To oppose these, what have we? Literally nothing. The attack on our shores or the defeat of our fleet is not likely to occur at the onset of the war. It would be later on, when all of our regulars have been despatched to India, Egypt, and perhaps the Colonies, and when the best of the militia, both artillery and infantry, have been detailed for garrison duty at Gibraltar, Malta, &c., leaving this country to be defended by the rawest of recruits raising for the regular army, a few militiamen, terribly out at elbows in every way, and the volunteers, without commissariat, without hospital arrangements, without fully-trained officers, without a sufficiency of good and useful clothing from boots upwards, and not improbably without repeating rifles and a sufficiency of ammunition. Add to this, artillerymen without guns, or knowledge of how such are used in the field, horsed from the plough, cabs, carts, omnibuses, &c., and it is not too much to say that to oppose the advance of an enemy, once landed, on London or elsewhere, we have nothing to bring. Brave men enough, but mere bravery is foolery in modern warfare. Skill and perfect arrangements are now necessary to secure victory, and as the demand for the service of our volunteers would be sudden, so would they be unprepared for the task before them. All, all, sick or well, well skilled or badly drilled, shod in slippers or serviceable boots, would be hurriedly summoned, and not improbably, without test or examination of any sort, time not allowing it, would be confronted with the enemy; and after one week's exposure to fighting constantly, picket duties, and camping out, die off like flies. However, this is a digression, and we will return to the raising and training of the 8th or Mere Corps of Wiltshire Rifle Volunteers. The excuse for having left the path must be that our present time strangely resembles that of 1859, when we, the people, were left to our own resources, and by prompt action staved off or, as far as we know, absolutely knocked the idea of a successful invasion on the head. It is our duty now, as then, to look matters boldly in the face; to calculate all the pros and cons of the case, and not be led astray from what we in our hearts believe to be necessary, and should be done, regardless of the money it may cost, or of giving umbrage either to political parties or neighbouring nations.