The weather on Saturday was all that could be desired for an outdoor ceremony, the ground being dry under foot, and the clouds keeping of the glare of the sun. There has been no sign of danger in any direction during the last few months te stimulate recruiting, and the weather was }so unfavourable for the training during March, that it was generally feared that the muster of our Volunteers on Saturday would be scanty in numbers and below the average in efficiency, There is still however plenty of life and vigour in the Corps, and the turn-out was better in every way than the croakers had anticipated, the only serious falling-off in numbers being in No, 1 Company of the Line. The parade was called for 2.30 p.m. at the Police Compound, and here the Artillery and Infantry mustered in une under the command of Major to The Artillery turned out four guns, each with two ponies, commanded by Captain Lamond, the total of 28 gunners being only enough to man three of them. No 1 Company of the Infantry was under the command of Lieut, W. D. Little, Captain Dudgeon being wa: fortunately prevented by illness "from taking part in the parade. Lieut, Little had Lieut. Sharp and 4 Sergeants ander him, and 32 rank and file. No. 2, which was' considerably the strongest of the three companies, was under the command of Captain Bright, with Lieuts. Anderson and Gurney, 3 sergeants, and 40 rank and file. Captain M. Boyd Bredon was in charge of No. 3 Company, with Lieuts, Burgoyne and Lewis, 2 sergeants, and 32 rank and file. After a few hortatory words from Major Morrison, the Artillery and Infantry, the latter headed by the band, marched up to the interior of the Racecourse, where the parade ground had been railed off, a row of seats being provided on the south side for the Indy spectators, a considerable number of whom, with the inevitable amah strongly in evidence, came out to see the fun; the outside of the Course, as well as both sides of the Maloo, being thronged with Chinese. The Light Horse, under the command of Csptain Hough with Lieuts. Malherbe and Liddell, and 14 troopers, met the rest of the Corps on the race-course, and here the whole force, augmented by the presence of Surgeou-Major Henderson and Chaplain Hodges, was drawn up in line, awaiting the arrival of the inspecting officer, Major Churchill, who soon cantered on to the ground attended
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.