The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-30 00:00:00

TILE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIA 2 lON.

Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to give'
£250 as a prize to be competed for by Volunteers at
theluly meeting of the Association, to be held on
Wimbledon Common ; and his Royal Highness the
Prince Consort has also been pleased to give £lOO
as a prize to be competed for by all confers of ail
nations.

BYE-LAWS AND REGULATIONByOII THE JULY MEETIN

OF Mg."

1. The prize meeting of the National Rifle Asgo-
elation shall take place on Wimbledon Commou
(county Surrey), and commence on the 2d of July;
2. The firing shall commence at ,8 a.m.
VOLUNTEER PRIZES.

3. There shall be targets.
4. There shall be six ranges, viz :
A 300 yards 1) . 800 yards
B 500 „ E 000 If
. ‘ .. 0 600 ~ F 1,000 „ •
The shooting at range A shall be off the shoulder-;
at the remaining five ranges it shall be from the
knee—Hythe position.
5. The size of the targets shall be as follows :
(-(.-300 yards range, 6 feet by 4 feet, with 8-inch
bull's-eye and 2 feet centre.
b.—Remaining distances, 6 feet square, with 2
feet centre.
6, The following prizes shall be offered for coin-
petition. At ranges A, B, C (vide Regulation 4) :=
a.-20 rifles (1), with the silver medal of the As-
sociation for the best shot of the 20, each of the 20
successful competitors being placed in order of merit.
These prizes shall be competed for with long En-
field rifles, of bone fide Government pattern of 1853,
with a mipinotni pull of 31b. (2). Each conßetiter
shall have five shots at each of the above-nanted
raug.esr_an.(l the prizes shall be adjudged according
to the aggregate, number of points thus macre-QV
b.—Five prizes:.-viz.:—. . "
... . . •
t . ,
Ist, £lOO. - -. . 4tb, X,25.' • -
2d, '£24, • - . ' . sth, £25.
3d, £25.

These prizes shall bz., competed for with any de-
scription of rifle of a bona fide Government pattern ,
used by volunteers, and carrying the '577 bore Go-
vernment ammunition. The competition for these
prizes shall be regulated by the regulations laid
down under letter a (4).
7. At ranges A, B, C (vide Regulation 4) none
but Government ammunition shall be used.

8. At ranges 11, E, F (vide Regulation 4) her Ma-
jesty the Queen's prize of £250 will b offered for
competition, together with the gold medal of the
Association.

a.,—This prize shall be shot for with a rifle with
a 71liniM71711 bore of .451, and a maxinzam weight of
nib., and the competition shall he confined to the
winners of the 20 rifles (5), (ride Regulation 6, a),
and to the 20 next best shots at the A, B, C, long
Enfield ranges.
b.—Each competitor for this prize shall fire 10
shots at each of the ranges D, E, F (vide Regulation
4), and the prize shall be adjudged according to the
aggregate -number of points thus made.
9. Ties shall be decided as follows :

a. Ties at ranges A, B, C (vide Regulation 4),
shall fire one shot at range C until the best shot be
returned.

b. Ties at ranges D, E, F (vide Regulation 4),
shall be determined by the points gained at the
previous ranges A, B, C (6).

FOR ALL COMERS OF ALL NATIONS.
10, There shall be seven ranges :—(7)
A 200 yards E 800 yards
B 300 „ F 900 „
C 500 „ G 1000 „
D 600 ~ „

11. The size of the targets shall be the same as is
specified under Regulation 4 ; the target at range
A (vide Regulation 10) being the same as target .A
(vide Regulation 4).
12. The following prizes shall be offered for com-
petition :
Five prizes at each of the ranges A, B, C, D (vide
Regulation 10). The value of each of these prizes
shall be as follows :—(8)
_ _

A, £2O
B, £3O

C, £4O
1), £5O

13. All persons who have paid X 1 is. entrance
fee (vide standing rules, No. XVIII.) shall be en-
titled to five shots at any one of the ranges A, B,
C, D ; but should any, person wish to compete for
prizes at more than one, or at all of these four
ranges, he will be required to pay £1 Is. for each
additional range.
The prizes at each range shall be adjudged accord-
ing to the points made by each competitor at' that
range.
14. At ranges E, F, G (vide Regulation TO), his
Royal Ilighnoss the Prince Consort's Prize of
£lOO.

a. The competition for this prize shall be con-
fined to the winners of prizes at ranges A, B,
D, and to the 20 next best shots at those ranges. (9)
b. Each competitor shall have 10 shots at each
of the ranges, and the prize shall be adjudged
according to the aggregate number of points thus
made.

15. Ties shall be decided as follows :

a. Ties at cash of the ranges A, B, C, 1) shall fire
one shot each at their respective ranges, until the
best shot be returned.

b, Ties at ranges E, F, G shall fire one shot at
range G until the best shot be returned.
16. All the aboveraentioned prizes, open to all
corners, may be shot for with any description of
rifle, provided its weight does not exceed 101 b.
17. In the competition for these prizes hair-trig-
gers and magnifying sights will not be allowed.
18. A prize shall be offered at range G (v. Regu-
lation 10), which may be competed for with rifles
having magnifying sights, but any such rifle must
not exceed 101 b. in weight. (10.)
19. A prize shall be offered for competition with
breach-loading rifles. This prize shall be shot for
at ranges E, F, G (e'. Regulation 10).
20. Hits at ranges A and B shall count as in the
first period at Hythe, i. e., bull's eye, 3 points ;
centre, 2 points ; outer, 1 point ; hits at the remain-
ing ranges shall count, centre, 2; outer, 1.

(1.) It is the anxious desire of the Council to add a purse
to each of these 20 prizes, but their doing so, and the value
of these purses, must necessarily depend on the amount of
subscriptions received by the Association up to the period
of 21days previous to the meeting.
(2.) Each successful competitor shall hand over his rifle
for inspection by the umpire as soon as he has fired his last
shot.

(3.) The Council being anxious that the Volunteers should
compete as far as possible on equal terms, have decided that
the long Enfield, with which the majority of the Volunteer%
aro now armed, shall be the description of rifle with which,
for the sake of uniformity in shooting, these prizes shall be
contended for. The Secretary of State for War has, at the
request of the Council, kindly consented to provide a suffi-
cient number of the best and latest manufactured long
Enfields for tho use of such Volunteers as may have burr
selected by their respective corps to compete for the above
prizes, and who may not be provided with a rifle of the said
description. These rifles will, on application to the com-
manding officers, be delivered by the Association one month
before the meeting in July for the use of such competitors,.
and all rifles thus lent must be returned to the Associatji
at the close of the meeting.
(4.) These prizes have been kindly given to the Associa-
tion by Mr. Gye, in commemoration of the Volunteer Ball,
which took place on the 7th of March last.
(5) The Association will supply rifles to such Volunteers
as may be entitled to compete for the above-mentioned
prize, but who may not have been able to furnish them-
selves with this arm. As much time as is possible will be
given for practice. Before specifying the description of rifle
with which the gold medal of the Association and chief prize
shall be competed for, a trial of different small-bore arms
has been advertised to take place, in order to ascertain which
is the best. The following notice appeared in the Times of
the 18th of April, 1860 :—" The Council of the National
Rifle Association having resolved that the gold medal and
chief prize of the Association shall be shot for by the Volun-
teers at the National Rifle Association meeting in July
next, with a small-bore rifle, at ranges at 800, 900, and
1,000 yards, are anxious that the competitors should con-
tend, as far as possible, on equal terms. This can only
be effected by confining them to one description of
arm; but, before deciding upon it, the Council invite the
gunmakers of the United Kingdom to a competition
with rifles of a minimum bore of 451, and of a maximum
weight of 911 b. The pull of the trigger not being less than
31b. This competition will take place on the Ist of May—
duo notice of the time and place being previously given.
The rifle that gives the best figure will then be selected,
subject to the condition of the manufacturer undertaking
to supply the required number of 40 within two months of
that date, and of their being equal in quality to the one so
chosen."
(6)- Should there be undecided ties at these ranges, they
shall be determined by shots fired at range F. -
(7.) The shooting at ranges A and B shall be off the
shoulder. At the remaining five ranges any position ; but
no artificial rest will be allowed.
(8.) The Council wish it to be clearly understood that,
although the above-named sums are proposed, the ;value
of the prizes must be dependent on the amount realised by
subscription and entrance fees.
(9.) Any one intending to compete for this prize, and who
enters for more than ono of the prizes at ranges A, B, C,
D (v. Regulation 13), must declare to the secretary before
the shooting commences at which range he intends to
Iqualify for this prize ; his place at such range will alone
determine whether he can enter for this prize or not.
(10.) No prize will be given under this regulation unless
at least six competitors have entered their Aitli+ 21 days
proyipm tit tAlac Pcctipg,

BENSON'S WATCHES.
" Perfection of mechanism."--Morning Post.

Gold
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Send 2 stamps for Benson's Illustrated Pamphlet, descr.p-
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Watches sent to all parts of the kingdom free by post, or to
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THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Bnekstone.
THIS EVENING, will be performed VICTIMS. Messrs,
Buckstone, Farren, Cullenford, &c. ; Mrs. B. White, Miss M.
Ternan, Mrs. Griffiths, &c.
And BOX AND COX.
After which, a new fairy romance, THE PILGRIM OF
L OVE.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.-
Lessee, Mr. A. Harris.
THIS EVENING, to commence with MY WIFE'S
OUT. Mr. Widdicomb and 'Hiss L. Keeley.
Followed by THE FOOL'S REVENGE. Bertuccio, a
Jester, Mr. Phelps.
To conclude with the extravaganza of THE SYLPHIDE.
Miss C. Leclercq, Miss Louise Keeley, Miss Helen Howard,
Miss Rose Leclercq, Mr. Shore, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Frank
Matthews,
Commence at 7.

A DELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL.
..cx Sole rroprtetor and Manazer. Mr. Benj. Webster.
Brizagement of the celebrated American Actress, Miss
JULIA DALY, and Mr. LEIGH MURRAY.
THIS EVENING, TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
Mr. Leigh Murray, J. L. Toole, C. Selby, Romer ; Miss H.
Simms, K. Kelly, Laidlaw. and Mrs. Chatterley.
After which, OUR FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN.
Messrs. Stuart, C. Selby, Billiagton, Eburne, Miss Julia
Daly, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and Mrs. Chatterley.
To conclude with the Fairy Extravaganza, THE FAIR
ONE WITH THE GOLDEN LOCKS. King Lachrymoso,
Mr. J. L. Toole ; Count Pleniposo, Mr. P. Bedford ; Viscount
Verysoso, Mr. C. J. Smith ; Graceful, Miss Woolgar ; Queen
Lueldors, Miss Emily Thorne ; Mollmopsa, Miss K. Kelly.

Box-office open from 10 till 5.
Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l.
Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, 3s. ;
Pit Stalls, 2s. ; Pit, ls. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, is ; Gallery, 6d.

Acting Manager—Mr. Win. Smith.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.-
Under the management of Mr. Wm. Brough.
THIS EVENING, a new comic drama entitled NEXT OF
KIN. Messrs. Emery, S. Calhaem, Tilbury, &c. ; Mesdames
E. Travers and K. Saxon.
After which, the burlesque of THE FORTY THIEVES.
Miss Lydia Thompson, Miss Clara St. Casse, Miss E.Travers,
Miss K. Saxon, Mrs. Wallis ; Messrs. Emery, Tilbury, &c. ;
and a numerous Corps de Ballet.
Followed by WHITEBAIT AT GREENWICH. Sir W.
Don. - -•

---
To conclude with THE MIDDY ASHORE. Miss Lydia
Thompson.

Commence at 7.

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE,
King-street, St. James's. Lessee, Mr. T. B. Chatter-
ton. Directress, Miss Wyndham. The nearest Theatre to
Chelsea, Pimlico, and Westminster, the Park being open to
carriages and foot passengers all hours of the night.
THIS EVENING the performances will commence with
a new and original comedy, entitled A FRIEND IN NEED.
F. Robinson, C. Young, &c.
After which, A LADY AND GENTLEMAN IN A PE-
CULIAR PERPLEXING PREDICAMENT. Mr. Charles
Young and Miss Wyndham.
Followed by a new burlesque, LUC REZIA BORGIA AT
HOME AND ALL ABROAD. Mesdames Wyndham, E.
Scott, Cecilia Ranoe, Miss Clara Morgan, and the Corps de
Ballet.

Reduced Prices—Gallery, ad ; Pit, is. The Box-office open
!torn 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past six ; perform
ante commences at 7.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.-
Proprietor, Mr. W3I. BATTY.
Manager, Mr. EDWIN HUGHES.
First Appearance of Little MONONI and the celebrated
Delavauti Troupe, who are engaged at a great expense.
Great and unprecedented success of the NEW GRAND
MILITARY SPECTACLE, universally pronounced to be the
most perfect and magnificent production ever witnessed in
this Theatre.
The enthusiastic approbation bestowed upon the novel
and varied Scenes in the Cirque is the best assurance of the
unequalled talent of the eminent Equestrian Artistes who
nightly appear.
THIS EVENING, and during the Week,

To commence with the Great Military Spectacle, in Four
Acts, called "TIM "HISTORY OF A FLAG,' succeeded by an
incomparable programme of scenes in the Arena, sup; ort rd
by the most renowned and talented Equestrian and Gymnas-
tic Artistes in Europe.
The magnificent Chan leliers are manufactured expressly
by Messrs. Defries and Son, of Houudsditch.
Doors open at half-past 6 o'clock, performance commence
at 7.

Box-office open daily from 11 till 4.
Stage Manager—Mr. W. Wasrr.

despised! If such has been the response of the
country in a time of peace—if 100,000 volunteer
riflemen have answered thus cheerily to the first
summons when no invasion whatever is being at-
tempted or even threatened—what would not be
the reply given with an electric flash from one
end of the land to the other, at the news that war
had been declared against us by any European
Power—at the things, that an invading army had
actually landed, or had'attempted to land, upon any
part of our shores ? It would certainly not be ex-
travagant to assert with confidence beforehand

-
that the force already obtained, of 100,000 volun•
teers, would at the least be doubled; that a very brie:

interval would then have to elapse before the
QUEEN'S army would be strengthened by the co-

operation of a quarter of a million of riflemen !
It is not, however, what might be done in that
lamentable contingency that we have to consider;
it is rather what has actually been accomplished in
this way in a time of peace by the enrolling thus
rapidly of 100,000 volunteers. That at any rate it is a
great fact—and one that there is no gainsaying. The
deed is done—the men are enrolled—and the vast

majority of them are already pretty well disciplined
they are fast becoming week by week more
and more skilled in the use of that good daughter
of old Brown Bess—the rifle ! As we have inti-
mated, however, at the outset of these remarks, a
new impetus has been given to this patriotic move-
ment in the very nick of time, by the Olympic
games of competition in rifle shooting, instituted
for the 2d July, upon Wimbledon Common—in the
form of a grand prize meeting, then and there
convened by the National Rifle Association,
A noble emulation will thus be excited oppor-
tunely two months hence upon that bloodless field
of competition. During the interval of these two
months, let the crack shots of our various rifle
corps improve their aim, their keenness of eye, and
steadiness of hand to the uttermost. For the prizes
are worth winning—to say nothing 'of the glory
of winning them. For example, the prize set
apart by Her MAJESTY as the reward of the very best
shot of all—A, number 1 among the Riflemen—will
be £250 over and above the gold medal of the As-
sociation. This paragon-prize will be contended
for by candidates who shall have already been
successful in the other trials of skilful shooting,
the ranges in this last " bout" gradually
lengthening out in yards from 800 at first to 900,
and at last to 1,000 ! Again, among the prizes to
be set apart for all candidates without distinction, at
ranges varying from 200 yards to 1,000, the PRINCE
CONSORT has promised the prize of £lOO to the best
shot in this particular department. And so
on—the ranges altogether being six in number,
from 300 to 1,000 yards—the shooting at the first
range, (that of 300 yards) being from the shoulder,
and the other five ranges from the knee. It is a
happy thought=--the institution of this Rifle Derby
for the 2d of July on Wimbledon Common by the
National Rifle Association. Let it be henceforth
regarded in a generous sense as the Annual Philippi
of our Rifle Volunteers.

Of all the arguments yet offered for Parliamen-
ary Reform the House of Commons itself, by its

division on Thursday night, presented the strongest

Last year the most favourable division on Church-
rate Abolition gave a majority of more than
seventy in its favour. An election takes place. Sir

JOIIN TRELAWNY brings forward his bill again,

his majority on the second reading is diminished

more than one half ! The third reading is post•

poned for several weeks, when the time for it
arrives it is factiously resisted, and on Friday
morning was saved from rejection by merely a

majority of nine !
We admit that Opposition tactics had something
to do with this. For half a year petitions had been

secretly getting up in favour of Church-rates; every
obscure parish was made to do duty in this way,
and every member was plied with letters by his
clerical constituents ; the abolitionists, on the other
hand, had supposed petitions to be unnecessary.
Hence, though their numbers at the division were
undiminished, those of the Church-rate party were
increased, and the latter obtained a partial victory.

The battle of the petitions then commenced, ending
in each party sending up about five thousand, but
the signatures obtained by the abolitionists were
more than three to one; more than 600,000 against

80,000. Again the abolitionists felt too secure. Ii

was not unnatural. They went into committee
with little difficulty on the strength of the over-

whelming superiority of their petitions, and they
seem to have thought that the third reading, al-

though previously kept off, would be easy work also.
Again, therefore, Opposition tactics were too clever
for them. At the eleventh hour Mr. WHITEsiDE
placed on the paper a noti:e to read the bill a third
time that day six months, too late for the Aboli-
tionists to " whip" up their forces, while the
Church-rate party had secretly summoned theirs to
the last round in the Commons. It was adroitly
done, and came near to an absolute triumph. We
must admit then, that good generalship had much
to do with both divisions. In the last one the re-
sult was that while the Tories had but 10 votes
less, the Abolitionist party had 30 less. Sixty-one
who usually vote against Church-rates were absent

without pairs !
Be the good and bad leadership, however, what
it might, the country will look at the broad
facts only. On the second reading, Tory alarmists
bad frightened up some forty members who had
kept away from such divisions before, to record
their votes in favour of Church-rates. On the third
reading they gathered together, proportionably
more—yet in the interim the petitions had demon-
strated that the country was as three to one in
favour of abolition. A few weeks had sufficed to
bring forth the enormous number of more than
600,000 names, demanding that the obnoxious im-
post should be dGne away with. The inference is
clear. The house of the people's representatives
does not represent the people. It must be made to
do so. It must be reformed. It has even gone
farther from, rather than nearer to the people ; and
it must be brought back and nearer to public opinion

than ever.
We are much mistaken if this will not be the
conviction of numberless Reformers and numerous
constituencies all over the Kingdom. The Church-
rate battle has ceased to be one about a penny or
twopence in the pound; it has become a struggle
to get rid of a sore and nuisance in half the parishes
of the kingdom. Reasonable men thought the
country had made up their minds that the question
was settled so far as one thing could he regarded
as settled, which awaited only the caprice of the
House of Lords. But, when they see the House of
Commons—their own house—mimicking the house
of Irresponsibles, they will feel it to be high time to
make their own representatives sensible that they at
least must be made to feel their own accountability.
Friday night has given even the " poor little Bill "
a lift with the country, though doubtless one mo-
tive for 'the zealous opposition was to damage a
cause which Ministers had now joinel.
The debate itself called forth three speakers of
note, Mr. WIIITESIDE, Mr. BRIGHT, and Mr. Ells-
RAELI ; and the speaking was not unworthy of
them. Mr. BRIGHT was not only forcible, indeed
conclusive, in his reply to Mr. -WHITESIDE, but there