The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-27 00:00:00

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The contest for the prize of £lOO
General the Marquis of Tweeddale, and carr;
under the auspices of the National Rifle Associa-
tion, was resumed yesterday at the northern
ranges, Wimbledon. Unlike the previous day, the
sun made itself felt with great power, but in the
forenoon, at all events, there was a sufficiency of
wind to cool the air, and it would have been diffi-
cult to select weather more favourable for the pur-
pose in view. All the rifles which were fired on
the previous day had been carefully locked up in
the interval, and like convicts under the Irish bys-
tam, were only allowed out under supervision, re-
maining, except at the moment of actu4l firing,
under the care and custody of the Cuuncil, who will
continue to take elvage of them until the close. of
the competition, or until the particular competitors
to whom they Moog withdraw from further at-
tempts to win the prize. The obvioua intention of
the stipulation that each competitor shall fire on
successive days until he has shot away 440 rounds
in all, and that the rifle meanwhile shall be beyond
his control, is to test its performances under all cir-
cumstances, not merely to discover how it shoots
when fresh from the factory and with every advan-
tage in its favour, but how it will bear up against
disadvantages as well. All the competitors in the
muzzle-loading class fired once on the previous day
with the exception of Mr Rigby, whose turn stood
over till yesterday. He loaded from a powder
flask and fired with much greater deliberatian than
the rest, relying apparently upon steady shooting
rather than excessive speed. Accordingly, his 100
shots extended over 60 min. and 35 sec., and the
following was the score which he obtained from
that number of rounds :-27 bulls'eeyes, 41 cenres,
19 outers, 2 ricochets, 11 misses,—total, 269 marks.
This was a result better by 75 marks than the
score of Mr Turner, who stood second on the list
the previous day, but it was of course open to
the comment that Mr. Turner's 100 rounds were
fired in 41 min. 2 sec. The Whitworth rifle in the
hands of Mr. Leace more than repeated its wonder-
ful performance of the previous day. The time
occupied was indeed longer by a few seconds, but
the second 100 rounds were still fired in the in-
credibly short period of 24 min. 54 sec. The score
made in that time consisted of 36 bulls' eyes, 46
centres, 16 outers, ricochets, 0, misses, 2 ; total
marks 314, being an improvement of 10 marks upon
the result achieved on Monday, when every one was
taken by surprise. As this striking and insurmount-
able evidence of what can be done with a muzzles
loader is certain to be adduced in argument when-
ever the comparative merits of muzzle and breech
loaders are discussed in future, it is right to state
that in the handling of Mr. Whitworth's rifle the
time occupied in loading was reduced to a minimum
by the use of cartridges specially prepared. These
were of a similar description to those patented for
use with his small-bore rifle, save that they were
made of the regulation size. A paper cylinder
contains both the powder and bullet, in the order
in which these are to descend into the barrel. The
ballet acts as a plug at one end of the cylinder; at
the other the powder is confined by a little calico
and pasteboard slide, which can be pulled away the
moment the cartridge case is placed on the top of
the barrel. A single downward motion of the
ramrod through the cylinder sends the bullet home
after the powder; the cartridge case then slips off
over the head of the ramrod, and this there is never
any occasion to turn, because the point, hollowed
slightly into the shape of a cup, gives all the force
that is the necessary to the charge in ramming
home, and immediately that the rod is withdrawn
from the barrel it is in the right position to be
thrust into the stock. Mr. Whitworth also is for-
tunate in his representative Leace, with whom, for
quickness, steadiness, and confidence of aim, there
is not another man upon the ground who can
compete. This explanation involves no disparage•
ment whatever of Mr Whitworth% rifle. On the
contrary, it shows that having made up his mind to
forward what he believed to be the best weapon, he
took care to surround it with the very best appli-
ances. A point was raised on the part of one of the
competitors that sufficient notice was hardly given
of the time at which the prize would be shot for.
It must, however, be borne in mind that the condia
tions under which the prize was offered were pecu-
liar, and unless a certain number of competitors
entered in both classes no competition was to take
place. The last competitor, therefore, whose par-
ticipation in the contest was requisite to make up
the quorum by delaying to send in his name, was,
in fact, limiting the extent of notice which it was
possible to forward to him and his fellows. The
Turner rifle in its second trial did not fulfil the ex,
peetations of its friends. The time occupied in
firing the 100 rounds from this weapon was 40m.
47 sec., and the score which it made was as follows :
Bull's-eyes 15, centres 22, outers 20, ricochets 3,
misses 40—total marks 166. The great merit
claimed for it of not fouling was hardly sustained,
for towards the close of its prescribed operations the
difficulty of loading became obviously greater. The
result of the 10 shots fired separately to test the
accuracy of the rifle convinced Mr Turner that in
the face of the large score already made by Mr
Whitworth it would be needless to prolong the con-
test, and he accordingly withdrew his name. The
10 accuracy shots fired without reference to rapi-
dity by the competitors respectively exhibited the
following results—Whitworth, 32 ; Rigby, 26 ;
Turner, 9.
Simultaneously, and at the range immediately
adjoining, the great problem of combining accuracy
with rapidity of fire was also being worked out with
the materials supplied by various breech loading
firms and inventors. The favourite Mont Storm
pattern was the first tried, and the experiment
was of a disappointing character. The weapon
certainly could not have fallen into hands capable
of displaying it to advantage, for in the last 50
rounds the man who fired with it struck the target
only three times, whereas Mr. Brandlin, the
manager of the Mont-Storm Works, immediately
that the stipulated number of rounds was ended,
reloaded the weapon, and in presence of General
Hay made a bull's-eye upon the same target at
which his delegate had fired. In consequence of
the explosion which occurred during the Wimble-
don meeting, and as to the cause of which at the
time much controversy existed, the performance of
the piece in this respect was watched very narrowly'.
In the 130 rounds fired in the course of the trial
there was not a single case of explosion or wise-fire'
It is right to add that the patentees of the Mont.
Storm invention do not lay so much stress upon any
pt
ha
er t i cbur leaeredeh scription h
cfh btahrerye loos ry ci
sa r dge as on
applicable to
wouldh e 1 o
0. be
.morerounds
Enfield rifles into
was the
every description of firearms, but
especially valuable in converting
breech-loaders at a trifling cost.
10 centres, 14 outers,
come a good deal into
total marks, 82. The Snider
6 ricochets, 64 misses;
stocookre2r2ecmoridneudt....es
recorded-6
fire,nl,o saenyde the following
notice. It uses a cartridge carrying its own igni4
rifle is one that h
having
tion—that is to say, a central cap upon
which a piston acts to explode the charge, and the
time and labour of capping being thereby done
as latterly
away with a considerable saving is of course effected.
It accomplished its 100 rounds in the remarkably
short period of 12 min. 50 sec., and the following
was the score made :-4 bull's-eyes, 20 centres, 30
outers, 1 ricochet, 45 misses; total marks, 136.
There was one miss-fire with this rifle. The next
piece tried was the Matthews rifle, which possesses
a very light recoil and rather peculiar action. A
handle on the right side of the weapon, just beyond
the socket of the nipple, communicates with a bolt
sliding across the end of the barrel and fitting
into a groove, so that when drawn out a cartridge
can be pushed in, and when locked it forms a. per-
fect breech. Greased cartridges, somewhat miler
to those introduced by Mr. Westley Itichard3, are
used with this rifle. The 100 rounds were fired in
26 minutes, and the following was the score : 'Twelve
boll's-eyes, 17 centres, 27 outers, 5 ricochets, 39
misses ; total marks 153. Five miss fires took place
with this weapon, but four of them occurred in con-
nection with the same cartridge, in which there
was evidently some defect.
Lord Elcho and Gen. Hay were present as on the
former day, and Captains Page (London S cottish)
and Knight (19th Regiment) continued to f superin-
tend the firing with perfect impartiality ai id satise
faction to all parties.

PRICE .4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

Historian, Bertha, King of -Utopia, Almack, Luira, Cadiz,
Old Orange Girl, Fiancee, Master Richard, Planet, Flying
Fish, Muczzin, Trumps, Avondale, Myrtle, Bcatrix,
Teddy, Idler, lEtna, Wild Thyme, Skeffington, Tcneriffe,
Lytham, Diomede Menace, and Bold Houghton.
Betting-6 to 1 agst Marigcld, Bto 1 each agst Saccharo•
meter and Flying Fish, 10 to 1 agst Master Richard, 16 to 1
ngst Mufq.zin, 103 to 6 agst Man at Arms, 20 to 1 each apt
Lady Clifden, Queen of TI amps, and Argonnu'r, 25 to 1 each
agst Bertha, Skeffington, and Almack, and 50 to 1 each agst
Blue Mantle and Vivid.

In consequence of repeated refusals to face the flags, and
constant breakings away, the patience of the spectators was
sorely taxed, upwards of one hour and three quarters being
lost at the post before Mr M'Georgo was enabled to dismiss
them from the post. When fairly away they were seen
breasting the hill nearly in a line, Biondella with her stable
companion having a slight advantage, close up with whom
sere on the far side Flying Fish, Marigold, Argonaut, and
on their left by Diomed, King of Utopia, Old Orange Girl,
and Queeen of Spain, their immediate followers being Sac-
charometer, Almack, Master Richard, and Historian—the
others following in close order. As they entered the bottom
Mr Naylor's pair were disposed of, Flying Fish at the same
time taking a clear lead, closely followed by Marigold, Ar-
gonaut, Crisis, and King of Utopia, who ran in close com-
pany to the half distance, where Lord Stamford's filly was
beaten, leaving the finish with the three placed and King of
Utopia. At the Stand they closed, but Marigold running
the longest shook off her opponents, and won very cleverly
at last by a length. A hdad only separated the second and
third. King of Utopia was fourth, close up ; Flying Fish
fifth, and Old Orange Girl sixth. Then came at wide inter-
vals Historian, Lady Clifden, Queen of Spain; Tippler,
and Saccharometer. The others who were pulling being
whipped in by Lufra, Fiancee, Alchemist, and Queen of
Trumps.
The Gratwicke Stakes of 100 soya each, h ft, for colts Bst
101 b, and fillies Bst 51b; with certain allowances; the
second horse to receive 100 soya, Mile and a half. 16
subs.
Mr T. I'Anson's Blair Athol (31b), Bst 71b (Challoner) 1
Mr C. Alexander's Peon (31b), Bst 71b (Wells) 2
Mr Merry's Miss Pickle (61b), 7st 131 b (Hayward) 3