When funding became available again in 1878, the Tasmanian Volunteer Force was established under the provisions of the "Volunteer Act"; Windle St Hill was commandant of the local forces from June 1878 to May 1880. This force consisted of two artillery batteries and four companies of infantry in Hobart and another battery and two infantry companies in Launceston. The following year the Tasmanian Light Horse was raised in Launceston. 1880 saw a reorganisation as the force was re-designated the "Local Forces of Tasmania", which were formed into two divisions spread across the north and south of the colony. By 1882, when Russian ships – the "Afrika", "Plastun", and "Vyestnik" – again paid the colony a visit, the strength of the colony's military was 634 men. Further reorganisations under commandant Colonel William Vincent Legge in 1882–83 resulted in the establishment of an engineer corps establishment, the disbandment of the light horse and the withdrawal of the right of the volunteer forces to elect their officers.