The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-07 00:00:00

THE. VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

A deputation from the commanding officers of the
metropolis and county of Middlesex attended at his
Lordship's residence yesterday by appointment to
present an address upon his retirement. The
following commanding officers were present:—
Lieutenant-Colonels Lords Elcho, Radstock, Col-
ville, Ranelagh ; Lieutenant-Colonels Lindsay,
M'Donald, Colvill ; Majors Beresford, Hughes,
Wilkinson, M'Leod of M‘Leod ; Captain-Command-
ants Murray, 12hillips, Templer, Hiliard, &c.
Lord Elcho, as chairman of the meeting at which
it was adopted, read the following address :
"The undersigned officers commanding Volun tear
corps in the metroplis and the county of Middle-
sex have heard with regret that the advancement
of the Secretary of State for War to the Peerage
has had the effect of removing your lordship from
the War-office to the India Board.
" For upwards of 18 months—that is to say, for
all but the first four months of the period during
which the Volunteer force has been in existence,
you have had the virtual direction and supervision
of the movement on the part of the Government ;
it is to you that we have all been referred, and with
you we have always communicated.
" We who have always taken an active part in
the organisation of our own corps, and in the move-
ment generally, can appreciate the difficulty of the
task which has thus been laid on you, and know
how much hard work, as well as firm and delicate
management, it has taken to bring this force to its
present state.
" You have had to represent us officially in Par-
liament, and on public occasions, to manage our re-
lations with the Horse Guards, to consider and
sanction in all cases, and to initiate and carry out
in many, the arrangement of those great gather-
ings of our force which (we hope we may say it
without boasting) have astonished and gratified the
nation in the course of the last year. In addition to
these public duties, you have also been in constant
communication with us personally, and there is not
one of us who has not received the most ready
attention and courtesy on all occasions, and
most valuable advice and help whenever you have
had the means of rendering them. In estimat-
ing your work it must be remembered that you
have had no precedents to follow ; you have had
to lay down the principles and to organise the
official machinery upon which the Volunteer
forces of this country are founded, and by which
they are to be carried on. We believe that the
principles which have been laid down are true, that
the machinery is efficient, and that your successors
will find their work to consist in enforcing those
principles, and in watching and keeping in order
that machinery.
" We therefore think that we are justified in tak-
ing, and are bound on public grounds to take, the
somewhat unusual course of thus addressing you on
your retirement from office, to express, on behalf of
the corps which we respectively command, our
thanks to you personally for your kindness and
courtesy, our respect for your -judgment and dili-
gence, and our hope that the great department in
which you have worked so well will at some futui
time again have the benefit of your energetic and
able assistance.
" Time has not permitted us to invite the com-
manding-officers throughout the country to join
with us ; but although strictly we can speak only
for ourselves, we are thoroughly persuaded that in
this address we convey to you the sentiments of the
entire Volunteer force throughout the kingdom.—
We are, your Lordship's obedient servants,
(Here follow the signatures of the commanding-
officers of the metropolitan Volunteers).
Earl De Grey and Ripon, who was evidently
highly gratified, returned the following reply :
" I return you my most sincere thanks for the
expression of your regret at my retirement from the
office of Under Secretary of State for War contained
in the address which you have just presented to me,
and which I receive with feelings of pride and gra_
titude.
" The duties which I have had to discharge during
the last 18 months in connection with the Volunteer
force have been full of interest to me, and I shall
always consider myself most fortunate in having
been officially engaged in the establishment and
organisation of at most valuable-addition to our
national means of defence.
" Acting under the directions of the Secretary
of State for War, and conforming myself to the
principles which he laid down for my guidance,
I was, it is true, through his confidence, intrusted
with a large discretion in the management
of the volunteer business of the War-office; but if
success has, as you intimate, attended my efforts, it
has been mainly owing to the wisdom and excel-
lence of the rules which Lord Herbert established
in the first instance, and to the supervision which
he afterwards exercised over the mode in which
they were applied.
" The great principle which has directed all the
feelings of the Government with the volunteers has
been that, while it was our duty to maintain and
enforce adherence to certain broad rules of order
and discipline, without which no body partaking
of a military character could exist for any useful
purpose, it was essential to the success of a move-
ment of this kind, popular in its nature, as spring-

The challenge from the West Middlesex to any
corps in Middlesex to shoot a challenge match,
according to the announcement a few days ago, has
been accepted by Lieutenant• Colonel Lindsay on
the part of the St. George's. It will probably come
off between the 18th and 22d of the month on
Wormwood Scrubs. The match between ten men
of the A Company (West Middlesex) and ten men
of the Harrow Rifles will take place on Saturday
next, the 9th, at Wormwood Scrubs, for a silver
cup; ranges, 300, 500. and 600 yards, being a con-
tinuation of the competition originally proposed by
Capt. Wilbraham Taylor, of the Barnet Rifles,
Yesterday about 400 of the Inns of Court Volun-
teers paraded in
.Gray's-inn at two o'clock, under
the command of Colonel Brewster, and, accompa-
nied by their band, proceeded to Hampstead for
ammunition drill, twenty rounds being served to
each man. The men, after undergoing a series of
evolutions in a most satisfactory manner, marched
homewards, the band playing selections of music,
reached the headquarters about half-past six o'clock,
and were then dismissed.
The 35th ,Middlesex (Enfield) Rifle Volunteers
assembled on Sunday last at their armoury at
Enfield•court for church parade, and, under the
command of Captain Letchworth, marched, headed
by their band, to St. James's Church, Enfield-
highway, where they attended Divine service. The
sermon was preached by the Rev. J. Harman, M.A.,
the incumbent of the church, and honorary chaplain
to the co .
A general meeting of the 38th Middlesex (Ar-
tists') Rif Volunteer Corps was held on Tuesday,
at the Flora Hall, Covent-garden. The prizes shot
for at the Otent competition were presented to the
respeetifelvinners:—A Hay rifle, won by Captain
Lewis 4- a silver medal, won by Ensign Gale ;

a short Enfield rifle and sword bayonet, won by

Sergeant Earles. The financial report for the
past year showed that the working expenses of
the corps were more than covered by the sub-
scriptions of the Effective members alone. A
letter from Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram,
G.C.8., announced his acceptance of the command
of the corps. This announcement was most enthu-
siastically received. At the conclusion of the meet-
ic g the corps formed four deep, and marched to
head-quarters at Burlington-house.
On Thursday evening last a numerously attended
meeting of the members of the Ist and 4th Com-
panies of the York Rifle Corps was held in the
Guildhall (Captain Lloyd, of the Ist Company, in
the chair), for the purpose of taking into considera-
tion the circular issued by the War-office respecting
the arms to be used by the different corps. It was
ultimately decided unanimously to respectfully
memorialise Lord Herbert on the subject ; and that
the members should meet on Monday to discuss and
settle the memorial, a committee in the meanwhile
being appointed to embody the arguments and
opinions expressed by the members. Should the
Government still persist in their determination, the
members intimated their intention of resigning in a
body, as they considered the order neither more
nor less than an expression of want of confidence.
A handsome silver bugle was presented to the
4th Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers (Hastings)
on Monday by Mrs. William Scrivens, whose hus-
band is captain of the Ist Company. An appropriate
speech accompanied the presentation, which was
acknowledged by Captain-Commandant Harcourt
on behalf of the corps. Two companies of the
Artillery were present and several of the officers
and men of the Ist Cinque Ports Rifles. The
Artillery of this town are now numerous enough
to form a brigade.
A considerable number of recruits has been
obtained at Colchester, and, with the help of a con-
tingent from the neighbouring village of Wivenhoe,
a third company will, it is expected, be shortly
formed,
re

ELECTRIC AND INTERNATIONAL
TELEGRAPH COJIP.ANI.

The thirtieth half-yearly meeting of this company
was held yesterday, at the offices, Telegraph-street
—the Hon. Mr. Grimston in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said he had considerable satisfaction in
calling attention to the first paragraph in the report,
which referred to the receipts of the company. The
receipts had been increasing gradually, and the trust
account amounted to the handsome sum of £30,000 ;
but still the cost of maintaining the different lines
amounted to a large sum. The directors had been
contemplating a reduction of the tariff, as experi-
ence had shown that all previous reductions of the
tariff had resulted in an increased profit to the
company. Some people considered that there
should be an equalisation of charges throughout
the company's lines for messages ; but that would
not answer, as it was plain they could not send a
message for ls. when it cost the company 2s. 6d.
At some future time the directors would be prepared
to make some modification in the charges that
would be of benefit to the public. He concluded
by formally moving the adoption of the report.
Captain limn seconded the motion, which was
carried.
A dividend at the rate of 31 per cent. for the
half-year was then declared.
Some discussion ensued upon the trust fund.
The CHAIRMAN having explained that the fund
was for the renewal of cables and to meet any
emergency that might happen,
The meeting separated in the usual manner.

A telegram from Havannah, Via the United
States, announces the stoppage of Messrs. G. Sthamer and
Co., merchants and sugar exporters, with large liabilities,
some of which will have to be sustained in Manchester,
London, and Hamburg. They are believed, 110o0w0Te.ieer:fiirtrom.
be so divided that the amount will not be particularly
heavy in any individual instance, the total in London
ranging, perhaps, between £50,00 and
Sthamer has transacted an extensive business and enjoyed
good standing, but is said to have locked up his means it
bank shares and other speculative investments,
WO an agent at Island:toter.