Owing to the want of any lists of attendance, target practice records, or extensive cuttings from the local papers, it is a very hard task for any one to show what occurred in the early days of this corps. It appears to have shown a strength of 121, forming two companies at the Clarendon Park Review so far back as September, 1860; the officers present being Captain Commandant Jacob, Captain Beverley Robinson, Lieut. Pinckney, Lieut. Sir E. Poore, Bart., Ensign Hussey, Ensign Fisher, Assist.-Surgeon Cardell, and Quartermaster Smith. At the first inspection of the newly formed battalion, which took place on the downs above Warminster, under Major G. Hume, Inspector of the District, the corps mustered within one of the same strength, viz. 120, Captains Robinson and Hussey, Lieutenants Fisher, Smith and Wyndham Payne, with C. Brown, J. Brown, and Assist.-Surgeon Cardell, being the officers present. About this number the corps remained for some years, gradually increasing both in efficiency and discipline. The force had become established, regimental camps were formed, more system prevailed, and men undertaking the duties of volunteer privates better understood what would be demanded from them, and reflected accordingly. The enthusiasm had died out, but the spirit of determination that the country should not again be left to ignorant self-defence was as strong as ever, and as corps became more consolidated, so did the members, both officers and others, fluctuate less. With all this, there was after awhile throughout the battalion a slow but steady increase of members; and the Annual Returns of corps composing the 1st Wilts Rifle Battalion show that, in November, 1869, the Salisbury corps had a total enrolled of 156, of these 150 being efficients and only six non-efficient. In 1873, at an inspection parade held at Warminster, they mustered a total of 112. Again, in 1875, at another inspection, they had present 125; though of these 25 were belonging to the band, fairly drilled men perhaps, but of whose proficiency in anything beyond a musician's duty no test was made. However, the band was and is a necessity for a rifle battalion, and to some extent for a company detached. Both Salisbury and Trowbridge corps furnished the men required for the battalion band, hence at inspections an undue proportion of these corps appeared to be bandsmen. In the instance above, Trowbridge also contributed 21 men out of her muster of 143 to the band. At one time in the volunteer epoch, the bands were somewhat too numerous; "five-and-twenty fifers and five fighting men" was not altogether unknown at a muster; but time has changed all this. The Annual Returns for 1875 show a total enrolled of 173, of whom 162 were efficients. In 1878, the return is 180, with 176 efficients. The attendance in camp for inspection in 1877 was 138; and again in 1881, 168, Captains Kelsey and Hodding being in command.