The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-18 00:00:00

MARKS.AfEff IN THE A.RMY.

The following General Order instituting a sys-
tem of " prizes for good shooting" among the In-
fantry and embodied Militia, has just been pro-
mulgated :

" Horse Guards, March 10, 1858.

" The General Commanding in Chief, with a
view to stimulate individual exertion, and to re-
ward the proficiency of soldiers in the use and
management of the rifle musket, has been pleased,
to institute a system of prizes' for good ' shoot-
ing ;' and the accompanying regulations for the
award of the same having received the concur-
rence of the Secretary of State for War, his Royal
Highness desires that they may be strictly observed
throughout the infantry and embodied militia.
By command,
"G. A. WETKERILL, Adjutant-General."

" REGULATIONS TO GOVERN THE ISSUE
OF PRIZES FOR GOOD SHOOTING.
"1. The regimental prizes for good shooting will
be three, viz.:—
" lit Prize. To the best shot of the battalion, a
badge of cross muskets and crown, worked in gold,
and entitling the wearer to extra pay, at the rate
of 2d. per day.
"2d Prize. To the best shot of each company, a
badge of cross muskets and crown, worked in gold,
and ferrying with it extra pay at the rate of Id.
per day. ‘
3dPrize. To certain of the first-class shots, to
be styled ' marksmen,' and not to exceed 100 per
battalion, a badge of cross muskets, worked in
worsted, with ld. per day additional pay to each
wearer.
"2. The badges are to be worked on cloth the
colour of the facings of the regiment, and to be
worn on the left arm, immediately above the slashed
flap of the sleeve.
"3. In order to insure, on the one band, a high
standard of efficiency, and on the other to guard
against the public being called upon to pay for a
lower standard of merit than is necessary, as well
as to secure the utmost impartiality in the distri-
bution of the rewards, it is intended that the regis-
ters and annual practice returns shall be the data
upon which the proficiency of the men shall be
estimated.
"1.. Accordingly, the beat shot of the battalion
will be that soldier who, in the practice of the first
class, firing between 600 and 900 yards, obtains
the greatest number of points over seven.
"5. The best shot of the company will be he
who, in the practice of the first class of the com-
pany, firing between 600 and 900 yards, obtains
the greatest number of points over seven.
"6. To qualify a soldier for the position of a
' marksman,' and the rewards attaching thereto, he
must in the yearly course of practice have obtained
at least seven points in the first class, firing be-
tween 600 and 900 yards, and possess competent
knowledge of the laws affecting the flight of the
bullet, and the rules to be attended to in maintain-
ing the efficiency of the rifle under all circum-
stances and conditions, and display the requisite
skill in judging distances, being at least in the first
class at the final classification of the judging dis-
tance practice.
"7. Should it happen that more than 100 men
in the battalion (including the best battalion shot,
and the best shot of company) come under the
conditions specified in the foregoing paragraph,
then those men who have obtained the greatest
number of points, are to be first selected for the
reward and distinction. Should two or more men
have obtained the same number of points, (not less
than seven) in the first class, and be otherwise
eligible for the reward, reference is to be made to
their respective performances in the first and
second periods of individual shooting, and those
are to be selected who have obtained the greatest
number of points 'herein. Should there still be a
tie, reference is then to be made to their perform-
ances in the judging distance practice, and the
preference given to those who are the best judges
of distance.
"8. Should the number of paid ' marksmea' in
a battalion be reduced by casualties during the year,
the number may be completed from those men
eligible for the reward (if there are any) under the
conditions prescribed in paragraph 6.
"9. As a further inducement to all ranks to vie
with each other in this essential part of the soldier's
instruction, and in order that.erery man may feel
that though he may not himself succeed in obtain-
ing a prize he can assist in obtaining one for his
company, his Royal Highness the General Com-
manding in Chief has further approved of a supple-
mentary prize of cross muskets and crown worked
in gold, but unaccompanied by the pecuniary al-
lowance, being worn on the right arm by the
sergeants of the best shooting company.
"10. Should a sergeant of the beat shooting
company Le either the best shot of the battalion,
the best shot of his company, or a marksman, he
will wear the distinguishing badge of that position,
in addition to the badge sanctioned in the foregoing
paragraph.
" 11. With a view to ensure strict impartiality
it is essential that the several companies of a bat-
talion should be kept as much intact as possible ;
Cloy should therefore be equalised before the annual
course of drill and practice commences, and no
transfers be made, except such as are indispensable,
until the period for commencing the practice in the
following year.
" 12. Although the best shooting company can
be established wherever a range of 300 yards can
be obtained, and the company badge may be issued
accordingly, it is to be clearly understood that no
rewards will be granted to battalions unless they
have been practised in the three periods of indi-
vidual firing, as detailed in paragraphs 70, 77,
and 85 of the book of instruction, that under nu
circumstances will the limit of one best shot for
battalion, one for each company, and 100 marks-
men, including the two former, ever be allowed to
be exceeded ; that, as an invariable rule, both the
badge and its attendant allowance will have to be
surrendered by all who cease, in the next annu ,1
course to fulfil the conditions and maintain the
superiority by which these rewards were earned ;
and that should the shooting of any battalion fall
below the aver +ge, the prizes will be wholly with-
drawn, and issue of the additional pay suspended.
" 13. Should it be ascertained, either through
the reports received from the district inspector of
musketry, or through any other source, that any
undue advantage has been taken by a battalion in
the several exercises in target and judging distance
practices, such, for instance, as counting ricochets ;
placing marks to aim at, to denote the allowance
to be made for wind, &c., whereby the practical
skill of the soldier in the use of his rifle would be
defeated ; firing at distances shorter than those
enjoined by the regulations, Anil at a greater
number of targets than are prescribed for the severed
distances departing in any way from the
rules defined for conducting the different
practices, or otherwise deviating from the
spirit of the musketry regulations, published to en-
sure a uniformity of procedure throughout the
army, such battalion will not be eligible for the re-
wards granted by these regulations.
" 14. The best shot of the battalion and the best
shot of the company will be allowed, in addition to
the reward as such, the extra pay as ' marksmen ;'
but no soldier will be eligible for a reward for
shooting who is not in the first class in the final
classification of the judging distance practice.
" 15. The 100 prize-holding marksmen are to be
distributed between service and depot companies in
the following manner, viz. :
" 10 service companies .*f 9O
" 2 depot companies...... lO 100.
" 16. The extra pay is to be drawn and the dis- 1
tinguishing badges to be worn for one year, com-
mencing on the first day of the quarter succeeding
that in which the annual report of practice is re-
quired to be made up, or as soon as the necessary
authority is received.
" 17. Badges of distinction will be supplied on
application in the usual annual requisition for
clothing, and are to be retained in the quarter-
master's stores, for issue under the provisions of
these regulations.
"By command of his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge, General Commanding-in-Chief.
" G. A. WETHEBALL, Adjutant-General."

SOCITH-EASTEIN RAILWAY.—The gross traffic receipts
for passengers, parcels, nails, goods, &c., amounted, for
the 27th of February, to 55,3511., from which is de-
ducted 1,9881,, the cost of collecting and delivering the
goods, &c., leaving 52,3(321. To this is added 1,739/.
for rent and sundries, and 2,3501. received for steam.
packet service, making together 57,4511. From this ii
deducted 34,9091., being the expenditure, including
rates, taxes, tolls, Government duty, and expenses of,
steampacket service, leaving a net sum fur the 27 days
working of 22,542/.
ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL.—We are is a position to
announce that the Dean and Chapter have unanimouFly
agreed to the Mayor's propo3al fur the opening of the
Cathedral on Sunday evenings, although n' official in-
timation of the fact has as yet been given. The manner 1
in which the Dean and Chapter received the application
willfo raise them very high in the estimation of the public,
.yrrowet are
with
that their expres,ions of hearty
we are juatified
__
°Pa hy with the object in view, and of readiness to
.e pro9actora a th
Zt...r,e"‘LeLavney
bway with the parochial clergy for its
gratitude from the
choir, not in the.tn adding that thee
is too small toservices
willW
een such as to call forth feelings of
name. until it is found ebebieuliethvee
accommodate that the former
various clergymen of eminence "13B"Bation
the sermons. It is saidtt
in May, but probably tr,iii,il
he
invited to
taondrethacaht
WO shall bYo able "3"ci:
earl
further particulars to our readers neat to ootarnunic.4
week
and Chatham Journal. .—Roch.eigcr


ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—MArDsToNa, MARCH 17.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Justice Erie and a Com-
mon Jury.)

SHILLING V. THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH INSURANCE

COMPANY.

This was a special jury cause. The action was
brought by the plaintiff as administratrix to the
effects of her decayed husband, Thomas Shilling, to
recover the amount of a policy for 2,0001. effected
with the defendants upon the life of James Shil-
ling, her husband's father.

The defendants put a number of pleas upon the
record, but the material ones relied upon were
those alleging that the deceased had concealed the
fact that he was ruptured and subject to fits that
the policy was not effected by the deceased, fits.;
Shilling, but by his son Thomas, for his own bene-
fit ; that the policy was a wagering policy, and that
the decased eventually exposed himself to unne-
cessary risk.
Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., Mr. Lush, Q.C., and
Mr. F. J. Smith were for the plaintiff ; Mr. Ser-
jeant Shee, Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Bushby were
for the company.

The cause came before the court in the form of a
new trial, the case having been disposed of before
the Lord Chief Baron at the last summer assizes,
when a verdict passed for the plaintiff for the amount
claimed, and it was fully reported at that time.
A great number of witnesses were in attendance
to be examined on both aides, and the trial was not
concluded at a late hour, and it was expected that
it would be found necessary to adjourn it.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK, MARSH 17.
Csawx Couaa.—(Before Mr. Justice Byles.)
THE KEIGHLRY POISONING CASH.

This case was opened yesterday, but not eon-
chided till to-day, the jury being provided with
accommodation in the Castle during the night.
John Sagar, 46, was charged with the wilful
murder of his wife, Barbara Sagar, at Keighley, on
the 19th of December last.

Mr. Foster, who appeared for the prosecution,
said the prisoner was charged with the wilful mur-
der of his wife, by poison, on the 19th Dec. last.
The deceased had been married to the prisoner at
the time of her death about 19 years, and she had
given birth to nine children, the whole of whom had
died in their infancy. The prisoner was master of
the Keighley Workhouse, and had occupied that
situation about six years. On Saturday, the 12th
Dec. last, just a week previous to her death, the
deceased was in her usual good health, but in the
course of the day she was taken ill. On the follow-
ing day she was very sick, and Mr. Milligan, the
surge of the workhouse, was in attendance upon
her. It was necessary here to remark that the de-
ceased had been afflicted with an ulcerated leg, near
to the ankle, but that ulcer, at the time she was
seized with illness, was healed, and had been quite
well from the previous Sept. or Oct. The deceased
died on the 19th of December, and the circum-
stances attending her death led to the holding of
a coroner's inquest, the result of the inquiry
being that the woman had died from taking poison.
The conclusion arrived at by a past mortem exami-
nation was, that deceased had died from arsenic
reeently administered, and taken in small doses.
The deceased partook of tea and gruel from day to
day, which were given to her by the prisoner and
a female named Mary Dyson, and on almost all
these occ lesions she was attacked with vomitings.
The question for the jury would be, whether the
prisoner caused his wile's death by administering
arsenic to her in repeated doses. That he had a
motive for so doing was clear, for his past conduct
to her had been most cruel. He had been seen
on several occasions to ill-use and beat her, and
once he placed her in the dead-house of the work-
house.

Witnesses were then called to prove that the
prisoner was in the habit of administering her me
dicine to the deceased, and that after taking it she
had complained of thirst and burning in the throat
and had vomited.

Mr. Foster said the case for the prosecution
having closed, he felt bound say that, in his
opinion, the evidence to establish the charge of
murdtx against the prisoner was not proved
His Lordship concurred in that opinion. The
ca,,,e might be one of suspicion ; but it was not ono
in which the jury could safely find a verdict of
guilty.
Under his Lldship's direction the jury return©d
a verdict of not guilty.