ad-
vantages that would otherwise have followed so
decided a movement.

France also wants a similar sum. She has largely
increased her debt since the accession of the Em-
PEROR, and it is more than doubtful whether
the people will be inclined again to pro-
duce their secret hoards to gratify the
Imperial ambition. Russia, too, asks for twelve
millions. We do not, however, think it probable
that any of the parties will have their little bills
discounted in Lombard-street or Capel-court. The
brokers and jobbers have already had sufficient
cause to deplore their transactions in foreign stocks ;
and although many temptations may be offered, we
trust that English capitalists, as well as the
Eng-
lish Government, may observe a complete and per-
fect neutrality between the contending nations.

"Si vis poem para bellum." The true policy of
a peace-loving Power is to prove, beyond the possi-
bility of doubt, that it possesses the means, not
only of defending itself, but. of inflictiNg severe
injury on any nation or coalition by which it may
be assailed. The motto to the truly illustrious
Order of the Thistle, " Nemo me impune lacessit,"
and that of the chivalrous Scottish knight, " Ready,
aye ready for the field," afford the best illustrations
of this great principle.
The money expended in increasing our armament
in time of danger may be regarded as an assurance
fund against losses and calamities that would gladly
be averted by the account one hundred times told.
We rejoice then to find that Lord DERBY'S Go-
vernment have adopted the wise course of largely
increasing the available resources of the British
Navy, our " stronghold and great tower of defence."
It would be an act of folly—aye, of crime, to neglect
placing our wooden walls in the best possible
position, so that they may be enabled to resist
any possible coalition that may be brought against
them. Should Britannia abdicate her position as
Mistress of the Waves, should she ever relinquish
her maritime superiority, she would sink into a third-
rate power, and no longer exercise the influence in
the councils of Europe which she now justly
possesses. Every true-hearted Englishman must
have hailed with intense satisfaction the royal
proclamation which appeared in our impression of
Saturday, offering a bounty of £lO to all able-
bodied seamen not above the age of 45, or under
that of 20 ; £5 for all ordinary seamen fit for ser-
vice, and 40s. for every able-bodied landsman not
above the age of 25 nor under 20, who should
voluntarily enter the naval service before the 15th
of June next. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON is
entitled to the thanks and gratitude of the
nation, for this judicious and oppoitune proceeding
which could not have been taken without the assent
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has the
difficult task of providing the ways and means for
this extra expenditure. It has been said that
ten thousand additional seamen are to be engaged,
but the Royal Proclamation makes no limitation.
It addresses itself to all who may offer themselves
before the 15th of June, and the greater the num-
ber the better would it be for the country—the
more certain would be the preservation of British
neutrality—the more efficient any intervention
on our part between the belligerents. With
twenty or fifteen thousand additional seamen, our
maritime superiority would be unquestionable.
With ten thousand it would be maintained, but
there might, in such cases, be a doubt, and that
should be averted at any cost or any outlay. The
great thing is to render our navy not merely effi-
cient, but overwhelmingly superior to any other that
could be opposed to it, and it is but justice to Sir
JOHN PAXINGTON to say that he has done more to
obtain that object than any of his predecessors in
office for a long series of years.

It can but he gratifying to us to observe that a
subject to which for years past wo have every now
and then invited public attention, is at last likely to
receive it. We refer not to the use of the rifle for
the army merely, but to the training of volunteers
throughout the country to its skilful use. The

Edinburgh Review has adverted in its last number

to the value of rifled guns, and brought together
much information and some striking facts. Letters
on the formation of volunteer corps, both horse and
foot, have been sent to the daily press, and the
Times itself has nodded approbation. Two volun-
teer corps exist already; one here, the Victoria
Rifles, whose merits we described shortly after
their formation, and urged general imitation ; the
other at Exeter; and now, we find a third seeking
formation and embodiment at Birkenhead. We
can hardly doubt that the project, if general atten-
tion be drawn to it, must be taken up extensively.

The merely routine prejudices of burly old colonels
and commanders will give way to fact and common
sense. If they can see no advantage in anything
but soldiers of the line, and in militia as a nursery
for it, and can but barely tolerate yeomanry
cavalry, while anything beyond that is horribly ir-
regular—absurd indeed—they will now be told to
look to their own regulars, and to mind their own
business, but not to interfere with mei who are de-
termined to make an invader dread, even more

than those who face them in the thin red line, the
unrecognized army of free citizens whose bullets

hey will feel, but whose faces they will hardly

ever see.

We scarcely need dwell now on the difference
between any good form of the modern Rifle and
Brown Bess. Every one has heard that the latter

is absolutely innocuous at 200 or 300 yards, no man
being certain whether he could hit a haystack or
even a church at that distance, but rather having
every reason to bet twenty to one that he should

not hit it ; while the late-S4eneral JACOB produced
a short-barrelled rifle with which a tolerably good
shot could hit an object the size of a man once in
three times at the distance of 1,000 yards, while the
deadly force of the ball would not be expended at
2,000 yards ! The question is settled for ever that
nothing inferior to a good rifle can ever again be
put into a regular soldier's hands. It were to
be guilty of murder in regard to our men, and of
throwing away victories in regard to any war we
may be called on to wage. The general merits of
the Rifle, however, have been so completely de-
monstrated at Inkerman, and in the Crimean war,
and in the Sepoy revolt, that probably they will
never be disputed again. But how strange that
our military authorities did not learn the lesson
taught them in the American war of Independence,
by the surrender, virtually, of two armies to the
almost invisible rifles of enemies whom they could
hardly ever get to face them.
But there arc two points,having a close connec-

tion, to which- we would call special attention, be •
cause others have been more fully noticed elsewhere

—the wisdom of taking decided measures to train a
large portion of our youth, and adult males too, to
rifle practice, and of forming them into companies
for practice throughout the kingdom.
What the Old Regular Officer thinks most of, is
well drilled men ; fellows who can go through

every evolution with precision, and who would
march anywhere if ordered—up to the mouths of
any guns in the world. Far be it from us to
undervalue all this; but there are some things
quite as terrible to officers and to men as to meet
others as well drilled as themselves, and that is to
run the gauntlet of a country, every hedge and ditch,
and hovel, and old tree, and furze bush, of which con-
cealed a rifleman or two,too scattered to be attacked,
too familiar with the country they live and work
in to be drawn from concealment, or followed into it,
except at the peril of being shot down by one while
following another. By all means let us have the
regular army we ought ; but a population of first-
rate riflemen, even if but scantily drilled, yet well
led, and burning with indignation at wanton in-
trusion, would be the deadliest of antagonists to be
met by a foreign foe.

But then these men would want one kind of
training,---the training of early and long practice
with these weapons. Arms of precision, whether
the slings of the Cretans and the Balearic Islanders,
or the longbows of our renowned ancestors, or the
rifle, acquire almost all their value from the prac-
tice which trains the eye and the hand, which
gives them fatal certainty, and which, like every-
thing in which excellence is required, is far more
efficient in youth than in later years. The care
and pains taken by our forefathers in teaching the
inhabitants of all classes the use of the bow is astonish-
ing. Some of the means would now be deemed
tyrannical, nor are they necessary. Express
statutes forbade a great many athletic games ;
quoits, bowls, and tennis ball even, were forbid-
den, as well as games of chance, that the people
might be driven to archery for amusement on holi-
days ! So late as HENRY VIII., a statute required
every subject, except some necessarily exempt, to
keep a bow and arrow in his house, and to exercise
himself in shooting. Fathers, guardians, and
masters of apprentices were required to teach the
male children under their care the-use of the bow,
and compel them to shoot on holidays and at con-
venient times. No person above twenty-four years
of age was permitted to shoot at a mark nearer than
220 yards—a distance at which, with " Brown
Bess," he could rarely indeed hit it—and every
parish must have its shooting butts: Thus it:was
that_ the archers were provided who were the real
conquerors in so many battles.
BUt these severities would, even for the same
object, be now, we believe, useless. What we
plead for is not merely gentlemen 'rifle corps, but
for a whole male community encouraged and ac
customed to use the rifle. Till facts prove;the con-
trary, we shall take leave to believe• that the youth
of our towns would like rifle practice. • They need
manly exercises. It is not worthy. of us that the
great majority of our town lads could hardly hold
on a horse or hit a barn door with a fowling-piece.
Such habits tend to effieminacy. Give them half
holidays.. Utilise their long summer evenings.
Offer them the use of rifles, kept in charge of a
public officer, himself, of course,• competent to
teach. Enrol those who were skilful and steady
when they were of full age. Confer a status on
the enrolled—let them, as volunteers in the service
of their country, enjoy the franchise proposed by
Mr. WALPOLE for militiamen—encourage them in
every way; and several hundreds of thousands of
practised rifle shots would make any, hater of Eng-
land think twice of it before he threw his soldiers
into their hands.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-

GARDEN.

Rossini's celebrated opera, " La Gazza Ladra,"
was' *repeated at this theatre .on Saturday night
before a large and brilliant audience. Mdlle. Lotti's
performance of the arduous part of Ninetta
has been criticised on previous occasions. On
Saturday she was again most successful, and ob-
tained immense applause. Mdlle. Didiee, as Pippo,
appeared to great advantage. In the long and
difficult duet with Ninetta, in'the prison scene, she
particularly distinguished herself. Gardoni, as the
soldier-lover, Itonconi, as then nworthy magistrate,
and* Tagliafico, as the father of Ninetta, were all
admirable. The orchestra participated in the
succogs, for they gave the fine overture with so
much spirit and precision that it was redemanded.
The house was fully attended.

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THE SUN.
MONDAY, MAY 2, 1859.