The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-01 00:00:00

THE VOLUNTEERS.

Referring to the conditions for the annual trial of
rifles which appeared in The Sun a short time since,
the following addition has been added to condition
111. :—Length.—The length of the barrel to be 33
inches.

The members of the St. James's Company Queen's
(Westminster) Rifle Volunteers competed for the
Bidgood Challenge Cup and association Prize on
Monday last at Wormwood Scrubbs. The ranges
were 200, 500, and 600 yards, seven shots at each
range, Wimbledon targets and scoring. The cup
was won by Private Hewitt, with a score of 54
marks ; Private James taking the second prize with
a total of 51 marks.

On Saturday last a match between two tens of
No. 2 company of the 2d or South Middlesex
Rifles, took place at the ranges of the corps at the
rear of the head-quarters, Beaufort-house, Walham-
green. The butts of the Queen's (Westminster) and
St. George's Rifles, at Wormwood Scrubbs, will be
opened to the regiments all day on the 3rd and 17th
of September, and on the let and 15th of October,
while those of the West Middlesex will be opened
all day on the 13th and 27th of September, and on
the 11th and 25th of October. The Regimental
Challenge Cup of the corps will be shot for by
members of No. 1 and 2 companies on Saturday
next, at Wormwood-scrubbs, at the ranges of the
Queen's (Westminster).
The annual prize meeting of the 12th Middlesex
(Barnet) Rifles has been brought to a close at the
ranges of the corps at Moat Mount, Highwood, in
the grounds of Mr. E. W. Cox. The arrangements
this year were more extensive than usual, including
an encampment which lasted four nights. The
tents were arranged to form three sides of a square,
and were about 10 or 12 in number. The camp was
protected against intruders from without by a rope
stretched upon stakes, and the only legitimate way
of ingress and egress was through a handsome
arched entrance of evergreens guarded by sentinels
night and day. One tent to three persons was one
of the camp regulations.
The vacation of the 7th Surrey Rifles will cease
on Wednesday next, September 7, on which day
the usual drills will be resumed. The annual
regimental prize meeting will be held on Friday
and Saturday next at the rifle ranges on Wimble■
don-common.

In Essex the Ist County Corps has been hospit-
ably entertained at the residence of Major Russell,
its captain. Several members of the corps have
competed at the butt for a pewter, which after some
smart firing, was won by Private Unwin. A con-
test has taken place among the Chelmsford Corps
for a challenge medal given by Major Bringhurst,
and held during the past year by Private Aldridge.
The conditions were two shots at 200, 300, 500, 600,
and 900 yards. The highest score (10 marks) was
made by Corporal F. Meggy, to whom Major Bring-
hurst accordingly presented the medal, Corporal
Meggy has now won the medal for the third time
out of four contests. The annual prize competition
among the members of the Colchester Corps com-
menced on Monday, and was continued on Tuesday.
A sum of £lO was presented by each of the borough
members, and was competed for by separate corn.
panies. The ranges were 300 and 600 yards, seven
shots at each, and the winners were as follows :—A
company, first prize, a silver cup of the value of
£7—Major Bishop ; B company, first prize, a silver
cup of the value of £7—Sergeant Pertwee. Batta-
lion prizes were presented by Lieut.-Col. Sir Claude
de Crespigny and Major Bishop, open to two mem-
bers in the Essex County Administrative Battalion,
of which the Colchester corps forms a part, the
prizes being given for the highest scores at 600
yards, seven shots each. The first prize, of £4, was
won by Private G. Farmer, 6th Essex. The Har-
wich winners' prizes were competed for at 200 and
500 yards, seven shots at each, the highest scores
to take their chance, and winners at Harwich not
to compete. The first prize, a clock, presented by
Private Bagg, was won by Bugle-Major Aylett.
Tuesday's shooting commenced with a compe-
titian among the members of both companies for
a London armoury rifle presented by Mr H.
Green, a silver powder flask presented by Armourer
Hast, and a silver card-case presented by Private
Dold. The ranges were 400 and 600 yards, seven
shots at each, and the winner of the first prize was
Corporal Farmer. Skirmishing prizes were cffered
to each company, to be divided among the
three beet targets of each company, ranges between
400 and 200 yards. A volley firing prize of £5
was competed for by 10 men of each company, the
winners to receive 10s each ; 10 shots each. The
average of the A company was 9.70 and of the B
company 6.50; the representatives of the A com
pany were therefore the winners. The shooting for
one orthe remaining prizes was continued yesterday.
The Oxford City Rifle Corps had its annual prize
shooting on Monday at Hinksey butt. A silver cup
given by Private Underhill was won by Private
Prior, who made 26 marks in seven rounds, each at
500 and 600 yards. A cluck offered by Mr Parsons,
banker, was carried off by Corporal Green-39
marks, seven rounds, at 200 and 500 yards. The
challenge rifle, presented by the late Mr .1. Mor-
rell, was gained by Private Prior-31 marks, five
rounds at 500 and 600 yards. Private Venables
won a silver cup for the highest score (27) at 300
and 400 yards, five rounds, Two University pewter
tankards, offered by Ensign Hussey, prizemen
ing excluded from the competition, were won by
Private Bartlett (24 marks) and Sergeant Jacob
(20), five rounds at 250 and 450 yards.
In Suffolk the third annual contest has just taken
place for the challenge vase presented to the Had-
leigh corps. Other prizes were also shot for. The
vase must be won by a member for two consecutive
years before it becomes his property. It is conse-
quently open for future competition, as it has this
year been gained by Lieut, Robinson, Sergeant
Kersey, the last:winner, having failed to secure 't There were four other contests, the first being flo.
£B, or a silver cup of that value, presented by Cap sr
Thornley, and which was won by Ensign Freeman
who made 31 marks at 650, 700, 800, and 900 yards) '
five shots each. The next contest was for another
challenge vase, together with a handsome clock
presented by the Hon. Lady Rowley. The vase
was competed for subject to the same conditions as
at the two former contests, and was won by Lieut.
Robinson, who made a total of 28 marks at 300,
500, and 600 yards. The third contest was for three
prizes offered by Lieut. Robinson—for £3, £2, and
£l, at 150, 200, and 250 yards,
A rifle contest between the first and second bat-
talions of the Staffordshire Rifle Volunteers took
place at Sudbury-park, Derbyshire, on Saturday.
There were 16 competitors on each side, the dis-
tances being 200, 500, and 600 yards, with five
shots at each distance, and the rifles used long En-
fields. The first battalion scored at the respective
distances as follows :-200 yards, 214 ; 500 yards,
200 ; 600 yards, 178 ; total marks, 502. The second
battalion made 222 at the first range, ]96 at the
second, and 144 at the third ; total, 562. This
made the eleventh match which the first battalion
had shot with different corps, and in every one of
them they have been the victors.
The winner cf the first prize at 300 yards in the
match at Bury was Sergeant Harding.
meTeltle tooka annual shooting of the Leicestershire regi-
e,up
Value
2 pslace last week for the challenge prize, a
wiz answers The terms Were five shots each at 300, 500, and GOO
yards, and 13
rsla'there were 19 competitors.
judging distance. This
prize was won by Private Kelsey, of the Ashbysdee
lasZoech corps. The Ladies' Prize, a cup value
£lO, shot for by marksmen only of this year, I