The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-27 00:00:00

RIFLE COMPETITION.

This competition, which has been the most in-
teresting one e ref entered into by the goornakers, terminated
yesterday with the remaining three targets at 1,000 yards,
to be nude by the two rides which had, according to the
calculation of the diagrams upoe the ground, proved the
best of those allowei to compete—vit., the small bore of
Mr. Whitworth and the rifle of Mr. Rigby, whole a Dublin
maker. The Whitworth ride made three diagrams, all of a
much better figure of merit than on the preceding day,
while the Hoary continued to shoot well, but after a close
contest was beaten in the end. The wore for the thousand
yards range has not yet been made up, except in the ease of
these two competitors, and it was found to be as folio
subject to soy mall Gartman's@ which may he dieeoeuud
on chocking :
2.111Z5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 6. average.
RtrhY lin La 1.97 1.70 1.63 1.30 LIM
Phelps (gtors) 3.19 306 Le 7
Henry 156 374
Whitworth L4$ LW L9O 1.47 1.44 1.45 1.63
Do., large bore

Calculating the average figure of merit upon the whole of
the series of the two ranges, the Whitworth rile wins by
.24 advantage at the SIX) yards, and .01 at the 1,000 yards,
' making altogether an error of .25, or about three inches
radius against the Rigby rifle.
It ie particularly to be regretted that the large bore wee
not fired throughout the six series, but as there were only
four targeta, and the two competitors who had not obtained
the qualifying numbsr of less than 2.77 were allowed to
continue firing, the time was consumed, and thus we have
missed, for the present at least, the results which
the performance of the large bore promised by its
remarkable firiag of the day before. Really the
shooting of the rifles of Mr. Heary and the Moot Storm was
not to be compared as a matter of interest with the trial of
the large bore. Although the diagrams have not yet bees
calculated, it was nee that the shooting of both these rifles
had set improved their position, Mr. Henry, especially,
making another ricochet shot. Tine the trial resulted,
after all, in the heavy barrel rifle of Mr. Henry,
which began well, being beaten completely, while both
the heavy-barrelled pieces, which were allowed to
compete, were beaten by the Whitworth small
bore, with the prescribed weight of barrel, and a rite
is every respect completed as • military arm. The question
whether these rifles ought to be considered as rites or
merely as barrels, which will have to be decided by the
cooped, is now therefore out of so much moment, done
wither have proved the winner io the costeet. Bull, bow.
ever, it is most important that the points which were ex.
pisised in the first notice of the competition should be made
perfectly clear both in letter and spirit in the roles of the
Aesociatioe. As it happens, the attempt tosteal a march upon
the competitors bas failed as it deserved to do, bet it will be
foe the council so to frame the conditions for any future eons-
petition as to shut out all possible worms of dispute. Above
all, there should be no eels crag of the rules in favour of
any rite. If a certain figure of rurit is to be reached ass
qualification for continuing the competition it should be
most rigidly and impartially adhered to. If Mr. Rigby
had happened to have won with his rifle no doubt the
council would have been involved in the two difficulties of
having to explain why this rifle was permitted to continue
the contest when it had not sttained the standard upon the
first 3 shoteat 500 yards ; and of awarding the order of the
Amecietion upon the performance of an unfiniehed rite,
having a barrel 2 lbs. heavier than the prescribed weight.
We proems that these matters have, however, been the
subject of discuesion at the meeting of the council, held
yesterday, and that at the general meeting of the &uncle.
tioo which takes o.m to-day at Willie/400M% the decision
arrived at will be made public.

EDUCATION AID MOVZNINT IN MANCHBOTZR.
A meeting was held in the mayor's parlour, Town Hall,
Manchester, to consider a scheme for the formation of an
Education Aid Society for Manchester and Salford. The
!scheme has for its object the education of the children of
the poor, as principles in which all the religions depends'.
Mane may The society is to aid these children by the
payment of the echoed pence ; the schools eligible to m-
eet?e the children being those under the Privy Council en
Education, but those sot in receipt of government grants
are also eligible. provided they be recognised by some re-
ligious body, or reguLuly use the Bible as a readies book.
le all owe the choice of the schools is to tumuli with the
parents, bet the committee will make up the list to be
aided under the scheme. The meeting wee largely 'Moulded,
including most of the leading friends of educatioa. Reso-
lutions establishing s society for this object were carried,
end a subscription was opened at the meet*. The pro-
ceedings closed with thanks to the mayor for presiding.
01111/YAI. PALACK. ONZ SHILLING DAY.
FILDAT, Fee. 26.—Adiedmiess on payment, 33Y; &Me
by swam *kir* 383 644 736.