The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-05 00:00:00

The National Artillery Association.

The first annual prize Meeting of the association
was brought to a close yesterday by the shooting for
a prize, value 150, presented by his Royal High-
ness the Prince of Wales. This was fired for under
precisely similar circumstances as those which ruled
the previous competitions--namely, that each com-
peting detachment should, fire five rounds—three at
1,250 and two at 1,500 yards, each shot alter-
nately, so as to necessitate pointing the gun in
a different direction each time, and causing
as well a change of elevation. The competitors
were the Ist C Cinque Ports, the Ist A Cinque
Ports, three detachments of the Ist Middlesex, two
detachments of the 4th Cinque Ports, the 2d Mid-
dlesex, the 4th West York (Sheffield), the 3d Dur-
ham,.the 2d Cinque Ports; and two detachments of
the Ist Kent. The third detachment of the Ist
Middlesex fired with the 18-pounder, and the Ist
Kent held to the 68, the remainder keeping to the
32. The highest scores made were :—The Ist de-
tachment of the Ist Middlesex, 21 in 7 min. 1 sec. ;
the 2d detachment of the Ist Kent also 24.; the 4th
West York, 23 in 6 min. 10 sec. ; and the 3d Dur-
ham and 2d Middlesex, each 22d. The Ist Mid..
dlesex men were then called upon to fire off the tie,
and it was found that they had left the range, not
estimating that their score stood any chance. When
they were found they were brought up at the
double, and, as may well be imagined, were not
able to make good practice. The Ist Kent got the
range at the first shot, and were declared the win-
ners of the prize. In the morning the Volunteers
were permitted to see the Royal Artillery practice
with the Armstrong guns, and the capabilities of
this arm of precision in the hands of skilled men
were proved in a very short time. The 40-pounder
Armstrong was first practised at a small target at
3,000 yards, and even the sighting shots were so
close to the target that they would have obtained
the maximum number of points for direction and
elevation. Mortar practice and some shooting with
the 100-pounder Armstrong at the long sea ranges
also served to show the younger service the strides
which were being taken in gunnery, and the Volun-
teers left the range with increased respect for the
rifled gun, and with something like the feeling for
the smooth-bore which the Rigby riflemen would
have for the discarded Brown Bess. The officers
of the Royal Artillery expressed the highest opi-
nion of the manner in which the Volunteers
had handled their guns. The only fault found
by Col. Fisher, whose position as an instructor of
the Royal Artillery gave great weight to his words,
was that in general the No. 1 of the detachments
appeared too anxious and assisted too much in the
manual labour of skifting the gun, when (he said)
all their attention should be directed to laying the
gun properly, to accomplish which task they must
be free from excitement. He appreciated the general
smartness of the men, and he more than once highly
praised detachments for their efficiency—a praise
which was no small consolation to men who had not
won a prize. The sergeants of the Royal Artillery
invited their equals in rank among the volunteers to
mess with them, and a most cordial feeling has
sprung up between the two services. The members
of the Ist Middlesex Artillery, in appreciation of the
kindness shown them in this way, and also in in-
structing them in the Armstrong gun drill, last
evening presented the sergeants' mess of the Royal
Artillery with a large and handsome silver cup, as
a memento of the meeting. As has been before
noticed, the commissariat department was an utter
failure, owing perhaps to too much trust being
placed on the powers of Shoebury. In other re-
spects there would have been much wanting had
not the council of the association, under the presi-
dency of Col. Harcourt, shown great energy in
dealing with unlooked-for difficulties, and Col. Will-
matt, the commandant, been exceedingly kind in
offering facilities for the encampment being formed.
The association had struggled through an exceed-
ingly rough time in many respects during this last
fortnight, and it may reasonably expect that official
recognition will be given to artillery prize firing on
a more extended scale, and with weapons of modern
use. Last evening the Marquis of Hartington was
entertained at "Shoeburyness by the officers of the
Royal Artillery, and the volunteer officers in camp
were invited to meet his lordship. A concert was
held in the larpe artillery drill shed, where the band
of the Royal Artillery, which came from Woolwich
fOr the occasion, played a variety of selections.
Among the members of the council present, besides
Col. Harcourt, were Viscount Hardinge, Col. Glad-
dish, Major Inner, and Capt. Rutley.