The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-07-23 00:00:00

THE WIMBLEDON MEETING.

SECOND STAGE OF THE QUEEN'S Scotland
is marked." Such (says It special correspondent) was
the enthusiastic but fallacious exclamation with which
Robert the Indefatigable hailed the result of the tie-
shooting for the Bronze Medal, which took place after
afternoon gunfire at Butt 8 on Saturday. Pretty
punctually at 2.30 the two men lay down alongside
one another. The dark features, prominent nose,
and heavy black moustache of Dods are familiar to
all frequenters of the common, et off by his scarlet
tunic faced with yellow, and smart Glengarry, with
red and white checkered border. His opponent,
Gardiner, who was also in scarlet, with dark blue
trousers relieved by a red stripe, sported a white cap
cover. The Englishman had to fire first, and there
was the usual hush of breathless expectation before he
pulled trigger. Bang !—and up came the dummy to
signal an inner. Dods fired in turn with like result.
Gardiner was quickly down again, and this time his
aim was rewarded by a bull. Dods, however, failed
to improve on his preceding shot, and a
magpie to the right was recorded against him. This
made him 7 all told, so that if his opponent had only
a magpie in turn he was certain of a tie, whilst any-
thing above it would enable him to win. The Cum-
berland man pulled trigger and got on the bull a little
to the left, thus deciding the matter. A cheer went
up at once from those around. Dods shot pro forced
and scored an inner, after which the rivals shook
hands and withdrew. It may be noted that the
.Dumfries champion has been shooting this year with a
V instead of the bar, and to this attributes his failure
at 600 yards in the Second Stage and his consequent
elimination from the Queen Hundred. Simul-
taneously, we may here in parentheses state, another
tie shot was in progress to decide second and third
places in the St. George's. The scores of the four
compet;tors were: Corporal Fife, 455; Corporal
Simcock, 435; Lieutenant Simonds, 353; and
Sergeant Weir, 245. The two former, therefore,
take second and third prizes, the latter receiving
jewels in company with them. Meanwhile something
like definite results had been arrived at respecting the
Queen's Hundred. The 300 men left in to contend
at 500 and 600 yards in the third stage had gone to
work at morning gun-fire, but to follow their individual
scores in detail was a task defying the mostenthusiastic,
as it was necessary to remember that they come up
with aggregates varying from 95 down to 83. At
length it turned out that two men had each achieved
aggregates of 200, six over last year. These were
Armourer-Sergeant Hill, sth Lanark, who had come
up with 92, and added 45 at 500 and 63 at 600 yards,
and Private Robinson, sth Durham, who to 87 had
put on 44 and 69. The tie between them for the
Silver Medal was shot off at half-past six. The Scot,
who had been lying low over the business of the
Bronze Medal, came forward on this occasion with a
vengeance. The afternoon had been a peculiar one—
clouds sailing over the common, and then apparently
disappearing and coming round again, to start again
from the same side, like stage soldiers in a procession.
There was no wind at the time of shooting, and the
targets showed up hazily. Hill, stripping off his great
coat, stood revealed in the dark blue undress
tunic and tartan trews of his corps, the Durham
man beirg in scarlet with a', white cap cover.
The Scot was first off, and plumped right in
the centre of the bullseye. Robinson followed
with an inner on the right edge of the bull.
Hill's second shot was a bull. Then Robinson fired
but could only compass a low magpie. Hence the
Lanark man had but to hit the target to tie. His
third shot was an inner, just over his last bull, and
the appreciation of the state of things was at once
shown by the cheers raised by his countryrdm. The
Englishman got off his third shot, which waren inner,
and the company adjourned in prevision of a threaten-
ing shower. This came down just as twenty men who
had made aggregates of 183 in the First Second Stage
shot their ties for places in the Hundred. Hill, the
Silver Medallist, is a Glasgow gunmaker, and enjoys
a high local reputation as a safe and steady, rather
than a brilliant, shot, and as a capital man for team
shooting. The only prize of any note he has ever
won at Wimbledon is £lO in the Windmill. Last
year be was not here, but has not missed qualifying
since 1872. It is somewhat strange that there was a
tie last year for the Silver Medal, in shooting off
which Cortis, of Sussex, beat Barrett, of Lancashire.
LORDS AND COMMONS.—The Lords and Commons
shot off their usual match in course of the afternoon.
Last year it will be remembered that the pressure of
the dissolution upon their time hindered them from
indulging in the healthy relaxation of rifle shooting.
This year, after some difficulty, teams of four a side
were got together, the hereditary legislators being re-
presented by Earl Brownlow, Earl Waldegrave, Lord
Wantage, and Lord Calerlon, and the faithful Com-
mons by Colonel Saunderson, Colonel Walrond, the
Hon. Mr. Marjoribanks, and Capt. Selwyn. By a
kind provision of the Wimbledon Committee the
match was this year shot with Martini-Henry rifles.
This attention on their part was appreciated by the
spectators, who actually witnessed some shooting with-
out the wonted interludes of wiping out, sponging,
blowing down barrels, adjusting wind-gauges, and
shifting those peculiar funnel-shaped sighting aper-
tures, which processes formed the main feature when
match rifles were used. Ultimately the Commons
conquered with 289 points to the 210 of their adver-
saries—fine averages for 20 shots a', 500 yards. The
individual scores were, Walrend, 83; Marjoribanks,
74; Saunderson, 73; Selwyn, 59; Waldegrave, 78;
Brownlow, 63; Wantage, 37; and Caledon, 32.
PRINCE or WALES' PRIZE.—The meeting seems to
bristle with ties, for, in addition to those already
enumerated, Lieutenant Heap, Ist Manchester, and
Private Gillies, 90th Battalion Canadians, met to settle
their differnece over the Prince of Wales's Prize.
Heap fired first, but no dummy rose in response. He
challenged, but the only result was a gain of ss. to
the coffers ot the Association. Gillies fired, and also
missed, but was satisfied that it was so, and saved his
dollar. The Lancashire man then managed an outer,
which the Canadian capped with an inner. Heap's
third shot was a magpie to the right, and then the
Winnipeg man put on an inner close to the left edge
of the bull, and won, amidst cries of "Well done,
Canada!" Gillies is a well-known Canadian shot, and
at a meeting of the Manitoba Provincial Rifle Asso-
ciation last August swept the board, taking the Patrons'
Cup, the Lieutenant-Governor's Cup, the Members'
Azgregate Prize, and several minor prizes, in addi-
tion to the Silver Medal and Gold Badge of the
U.R.A. He also saw sharp service in the North-
Western Expedition against Riel, his battalion, the
Winnipeg one, being first in the field. He took part
in the final rush at Batouche that aliened the re-
bellion.
NATIONAL CHALLENGE TROFTIE.—The second weelt
of the gathering at Wimbledon opened with very
pleasant weather, cool and bright, with a north-east
wind and moderate sunlight. The principal event of
Monday was the competition for the National Chal-
lenge Trophy between teams of 20 efficient volunteers
representing England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
The conditions of the contest require that every
second year it shall be held at Wimbledon, but the
winning team are entitled to fix the locality for the
alternate years. Last year the competition was con-
ducted in Scotland, and was won by the Scottish
team, as it had been the previous year. As
England was the conqueror on Monday, the home
team scored their 13th victory, Scotland having
won 11 contests. The shooting was excellent,
and when Corporal Parry, 2nd Cheshire, put on six
bulls and an inner at the 600 yards range, raising his
full total to exactly 100 points, the result was hailed
with loud and hearty cheering. England's majority
ought to have been larger than it was, but some of her
best shots fell away sad:y at the longer range. Eng-
land made 604 at the 200 yards, 598 at 500, and 522
at 600 yards, or a grand total of 1724, to which Cor-
poral Parry contributed an individual score of 100,
and Private Wattlewortb, sth Lancashire, 93. Scot-
land's score was: 200 yards, 596; 500 yards, 586;
600 yards, 531; total, 1713; Capt. Young, Ist Ren-
frew, and Sergeant Proctor, Ist Elgin, each contri
buting 95. Ireland's totals stood: 200 yards, 587;
500, 576; 600, 492; aggregate, 1635; the top
scorers being Capt. M'Cloy (93), and Sergeant Foley
(90). Wales, record was: 200 yards, 588; 500 yards,
561; 600 yards, 486; total, 1635; the best shots
being Captain Bell, 2nd Glamorgan, with 94, and Ser-
geant Harris, Ist Pembroke, whose aggregate was 90.
THE MULLENS CorrEsT.—Although an interesting
and useful competition, the Mullens contest this year
failed to attract much attention from onlookers, most
of the spectators being engaged in watching the pro-
gress of the contest for the National Trophy. The
handsome sum devoted by Mr. J. A. Mullens to pro-
vide the prizes never fails, however, to draw a large
entry, although four successive victories by the let
Berks Volunteers have somewhat disheartened other
competitors. The shooting is by teams of six men at
moving targets and at varying distances, both inde-
pendently and by volleys. It was announced on
Monday night that the Ist Berke were again the
victors with 43 points, but it was understood that a
protest had been lodged on the score of the time
allowance having been exceeded. The sth Lancashire
came second with 35 points.
Tun BELGIAN CUP.—A corrected statement of the
result of the Belgian Cup was issued on Monday, by
which it appears that the sth Lanark won the cup
and first prize of £2O, the second falling to the Ist
Warwick.
3ilneon CONTESTS.—Major Bythway, Ist Pembroke,
takes the first prize in the Wilmot, and Sergeant Sim,
3d W. York, the second, both scoring 64 points. Mr.
J. W. Sibbald is first in the Henry with 32 points,
and Lieutenant Fremantle, Ist Bucks, second with 31
points. The latter competitor carries off the first
prize in the Curtis and Harvey with 47 points,
Quartermaster Arrowsmith, Bristol, being Becond with
46 points, and Mr. G. Hamilton third with a
similar score. In the Doyle, which is shot
for by pairs of competitors with any rifle,
Captain Millen and Lieutenant Fremantle take the

first prize with 66 points, both using Melford rifles.
The contest for the United Hospitals Cup was, as
usual, of an interesting character, but St. Thomas's
tsgain came off an easy victor with 347 points, 12
higher than last year. St. Bartholomew's was second
with 287, a much lower figure than they achieved last
year, when they occupied the third place. Captain
Gibbs, 2nd Gloucester Engineers, takes the first prize
in the Halford with 47 points, Lieutenant Barnet*,
Ist Oxford, being second, Lieutenant Dutton Hunt
third, and Lieutenant Fremantle fourth. Among
other competitions concluded may be mentioned the
St. Leger, 10 shots at 900 yards, with any rifle, in
which the first prize falls to Mr. Rigby with 50 points;
the Armourers' Company series, in which Sergeant
Scott, 2nd Perth, wins the first prize with 32 points;
and the Secretary of State for War's prizes, the first
of which goes to Lieutenant Brown, 3rd Lanark, with
31 points, Captain M‘Nab, Ist Lanark, being second
with 33.
TIIE INDIAN AND COLONIAL COMPETITION.—The
competition for the prizes offered by the Corporation
of the City of London, restricted to Indian and
Colonial Volunteers, was keenly contested, the first
prize being eventually won by Sergeant Ogg, of
Canada, from which country the victor also hailed
last year. Gunner Rosenberg and Sergeant Clary,
and two other members of the Cape team take prizes,
and Lieutenant English, of the Indian team, is also a
prize winner, but Canada takes the lion's share.

THE WINNER OF THE QUEEN'S PRIZE.
The 800 yards' firing-point was never more thickly
surrounded at the commencement of the final stage
than it was on Tuesday. The arrangements left
nothing to be desired, and all the "Hundred" being
assembled in rear of the ten targets to which they
were allotted when gun-fire announced the commence-
ment of the contest, the whole line got to work with
no further delay than the settlement of an 800 yards'
tie occasioned on the right target. The competitors
were made up of 65 representatives of England, 26
of Scotland, six of Wales, and three of Canada, the
Metropolitan county and Lancashire each having
fourteen champions. Three previous gold medal-
lists-Lawrence, of Dumbarton ; Mackay, of
Sutherland; and Atkinson, of Durham, were
there to try to accomplish the not unprecedented
feat of winning the prize the second time; together
with Lieutenant Richardson, who tied for it last year,
while there were over half-a-dozen men whose repu-
tation at Wimbledon is so well established as to make
them very likely men to show quite in the front. At
the end of the 800 yards' range, Sergeant Bates, Ist
Warwilkshire, and Private Jones, Ist Welsh Fusiliers,
were Erg with 238; Lieutenant Richardson, sth
Durham, Private Bain, sth Durham, 235 each;
Private Wattleworth, sth Lancashire, and Lieutenant
Warren, Ist Middlesex, 232; Armourer Sergeant
Hill, sth Lanarkshire, 231; and one or two of
230. The scores of these competitors were, of
course, closely scrutinised at the 900 yards, and
when the first five rounds were completed it
was seen pretty clearly that the victor must
come from the trio-Hill, who stood at 252; Warren
with 257; and Bain, of Durham; Wattleworth, and
Bates also being in the running. In the last five
shots, the two latter dropped out beaten, and the trio
went ahead, Hill being the first to give in, and Warren
going more to the front with a string of three bulls-
eyes. He then missed, the wind having travelled to
the south-east, but found the "eye" with his last
shot. His nearest competitor was Bain, who stood at
226 with a shot to go, when Lieutenant Warren, who
was in the same position with 269, landed his last shot
well in the bull, finishing with 274. Many of the
competitors had shots still to fire, but they were too
far in the rear to affect the result, and lt was known
that Lieutenant Warren was the winner as soon as
the target went down; and he was so
bailed by the cheers which were immediately
given by the spectators in his vicinity. Some quarter
of an hour after the 900 yards range commenced, the
Prince of Wales, Prince Albert Victor, and the Royal
perty, escorted by Lord Mintage and the members of
the Council of the Association, came to the firing-
point, and took seats within the ropes until the
winner had been announced. Lieutenant Warren was
introduced to the Prince, the chair in which the victor
in these annual contests is carried in triumph was
soon forthcoming, and directly the last shots in the
contest were fired he was hoisted, plenty of willing
bearers volunteering for the purpose, and was borne
aloft, amid cheers, to the Cottage enclosure,
which, for the first time in the history of the
Association, was substituted for the enclosure in
front of the Council offices. Within this enclosure
the Colonial teams of Volunteers were drawn
up for inspection, a guard of honour being furnished
by the 2nd South Middlesex, the band of the London
Rifle Brigade being in waiting; while both within
and without the barrier were a large number of
spectators. Lieutenant Warren took his place amid
the officials of the National Rifle Association, wait-
ing the arrivel of his rifle, which needed testing to
see that the pull of the trigger was correct before
be could be declared the winner. In the mean-
time. the Prince of Wales inspected the Colonial
teams, graciously addressing a ;few words of
satisfaction on their appearance to each in suc-
cession. The rifle having at last arrived
and been satisfactorily tested, the Prince
congratulated Lieutenant Warren on his vic-
tory, and proceeded to pin on the breast of
the victor the gold badge, one of the trophies
be had just won, the band playing, "See the Con-
quering Hero comes." His Royal Highness next
pinned on the badge awarded to the winner of his
own prize for the current year-Private A. Gillies, of
the 90th Battalion of Canada-a fine soldierly man,
with four badges on his arm and sundry medals, the
" Colonials " expressing their sense of the honour
done them by hearty applause. A bearer party of
the Victories had now assembled, and Lieut. Warren,
again taking his seat in the chair, was carried in pro-
cession, headed by the band, through the Bazaar to
the camp of the Victories. Here he was met and
congratulated by his own comrades, and, after a
liberal dispensation of champagne cup, was again
carried in triumph through the other regi-
mental corps, in each of which he was warmly
congratulated on his victory. The winner is a
solicitor, of five years' standing as an o:ficer in the
Victoriae, and enjoys a high reputation as a steady
shot. He has won two National Rifle Association
bronze county medals and a silver medal given by
the Middlesex Rifle Association, and has shot three or
four times into the Four Hundred, but never before
into the "Sixty" or the " Hundred " as the condi-
tions now stand.
The following are the scores inthe first and second
stages, and at 800 and 900 yards, with their aggre-
gates, of those who gamed the chief places at the
finish: Lieut. Warren, Tictoriae, 84, 107, 41, 42, 274,
winner of £250, gold medal and gold badge;
Armourer-Sergeant Hill, sth Lanark (Silver Medal-
list), 02, 108, 31, 37, 268, winner of .£6O. Private D.
Bain, sth Durham, 88, 110, 37, 31, 266, winner of
£4O. Lance-Corporal Pollard, Ist Herts, 91, 100,
40, 36, 265, winner of £3O. Corpl. Parry, 2nd
Cheshire, 85, 103, 39, 35, 262, winner of £2O: £l5,
£l2, £lO, £B, and .£5 prizes respectively are received
by the rest of the marksmen in the Hundred, accord-
ing to their scores.
MINOR EVENTS.-The Public Schools Veterans'
Trophy was won by Eton, with 210. The Hop
Bitters Jubilee Trophy and £25 by Armourer Ser-
geant Hill, sth Lanarkshire, in the Volunteer Aggre-
gate, with 155; the Grand Aggregate by Private P.
M'Gibbon, 3rd Lanarkshire, with 329; the Nursery
Aggregate, .£lO, by Corporal Fife, Ist Inverne.s-
shire, with 97; while the All-Corners Aggregate,
£25, went to Captain Lamb,lst Lancashire, with 185.