The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-03 00:00:00

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The annual general meeting of this association
took place on Saturday afternoon at Willis's Rooms.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the
president, took the chair at half-past 2 o'clock. A
printed balance-sheet was circulated, which showed
the gross receipts for the past year to have been
£11,158 10s. 5d., and that after paying all expenses
and investing a sum of £1,521 in Exchequer Bills,
there remained a balance in favour of the associa-
tion of £658.

The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, after alluding to the
loss which the association had sustained by the
deaths of the Prince Consort and Lord Herbert,
said—l am happy to tell you that the position of
the association is as favourable as we could expect.
Although on one point it may not have met with
all that success which we could have desired, yet
the success has been extraordinary and beyond all
expectation. I allude to the very much larger num-
ber of entries for competition subscribed for last
year as compared with what they were the year
before. In 1860, whilst the entries for prizes only
amounted to £585 165., the entries for prizes in
1861 amounted to £1,892 18s. If we go on at the
same ratio, at the competition of the present year
we ought to treble what they were last year. On
the other hand, I am sorry to say that last year the
attendance of visitors was not satisfactory, except
on the last day, when there was a volunteer review.
No doubt, however, that at the ensuing competition
there would be a very much larger attendance, for
the National Exhibition, bringing, as it will, fo-
reigners from every part of the world, and from
our own colonial possessions, will create a vast influx
to Wimbledon, and will no doubt greatly contri-
bute to assist the association in its praiseworthy
efforts. I have alluded to the fact of there having
been a meeting of the volunteer corps on the last
day of the shooting at Wimbledon. That was an
experiment which was tried, and which, I am happy
to say, has been eminently successful. (Cheers,) I
believe it is the wish of many of the gentlemen who
sit around me that another meeting of this descrip-
tion should take place, if possible. So far as I am
concerned,l certainly respond to that sentiment, and
if it is the wish of the volunteers and of the associa-
tion in general that such a meeting should take
place, I have no doubt it will be held, for I am con-
fident that a more interesting or useful meeting
could not be, nor one better calculated to promote
our success than such assemblages. (Cheers.) I
wish, in passing, to remark that this is another evi-
dence that the military authorities are not so ad-
verse to the volunteer movement as it has been said
they are. I rarely have opportunities of expressing
this sentiment that I do not do so, and I am at a
loss to account for the fact that, when an opportu-
nity occurs, something is said to the effect that we
throw obstacles in the way of the volunteer move-
ment. All I can say is, I invariably endeavour, so
far as I am concerned, to show that I have no feeling
or desire of that sort, and I defy any body of men
to bring forward a single act of mine which has the
slightest tendency to throw obstacles in the way of
the movement. (Cheers.) Returning to the report, I
will next call your attehtion to the fact that at the
last meeting at Wimbledon " pool shooting"
amounted almost to a mania, and the result was that
it produced in the aggregate a sum of £2,542 175.,
and if you consider that that sum was made up of
shillings paid for each shot, you will see that it
was a very largo sum to have been collected in that
way. No doubt, being so popular and so general,
every facility will be given to the continuance
of pool shooting as before. (Cheers.) Last year
we had also the competition of public schools.
That was also very successful. (Cheers.) We
are glad to find that the young men of the rising
generation are devoting so much time to, and show-
-1 ing so much interest in, rifle shooting. I think
we may look forward to that circumstance as
a satisfactory proof that rifle shooting, which has
been so generally entertained in the country, will
progress, as being one of the most acceptable and
useful movements to which the people of this coun-
try can devote their time and attention. (Cheers.)
In regard to our finances, I believe that we have
£1,500 invested in Exchequer Bills, and that, at all
events, is so far satisfactory as to enable us to go on
with the various arrangements which have already
been commenced, and which will, I believe, be pro-
ceeded with in as satisfactory a manner as they
were last year. I may state here, happening as I do
to have some property in the neighbourhood, that
last meeting was conducted in a manner so satisfac-
tory, and with so much order and regularity, that
the residents in the neighbourhood have not now
the slightest objection to the meeting being held at
Wimbledon. If the meeting can be held there it
will be a great advantage, because of its excellent
ranges and its tasy distance from London. I re-
peat what I alluded to last year, that if a little
more support was given to the Central Association
it would certainly be a very great advantage.
Various prizes will be shot for next year. The
Prince of Wales's Prize will be open to the holders
of the bronze and silver medals from the colonies,
as well as the country associations. The matches
between Eton, Harrow, Rugby, and other schools,
and between the universities, will also take place.
It is intended also, if it can be so arranged, for the ac-
commodation of volunteers, and if considered accept-
able and desirable, that there should be facilities af-
forded for volunteers who visit Wimbledon from the
country, and who find some difficulty in procuring
accommodation. It is intended that there should
be facilities afforded as in a camp—at least, there
will be the means of camping out for the volunteers
who arrive from a distance, and who, perhaps, in
cinscquence of the Exhibition and other matters,
may have some difficulty in obtaining lodgings. So
( far as the association is concerned, everything will