A meeting was called at the Somerset Arms, Maiden Bradley, to take the matter into consideration, and to provide funds for the necessary equipments. The meeting was numerously attended, and its object most enthusiastically supported, so much so, that in the course of a few days a sum of between £400 and £500 was raised, and as many as seventy names of men enrolled as willing to serve. In the absence of Earl St. Maur, through illness, Michael J. Festing, Esq., agent to the Duke of Somerset, took the chair, and a committee was formed for the purpose of carrying out the views of the meeting; Earl St. Maur to be President of the Committee, Michael J. Festing, Esq., Treasurer, Admiral Festing, Harry B. Festing, Esq., Messrs. Harding, S.E. Jefferys, &c., being members. Soon after this date, Earl St. Maur having become better, and reports received, another committee meeting was called at the same place, and there it was explained by Earl St. Maur to those members who had enrolled themselves for service, the idea and purpose for which such a corps should be formed. He represented that in the undefended state of our coast, our difficulties in India, the menacing attitude of France, with its immensely increasing armaments, &c., the country was in a very critical situation, and liable to be invaded any day; therefore it was the duty of every Englishman to do the best he could for the defence of our hearths and homes; and acting on these principles as a party of countrymen, many of whom possessed good horses which they could and did ride fairly straight across country, and also having a knowledge of the country to be defended, his idea was, that the corps in case of emergency or attack should act in the forefront of the defending force, keeping touch with them, harassing the enemy as much as possible, and at the same time being the eyes and ears of the defenders.