The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-08-22 00:00:00

IMPROVED RIFLE SHOOTING.

One of the conditions of the existence of • nation i• to be
4n • coosteut mat i of wig. preparation. "Rosily. sY
ready," is the almost universal motto. Foots must be
be to, troops moot he drilled. though there be en mmee
pliers ol profound calm over the universe, not a very
irequent state of &gears it is I.) be feared. If one
country invents sad constructs some new Ming in Alpe,
or military minims, or the like at is absolutely nemeerry
met to he on an equal fooung every other country should
follow suit nano. lb. k. a minipstition ever going on
between the Power, of the world to get a little way in
front of One sootuer in Mu respect. It stands to reason
that, supposing tee novelty to be an improvement, every
liaison teat may posebly be some delimarcired against the
possemor should be provided with a ship, or gun,
or wlmtever it may happen to be. Meet Governments
recognise the truth of Um, but DLL all of them, and those
who do not may possibly toil. great duadeintage when
the martteend dammed of the various armaments cm. to
be tried against emli °Vier. Much him been dons of late
years to improve the offensive and defenelve weapons, both
great and amen, with which the armies rind nave,
of the world are equipped. During the period
of peace which WasiOln Europe has lately en. •
joyed nidutiry preparations neve been in progress
which TO or 9D years Not would have betokened

the immediate probability of some great international
conflict. That. can be no doubt that our men of all
branches of to. service are, as a body, tar from adepts in
the nee of the arws .hh which they ar o supplied. It as
consequent,' moat desirable that they should have such
inn:action and practice as will plsce them on an equal
looting in that respect with any enemy they may chance
to meet It is in the management of small firearms more
especially that their inferiority is moit apparent Every
whiter, asllor. Of 1316.11. wl3O GUMS a rine or • revolver
should be able to Dusk. the most efliment use ot the
weapon. It is almost beyond question that the lament-
able detioas and terrible lanes inflicted on our army in
the Zulu war, were in a greet measure toll Tellat Or the
beg .pooting of our ivi,A4 and also due to the circumstance
that such rude Warw.. as ttis savages pr••••••• 4 wore
handled with skill. Only oonstnnt practice could have
madded them to h or, their &negate with such deadly
precalon. The reveries which ultimately led to has
humiliating abendnainent of the Transvaal were owlets to
the simple fact that the Boers, though irregulars, wore
superior to our men in the um cs: firearms, and thereby
'rained • great &denote'. If ever to. project for joining
Envlend to the Continent by means of • tunnel under the
Ciannel should bec-tue an arcoinpitshed fact, it will be
all the more neceemry that there should be no suspicion
of inferiority of our soldiers sod volunteers with their
rides, an 1 our sailors In the working or their big guns.
It as especially desirable that the methods for improving
shautain at proieui apparent y c Ansideeedood enough,
should be considerably letter than they are, ridging from
mutts. There should be more practice with moveable
targets and targets of diderent colours. Tea soldier@ of
other nations are not all dressed in black and white
uniforms, nor do they constantly maintain the same posi-
tion when in action. Objects to represent men are found
to be advantageous an Germany, and are not mach used by
musketry in•UOCLOts over here. It is of great imp.
no , clubs, thateoldiereahould hold themselves up, keel=
t.me in marching, and never get out of Hue, but tie, it sw-
illing, more ...Mary 111414 May ehould be able to use their
nlie, with effectand not Are yso ala.wny from the object they
are attempting to hit. 11 the mime encouragement were
given to the regulate a. to the volunteer. in the matter of
challenge trophies and badges of van iii. descriptions,
there would probably be a far keener dein shown by the
soldiers to practise and perfecit themselves as marksmen.
Nothing encourages men as mix. to persevere as the
dent, to outstrip their fello•s. Ii is to be hoped that
the patriotic example of Mosses. John Brimmed said
Sons will be lollowed by otters. These gentlemen
have presented a silver shield for competition, open to
the Brutish Army, Navy, and Volunteers, to be shot for
at Wimbledon this teor, and toe contest bids Mu to be
one of the events of time meeting. It will oder • fair
Met of the relative manta of the regulars and ?ohm.
tears as marksmen, and if as successful am It seems
likely to be, may have much interest for all who are
miimis for the prowess of British arms wherever and
wiunever 'hey may be engaged. "The Brimmed
Challenge Shield" ii pointed, and charged with the
St George's Cross, between the arms of which me
panels containi.is representations of the landing of
Julius Caw, and incidents from the betties of Hastings,
jsincourt, Biennelm, and Waterloo, Illustrating the Pro-
grins and dial douse of plate armour, anl the change
from pikes and halberds to tireanne ani beronsts. The
rose, ahugur.k and thistle are introduced, In the centre
is a panel with the device of the National Rifle Assecia-
tion, surrounded by a wreath of °Pre and palm. The
upper arm 01 the CM.. Is occupied by • bard cliankng the
proems of military achievement. ;above which, on &ribbon,
Is the title of the prim. This twentilnl and imposing
work ha, been maauf actured by Keens. Hunt and Roakell,
of Bond Street If the exempt, thus set by Messrs. Brim-
med and Bons be followed by other persona solicitous of
maintaining the defensive power of the nation, &Mali
soldiers will be better able to hold their own when any
etuereency requires their services. Nernivag Poet, July
2041‘,1882.