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Leader (1850-1860), 24th January 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 74, Untitled Article

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      extensive Reform Bill , and earnestly entreating the Reformers to be united , were carried unanimously . A meeting took place at Derby on . / Thursday , attended by Sir Joshua Walmsley and Mr . George Thompson . Mr . Alderman Moss occupied ^ the chair . The tone of the meeting was most enthusiastic , and the resolutions pledged the meeting to support the movement of the National Reform Association .

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      NATIONAL DEFENCES . Increasing in extent , depth , and fervour , the war spirit , or more prope rly , the spirit of National defence , is the strongest and noisiest cry of the day . It bawls down reform , and stifles the strike . "War—arms-Rifle Glubs—the morning journals teem with exhortations , suggestions , criticisms . The sixth letter from a " Naval Officer " appeared yesterday morning in the Morning Chronicles and many able leaders on the insufficiency of our military arrangements have been printed in that journal . Rifle Clubs are suggested on all sides ; but at present free and enlightened Englishman are not allowed to drill , and undisciplined marksmen are not worth much against regulars . Still the cry is , Let us have Rifle Clubs * You may , rejoins the Standard s they would do " no harm " if the regulation dress and the arms were of the ' * best quality , " and at the expense of the wearer

      and bearer . ' « Persons who can afford to pay for arms and clothing , &c , say £ 10 a man , and feel that they have leisure to devote to military education , are just the men upon whom the Crown and the country may rely with most perfect confidence in any emergency . " 3 Anecdotes are recounted in letters , da il y , of the wonderful facility with which the French troops were tSml ^ rTe ^ rto ^ Cfi ^ mTeis ^ volution , the Prussians , with " needle guns / ' picked off the insurgents at the distance of eight hundred yards ; and how easily Louis Napoleon arrested geaierals , closed a powerful Assembly , shot down a brave population , by a coup . Sir Charles Shaw ,

      Capfain Plunket , " Coast Guardsmen , " " Old Dragoons , Sharpshooters , " and Citizens , " fill column after column of the daily journals . Reports like the following get into circulation . A Correspondent Of the Daily News writes : — _ " An addition of 25 , 000 men to the army is intended , and the necessary arrangements are now understood to he in progress . The plan , to be promulgated immediately after the meeting of Parliament , is understood to be as follows : — , The 17 regiments of cavalry on the home service are to be increased 30 men per troop ( the King s Dragoon Guards having 8 troops ) , to increase this arm of the service ....................... 3 , 120

      The Royal Artillery , 13 battalions , 250 men to each battalion : 3 » Thirty regiments of the line , now at home—viz ., 1 st battalion First Royals , Fourth , Seventh , Ninth , Fourteenth , Twenty-third , Twentyneventh . Twenty-eighth , Thirty-first , Thirtythird , Thirty-eighth , Thirty-ninth , Fortieth , Forty-sixth , Forty-eighth , Fiftieth , Fiftysecond , Fifty-seventh , { Seventy-first , Seventyseventh , Seventy-ninth . Eighty-first , Eighty-« eCond . EiKhty-fifth , Eighty-eighth , _

      Eighthninth , Ninetieth , Ninety-nrst , Ninety-third , and Ninety-fifth—to be augmented to 1000 rank and file each • \ T' V * * ' * 1 ' The following twenty-four dep&ts to be formed into Becond battalions : Second , Sixth , Eleventh , Thirteenth , Twenty-sixth , Thirtieth , Thirty , fourth , Thirty-sixth , Forty-second , Forty-third , Forty-seventh , Forty-ninth , Fifty-sixth , Fiftyeighth , Sixtieth , Sixty-sixth , Sixty-eighth , Sixty-Dinth ; Seventy-second , Seventy-third , Seventytfourth . Seventy-Bixth . Ninety-Becond , and Rifles , each battalion to be 80 * 0 rank and five 12 , 600 25 , 070 "In addition to the above , 10 , 000 militia are to be available , to relieve , if neces » ary , an equal force of the line from Ireland . A large increase to the navyhas . also been decided on , and also two additional battalions of Marines . " Government is actually displaying some activity , A Horse Guards memorandum says : — » In consequence of the rejection of recruits at the , head quarters of recruiting districts on slight and insufficient grounds , the Commander-in-Chief has , on the recommendation of the superintendent of the medical department , and at the suggestion of the Secretary at War , directed that henceforth , and until further orders , itho inspection of recruitB by the district staff surgeons ,

      under additional instructions to be furnished to them ttom the Army Medical Department , shall bo considered jfitial : and that-only in caseB of obvious oversight , or of causes of disability arising , pr first showing themselves , during the period intervening between the date of the district inspection and that of rccruitB joining their regianonta ( which should in all cases bo especially reported ) , shall recruits examined and passed by the staff surgeons of recruiting districts bo liable to rejection by the medical officers of rogimonts . With reference to the Limited Service Act of 1847 , it is also directed that second enlistments of men , in all other respects eligible , may take place hereafter in infantry up to the ago oi thirty-six , And in cavalry up to the age of thirty-eight . "

      The Constitutionnel devotes two leaders to the supposed uneasiness of England on the score of invasion by France . In its first leader it says : — «' It is reported , and by many believed , that England has ordered increased armaments , and that she is putting her coasts in a state of defence . We ought to be accustomed to see military and naval men claim similar measures of precaution every time that anything ever happens to interest them . In the last years of the reign of Louis Philippe , who certainly did not entertain ideas of war , when the Chamber of Deputies voted a credit for the increase of our naval stores . Admiral Napier and ,

      Captain Ramsay , R . N ., is to hoist a pendant on board the Magicienne steam-frigate , and take command of the steam squadron at Devonport ; and Captain the Honourable S . T . Carnegie will hoist -a pendant in the Horatio , with the same object , at Sheerness . We may add that Captain Henderson , in the Blenheim , is already in a siniilar position at Portsmouth . . ; Of course all this excitement and seeming alarm is based on the supposition that we shall be attacked by France—Louis Napoleon ' s utter perfidy affording the strongest ground for the supposition . What do the French papers allege that the French Government thinks on this topic ?

      many others called for extraordinary armaments , and began recommending an impress of seamen , and almost went so far as to sound the alarm of a great maritime war . Little attention was then paid to it . The armaments now in question in England are no more real than they were at that period . We shall not repeat the cries of alarm put forth by the English press ; we shall merely allude to what is said here on the subect . Reports of impending waT are spread , and they become the subject of the most absurd comments . If we may believe back

      the alarmists , the Government is about to bring us toTthe period " 5 f ~ the camp at-Etrulogne ^ nd-concert 4 he means of making a descent on England . Other newsmongers direct the conquering ambition of Louis Napoleon to another side . Some declare that he is going to publish a decree annexing Belgium to France ; others that he is about to resume the frontiers , of the Rhine * Some pretend to know that he has views on-Geneva , others on Savoy . Each one is in possession of a state secret ; each is in the confidence of a project on which will depend the destinies of the country and of Europe . "

      Having thus given a resume of -statements sent from this side , the same paper asks : —? " Is it necessary to say that all this pretended information is nothing more than ridiculous invention ? Certainly the safety and honour of France are in worthy hands . Louis Napoleon , if obliged to sustain abroad the honour and dignity of the nation who has placed him at its head , would not prove unfaithful to the glorious traditions of his family . But before one thinks of measures of defence , we must first be attacked , and there is no power in the world which at this moment dreams of

      disturbing either the interest or independence of France . On the other hand , the idea of an unjust aggression on any European state , great or small , has never once entered the mind of Louis Napoleon . The elect of seven millions and a half of Frenchmen is entirely occupied with the organization of his Government , for sake ot giving to his country an era of order , industry , and prosperity . It is a fine and glorious task . The ideas which engage his councils are such as bear on the peace of France and of the world . Those rumours of war are all false , and got up in a spirit of hostility against the national government of Louis Napoleon . "

      These are what the Standard calls " unequivocal pledges of a pacific policy 1 " Hammersmith has set the example in coming forward to demand governmental sanction for popular military organization . On Monday evening a meeting was held at the Albion-hall , Hammersmith , convened by a large number of respectable inhabitants of the town , to consider , the subject of making such preparations as would render every man capable of affording loyal aid to his Queen , and assisting

      in the defence of his country , in case of a sudden invasion . Sir John Phillippart was called to the chair . T . J . Serle , Esq ., moved a resolution calling upon the Government to give their sanction and aid to the arming and drilling the people , bo as to be ready , in case of an invasion , to repel an attack . The resolution was seconded by W . Simpson , Esq ., and carried unanimously . Dr . Gaakeil , of Chelsea , proposed that a committee be formed to confer with the Government , and report the result to a future meeting , which was seconded by Mr . Dunford , of Nottinghill , and carried .

      The old letter of the Duke of Wellington is cited as a proof of our defenceless state , in a penny pamphlet issued this week in support of the eqheme for Rifle Clubs . The writer suggests that a Metropolitan Club should be formed , divided into regiments or brigades , and subdivided into companies "oi fifty men . " Each company , " he says , ' should meet for practice arid drill once a . day , and suitable situations in the suburbs of London bo choaen for ' practising . I would suggest tho following districts and places for meeting : — __ T . T , / The Parks , Acton , Putney , West London ( and Westbourne . " _ .. . , , ,, - _ S Caledonian and Copenha-Ishngton and North London J gen Fiolds v Mile-end , Bow , and East < Victoria-park and Hack-London * X ncy . T v . n a * k « .. „ . „ ., f Batternea-flelds , Clapham , Lambeth , and the Surrey I Peckham and £ laok : side ...,.... » .,.. I heath .

      ¦¦ " Fields could be obtained , and temporary-bxiildingB erected / at a trifling cost ; a long shed , similar to a ropewalk , could be formed for practice , each company having a fixed hour for meeting , and one commencing when the other leaves off . Of course , the strictest military discipline would require . to be enforced , ; and each man compelled to promise the most , implicit obedience to the officer placed over him . A number of young men meeting together for amusement , and xtot ' tq . be taught , would ' soon defeat the object .

      " The next question would be the uniform—the more simple and inexpensive the better . A glazed leather cap with peak ; a frock coat , made of some ' cheap and durable fabric ; trousers to match ; belt , with pouch for ammunition , and strap for rifle , would be amply sufficient for full dress . For undress , it is a question whether any uniform is needed at all ; but if considered necessary , the cap as above , and a blouse of some dark colour would do . The officers , as a matter of course , must wear a suitable uniform , slightly ornamented . "

      The cost per man he estimates at £ 5 , and the total cost for the whole £ 250 , 000 . To meet this , he asks for a subscription , and he calls on the wealthy and influential to exert themselves .

      Tho Board of Ordnance have sent down to Birmingham for tenders for the Betting up of 23 , 000 rifle nnusketJB .

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      ARM , ARM , ARM ! Oh where is he , the simple fool , Who says that wars are over ? What bloody portent flashes there Across the Straits of Dover ? . Four hundred thousand slaves in arms May seek to bring us under : Are we ready * Britons all , To answer them with thunder ? Arm , arm , arm 1 You sleepy Lords of Admiralty , Your errors are too grievous ; Se ^ tfiaTyour ^* t 8 rk"be ^ workmanlike , ^ Or else go out and leave us . Oh shame on selfi s h patronage ! It is the country ' s ruin : Come , put the right man in his place , And up now , and be doing ! Arm , arm , arm ! And you ; ye brawlers penny wise , ""~ Through you the land is cheated , Till , by barbarians better armed , — " ~ " Our greatness is defeated . The cheapest things , are not the best ; ^ The best things are the cheapest . But wake , arise : Oh , noble blood Of England , how thou creepest ! Arm , arm , arm ! Oh gather , gallant volunteers , In every British village ; Or has the tiger of Algiers Your license here to pillage ? Oh , babbling Peace Societies ( Where many a dreamer trifles ) , Is this a time to cry for peace , When we should shout for rifles ? Arm , arm , arm ! Oh , big-limbed yeomen , leave awhile The fattening of your cattle ; And if , indeed , ye long for peace , Make ready to do battle—To fight the battle of the world , Of progress , and humanity- — 'Spite of his eight million lies , And bastard Christianity ! Arm , arm , arm ! A SCORNEB , OP THE PENNYWISB .

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      CHURCH MATTERS . Diocesan Synods have become the subject of popular lectures . The Reverend Canon Trevor delivered an address to a large audience on Wednesday at St . Paul ' s Church , Finsbury , on this subject , and a regular course is in preparation . " He was the advocate not of an absolute , but of a constitutional monarchy in the Church of England , and it was from that sort of government that all the formularies of the Church derived their force . By such a tribunal questions of faith and morals , and all ecclesiastical matters , ought to be decided . Every question of difficulty Bhould be referred to synods , composed of clergy ana laity— to

      although it was a question discussed at a council what extent the votes of tho laity should be received . The local spiritual executive should have the sole power of convening such an assembly . Upon these princip les the Catholic Church was planted and propagated throughout ! the world s These assemblies were never inhibited by law—thoy certainly had been suspended * but that suspension was never intended to bo permanent . Convocation was suspended , and , through the apathy of tho eighteenth centurvl it was continued to

      tho present day . The effect of tho apathy which , prevailed during the last century was , that the episcopal character deteriorated , and every act partook of nepotism and jobbery , and tho oonduct of tho rulers became assimilated with the low and debauched morals of the time , while tho forms of tho Church became vapid , formal , and unedifying . Sacraments and ep irituai exercises decayed , piety languished , dissent spread throughout the land , and struck its root deep into tho wounded feelings of an outraged laity /' Ho asserted that tho present demand for the revival

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      — 74 8 p ^ Itftt CSaturday ;

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 24, 1852, page 74, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1919/page/6/