The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-06 00:00:00

SHOEBURYNESS ARTILLERY MEETING.

The National Artillery Association meeting is going on
very pleasantly at Shoeburyness, though there seems to
be some hitch about the Challenge Cup, given by Major
Innes, of the Ist Kincardine. The possession of this cup was
determined in the scores made in the competition for the
other prizes on Wednesday. The highest score made for
this handsome cup was made by the 4th Forfar (Dundee)
detachment, who made in G mins. 52 secs. 11 5 0 7 7, or 30
points, but the prize has been awarded to the 2nd Cinque
Ports, Sandgate, who made 28 points in 5 mins. 43 secs.,
thus-7 755 4. One of the conditions of the coin.
petition was that each corps, having more than one
detachment, should give fifteen days' notice which of
those detachments should compete for the cup. It
appears that the 4th Forfar, sending only one detach-
ment, did not think it necessary to go through this process,
smd on that ground the prize was awarded to the 2nd
(;inque Ports.

The verified results of the shooting on Wednesday were
as follows :—For the Natiotal Rifle Association prizes--
The Ist Durham, Ist detachment (Sunderland), of which
Sergeant Cooper was the No. 1, made 3G points in 6 mins.
38 secs. The second prize, given by the Countess Spencer,
£2O, was won by the 3rd West York, who scored the
same number of points, but took 7 mins. 23 sees, to fire
the five rounds. The third prize, £lO, given by the Duke
of Cambridge, was won l) the 2nd Sussex (Fairlight),
with 35 points, made in 6 mins.; while the fourth prize,
£lO, given by the 2nd Ali.ldlesex Artillery, was taken by
the lst Sussex, 4th detachment (Brighton), who made 34
voints in 4 mins. 31 secs. The Ist Kent, Ist detachment
(Gravesend), tied for the. fourth prize, but lost =the time,
taking 6 mins. 8 secs. The excellence of this shooting
will be understood when it is stated that last year the
highest prize in the corresponding series was taken with
a score of 29 points. On Thursday Lord and Lady Elcho,
accompanied by Captain Costin, the executive officer
Df the National Rifle Association, and Lord Romney paid
a visit to the =Esp. The prizes will be presented
at one o'clock on Saturday by Prince Teck. On
Thursday an order was published for all the officers in
ntmp to breakfast at six a.m., so as to be able to parade
at seven, to undergo a course of repository drill similar
to that in which all the men have been instructed. The
prizes fired for were the ten silver cups given by her
Majesty, value £lOO ; ten silver cups, value £4O, given by
the Houses of Lords and Commons ; and a third prize of
£2l, given by the Prince of Wales. The firing. for these
prizes was conducted with 40-pounder Armstrong guns,
at a target nine feet square, at 1,500 yards ; and one of
twelve feet square, at 2,000 yards ; alternate shots at
each, five rounds, time allowed ten minutes. It is owing
probably to the men not being used to the Armstrong, but
it is undoubtedly the fact that the volunteer shootingwith
this gun has always been inferior to their practice with
smooth-bore ordnance. The best scores that were made,
So far as could be ascertained, were, first, by the 7th West
York (Batley), of whom Lieutenant Chadwick was the
No. 1, three hits in 5 mins. 42 secs.; secondly, the sth
West York (Bowling), two hits, 5 mins. 48 secs, ; and,
third, the 10th Kent (Royal Arsenal), two hits in 6 mins.