The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-16 00:00:00

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

WIMBLEDON COMMON, MONDAY EVENING.
Mie shooting commenced at a quarter past 9, but not very
accur.ite marking could be made. The competitors for
the second stage of the Queen's Prize are now limited to
lA, who will shoot at the respective ranges of 800, 900, and'
1,1100 yards, seven shots each ateach range. The competition I
for the Albert Prize was resumed for • series of
prizes of the aggregate value of 570/. There are 13 prizes
at 200 yards of the aggregate value of 1301., and a similar
number and amount at 500, 600, and 800 yards. The next
item in the programme was the second stage of
the St. George's Vase, for the Dragon Cup. value
501., competed for by the sixty best shots in the
first stage of the Vase contest. Seven shots each at
600 yards, and the second stage of the Alexandra Prize,
11 being a cep of the value of 501., or 501. in looney, at the
option of the winner:, the competition restricted to the 135
winners in the first stage, seven shotacabh at 600iyards. The
Windmill Prizes were of the aggregate value of 3501., five
shots each at 200 and 500 yards, consisting of one prize of
151., one of 101., six of 51., eight of 41., sixteen of 3/., and
twenty of 21. Although when this prize was commenced
' there was • complete hurricane of wind, Private Brown, of
Southport, one of the Lancashire corps, made 20 points, or 5
'hungry's, the highest possible score that could be made.
In this competition he was closely pressed by Henry Mur-
ray, 13th Lancashire, who made 19 points, and Corporal J.
Sparks, 15th Surrey, Captain Fairbrooke, sth Bork*, and
Ensign M'lntire, of the 7th Dumbarton, and Corporal
Shaw, Ist Manchester, each made 18 marks. At 500
yards Sergeant Wood, of the 4th Middlesex made 19
points, and considering the gale that was blowing at the
time this was • most extraordinary score. The com-
petition for the Belgian Challenge Cup, presented by the
Chasseurs &hirsute of Brussels and the Belgian visitors by
Mr. Heda, in 1866, with 751. by the association, for volley
firing, shot for by ten efficient volunteers from each conso-
lidated or administrative battalion. The first squad in
addition to the temporary ion of the challenge vase,
received 301. and 3/. to competitor. Five shots each
squad at 400 yards. The competition for this prize was
interrupted by the unfavourable state of the weather on
Saturday last. After • very spirited competition the prize
was won by the 7th S the average made being 14.40,
with • prize of 30/. Berkshire, 14.20, prize of 201.; Ist
Surrey, 13.80, with • prize of 151.; and Bristol, 13.80, with
• prize of 101. For the lexandra prize, at 600'
Tare, a new competition was opened. During the
last week • dispute arose as to the competition ,
for the Alexandra prizes in this stage, in consequence of
its being discovered that a larger target had been used
than was allowed by the regulations. The target was •
8 feet instead of 6 feet, and those who had made low I
scores protested against the prizes being given up to them.
The winners of high scores, on being applied to, refused
to shoot again, they urging that as they had shot at the
target assigned to them by the officers of the association,
it would be an injustice to them to be called upon to shoot
again. In this dilemma there was no alternative for the
council butte consider the best that could be done,and under
the circumstances it was determined that a prize of 150/.
should be iriveu as extra prizes to be shot for at the same
range asonginally agreed to, the high scores retaining for,
the first prizes their former position. The Duke of Can, i
bridge's' prize for military breech-loaders was again shot
for at 200 and 800 mile, but no very remarkable scores
were made. The other competitions were not sufficiently
important to require special notice. An accident occurred
to Colonel Raiford, of the Ist Leicestershire, this after- I
noon. He was shooting with Cooper's breech- I
loading rifle at the 200 yards for the Duke of Cambridge's
prize, when there was a premature explosion of the cart-'
ridge, which forced back the breech block, and
cut him severely in the palm of the band,
laying the flesh open, and the blood flowing
profusely. In this rifle there was • central fire, the
breech block working horizontally in a line with the barrel,
and the cartridge is forced forward into the chamber.
Meier Fosberry, V.C., the inventor of a very excellent
rifle, who saw the dangerous nature of the principle, ad-
vised Colonel Belford to discontinue the practice with it,
but his advice was neglected, and the accident ensued.
At • late period of the day • fine work of art arrived
from Antwerp, the gift of the Garde Civique of Ant-
werp, to be shot for by the volunteers of England,
at Wimbledon. It consists of • bronze and marble
trophy standing seven feet high. The centre is a black
marble plinth, which is surmounted by • taus bearing the
arms and names of Antwerp, East and West Flanders,
Hainault, Namur, Liege, Lemberg, Luxemburg, and
Brabant. At the ham are four figures, in part-coloured
bronze, of an artilleryman, a civic guard., • chewer, and
• volunteer. Around the base is an inscription in gold
letters, " The Civic Guard of Antwerp to the Volunteers
of Great Britain, 1867." On one side of the
vase is • bas relief of Britannia welcoming
Belgium to her shores. As a specimen of art workman.
ship, it is equal to anything in the tent, and vastly supe-
rior to the majority, contrasting very favourably to the
cup presented by the National Rifle Association to the
Belgians. One is an artistic cup, whilst the other is •
poor copy of silver work manufactured 100 years ago. In
the course of the day Captain Horatio Ross, whilst shoot-
ing in the midst of • hurricane of wind, made two cartons
at the Swiss target at 800 yards.

CRYSTAL Peas.—ONE SHILL/NG DAY.—Mow-'
DAT, JCLY 15.—Admindcas on payment, 11,812 ; ditto
by mason ticksts, 2,896 ; total Maalox+, 14,707.