The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-02 00:00:00

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The general meeting of this body was held on
Tuesday at the Royal United Service Institution in
London. The Duke of Cambridge, President of the
Association, occupied the chair, and there were among
those present Lord Wantage, Chairman of the Council,
Sir H. Halford, the Hon. A. Egerton, Sir H. Wilmot,
Major Waller, Colonel Knox, and Sir H. Fletcher.
The President, in opening the business of the meet-
ing, said he had but little to communicate, this being
merely a finish off before the regular annual gather-
ing. The prize meeting would open on July 9th, the
camp would be ready for occupation on the 7th, and
the offices in London would be closed on the 2nd.
The regulations for conducting the competition were
with trifling exceptions the same as those at last meet-
ing. A revolver pool would be established at 20
yards on 3-inch bullseye and stationary target. A
competition between officers of the itgular and
auxiliary forces which did not appear last year would
be revived. There would be a new competition open
to cyclists to be competed for in sections of four at
450 yards. The men would be required to ride about
six-sevenths of a mile, and in the course of that
distance would fire ten shots. With very few excep-
tions the names of former competitors appeared again
in the list. He had only to say that the Council re-
turned their sincere thanks for the assistance they
had received.

Mr. Lowe, of the Queen's, Westminster, was pro-
ceeding to comment on the new rifle and cartridges
when Sir H. Halford rose to order, remarking that
that was hardly the place to discuss that question.
The matter was ruled out of order.

Major McKinnell, of the London Scottish, asked
whether it would not be competent to buy up Wim-
bledon-common for the use of the volunteers and of
the army. There was no other place so useful for
rifle shooting.
The President said that Lord Wantage was about
to make a statement on the subject of sites, and as
the discussion would be more free without his pre-
sence and ho wished to remain on good terms with
the volunteers he would now give up the chair to
Lord Wantage.

The meeting thanked his Royal Highness and he
withdrew.

Major McKinnon repeated his suggestion that Par-
liament should purchase Wimbledon-common as a
shooting field for the nation.
Lord Wantage stated that the Council were bound
by their agreement, dated 1860, to leave Wimbledon
when required to do so. He had therefore to say that
Wimbledon was at an end, and there was nothing
more to be said on that point. The Duke of Cam-
bridge had stated his opposition both in and out of
that room, and the cost of compulsory acquisition
would be enormous. Reporting on the search
for other sites, he stated that the members
of the Council had visited Broxbourne, Epping
Forest, Brighton, Staines, Berkshire Downs, and
Richmond-park. He described the advantages of
and objections to each, arriving at the con-
clusion that Richmond-park was in a pre-eminent
degree suitable for the purpose. When the sugges-
tion was made her Majesty most graciously intimated
her willingness to allow a portion of the park to be
used, subject to the sanction of the Duke of Cam-
bridge as ranger, and that of the Commissioner of
Works. His Royal Highness regretted to say that he
considered it his duty to withhold his sanction on the
ground of interference with free access by the public
and the danger to adjacent villages from practice
with the new rifle. Whatever might be the issue, it
would be a source of satisfaction that her Majesty had
consented to allow one of her parks for the use of the
volunteers. (Cheers.) He trusted the objections
could hardly be considered insurmountable, and he
was certain the public would be willing to make
some sacrifice. On a more general question he was
convinced the volunteers were prepared to accept the
fresh obligations which were likely to be thrown upon
them, and would do their best to remedy that state
of unpreparedness in which it was said the country
now was. (Cheers.)
In the course of discussion, Lord Wantage said
volunteers would be welcome to see the Berkshire
Downs the week after Wimbledon; Sir H. Fletcher
recommended a site near the Devil's Dyke, Brighton;
Colonel M,Fie strongly urged the claims of Altcar,
near Liverpool, and upon this the debate mainly
turned. The selection, Lord Wantage stated, would
rest with the Council.

A vote of thanks to Lord Wantage for presiding
concluded the proceedings.