The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-06 00:00:00

RIFLE CLUBS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE EIPRE,S.
Str,—Durinf many years of a prolonged resident).
in the south of Germany, I was an active member of a rifle
club. We mustered rather above two hundred, military
officers, gentlemen, and tradesmen. We met twice per
week for practice, alternately with the pistol at thirty
paces, and the rifle at 100 and 150.
When the troubles of 1848 broke out, we sharpshomem
(the civilians, namely, myself among them) were enrolled
in the burgerwehr, or national guard, and bad to shout-
der the musket and go through a regular course of drill.
After a few weeks' practice with this very awkiard
squad we got a patent from the government to form a
separate ride corps, uniforming and equipping ounelves.
About 150 of us did this. We mounted a neat green cap,
green frock-coat, dark grey trowsers, and • back leather
waist-belt, which held our pouch, hammer, and sword-
bayonet.
But, as was justly observed by Capt. Fitzroy in his Illt•
celleut letter to you, individual dull is not the only thing
needful in • body of marksmen.
We, seeing this, readily put ourselves into training under
a captain of regulars deputed to the duty, and our small
corps did ultiinAtly good service ; and finally, when the
outrageous vagaries of Struve and hie fellow socialisM
had brought ruin on the country, our little troop
was the nucleus of • band of the friends of
order, who saved our unfortunate town from total destruc-
tion. I mention all this, to show how cagy aas the transi-
tion in our case from the social pastime of the club, to the
efficient military service of the corps. If it was easy in
Germany, much more so is it in this practical country.
Let the individual marksmen be formed, and the well-
drilled rifle corps will not be long wanting. But firearms
are dangerous playthings ; none mom so than the rifle. If
the impulse now being given a.l over this country shall
lead to good, it must be well directed. Nothing will
the ardour of these exertions so much RE series of t r.:
dents. Now, among the trading classes, not one in
a hundred knows anything of the weapon • but
of the gentry, perhaps the majority are taMiliar
with its use. If, therefore, clubs are to be eats-
bibbed efficiently and at once, let some of these
gentlemen in every town, large or small, form • committee,
and declare their readiness to teach the use of the rifle..
The coat of a suitable locale need be but alight. Hire •
strip of grass land, say • couple of amts. A rude covered
shed, with a bard sanded bottom, a few notched tables,
some deal partitions, and there you have a " achiitzenhaus.'
Then a wrought iron frame, to be covered with pasteboard
for the target; • mound of earth ten or twelve feet high, to
receive spent balls • a little brick hut, well earthed up, for
the marker • a small bell, with a hundred yards of copper
wire, and there is all the necessary furniture of the club.
The greater part of the land will still yield its crop of
hay, so that the rent will be • mere trifle.
Then for present equipment: all that is needed is the
ride, with bullet-bag and powder-born, and this ought not
to wet above five pounds. In the spring of 1848, 1 was
commissioned to inquire of a Loudon manufacturer about
riles for our corps. One in Great St. Helens, Bisho
sk..wed me a pattern, a well-finished light instruPg=
(single barrelled of course), with bayonet complete,
and he offered to supply me with two hundred
in four months at, if I remember rightly, 41. 10s. each. But
we afterwards got them quicker and cheaper (although
vastly inferior) from Liege.
I offer these few remarks to show my fellow-countrymen
the practical simplicity of erecting rifle clubs. Even as a mere
amusement, they might surely well replace the publio-houm
resource of skittles and the bowling-green, or the miserable
pastime of pigeon shooting.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
D. C. L.

LAUIICH OP TIM AMAZONAS STEAM-FRIGATE.—•
Yesterday was launched at Blackwell, the ausiliary screw
steam-frigate, relied the Amazonas. Bh.. was built hp
Messrs. Wigram and Sons, of Blackwell-yard, and is to be
armed with 40 hug 68 pounders on the main-deck. Bee
tonnage is 1,676 tons, and she bekeem Wiles Veriariarie
government. The principal Barbour-master of the City of
London, superintended the river arrangements. During
the last fewllays, a grrst amount of damage has been done
in the river. It is believed that the injury done to the
craft in the Thames since the Ist of January, by the severe
winds, has fat' exceeded the fors sustained within so short •
time for a great number of years. It has not been in the
power of those employed in raising the collier brig Spray.
which was sunk on the 19th of January, in consequence of
a collision with the Royal Victoria steamer of Leith, to
place more than one chain under her, t,ll account of the
boisterous weather.

TOE FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR BURY.—
The adjourned nattiest on the bodies of Thomas Lindley,
Henry Page, (romp Grundy, and Isaac Bonatt, three of
whom were killed by an explosion of fire damp ih the co .1
pit of Messes. Knowles and Stott, at Wrigley, on the mint-
ing of Monday week, and the fourth of whom has di, d
since, in consequence of injuries received, was resumed ,os
Tue.day at Itingley•bridge. Mr. Thomas Wynne. of Man-
cheater, recently nppnintrd am the inapector of mines for
linesPhire, Cheshire, and North Wales, wee in attendance
on behalf of the government. After a good deal orf addi-
tional evidenee had been niece, the jury committal for
about an hnur and a half, and return, a verdict of
I accidental death, accompanied by the following remark,.;
—tt We strongly urge upon klessrs. Knowles at ci Stott the
immediate nen•..icy 01 adoptin 2 the improvements *eg-
gs-hal by the govenauent inspector. as we consider that
has
proper management not been observed in the conduct
of the works of the mine. We are alas of opinion that the
workm, n them.. Ivo. are not free nom blame in going jive
the pit with naked eandlea. without having first arcerteithot
that the pit was in a 'wooer state to allow of aunt a pro-
-o.,.ding. We Al." think that the engineer engaged to keep
the water [mein• ntly low to allow of a free current of site
uu. guilty of car, ka,ancai in the eternise of hie duty." It
was stated that the recommendations of the inspector had
been already carried out as far as poslib:e, and they would
be completed without delay.