RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.
March 1st, 1882.
The 21st anniversary dinner of the Civil Service Volunteers, on the 1st of March, 1882, at Willis's Rooms, was presided over by the Prince of Wales, honorary Colonel of the Corps. In replying to the toast of his health, proposed by the Duke of Manchester, the Prince said:—
"My Lords and Gentlemen and Brother Volunteers,—For the kind manner in which the Duke of Manchester has proposed this toast, and for the cordial welcome given to it by you, gentlemen and brother Volunteers, allow me to return you my most sincere thanks. I can assure you that it affords me great satisfaction to preside here to-night on what I may call the twenty-second anniversary of the existence of this regiment. The twenty-first anniversary of the Rifle Volunteers was celebrated last year, and it will, I am sure, not be forgotten through the length and breadth of the land that the Queen reviewed the English Volunteers in Windsor Park in the summer, and the Scotch Volunteers afterwards at Edinburgh.
"I remember, gentlemen, as though it were only yesterday, when I was an undergraduate at the University of Oxford in 1859, the commencement of the Volunteer movement. I remember the interest which all the townspeople of Oxford took in that movement, and also the interest it excited among the undergraduates. I confess I thought at that time, and many others shared my opinion, that to a certain extent the commencement of that movement was an inclination on the part of the citizens of our country to play at soldiers. Many thought that the movement would not last. However, I am glad to find, as you all will have been equally glad to find, that we were entirely mistaken in that opinion. Twenty-two years ago, when, I may say, the movement had begun to ripen, I am not wrong, I think, in stating that the number of Volunteers was very nearly 100,000 men. The force has since gone through certain vicissitudes, but I think I may say that at the present moment it never was in a more flourishing condition, and it now numbers not far short of 200,000 men. Most sincerely do I hope that the occasion may not arise when their services might be required for the defence of their country, but I feel convinced that, should that occasion ever arise, the Rifle Volunteers of the United Kingdom will go to the front and stand to their guns in every sense of the word.
"One great inducement to join the force has been, I think, the Wimbledon camp and rifle shooting, and I feel convinced that in no country are there better rifle shots than in this, and few better than in the Volunteer force. No doubt a great stimulus has been given to that force by their being called on to take part in manœuvres, reviews, and sham fights, and of late years from their being frequently brigaded with regular troops. I am sure there is nothing they like better, and I am sure that for the Regular Army, as well as for the Militia, it is most desirable this should continue.
"With regard to this regiment with which my name has been now associated for twenty-two years, I can only say that from all the accounts I have heard it is in a high state of efficiency. Since the time of their formation in 1860, 2177 men have passed through their ranks, and last year the regiment had a strength of 518 men. Nearly all their officers, I believe, have passed through the school, and attained the distinction of the letter P in the Army List—a distinction of which I know they are justly proud. I had an opportunity of reviewing them in 1863 in London, and again at Wimbledon in 1870; I saw them at the Review at Windsor last year, and I sincerely hope, if it may not be inconvenient to those members of the corps who have so many avocations, to see them before many weeks are over at the Review at Portsmouth.
"Gentlemen, let me thank you also for the kind way in which you have received the name of the Princess of Wales and the names of my brothers and my sons. I am happy to be able to announce to you that I received a telegram just before dinner informing me of the arrival of the Bacchante at Suez. My sons are now, therefore, rapidly approaching the termination of their cruise, which has been round the world. I thank you once more for your kind reception of me to-night, and it affords me the greatest pleasure now to propose the toast of 'Prosperity to the Civil Service Rifle Volunteers,' coupled with the name of your Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Bury. I know that in his presence it would be disagreeable to him if I were to mete out any praise which I feel is his due, but I know how much he has at heart the prosperity and the efficiency of his regiment, and, being now the oldest serving Lieutenant-Colonel in the Volunteer force, that you would all deeply regret the day when he should leave you. I call upon you, and upon the distinguished guests here to-night, to drink prosperity to the regiment, and couple the toast with the name of Lord Bury."
Viscount Bury, in responding to the toast, said that in looking at the first list of the officers of the regiment, he found only three names of those now in active service, those of His Royal Highness, of himself, and Major Mills. About 350 members of the corps sat down to dinner on this, its 21st anniversary. The Duke of Portland, Lord Elcho, now the Earl of Wemyss, Colonel Loyd-Lindsay, Colonel Grenfell, Governor of the Bank of England, Colonel Du Plat Taylor, and many veterans of the Force, were present.