The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-29 00:00:00

TILE VOLUNTEERS.

On Tuesday the London Rifle Brigade brought its
annual prize meeting, held on Plaistow Marshes,
to a close, with some competitions of a strictly
military character in contests for prizes given for
rapid firing and for shooting in skirmishing order.
The previous contests had been for prizes mostly
of great value, for good match shooting, and
chiefly with the Government Enfield. In a con-
test at what are known as the " Queen's ranges"
—namely, the same ranges as for the first stage of
the Queen's prize, Private Wyatt, who has had the
honour of winning the Queen's prize, won the
brigade first prize, of the value of 20 guineas, pre-
sented by the Merchant Taylors' Company, and the
H company silver medal. His points were 118 in
going twice over the ranges with seven shots at
each. Private Gardner, with 110, won a prize of
15 guineas, presented by the Goldsmiths' Company,
and the N company medal ; Private Saw, with 106,
won a prize of 10 guineas, presented by the Drapers'
Company, and the E company medal ; Private
Butler, with 106, won a second prize, given by the
Goldsmiths' Company, value nine guineas, and the
Q company medal ; Sergeant Wanosbrocht, with
103, won eight guineas, given by the Ward of
Cheap, and the K company medal ; Sergeant Drane,
with 102, won a prize of six guineas ; and Colour-
Sergeant Churchill, with a like score, won an equal
amount of prizes given by the ward of Cheap, the
winners also winning their company medals. Ser-
geant Churchill, with 99, won the Salters' Company
prize of five guineas and his company medal, and
Private Frere, with 98, won an equal amount given
by the same. company. Private Fisk, with 97,
Colour-Sergeant Abbiston, with 95, and Colour-
Sergeant Stuckey, with 94, won three prizes amount-
ing to ten guineas, given by the Fishmongers' Com-
pany—the latter two also winning company
medals. In a long-range contest with any rifle
(which means, of course, the small-bore) for
prizes given by Major Sir W. A. Rose, Colour-
Sergeant Churchill, in seven rounds at 800
and 1,000 yards, won a prize of seven guineas
with 44 points; Private Wyatt, with 41, came in for
a five guinea prize ; and Private Hammerton, with
40, won a three guinea prize. The challenge trophy,
value 100 guineas, presented by the Cripplegate
Ward (prize a silver model of Old Cripplegate), was
shot for at the Queen's ranges, five rounds each.
Corporal Fletcher with 42 won the prize, and with
it a money prize presented by the Ward ; Sergeant
Wortham and Corporal Hayes, with 39 each, won
the second and third places. In a competition of
seven rounds at 500 yards, for a cup, value 15 gs.,
presented by Colonel Warde, the commandant,
Colour-Sergt. Heath made 23 points; for a second
prize, presented by Gen. Sir G. Bowles, K.C.8.,
value 5 gs., Sergt. Wanosbrocht made 21 ; for the
third place Ensign Wadd made 20. To each of these
scores will be added a point for every commanding
officer's parade attended during the year. Ina similar
competition for prizes presented by the Butchers'
Company and by the officers, Corporal Fletcher
and Privates Westrupp and Carmichael won with
23 points each. In a competition of seven rounds
at 600 yards Private Gray, Private Clarke, and
Corporal Atto won a challenge cup, value 21
I guineas, presented by the Grocers' Company, with
five guineas added, and prizes presented by the offi-
cers. The brigade gold medal, shot for by the
winners of the company silver medals, was won by
Private J. M. Gardner, with 44 points, at 650,
700, 750, and 800 yards, his previous score made for
the first prizes, 110, being added. Prizes presented
by Mr. Joseph Fenn, and by Lieutenant and Hon.
I)uartermaster Walker, were shot for, some of
them being limited to members who had never
won a prize, and others being limited to those
who had never won a prize until that meeting.
Sergeant Green and Private Blaithwayt won the
first in these competitions. Sergeant Drane, in a
contest at 200 yards, won the Ironmongers' first
prize of seven guineas, and Private Winsor won the
second ; and Lieutenant Dean won the first prize
pre rented by the Clothworkers' Company. In a
competition for prizes given by the members of the
Brigade to the non-commissioned officers of the
Staff Sergeant-Instructor Grainge won the first,
Sergeant Smith the second, and Sergeant-Major
Southgate the third. In the skirmishing contest the
rules were that the competitors must have attended
double the number of drills required for the Govern-
ment test of efficiency; each competitor to be allowed 5
minutes, and to " fall in " loaded opposite the target
at 500 yards. On the " advance " being given the
competitors advanced as quickly as they could to
400 yards, where they fired for a minute, when the
4' advance" was again given, and so on at 350, 300,
250, and 200 yards. Every rifle bad to be fairly
loaded from the pouch, and at the conclusion of the
contest it was decided that Corporal Hayes, with
24 points, had won a cup, value £2l, presented by
the Broad-street 'Ward ; Private Goddard, with 18,
had won a cup value £5, given by Mr. Bannister,
in memory of his son, the late Ensign Bannister ;
and Lieut. Dean was third. In the " rapid firing,"
which was for prizes given by the Messrs. Silver
and Co., each competitor fell in at 200 yards, and
was allowed five minutes, the loading being fairly
from the pouch, and in military order. Sergeant
Walker, with 50, won a prize cup value 12 guineas ;
Private Marsh, with 48, won a Rob Roy case ; and
Private Buller, with a like score, won a third prize.
The firing was conducted under Captain and Adju-
tants Ewens and O'Callaghan.