A NEW VOLUNTEER CENTRE.
T is natural enough that the executive of the National Rifle Association should mourn over the loss of • Wimbledon. There the Association has grown to its present importance ; there it has become closely interwoven with the social life of London ; there it has done a really great work in popularising, in the best sense, a movement which might otherwise have languished and been forgotten. Not for themselves only, but for all the visitors who year after year have given brightness and distinction to the annual fortnight in camp, the executive may fairly feel bound to keep Wimbledon as long as they can, and to replace it by something that shall as nearly as possible repro- duce it. To those, however, who have no connection with the Association, it may seem with equal reason that Wimble- don has played its part, and may now usefully be exchanged for a camping-ground of a different kind. That it will have to be exchanged for a camping-ground of some End, whether the same or different, is certain. The Duke of Cambridge is naturally not inclined to make the Association a present of a building estate of immense prospective value, nor is there the slightest chance that Parliament will ever vote the very large sum which would be needed to buy it. But a site has been proposed which would possess all the advantages of Wimbledon. The Queen has consented to allow the annual meeting to be held in Rich- mond Park, provided that the Ranger and the First Commissioner of Works see no objection. It appears, however, that the Ranger does see an objection,—two objections, indeed. He thinks that it would be hard. on the public to have their enjoyment of Richmond Park curtailed, and, in view of the capabilities of the new rifle, he disapproves of any site in the neighbourhood of dwelling- houses. As regards the first ground, we imagine that the public would, on the whole, like the meeting to be held in Richmond Park. No doubt the ordinary use and enjoy- ment of the Park would be subjected to great restrictions during one fortnight in the year ; but against that might be set the great additional amusement that it would give a portion of the public in that fortnight. As regards the second ground, we cannot profess to have an opinion, as we do not know what the new rifle will be like. But if it is at all like the description of the new French rifle, it will certainly be a most disagreeable neighbour. In the interest of national defence, therefore, we are constrained to hope that the Duke of Cambridge's second objection is well founded.
In our judgment, however, Richmond Park would be an unsuitable place, even if it could be shown that there is no one living near enough to it to be hit by a stray shot. At the spring meeting of the National Rifle Association on Tuesday, Lord Wantage admitted that Richmond Park would not answer all the purposes which a camping- ground ought, if possible, to serve. The Association had originally two objects,—to encourage ritie-shooting„ and to give permanence to Volunteer corps. At Wimble- don the first object has been carried out with great success ; but the second has, as Lord Wantage cautiously words it, "perhaps been somewhat disregarded." We should be inclined to go much further, and to say that the permanence of Volunteer corps has been little more promoted by the possession of the Wimbledon Camp than if the prizes offered had been open to all comers. Lord. Wantage's proposal for making good this defect is that the Association should in future have two camping-grounds,- one near London, where the July meeting may be held and the great prizes shot for ; and one at a greater distance- from London, "which would be available throughout the year for Volunteer regiments who may desire to combine their exercises in camp with their class-firing." We alto- gether distrust the ability of the National Rifle Association to divide its attention equally between these two objects. The older one—the one they have up to this time pursued with such admirable determination and success—would have a natural advantage over the other. To promote it, the Association would only have to go on in their accustomed path, to do what they have been wont to do, to use the knowledge with which long experience has equipped them. No doubt they would be anxious to pursue the second object with equal zeal. But they could only do this by turning their thoughts away from the first ; and in view of the fact that fashionable London. would be looking to them for the provision of its annual fair in Richmond Park, it would be very difficult to give their mind to what might be going on on the unfrequented heath, where Volunteer regiments would be continuously going through the dull routine of camp-life uncheered by smart visitors or smoking-concerts. Make the two camping-grounds one, have the Queen's prize and the other great prizes shot for at the same place where for six months out of the twelve Volunteering in one or other of its forms would be actively going on, and that camping- ground would be always in the thoughts of the Association Executive. If there had always been something in pro- gress at Wimbledon, the July fortnight would never have gained its exceptional importance ; and the first step towards giving its proper place to the rest of the work that the Association was founded to promote, but has hitherto not promoted, is to deprive the annual fortnight of this excep- tional importance. To be of this opinion is quite com- patible with thinking it a very good thing that it should have enjoyed this exceptional importance hitherto. It was necessary to make Volunteering all that Wimbledon has helped it to become, before it could take its proper place in the public mind. The Wimbledon fortnight has been to Volunteers what the scarlet coat and the drum and fife are conventionally supposed to be to the rustic. It made Volunteering interesting and fashionable, at the same time that it did great service to the cause of accurate shooting. If the two elements had been separate instead of united, the level of shooting in Volunteer regiments might have been very much lower than it is, and the Government might have been much less disposed to do what is wanted to make and keep that level high. But what is exceedingly useful in one stage of a movement, may be positively detrimental at another ; and we are disposed to think that this is what the Wimbledon fortnight has now become. It concentrates the attention of those who take part in it upon one part of a Volunteer's duty,—a most important part, no doubt, but still a part, and not the whole. We shall be glad, therefore, to see the work with which the National Rifle Association has hitherto been chiefly identified, transferred to some district where as much land as is wanted for operations on a considerable scale can be had in perpetuity. No doubt the selection of such a site will not be easy. It must be healthy, or no one will come ; it must be within easy reach of London, inasmuch as the London recruits will always supply the largest con- tingent to a Volunteer army; while the defence of London in the event of invasion would probably be the chief duty of such an army ; it must, if possible, be accessible to Volunteers from the rest of England without their having to submit to the delays attendant upon getting across London. Lord Wantage says that a site uniting all these recommendations is to be had on the Berkshire Downs, and on this point Lord Wantage ought to be an authority. For ourselves, we should like, before assenting to Lord Wantage's choice, to be quite assured that no site is to be had in the neighbourhood of Aldershot. It would be a great additional recommendation to it that, at whatever time of the year it was occupied, it allowed of easy and frequent co-operation between Volunteers and Regulars. Possibly the Government may already have bought up all the available land in the Aldershot list ; but if it has not, and if the other conditions can be satisfied, there would seem to be very strong reason for placing the Volunteer Aldershot as near as may be to the Aldershot of the Regulars.
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