The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-06 00:00:00

Winners in ceder of merit—Rowland, Wright, *Tinley,
*Holloway (ties), Seder, Cocks, •Hodda. Qualified to shoot
for the Prince Climsort's Prise, in addition to those marked •
—Maxwell, Stewart, Willson, Hobbs, and Morton.
As the day wore on the bright warm sunshine, added to
the two intereethig trials of skill which were set down is
the prognimme, brought an Macau of company, and during
the afternoon, at the tents of the firing parties of the long
lunge men, and grouped around the baud of the Loudon
Rifle Brigade—which under the able leadership of Mr.
George Leder performed in a masterly manner a miscel-
laneous selection from DonOioresoini, the Barbiere, Luriine,
and emu other popular operas—there were, if not crowds,
at all events assemblages of both sexes sufficient to satisfy
the combatants that their rivalry is regarded with interest.
The first important event was the contest for Mr. Fair-
bairn's prize of • Whitworth Rifle, to be shot for by
foreigners—which elicited some of the best shooting that
has been yet seen upon the ground. The nage was 500 yards,
and those who bad been led to expect from the habitual
abort distance at which the Swiss and Tyrolese marksmen
are supposed to practice a considerable waste of
ammuni-
tion and few scores must have been agreeably disappointed.
The official result of the shooting is—

Von Matt
Knecht
Worse'
Heil
Thonnin
Piece
Thovel .

Poista
7
3
3
6
4

Chemin
Peter
!Reath
Vex Bra m
Gendre

Point
I
3
3
5
6
4

Most, if not all of the Swim sharpshooters fired lying
full length upon the ground, taking very cautious
and deliberate aim, and generally occupying from ten
to 20 seconds in covering the target and measuring the dis-
tance with the eye before pulling the trigger. M. Thovel,
who not only carries off the Whitworth ride, but has earned
by the same act a qualification to enter the lists for one of
the royal prizes on Saturday, astonished all who saw hint by
the eztraonlinary precision of his are. It appears that the
old superstition of luck in "a horseshoe" is rife in Switzer-
land as well as in the rural districts of our own country, and
our Swiss champion, having on his way to the Common
found one on the road, regarded it as a talisman, and hung
it at his breast, where he wore it throughout the day like
an order of merit. Whether it was the miraculous power
of the horseshoe or his own superior sight and judgment
we will not presume to determine, but certain it is that
Y. Thovers shooting astonished everybody who saw it.
Three times in succeasion he bit the centre of the target, a
feat not accomplished by any other per on, English or
foreign, during the day.
For Miss Burdett Coutts's prize of AO'. there were no
fewer than 148 entries, and the competitors, when drawn
up at the firing disisami,preeented the appearance of a little
regiment. They were divided, as usual, into a right and
hit wing, and, formed unto three companies, marched to
the tents from which they were to try their skill—Brat at
900, afterwards at 900, and finally at 1,000 yards. For a
long time very few scores were made at this long distance,
mind MAjor-deneral Hay, who directs the whole of the
movements, finding that some little practice was necessary
in order to familiarise the competitors with the long range
sights, considerately issued an order allowing to each man
four trial shots, on condition of his declaring before firing
that they were not shot to more, but as practice. There
were very few indeed who did not avail themselves of this
privilege, and the advantage of it warn speedily seen in the
improved scoring.

It was late a the oftener.= when this last match was
commenced, and at dusk it was not half concluded, one
wing only of the flebeg party baring completed their num-
ber of shots at the SOO pads' range, leering the 900 and
the 1,000 yards' any to be begun. As a matter of course
an adjournment haw nmeseary, and the first business to-
morrow will be the zwomplion of this interesting sesta,
which in open to all coinses—wohuiteers, military men, at
civilians. So far aa aaa be judged by the relative
frequency of the running up of the signal Bap
denoting hit., Colonel Lindsay. of the St. George's
(Lae of the Grenadier Guards), who by his stal-
wart figure and somewhat peculiar dress of loose
white canvass, bright crimson neckerchief, surmounted by
the ordinary chimney.mit hat worn in an unmistakeably
jaunty style, attracted universal attention, nod by some
who professed to know who was who was confidentially pro-
nouoced to be Garibaldi'. veritable English sharpshooter,
C.iptain Peard, promises to stand very near the top of the
list.

Amongst the eompaay on the ground during the day were
observed Earl de Grey and Ripon, Farl Spencer, Lord
Itaaelagh, Lord Groarenor, and Lord Echo.
Shooting will oommence at 8 a.m. to-day (Fnday) for the
Priam Coaeort's prim, at Butte Nal. 1 ad 2.