MR GLADSTONE ON THE VOLUNTEERS. (From the Saturday Review.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1380, 5 March 1861, Page 3

MR GLADSTONE ON THE VOLUNTEERS. (From the Saturday Review.)

I There is nothing more striking in the history of public opinion in England than the way in which a piedommant conviction engulfs all the opposing and more 01 less divergent curt en ts of thought which the first enunciation of any rew view is certain to cieate. It is not that dissentients are ovei borne by the intoler ance of a majority, for the wisest movements which have changed the face of society have all been confionted at the outset with opposition as flee spoken as any could desire. The very popularity of an idea is certain to raise up a host of deprecatory critics and determined enemies. The tide, when it first rises, w itself the cause of numberless undeicunents and counter eddies, but in a little time theie is nothing to bo seen but one steady flow in a single direction. Mr. Gladstone* lemarkable speech on the Volunteer movement is a sign that the last eddy of adveise opinion has felt the force of the univeisal impulse. Lord Elcho and Mr. Gladstone would, a short time since, have been looked upon as lepiesenting almost the two opposite poles of opinion on this subject Both have delivered themselves of speeches upon it almost at the same time, and though the result may be reached by different roads, there is not a shade of difference to be traced between their sentiments. Mr. Gladstone philosophizes about the nature of the movement, ivhile Lord Elcho is content to urge on his brother Volunteers the wholesome, though^ we hope scarcely-needed counsel, to stick to the work they have taken in hand. Still theie is in the rhetoric of our Peace Minister as much apparent enthusiasm, and we believe as much sincerity too, as in the more homely and practical appeal which Lord Elcho addressed to the Haddington Volnnteera. Mr. Gladstone's somewhat tardy, though no doubt genuine sympathy, seems to have been won by the conviction that our Volunteer army is the best of all guarantees for peace. He owns the delusion of the dieams which pictured the year 1851 as the commencement of an era of universal peace and commercial fiaternidatisn, but he still clings to the shreds of the Utopian theory which he is compelled to give up, and in ipite of all omens looks to commerce as a bond of moral and social union to mankind No one will quarrel with sanguine anticipations which all would be glad to share, and which are not wholly without foundation But while these favourable influences are counteracted, as they have been, and aie long likely to be, by an enormous increase in the material force at the command of almost all the Governments of Europe, it is well for Ministers, above all men, to lemember the dimple truth which Mr. Gladstone has at length attained to— that the stiength of England is the strength of peace, and that this is a period when it is essential that England should be btrong. Some such declaration was due from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. His lanJ guage and demeanour throughout the late sesssion had I given too much countenance to the wild fancy of the Peace Society, that England would best serve the interests of peace by making an ostentatious display of her own weakness, and reposing a confiding trust in the innocent purpose of all foreign armaments. Every word that fell from Mr Gladstone in Paihament seemed to be tinctured with this, delusion His silence on some occasions was even more pregnant than words, and the financial policy which appealed to lie at the loot of all his measures was almost acknowledged to be directed to the destruction of that unaccuitomed patience of taxation which enabled the Government to add so much to the mateiuvl {strength; of the country. It is pleasantei to note a return to saner docfunes than to dwell on the inconsistency which some may tiace between the opinions which Mr. Gladstone now avows and the doctrines to which he so lately inclined. Not l only doer he accept the abstract formula that, for the sake of peace itself, England must be stiong, but he justly attnbuteb to the military vigour which we have ueently dibpLiyed, and in no founmoie staking than I 1 the Volunteei oigamzation, the increase of our u>oial influence in Europe, and the efficacy of the suppoit which our diplomacy has been able to give to the cause of Italian freedom Now that we have an wed at a really universal agieement as to the value of the Volunteer movement, it is tune to take into serious consideration every suggestion that is ottered for securing not only its permanence but its steady development. As yet it has advanced, we will not say meiely without a check, but with constantly lncieasing impetus, and when Lord Elcho declaies that he looks forward with some anxiety to the time when second unifoims will have to be pui chased, we do not understand him to expiess any \eiy grave doubts as to the continued efficiency and growth of the foice. But whatever Mi. Gladstone may lunt to the contiary, the first impulse was unquestionably given by the aggiessive attitude of France, and if the movement is to survive any possible change m the aspect of foieign politic?, it is essential that all the elements of peimanence should be made the most of before it is too late Mr Gladbtone only touches this point in an inferential and lather paradoxical way, by dwelling on the absence of official encouragement in the eaily stages of the movement as one of the causes of its success. It is quite true that the hearty and spontaneous actoid of all classes could never have manifested itself as conspicuously as it has done under the shadow of Government patronage ; but now that the creative period has passed, much may be done by Government, and more by commanders of the Volunteer corps, to steieotype the mihtaiy aidour which at present prevails Lord Elglio'r suggestion of a Government Commission to inquiie into the best mode of making the Volunteer army a permanent institution is, perhaps, rather hazardous ; but theie can be no doubt that in the simple matter which he mention**, of the supply of ammution, the Government have it in their power to do good service to the cause. In many corps, a l»rge pioportion of the members cannot afford the luxury — cheap as it may seem — of much rifle practice ; and a liberal allowance of ammunition gratis, with an unlimited supply at cost prico, would be an easy and comparatively inexpensive way of adding to the efficiency and strength of our Volunteer force. All the rifle contests, from the Wimbledon meeting downwards, have as yet tufluenoed but a small pioportion of the force. Those who have acquired a taste for what is really one of the most exciting of spoits may be relied on to stick to the cause as zealously as Lord Elcho can desire ; but theie are probably not ten per cent, of the whole foice who can yet be classed as lespectable shots, or for whom the numerous prize meetings offer any chance of distinction. Tf a corps which numbers a thousand bayonets has to shoot for a medal or a rifle, the competition is in fact confined to a scoie or two, who are known to be the best marksmen. There is nothing to stimulate the mass to greater exertions, or to engage their ambition in support of the duties which they have unclertalcen. If rifle corps are to be permanent, the chaims of the rifle must he appreciated by all their members, und this is a lesult which it is by no means difficult to secure. The most important means to this end is to make all, or nearly all, our Volunteers masters of their weapon, and it is beyond a doubt that this can be done by adequate instruction. But hithei to this has been grievously neglected. Some corps have no regular musketry instructors at all, and there is probably not one provided with anything like an adequate oiganization for the purpose. A very large staff must be formed to give instruction in an art which cannot bo taught with any effect to more than eight or ten men at a time. The Volunteers themselves must supply the greater number of their teachers fiom the most efficient of their own body ; and no company can be considered as propeily organized which does not inclnde among its officers and non-commissioned officers two or three at least whose special duty it shall be to tiain the men to the use of the rifle. Arrangements of this kind must depend on the energy of commanding officers; but it is not too much to evpect that the Government should give to every consideiable corps the services of a regular mnsketry instructor to superintend the training of the entiie body. Something beyond this is wanted to arouse the spirit of competition throughout the whole foice. The rivalry among the best shots is keen enough ; and, of course, no amount of teaching will raise all men up to a common level, or bring the prizes of the National Rifle Association within the possible reach of any except a very few. Local contests will have a wider influence ; but even from these, as at present conducted, the large majority will be hopelessly shut out. In a very few instances the commanders of Volunteer corps have organized matches between their companies in which the whole body can take pait ; but there is not one piue out of a thousand that is given for the shooting of an aggregate body of men. Individual excellence, which is so higldy stimulated, might be safely left to take care of itself, but tne leally impoitant matter is to secure a good average efficiency, and to give to eveiy man in a company a bhaie in winning honour for himself and his comrades. The stimulus of competition is most wanted for the worst shots, and it is ulle to cxi peot that mon who fine! themselves with little or no

chance of working up to a fust-rate position will continue to feel a stiong interejt in a pursuit where no success is lecogmsed shoit of an excellence to which they deipaii of attaining. The remedy for this is en- I tirely in the hands of the Volunteers themselves, and the easy expedient of a few file and volley-firing contests between rival companies would do moie than anything else to establish the force on the only permanent basis by imbuing every man with the desire of uimg his magnificent weapon with aE the desue of using 1 hia magnificent weapon with all the skill that he is capable of acquiring. That the average measure of that skill would, with proper encouiagement, be very far beyond what has yet been attained, is incontestably proved by the effect which the limited training as yet given to the army and the Volunteers hai been found to pioduco. Lord Elcho and others in nimilar positions can do uioie service by a little energy in this direction than any Government Commission is ever likely to render.