The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-11 00:00:00

The Wimbledon Meeting.

The state of affairs at Wimbledon may be very
briefly summarised. There is a greater attandance
both of volunteers and visitors, more shooting—not
a target unoccupied—splendid weather, Xitange-
ments working perfectly, and, mi,•abilg- dicta,
grumbling. This happy state of affairs leaves very
little to say on general matters.
As regards the all-important subject of shooting,
the great competition of the meeting, that for the
Queen's Prize, was commenced at gun-fire, and
continued without a moment's cessation, except
during the dinner hour, so as to get the two thou-
sand odd hundreds of volunteers who are entered
through the 200 range, and leave this morning clear
for the next range. This great competition, it is
necessary to remind the general reader, is divided
into two stages. The first stage is fired with En-
field rifles at 200, 500, and 600 yards, five shots at
each, on three different days. The highest score in
this preliminary stage, wins a badge, the silver me-
dal of the Association, and £6O. The following 29
men get badges and £l5 in money ; the next 30
winners get £lO in money, and the succeeding 90
get £3 each. The first 60 in order of merit shoot in
the second stage at 800, 900, and 1,000 yards, and
the highest scorer in this second stage becomes the
fortunate winner of the great prize of the meeting,
with all the honour and glory thereto attaching.
The Alexandra prizes were continued during the
day at 200, 500, and 600 yards, 5 shots at each, and
some very excellent shooting was made. At 200,
Captain Roe, of Cambridge University, made 18 ;
Hon. J. Gordon, 18 ; Sergeant Edwards, 6th Staf-
fordshire, 18. At 500 yards, Captain Banting, St.
George's, made 19 ; Captain Horland, sth East
York, 39 ; Ensign 11. 'Wakeman, 10th Wiltshire,
•19 ; Ensign Pixley, Victoria's, 19 ;- Gunter, 12th
Surrey, 19 ; Sergeant Harris, 12th Salop, 19 ; and
Coloured-Sergeant W. Phillips, Ist Salop, 19. At
60Q yards, Sergeant Spencer, 7th Northampton,
made 18 ; Corporal John Meaking, 2d Derbyshire,
the same very good score.
The shooting for the Daily Telegraph prize com-
menced also, and will be continued to-day. The
conditions are 5 shots at 500 yards, and the prize a
cup value £5O, given annually for the encourage-
ment of shooting with the national weapon. Some
excellent average shooting took place. The highest
score was made by Sergeant Rooke, 20th Wrest York,
who achieved the highest possible, or 20 marks;
Private John Reed, 14th Suffolk, Ensign Boucher,
12th Somerset, and. Sergeant Hill, 3d Essex, each
scored 18 marks.
The Military Breech-loading competition was
confirmed during the day, and the best scores for
combined rapidity and accuracy were made by Ser-
geant Pace and Corporal Andrews, of the 26th
ICen., the first of whom made 72 marks with 32
rounds, and the second 74 marks with 32 rounds.
• Both were evidently tolerably well practised in the
use of the weapon, and handled it with great dex-
terity. The average shooting of ordinarily well-
trained men may be taken at seven rounds per

minute.
A new breech-loader, called the " Witney," for
the central fire system, was fired with very good
effect, twenty-eight rounds scoring 70 marks. The
system appears simple and secure, and the cart-
ridges used with it, those of G. H. Daw, are very
far superior to the Boxers, work without missing
fire, and do not stick in the chamber. The Rem-
ington, when fired with the rim-fire copper case
cartridge, performs exceedingly well. Mr. J. Tay-
lor, of the Civil Service, with this arm and ammu-
nition, made very good practice, scoring 67 marks
with twenty-three rounds. TLe excellent rifle of
Mr. Alexander Ilenry, of Edinburgh, with which
Lieut.-Colonel Ilalford made the score of 71 on
the previous day, was protested against by several
competitors on the ground that it was not a
military rifle, because it was not full-cked,
and did not carry a metal ramrod. Nostow, with
breech-Idadets, a ramrod is quite unnece,ssary ; for
the barrel can be cleaned with a piece of string
and a rag. Mr. Henry, instead of adhering to
the old pattern of rifle, adapted certain modifi-
cations, of which the two most prominent were
shortening the stock and making the ramrod in
three pieces, which are carried in the butt. These
half dozen protests were considered by the coun-
cil, and their decision was as follows : " The rules
relating to military breech-loaders have been pur-
posely framed in such a manner as to invite and
admit many alterations and improvements not at
present in use, nor heretofore contemplated. It
has not been shown by any of the complainants
that the rifle used by Colonel Halford has trans-
gressed the conditions, section B, artiole 12,
pages 89, 90. The stock is sufficiently strong ; it
carries a light metal ramrod ;
it allows a
sling to be used ; and the foresight admits of a
bayonet being fixed according to the swordth
bayonet system of certain regimenle 12, ts of e
article
British army. Section 13,
ora pull of trigger
c the
deal with the subject of locks does not
of breech-loader." The
not considered by the opuroeetielsttsc;
show any
causewere
for disqualifying
tition. the " llenry" from further compe-
aAfltaertchtheisrecfie
pxteidonfoorf
Saturday afternoon,
The Lords and Cloismsmeeonns
possible. Preparations have been
of les braves Beiges at Wim-
thaedß for
e
binledon. Mr. C. T. Townsend, an attaché to the
British Commission in Paris, who had charge of
°:
Till: ars ec e ption
them here ill camp last year, has come over this
year to fulfil the same functions. An encampment
of thirty tents has been pitched, near to that of the
Queen's Westminsters. This, it is supposed, will
provide sufficient accommodation for all the shoot-
ing men of the contingent who desire to remain
in camp during the competition for their series of

prizes.
Unfortunately an accident occurred yesterday to I
a lady who was riding on the tramway, which, at the
suggestion of Captain Ankh-nay, the Secretary to
the Association, was adopted some four years since,
greatly to the comfort, of competitors, who have to
travel backwards and forwards to the different
firing points. The
ne cars are horsed by he Militand
ary
Train ; the horse of o was rather t
restive,
started at rather a high rata of speed. Mrs. Witham,
the wife of a colour-sergeant of the 19th Middlesex,
who was riding, became alarmed and imprudently
jumped off. She fell awkwardly, and broke one of
her legs just above the ankle,, sustaining a com-
pound fracture. She was at once taken to. Camp
Hospital, and all necessary surgical assistance ren-
dered by Surgeon-Major Wyatt and the able staff
of volunteer surgeons who are always in attendance.
On the fracture being reduced, a special marquee
eing
was erected for her accommodation, and every n as
was done by the Council to wake her positio
comfortable as possible..

The report of the directors stated that the
traffic for the past book year, instead of showing
an increase over that of the preceding year, was
less by £21,841, yet the dividend was at the rate
of £7 7s. 11d. per cent. In the course of the
book year ending 30th of April last Holland bad
been severely visited by two calamities, the cholera
and the cattle plague, and those evils had bean fur-
ther aggravated by the commercial depression and
derangement subsequent upon the money crisis and
war in Germany. The directors congratulated the
proprietors upon the ex eat to which the revenue of
the line had been maintained under adverse circum-
stances. The great falling off in the receipts had
been in passenger and cattle traffic. On the other
hand, the merchandise traffic showed a very fair in-
crease, affording a satisfactory proof of the vitality
of the trade of the country. At the date of the re-
port the cholera bad long since entirely disappeared,
and the cattle disease had so far diminished that the
severe restrictions imposed by the Government had
been greatly modified. The markets which had
been entirely closed had been reopened, and it was
hoped that the cattle business of the country would
soon assume its normal position. The receipts of
the current book year were encouraging in the
highest degree, showing an increase for the first
eight weeks of £8,897 over those of the correspond-
ing period of 1866, and of £1,473 over those of the
corresponding period of 1865, which was the most
successful year the, company had yet experienced.
The total traffic receipts for the year coding the
30th of April last amounted to £295,569, and for
the preceding year to £317,417, showing a decrease
of £21,848. The total expenditure amounted to
.015,772, or 3917 per eel*, ag*st£ll7,osl,
or 36-87 per cent., showing sr:decrease of £1,279.
The excess of receipts over expenditure amounted
to £179,796, against £200,366 in the preceding year
ending the 30th of April, 1866. The amount avail-
able for dividend, after deducting the interest on
bonds and loans, was £141,987, against £164,124
in the preceding year. The amount of paid-up
share capital was £1,817,324 against £1,700,000 in
the preceding year ; and the percentage of divi-
dend to capital was 7.40 against 8.88, showing a de-
crease of 148 per cent. The earnings per train mile
were 7s. id., against 7s. 40., and the expenses
per train mile were 2s. 94-d., against 2s. Sid. in
the preceding year. A provisional dividend of 11s.
Bd. per £l6 paid share, and 14s. 7d. per £2O paid
share, was distributed to the proprietors in January
last. The directors recommended a further pay-
ment of 12s. per £l6 share and 15s. per £2O share,
making the total dividend for the year 235. Bd. per
£l6 per share, and 295. 7d. per £2O share, or at
the rate of £7 7s. 11d. per cent. per annum. The
reserve fund would have £2,558 added to it, making
the total amount £12,540. During the past year
£99,530 had been expended on capital account for
increased station accommodation, doubling portions
of the line, improvements of way and works, also
including £28,667 for new engines and rolling
stock. The total expenditure on capital account
was £2,243,797.
Resolutions were passed adopting the report ; re-
electing the president and vice-president of general
meetings ; empowering the directors to apply 17f
per cent. of the surplus profits abase 5 per cent. on
the share capital, in accordance with the statutes;
and, in addition to the provisional dividend in Jan.
last, to distribute to the proprietors a further divi-
dend of 12s. per £l6 share and of 15s. per fully
paid share ; re-electing the commissaries, and also
the directors retiring by rotation ; and giving the
thanks of the meeting to the chairman for his able
conduct in the chair.

ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN.
The traffic receipts on this compapny's lines for th©
second week in Juno amounted to £102,391,
against $123,521 in the corresponding week last
year, showing a decreaw of $21,130.

GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA.
The traffic receipts of this company's lines for the
week ending the 221 ,of June, amounted for pas-
sengers to £8,806, for emigrants to £2,028 ; for
mails, &c., to £986, and for freight and live stock to
£12,821 ; total, £24,641, and for the correspond-
ing week in 1866 to £25,627, showing a decrease of
£986. The total receipts from the Ist of January
to the above date amounted to £599,290, and for
the same period last year to £608,796, showing a
decrease of £9,506.

MANCHESTER AND COUNTY BANK.
The report of the directors states that, including
£5,718 brought forward from the previous half-year
there was now a profit to the 30th of June last of
£50,994 to be appropriated. The directors pro-
posed to add to the reserve fund £20,000, which
would raise it to £105,000, and to pay the usual
dividend at the rateeof 10 per cent. per annum, freo
of income tax. They also proposed to apply £2,500
in reduction of property account., and to carry for-
ward £4,156.