The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-18 00:00:00

The Wimbledon Meeting,

Yesterday was again a day when the rain during
a couple of hours operated prejudicially upon the
shooting; but both morning and afternoon the light
and wind were all that could be desired. The Vo-
lunteers, therefore, grumbled but slightly at showers
,which coincided very nearly with their dinner hour,
when shooting is, of course, suspended.
Competitors who had been fortunate enough to
obtain a place in the second stage of the Queen's
Prize busied themselves during the day in making
experimental practice with the new rifles, which were

served out to them on Saturday, and expressed
entire satisfaction with the results. The chances of
ultimate success on the part of Mr. E. Ross, who
won the silver medal, were freely canvassed, and
as Englishmen are always ready to " back their
opinions with their money," the discussion in
many instances led to pecuniary wagers. At
some of the former meetings it would not
have been competent for any competitor to
carry off the Queen's Prize a second time, but in
consequence of representalions made as to the dis-
couraging tendency of this regulation, the subject
was fully considered at a meeting of the Association,
and it was determined to rescind the rule. Mr.
Ross, therefore, if he should find himself ahead of
the 60 this afternoon, as he has already made his
way to the lead of the 2,000, will become entitled
to the enviable distinction of receiving for the
'second time the prize given by her Majesty. Al-
though admission to the second stage of the great
annual competition at Wimbledon is restricted to the
60 best shots in the first stage, the possession of a
Rigby rifle fell within the grasp, or, rather, the for-
tune, of others as well. In connexion with the first
stage a Queen's or Rigby Rifle Sweepstakes was
founded and carried on under the following condi-
tions :--Such competitors as chose to do so paid an
entrance-fee of 55., in addition to the entrance-fee
for the Queen's Prize, and rifles were awarded to
them in the proportion of one for every complete
100 entries. The scores made for the Queen's
Prize decided the individuals--outside the prize
winners under the general conditions of the match
—to whom rifles should be given, but no one who
had neglected to pay the extra entrance fee had a
claim to one of these rifles ; and it happened, curi-
ously enough, that there were several who were
obliged to go without them, though their scores, had
they been subscribers, were adequate to procure for
them this advantage. The regulations under which
the sweepstakes were carried on, introduced an ele-
ment of novelty into the competition, and seemed
to excite much interest among the Volunteers.
To all parties the new system. is attended with
gain. For while successful Volunteers obtain a first-
class match rifle upon a nominal payment of 55., the
Association benefits from the proportion of entries
in excess of those required to make up the cost price
of £2O. And, lastly, Messrs. Rigby, the makers of
the new rifles, not only secure in this manner the
placing a large number of their weapons in the
hands of first class shots, but are relieved from the
necessity of taking back 30 rifles, which, from hav-
ing been used in the competition, could only be sold
afterwards as second-hand. It is understood that
this latter disadvantage was felt very strongly by
Mr. Whitworth, whose name has been so creditably
associated with former prize meetings of the Associa-
tion, and that the new arrangement was adopted,
in a great measure, with a view of overcoming the
difficulty thus pointed out.

The two most interesting competitions of the day
were those for the Dragon Cup, restricted to the
sixty best shots in the first stage of the competition
for the St. George's Challenge Vase ; and for the
" Any Rifle, Wimbledon Cup," value £lOO, re-
stricted to winners of prizes of the value of £5O and
upwards in " any rifle" competitions at Wimbledon
in previous years.

The Dragon Cup was carried off by Private J.
Hamerton, 12th Middlesex, with a score of 22 points,
made in seven shots at 600 yards.
Captain Horatio Ross, 6th Kincardinshire, took
the Wimbledon Cup, justly accounted one of the
principal prizes of the meeting, with a score of 48
points, made at the GOO and 1,000 yard ranges, a
feat which it is needless to say has increased the
confidence of the Scots in camp as to the issue of
the match for the Elcho Challenge Shield.
The other principal competitions during the day
were the following :

FIRST STAGE ALBERT.
Highest Scores at 500 Yards.
Capt. Goodliffe, London Rifle Brigade ..
Capt. Hpaton, 3d Manchester

Mr. Metford
Capt. Astley, School of Musketry
Sergeant Edwards, 6th Stafford ~
Corporal Norsworth, 23d Middlesex
Ensign Pixley, Victorias ..
Private G. Wilkin, Elion Rifles

Major Bishop, Guernsey ~.
Ensign Sprott, sth Lancashire

Corporal Thomas, 13th Lancashiro..
Sergeant Tinker, sth Lincoln

Private Malcolm, London Scottish

Sergeant Brown, 13th Lancashire
Capt. Penny, Ist Gloucester Artillery
Private Johnson, Bth Stafford
Private Dawson, 4th West York
Ensign Cockeram, 4th West York
Lieut. Purchas, 14th Worcester

Corporal Ingram, 3d Lanark...
Sergeant Green, 3d Somerset .

Sergeant Palmer, 36th Stafford
Captain Jaques, Surr©y
Lieut. Marriner, 9th Middlesex

Private Lord Aberdeen, London Scottish:::

Private Dunlop, London Scottish

Private Rasons, Hon. Artillery Company ../
Private Holloway, sth Gloucester „.
Private Paulett, Cambridge University

Captain Macgregor, London Scottish
Sergeant Snelus, Bth Cheshire
Corporal Fraser, 7th Inverness
Captain Kinnear, Edinburgh Rifle Brigade
Private Baker, Ist Gloucester
•••

... 20

... 20

... 20
... 20

... 19
... 19
... 19
... 19

... 19

... 19
... 19
... 19

... 19

... 19
... 19

•••
Sergeant Lane, Bristol Rifles
SECOND ST AGE ALEXANDRA, 600 YARDS.
WINNER.

Sergeant Kerr, London Scottish ~.
...
... 23
ANY RIFLE ASSOCIATION CUP—HIGHEST
SCORE.

200 600
Yards. Yards. Total.
A. Annison, L. S. R. C. ... 19 20 39
THIRD SERIES EXTRA PRIZES—HIGHEST
SCORES.-600 Yards.
Lieut. Cunningham, 18th Middlesex ... 19
Private the Earl of Aberdeen, London Scottish 18
Private Johnston, Bth Stafford
Private Read, 14th Suffolk
Private Halsell, 21st Lancashire
Corporal Chapman, 3d West York ...
Private Parsons, Hon. Artillery Company
Private Adams, Ist Hereford ~,
Sergeant Lane, Bristol
Ensign Starkie, Queen
DRAGON CUP.—WrxNER.

... 17
... 17

... 17

Private J. Hamerton, 12th Middlesex, 600 yards, 22 points.
Correction.—Mr. Bass's Prize (Saturday, 15th inst.)—
For Private Bird, 18th Salop, read Colour-Sergeant Black,
Bth Warwick.