The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-30 00:00:00

1 Military Rifle Competition,

On yester day, the fifth day of the competition at
'Wimbledon for tile prize of £lOO offered by Gene-
ral the Marqt Lis of Tweeddale, with a view of elicit-
ing the best r iilitary rifle, both breech and muzzle
loading, the p roceedings were brought to a close.
The decision i n this case involved a series of expe-
riments of the highest interest and importance, and
in working these out under favourable circum-
stances, in tilt short interval elapsing since Monday
last, a good I 'Tactical insight has been gained into
the value of twist of the inventions and adaptations
from time to, time submitted to the public by in.
ventors and gunmakers, loud in praise of their own

productions. In many respects the results of the
competition took the Council of the National Rifle
Association, and must have taken the public, by
surprise. No one, for instance, could have been
prepared for the marvellous accuracy and rapidity
of fire obtained from the Whitworth muzzle-load■
ing rifle ; still less for the limited amount of success
attendant on the shooting of the breech-loaders.
The truth is that so severe a test as 440 rounds, of
evnich 110 were fired continuously every day, had
scarcely ever, if ever, been applied before ; and,
when resorted to, it naturally found out all the
weak places existing in the weapons, however highly
prepared these might have been for the contest.
The proceedings of the last two days were full of
interest. Oa Thursday what at one time seemed
the impossible feat of surpassing the performance
of the Whitworth rifle was accomplished by the
weapon in the hands of INir Rigby, of Dublin. The
time of shooting was still in favour of the Whit-
worth, but Mr Rigby made a score considerably
Larger. The former fired its rounds in 28 minutes
48 seconds, obtaining 31 bull's eyes, 42 centres,
19 outers, 0 ricochets, and 8 misses—total
marks, 288.
Mr Rigby occupied 37 minutes
and 19 seconds in his shots, but made 36 bull's
eyes, 44 centres, 15 outers, 0 ricochets, and but 5
missestotal marks, 306, or 18 beyond the number
recorded for Mr Whitworth,
yesterday Mr Rigby completed his fourth period
of firing, and in his 100 shots, which occupied 41
minutes 9 seconds, made 22 bull's eyes, 50 centres,
21 seaters, 0 ricochets, and 7 misses, his total marks
being 280. The subsequent ten shots for accuracy
yielded a score of 26. It will be remembered that
the other competitors, Mr Turner and Mr Boucher,
re tired from the contest after one or two trials, con-
vi aced that it would be hopeless to prolong their
efforts against the Whitworth in the hands of such
a tkilfal performer as Leace. Mr Rigby, however,
persevered against what at first seemed hopeless
odds, and made such unlooked-for progress as to
show that little real difference existed in the wea-
pons between which the struggle ultimately lay,
and that with slight additional preparation and
training he might have won as much eclat as his
distinguished rival. In describing the efforts made
by Mr Rigby against Mr Whitworth's representa-
tive it is only fair to add the substance of his own
stat ement. According to this, he and Mr Boucher
wei .e the only persons who originally sent in their
nal nes as intending to compete. Unless a third name
ha d bran added to the list, the prize under these
conditions must have been withdrawn, and no com-
petition would have taken place. A long interval
apsed before the secretary to the National Rifle
_Aseociation was in a position to announce that the
'competition would go on, and to mention the time
at which it would take place. The period origi-
ginally named as the limit for making entries passed
meanwhile, and Mr Rigby, believing that the
matter had fallen to the ground, abandoned his pre-
parations, and it was only on receipt of a telegram
that the arm with which he has since made such
exei:lient practice was rifled and completed for
th 3 contest. To the very end of the proceeding.
the Whitworth rifle loaded with the same remark-
able facility as in the opening stages of the contest;
and the members of the Council present, when its
449 rounds were completed, amang whom were
Lords Elcho and Ducie, tried some experiments
with a view of ascertaining whether the bullet was
at ell likely to be displaced. They also shot with
the rifle at, the 800 yards' range, but in every re-
sp act its performances proved most satisfactory. At
ti-,e breech-loading range the number of competitors,
hough still numerous, was further diminished on
Tnursday by the withdrawal of the Mont-Storm
converted Enfield. This result was in some respects
inevitable, because the gentlemen interested in the
succens of the patent, in their desire to comply with
a suggestion attached to the conditions, adhered
too closely to the notion of exhibiting a converted
service weapon, and shot with the full length of
barrel, the ordinary service bullets, &e. Other
.cernpetitors, on the contrary, discarded military
notions altogether, shortened their barrel by several
inches where they thought this likely to improve
its shooting powers, used cartridges specially pre-
pared, and the new Mitford bullet, which is light-
ened at the point. " Mont Storm" was also unsuc-
cessful in its handling; but to put in the scale
against these disadvantages one result was achieved
to which great importance is attached by its pro-
moters. This consisted in the proof afforded that
miss fires' and explosions are not likely to occur
with the gun, however rapidly it may be dis-
charged. An allegation unfavourable to the gun
in this respect had been put forward, and the
patentees showed themselves even more anxious
to refute this than to win the prize. Before relin-
quishing his position on the roll of competitors,
Mr. Brandlin, the manager of the Mont Storm
works, claimed the right of firing his 100 rounds,
not at the target, bat into a pit, with a view
to illustrate both its rapidity and perfect secu-
rity of action. The 100 rounds were completed
in 13 minutes 30 seconds, and might have been fired
in less, but for the regulation compelling him to put
the gun to his shoulder at each discharge. There
was no hitch of any kind in connection with this
proceeding ; and in illustration of the importance
attached to the principle of the invention, irrespec-
tive of any particular weapon or cartridge to which
it may hitherto have been applied, probably the
largest private manufactory of arms in England,
about to comrneace operations in Birmingham, is to
make a prominent feature of the Mont-Storm breech
in its productions. The Snider rifle—an invention
also claiming to afford facilities for converting
muzzle-loaders without weakening the arm—fired
its 100 rounds on Thursday in 12 mins. 48 secs.,
making 7 bull's-eyes, 20 centres, 26 outers, 0 rico-
chets, 47 misses,—total marks, 144. Its 10 accuracy
rounds produced 21 points. Yesterday its allotted
number of rounds were fired in 14 cains. 28 secs.,
and the following score made :-13 bull's-eyes, 28
centres, 17 outers, and 42 misses ; total marks, 170.
26 marks were recorded for its 10 accuracy shots.
The Snider rifle, in common with that advocated by
Mr. Henry, uses a central fire cartridge. containing
its own ignition ; and it is contended on its behalf
that din copper base of the cartridge, while pro-
tecting the fulminate from liability to accidental
explosion, closes the breech chamber more effectually
than the greased wads in use in many breech-loading
systems. On Thursday the Henry rifle discharged
its 100 rounds in 16 mins. 4 secs., making 14 bull's-
eyes, 39 centres, 29 outers, and 18 misses ; total
marks, 231. There was one missfire ; and its 10
accuracy shots yielded 30 points. Yesterday its 100
rounds were fired in 16 minutes 40 seconds, and
the Score was 19 bull's-eyes,
35 centres, 19
outers, 27 misses, 1 ricochet; total marks, 210.
As on the previous day there was one missfire,
and its accuracy shots gave an average of
outers. The performances of Green's breechloader
were very dissimilar ou the two consecutive drys.
Oa Thursday the 100 rounds took 27 minutes and 13
seconds to fire, in which time 3 bull's-eyes, 13
ce,i-fes, 22 outers, and 02 misses were recorded,
giving a total Score of 95. There were eight miss-
fires in the 100 rounds; one of the cartridges also
brolsc, and had to be drawn with a rod and knife—
s very delicate and tedious operation. Yesterday its
100 rounds were all shot off in 20 minutes 16 seconds,
and the score included 13 bull's-eyes, 30 centres, 21
meters, 1 ricochet, and 36 misses, making the total
number 184. Oa this occasion there were no miss-
fires. The L'oep3r rifle yesterday shot through its
rounds in 16 min. 32 eec., scoring three bull's-eyes,
21 centres, 21 eaters, 8 ricochets, and 56 misses,
giving a total 115 marks. The 10 accuracy shots
felled to strike the target in any instance. This