§ MR. BUXTONrose to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether a large number of the Volunteer Rifle Corps had not remonstrated against the recent Minute by which rifles must he kept in a depot instead of being entrusted to the members of the corps; and whether it was the intention of the Government to insist on the enforcement of that rule? He acknowledged that a strong case might be made out for this rule, but he trusted his hon. Friend would not give them the reply which had, he was told, been given to some remonstrants—namely, that this was not a new rule, but, in fact, rather a return to the former practice which had been allowed to fall into abeyance. That reply was a very proper one to give to innocent captains in out of the way parts of Norfolk, but it really would not do in that House; because they were all perfectly aware that although a stipulation had been made with each corps that it should have a depôt for arms, that stipulation had become a mere dead letter. Not one corps in 100 had paid the least attention to it. For instance, he was acquainted himself with one corps of 600 men which had never had a depôt to this day; and even those who had provided a depot had scarcely ever kept their arms in it. This was virtually a new rule. The old one was obsolete. One argument that he had heard used in favour of this rule was that in case of a revolutionary I spirit arising it would not be safe for the riflemen throughout the country to have their arms in their hands. He could not I imagine a more futile argument. In the last ten years not a single man in England had even been prosecuted for either rioting, 793 sedition, or treason, nor was there the smallest reason to apprehend a rising of the Volunteers with their rifles in their hands. If such a time of excitement should arise, however, a couple of deal doors to an armoury would not keen the riflemen from getting hold of their rifles. But, then, perhaps, it might be pleaded that if the riflemen had their rifles at home they would go popping about the country and shooting quantities of Her Majesty's subjects. Why, during the last summer at least 100,000 riflemen had their rifles with them at home, and it was most remarkable that during the whole of the year not a single human being had been put to death by a rifleman. Experience in such a case was worth a thousand theories. The only real argument in favour of this rule was that the rifles had, in many cases, been so badly kept that it had become necessary for the War Office to interfere. No doubt the rifles must be kept clean—that was essential; but that could perfectly be done by requiring a written engagement from every captain to hold a monthly inspection of arms. And let the adjutant also, who was in the receipt of pay from the country, make it his paramount duty to see that the arms were properly kept, and require him to suspend, as regarded those riflemen who disregarded that essential point, permission to retain their arms. His first objection to the rule was that it was needless; while the expenses of an armoury, which would cost £100 or £150 a year, would be fatal to many corps. Many corps could not obtain any depôt near their parade ground, and the members would have to walk at least a mile from their homes to the armoury and hack again both before and after parade. Besides, the mere process of handing out the rifles to a large corps would occupy nearly an hour, which would involve a most serious loss of the time now given to drill; further, it would be a grievous waste of an important part of the rifleman's training. The principle that ought to guide the Government should be to make every man ready to start off tomorrow to defend any part of England on which an invading force might land; but the Volunteer whose arms had always been kept in a depot and cleaned for him by some one else, would, after a day or two become quite ineffective. There could not be a more essential part of a rifleman's training than being taught to keep his own arms in an effective state; and it was impossible for any man to become a first-rate 794 shot unless his rifle were continually in his hand. The Volunteer movement had been managed with great ability and courtesy by Lord Herbert and Earl de Grey. All Volunteers had reason to thank them for their wise and kindly conduct of the mass of business thrown upon them. But of late there had been a tendency to exercise too great a paternal supervision over the Volunteers, instead of leaving them to their own judgment and free will. Each morning some new circular made its appearance announcing that new rules were to be enforced, and that Lord Herbert had been taking them into his profound consideration— a thing which he heartily wished his Lordship would abstain from doing. If the Government wished the Volunteer movement to prosper he implored them to treat it with that best of specifics—a little wholesome neglect.