The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-06 00:00:00

tempts at organisation, finds himself thwarted
and hampered at every moment by the deep-seated
corruption, malversation, and abuses of every
kind which have rendered the administration of the
Roman States rotten to the heart's core. The
party of foreign, chiefly French, Papal reformers,
by whom he is supported, is again baffled and brow-
beaten at every step by the old Roman red-tapists,
the men who congratulate themselves that, bad as
the system may be, it has, as Louis XV. said of the
ancien regime on his deathbed, at least lasted their
time; or, to use Metternich's phrase, but when
they are gone the deluge may come. There is
nothing at all new, nothing the least surprising, in
the internecine feuds thus exhibited between the
different factions by which Papal Rome is at pre-
sent torn. We have repeatedly had occasicn to al-
lude in the columns of this journal to other and simi-
lar attempts made by the French Legitimists to
effect some small semblance of reform in the Papal
administration, and of the ignominious failure to
which they led. General de Lamoriciere and M.
de Merode might have been warned by the fate of
tke schemes proposed and the counsels given re-
peatedly within the last ten years. Their own last
abortive efforts have only tended to lay bare more
completely the rottenness and impotence of the
whole Roman system. They have given fresh
strength to the internal enemies of the Papacy ;
they have encouraged the amibition which would
grasp, and the patriotism which would liberate, the
Papal territory to precipitate their plans. And
now, with the professed change of policy at Naples,
the last native auxiliaries of despotism in the penin-
sula are themselves sounding a retreat, and leaving
the purple tyrants of the Sacred College to brave,
unassisted by any Italian allies, the whole fury of
the Italian people.—. Morning Post.

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The firing on the ground commenced yesterday at
half-past 9 in the morning, and was continued till
sunset, without intermission. In fact, with the
additional prizes announced since the first arrange-
ments were made, there begins to be a pressure on
the time left for the proceedings. They must close
on Saturday; and early attendance, as well as in-
dustry afterwards, are required from all candidates
entered for the prizes that remain undecided. Yes-
terday disposed of the perplexing ties of the Volun-
teers who shot for the Association prizes, the 20
rifles, and made complete the list of the 20 second
best shots, who win the right of competing for the
Royal prize of £250, which will wake Saturday
the " cup day" of the meeting. The contest for the
several prizes " open to all comers" was also decided
yesterday. But the competition that excited most
interest during the day was that between foreigners
exclusively; it was considered the Swiss match, and
something sharp, short, and decisive was expected.
as in the "tug of war," when Greek meets Greek.
It was not very short, but very sharp while it lasted,
and proved decisive. From the laig6 number of ties
some of the other contests have dragged ; but the
Swiss match began and ended with one innings.
The prize was a Whitworth rifle, given by Mr. T.
Fairbairn. The range was 500 yards, and five rounds
were allowed each competitor. In this match the
shooting was excellent, and drew expressions of at-
miration from the most skilful graduates of the School
of Hythe. The winner, M. Thorel, made 9 points in
his five shots. A few only of the Swiss used their
own rifles ; with the exception of three or four in-
dividuals, the competitors used the Whitworth ;
the prize was gained, and all the highest number&
of points were made with it.
The Swiss fully appreciate the merits of the
English rifle, and there is no doubt the prize has
fallen into exceedingly good hands. The following
are the names of the 13 who competed :

Points.

Ehorel . .
Von Matt ..
Thormann ..
Roth .. ..
Van Berchen
Piece .. ..
De Gendre ..
Knecht ..
Wessel . .
Chesser ..

Peter
Staub
Heil ..

A list of winners of the rifles given by the Asso-
ciation appeared in our impression of yesterday ; it
was made up to 20 in the course of the day. The
names of Placket (21st Middlesex), 'Wylie (Ist
Lanark), and Blackburn (Edinburgh) were added
to the highest score.
The following are the 20 second-best shots, who
gain a qualification to shoot for the Queen's Prize
on Saturday :

Points.

Owen—Glamorgan
Cowan—lst Lanark ..
Marshall-Ist Lanark
Sandf,rd—St. George's ..
Lawley—Derby
Howard—Essex..
Tinley-2d Lancashire
lleaton-3d Manchester ..
Fenton-9th Middlesex • .
Beard-4th Surrey ..
Stearn-6th Suffolk ..
Baty-9th Surrey • . • •
Potter-sth Surrey •• ..
Johnson—Victoria Rifles ..
'Williams—Buckingham
Gosnell-Ist Norfolk ..
Murray—Peebleshire
Marriott-4th West York
Bridgman-9th Middlesex
Brooks-12th Middlesex

The contest for the series of prizes " open to all
comers" was commenced on Wednesday, and not
concluded till yesterday. It was necessarily a long
one, there being four different ranges--200, 300,
500, and 600 yards. There were seven prizes at
each range, increasing in amount according to the
distance—L2o, £3O, £4O, and £5O.
The following were returned as the winners, at
the four ranges :

At 200 yards.
Piece—Swiss.
Newman—Royal Marines.
Ross-7th North York.
Knecht— Swiss.
Peter—Swiss.
Chesser—Swiss.
Mawler—Swiss.
At 300 yards.
Ross.
Ingram—Glasgow.
Nourisson—Swiss.
Wilson—Hythe.
Heil—Swiss.
Dillon—Hythe.
Forbes-2d Derby.

At 500 yards.
Brooks-12th Middlesex.
Tinley-2d Lancashire.
Stapylton—Hythe.
Dove-91st Lanark.
Forbes-2d Derby.
Peter—Swiss.
Roth— Swiss.
At 600 yards.
Rowland.
Wright.
Linley.
Hclloway.
Saddler.
Cocks-11th Middlesex.
Hodder.

The 28 winners at these four ranges, and the five
second best shots at each, are qualified to compete
for the Prince Consort's prize of £lOO, for the silver
cup given by the London Rifle Brigade, and a rifle
given by Mr. Smith. For these three prizes the
distances will be 800, 900, and 1,000 yards. It will
be observed that in the list of winners of the " all
corners" prizes the Swiss names, which are numer-
ous for the shortest distance, diminish in number at
the longer ranges. The result fully bears out the
prediction made by practised shots at an early stage
of the competition. The ordinary range adopted
by the Swiss seldom exceeds 300 yards ; at that
distance they are proficients ; at greater, less so.
The eye acquires a habit of seeing that cannot be
suddenly changed.
The shooting for Miss Coutts's prize of £5O com-
menced yesterday, but was not concluded. It is for
all corners, with any rifle, firing from a rest at 1,000
yards. The rest was a sandbag on a kind of tripod,
and the competitors fired sitting or crouching. As
none of the rifles had been sighted for this long
range, five trial shots were allowed each person be-
fore beginning the five that would count. This pro-
longed the contest till the evening, without any
decision. It will be resumed today.
The Prince Consort's prize (.£100), and that given
by the Duke of Wellington, will also be decided
this day, if it is possible, leaving Saturday for the
competition for the Royal prize.

FOLLOWING A NOBLE EXAMPLE.—The patriotic
example of Mr. Charles Ratcliff, brother of the ex-Mayor
of Birmingham, who was the first to raise, equip, and drill
a company of riflemen 100 strong, at his sole expense, has
been followed by Messrs. Campbell, army clothiers, of Jer-
myn-street, and shoe manufacturers at Northampton. The
sth Company of Northampton Rifles was formed and
clothed entirely at the expense of these gentlemen.
MANCHESTER AND GARIBALDI.—A requisition,
signed by about 800 of the principal firms in Manchester,
has been presented to the mayor, asking him to convene a
public meeting for the furtherance of the cause of Garibaldi.
He has " come to the conclusion that it would be inexPe"
dient for him (as mayor) to do so."
FANCY BALL AT THE MANSION-HOUSE. —A
grand fancy ball was given last night at the Mansion
house by the Lady Mayoress. It was attended by upwards
of 500 persons. --Mr
THE NEW MAGISTRATE FOR GREENWICH.•
Daniel Maude, the new magistrate at Greenwich, was
drinitg the
from frauds
yes-
terday presented with a handsome testimonial at the
Town-
hall, Manchester, on his retirement from the office of
police magistrate for that city.
THE UNION BANE FRAUDS.—A proprietor
suggests that the best way of meeting the Pullin ge
would be to call up an amount on the shares equal to the
loss, leaving the reserve
fundfereinntacect% aa'nedducdtiivig dividing
profits in the usual wayin pre
the reserve, or half-yearly earnings.