The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-30 00:00:00

We believe that a surprise awaits the public in

this gathering of the Volunteers—not only from
the novelty of the display, but the extent of all the
arrangements. Every Volunteer Corps has been
invited to send a certain number of their best shots,
in proportion to their force. Every corps of 500
may send 4 ; those between 500 and 300 may select
three; those below 300 and above 100 may depute
2 ; those less than 100 may be represented by 1.
The prizes to be shot by these volunteers are 20
Whitworth rifles, each of the value of 25 guineas,
fitted in oak cases complete ; the best shot of the 20
will receive the silver medal of the Association.
The distances will be 300, 500, and 600 yards; the
rifle to be used is the long Enfield of the Govern-
ment pattern of 1853. Each competitor will be
allowed five shots at each of these three ranges ;
and the prizes will be adjudged according to the
number of points made. All the firing is to be ac-
cording to the rules of the Hythe School Musketry.
There will also be five money prizes, one of £lOO,
and four of £25 each; these prizes are given by
Mr. Gye, in commemoration of the Volunteer Ball
on the 7th of March last in Covent-garden Theatre.
The winners of the 20 prize rifles, and the next
best 20 shots, have • another competition offered
them that will prove which is the best where all
must be good. Her Majesty gives the grand or
44 Queen's Prize" of 1:250, to which the Association
adds its gold medal. This prize will bring out the
" double first" of the contest, as the 40 highest on
the list will compete for it among themselves, at
distances increased to 800, 900, and 1,000 yards.
The next prize indicates great confidence on the
part of the Association in the skill of the
Volunteers, or that kind of courage that can
dare failure for the sake of gaining experience.
It is " open to all comers of all nations ;"
and nearly 200 crack shots of Switzerland
have notified their intention to enter the lists against
our countrymen. Here will be an opportunity of
comparison that will not be wasted whichever way
the event may turn. It will scarcely be a discredit
to be excelled by men to whom rifle-shooting has
been the practice of their lives, and who have made
it their national pastime. There are four prizes of
£2O, £3O, £4O, and £5O thus open to the competi-
tion of the foreigner; and the only feeling in the
matter is a hope that the best man may win.
This prize, we should add, is in amount somewhat
conditional on the state of the funds from subscrip-
tions and entrance money. Another prize of £lOO
is given by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and
the Duke of Cambridge gives £5O to be shot for,
with breach-loading rifles at the longest ranges.
Altogether the value of the prizes will be above
£2,000.

The ground selected for this trial of skill is Wim-
bledon-common, close to the town ; the direction of
the lines of firing are, of course, away from it, across
the open plain. The work of preparation was begun
a fortnight ago, but has been pushed on with
double activity in the last few days. The common
at this time of the year—that is in years that had
summers—is usually parched arid arid ; at present
it is rather swampy—grass to the eye, and water to
the foot. But as promenading will be strictly for-
bidden during all the days of next week, this is of
less importance. A fence of plank, 5 feet high and
2,500 yards long, has been carried round the com-
mon, so as to enclose it on three sides, one of them
parallel to Wimbledon-park. It has four entrances
—one for the public, two for carriages, and another
for her Majesty. On th s'cine of the enclosure next
the park, arc all the tents, seats, and other accom-
modations for the competitors and the spectators.
The fourth side of the space is open—across it, at
600 yards distant from the front of the tents and
platforms, a line of butts has been raised. There
are 20 of them in pairs—sloping banks of earth
49 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 12 high. The
centre spot between each pair is 80 yards
distant from the next on the right and left.
They look like the outworks of a fortification, and
would bed a cannon ball very comfortably. In front
of each butt is a target of plate iron, marked with
circles, centric and concentric, according to the
science of the School of Hythe. The circles are
mere lines on the metal, invisible to all but the
markers and recorders of the shots. The plates are
now black, but before Monday will be painted
white, leaving only the bull's-eye in the centre dark,
this being the regulation target of our musketry
practice. The markers will be protected by iron
" mantelets," which are also on the ground. The
butts are numbered in pairs from left to right. The
10 pairs that run in a line across the ground are for
the ranges, from 300 to 600 yards ; but there are
four other butts in the rear of the 6th, 7th, and Bth
pair, for the long range of 1,000 yards.
The boarded fence does not extend so far over the
ground as the line of butts, all beyond them is open
country intersected byroads and pathways. From
these the public must keep away during the hours
of fixing, as they value their lives ; all the roads
and skirts of the common on the open side will be
guarded by Volunteers and patrolled by police who
have strict orders to prevent any ono passing into
or towards the line of fire. Stray balls may pass
the butts, and when the firing is only 300 or 400
yards from them, the point of safety is not easily
calculated. But many persons are on such occasions
both obstinate and foolhardy, and the necessity of
obeying the orders of the police cannot be too
strongly impressed on all.
Her Majesty will open the proceedings on Mon-
day by firing the first rifle, from a small open pavi-
lion erected at a short distance from the front of the
Royal tent,; the rifle will be fixed on a line with
the first target, on the left of the spectators, and at
a range of 400 yards from it. The general firing
along the whole line of targets will then commence;
the first day will not, of course, be decisive as to
the winners. Before the proceedings of the day
commence, the Council of the Association will pre-
sent addresses to her Majesty and Prince Albert.
On each side of the main entrance to the enclo-
sure are officers, under canvass, of the council,
secretary, and clerk ; tents for ammunition, an
armoury, a laboratory, and (may it be use•
lees!) a surgery. There is also a grand refreshment
tent; Mr. Strange, of the Crystal Palace, has un-
dertaken the duty of purveyor. The whole of this
part of the ground has been pipe-drained, and a
steam-plough has been at work during the past
week on other parts of the enclosure, drawing deep
channels to carry off the surf ace water.
In case any portion should escape the vigilance ofl
the police and pass their lines
on to the ground in
the rear of the butSs, a " danger " flag will be
a
hoisted, and the discharge of
cannon will be the
signal for the firing to cease allalongththeeline.
The following is the programme of
ceremo-
nial to be observed:—
Her Majesty, accompanied by
his Royal high-
ness the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales,
and
other members of the Royal family, will leave Buck-
ingham Palace at a quarter before three o' 1 k c oe in
Se're' of the Royal carriages.
The Royal party will be escorted by a captain's
escort
of light cavalry, and will proceed by the fol-
lowing route :—Across the Pimlico suspension-
bridge, through Battersea Park by Wandsworth,
And t hroug h the Wimbledon Park-road to the

Queen's entrance at the enclosure on Wimbledon-
common.
Her Majesty will arrive at Wimbledon at half-
past three o'clock precisely, and will be received by
a guard of honour.
The President and Council of the Association
will be present to receive the Queen.
Her Majesty and the Royal T arty, passing
through the Royal tents, will take their places in
the front of the dais, when the addresses from the
President and Council of the Association will be
read to the Queen and his Royal Highness the
Prince Consort by the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert,
M.P., her Majesty's Secretary of State for War.
To which her Majesty and his Royal Highness
will graciously reply.
The Bands of the Guards will be massed within
the enclosure.
After the presentation of the addresses her Ma-
jesty and the Court, preceded by the members of the
Council of the Association, will advance to the
firing point, at 400 yards' range from the first
target;
When her Majesty will fire the first rifle, and
declare the prize meeting opened.
A Royal salute of 21 guns will then be fired.
Her Majesty and the Royal family will then re-
turn to the Royal tent, and entering the Royal car-
riages, will drive along the line of firing points,
and leave the enelciare at the opposite side of the
Common.
The Volunteers entered to compete for the Queen's
prize will be paraded before her Majesty.