The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-29 00:00:00

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The ordinary February general meeting was held
ad Saturday at Willis's Roams • his Royal fliglinem the
Doke of Cssintrace presiding:. Among those present
were Lori Echo, Lord Dude, Sir J. Shelley, Y.P. Sir Rob.
Hamiltor, General Eyre, Colonel Barton, Coloool Biggs,
Colonel 11I'Murdo, Colonel Lindsay, Major Carpenter, Lied
Grosvenor. General Hay, Sir Jno. Burgoyne, Mr. A. Ifda-
naiad, M.P.
The CHAIRMAN was happy to report that in the
state of its finances, its whole organisation and arrange-
ments, the association erne in a most satisfactory position.
The income was not very large, but was sufficient to meet
their requirements, and was in a progressive state of 's-
crews from year to year, and although the funded property
was very small compared with what they could wish, etill set
had increased year after year. It was to be hoped that by
degrees they would accumulate a sum which would enable
them to do more than they had yet done, but in the mesa-
while he trusted that the friends of the association would
not press for any unnecessary increase of rapes&
ture, for it would be obviously most unwise if,
merely because they had a larger amount of funds in bead
than they had last year, they were at once to attempt to
extend the general influence of the emaciation. Their
funded property last year was 3,0564, this year it amounted
to 4,210. The income of the eraciatioa in 1862 was
9,087/. 2s. 6d a in 1863 it was 12,054/. Us. 108., beiag. as
increami of about 3,0001. In 1862 the number of prune
given was 104, the aggregate value being 3,334/. 13s. ; is
1863 the number of prises was 332, and the amount
4,386/. tis. 6d., being an increase of months& 200 in number,
sad I,ooo'. in money value. (Hear, hear.) Of this 1,000 f.,
at least 900 f. was given to the bag Fintield prison. The
=tries for the Queen's prize in 1862 were 932. and in 1863
1,145. The total volunteer entries in 1862 were 1.283, sad in
1863, 2,739. The all-comers' prizes wore-3,261 in 1862,
and in 1863, 4.804. The total increase of income in
1862 was 3,059/., and the surplus over expeuditure
was 8791. It was with the view of improving the fistula
position of the associatios it was propound that instead of
having oaly one competitor from each company two might
be selected, and that the entry should be raised from 10s. to
20.. Of course the entry is merely voluntary. The National
Rifle Asescsation had now connected with it thirty-one
county and fourteen colonial associations. (Cheers.) The
canoed were anxious sot to trench upon the traded property
till it amounted to 10,0001., which be thought • wise and
prudent resolve. Another meeting would be held in May,
when the details for the Wimbledon meeting could be die.
cussed ; at the same time the oteineil,would be glad to receive
sopesiwas on the present acomira. Rafter* to the recent
rifle eoefereora, be added that he had been requested to nod
• letter from the Seuretarylfor War (Earl de Ourylinespeating
the want of uniformity in class tiring amongst different volun-
teer corps. The letter which was read by H.R.H. proceeded—
" As the council of the National Rifle Amoraation, basing its
opinion no doubt upon the wide experience which it has gamed
in watching the progress of rifle shooting throughout the
country, appears to De now impressed with the necessity of
establishing some special rules for conducting the musketry
practice of the volunteer tone, I request that your lord
.hip will have the goodness to communicate to the council
my williamiess to resolve any farther seggentioes on this
subject which it may be prepared to offer, and that these,
when submitted to me, shall be taken into salinities easel-
decision, provided that they do not involve any principle at
variance with the system of butt oction pursued at the
schools of musketry?' to conformity with this letter, the
council had appointed 'immunities to inquire fully into this
subject, and the mutt of their inquiry would at a future
day be laid before the association.
Colonel Bocce moved, and Sir J. CAMPBELL seconded, the
adoption of the report.
. . .

&pie. TruPLAB suggested that some opportunity should
be afforded for competing with different kinds of rides. He
also suggested that the back-sighting of the Enfield should be
reduced to a simple horizontal bar.
Lord ELCIIO observed that all such matters would be con-
sidered by the council between this and the Hey meeting.
They bad heard of • heavy rife in the Confederate Skies
which required two man to nee, but which by the aid of
• telescope achieved extraordinary milts at 2,000 yards
against artillery.
A discussion then ensued upon • variety of details, in the
course of which objections were raised by Mr. Hemmiag,
General Hay, and others, to the form of target fixed upon
by the council, on the ground that the outer circle being
cut off above and below the ball's eye, while it marked
right and left, did not give a fair general restdt of the
shooting.
The report having been adopted,
. . .

Geeeral Bonzii sewed um ienelection of the vice-
preeidenta.
The motion was seconded by Colonel hf'Donatn, and

carried.

The member of the council retiring by rotation were, ea
the motton of Sir J. Shelley, 'wooded by Sir R. Hamiltoo,
reelected.

The Duke of Cambridge Will re-elected president.
Some alterations were made in the rules as to the terms
of competing for the queen's prize, and • rote of thanks,
morel' by Sir J. Burgoyne, seconded by the Hon. F. Byes.
WY passed in favour of his Royal Highness, the Chairman,
who, in expressing his acknowledgmente, declared his
coocurrence with • remark which had fallen from General
Hay, to the effect that it seemed to be too much lost sight
of that the object they ought to leok to was not so much
the winning of prizes sasthe attainment of efficiency of
shooting in the field.

St'Ht'ATHE IN BEHALF OF THE Sit AND WOUNDED
SOLDIERS IN ADERICA.—A pleasing communication was
made at a meeting of Americans recently held in Leedom.
The meeting wee called for the purpose of summing sym-
pathy sod approval of the tinted States Sanitary Coto-
mission, mid also for devising means whereby support might
be rendered to this benevolent institution and it was an-
nonneed that Mr. George Elliot bad, is oorrespoodeoce
with Mr. Cyrus Field, offered to present 1,000 tom of coals,
free of all ecets,to all shippiog poet be might same, the pro-
ceeds of which to he applied to the relief of the suffering
moldier,. Mr. Field, on behalf of the Sanitary Commksion,
gladly accepted the offer, and the British ship Gibraltar
will leave London at Monday nest for Sunderland, char-
tered for the' benevolent purpom. It we also announced
that a grand lacy fair will be held in New York the lam
week in mist month is aid of this society.
_ _

- -
Tug DeNtett BLOCKA DE. —The Menittur publishes
the following uotafication o/ the blockade of the east ooast
of the Ducbtes of Sleswig and Holstein :—" Paris, Feb:
is hereby notified that the government of the Em.
paw has bees officially informed, by • communiaatiori
from the Danish goverment dated 20th February, that
from the 25:1i of theses* month all the ports and havens
of the east coast of the Duchies of Slasirig and Holstein
are in a state of blockade, with the exception of Reusthadt,
the Wes of Ala and Aeroe, am well as the other places still
subject to the authority of the King of Denmark. and that
iteutral vessels which at the beginning of the blockade may
be is • blockaded port shall be allowed, wail the lad of
April, the facul of leaving it eh her with • cargo or in bet.
lot ; end that mowing :to particular circumstances, the
time allowed for free departure should not be sod:kink the
' official charged with the blockade is authorised to concert
with the convular agents for prolonging it if necessary."
CAPTAIN SEM MEN AND TH E ALAB AM A.—MT.
, Cooper the novelist should have died hereafter. With •
' craft like the Alabama on the high seas, commanded by a
man like Semmes, we, of 181,4, cannot but find J. Ferri-
more Cooper's sea stories to be somewhat tame reading.
The Alabama has visited Singapore and been inspected by
newspaper reporters and others, who describe her as • model
of beauty and order. Captain Semmes points aloft to the
Confederate ensign and says, " No matter, that flag never
' comes down." He means no matter whether the
South are subdued or otherwise; be will Dever
bead to the yoke. That is to say that be
is • rebel on his own responsibility and will
bold out as an independent outlaw fur the remainder of his
natural existence, a sort of Hob Roy afloat. Perhaps the
South may accede to terms of reunion ; Semmes says,
" No matter," and goes about on the high seas burning
American ships. reducing their captains, crews, sod pa-
ssages to destitution, and turning them adrift in distant
ports upon the charity of the world. All this is done, let it
be marked, without daring any of those perils which even
the meet ordinary robber has toenoounter. The weak, Captain
Semmes preys upon, the strong he gives the slip to. There
are nose of the elements of the hero in such a character or
such a career as his.—China Mail, Jan. 15.
CITY OP LONDON HOSPITAL rot DISLILBIB OE
THE CHEST, VICTORIA PARR. —The somber of palpate re-
Hewed et this institution during last week was 1,188, of
. which 210 were new class.