The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-20 00:00:00

THE WIMBLEDON rerEETING.

At the usual hour of commencing business yes-
erday morning at Wimbledon the common pre-
sented a very quiet appearance, and scarcely any one
was to be seen but those who were required to be
present to take part in the competitions that were
going on. The principal matter yet left to be dis-
posed of is what is somewhat inappropriately called
an international contest for the. Elcho Challenge
Shield, the honorary possession of which has three
times been held by England out of the four times
that it has been shot for. Until last year this com-
petition lay between eight of the best men of Eng-
land and eight of Scotland, when a claim was put in
on the part of Irishmen on the ground of their na-
tionality, and they desired to take their chance for
the honour. Some demur was made at the time on
the part of Scotland to. the proposed admission of
those who had hitherto been strangers amongst
them, but this was overruled by Lord Elcho, and
eight representatives of Ireland were allowed to be--
come competitors with the rest. As this determina-
tion was come to at a very late period, it was with
great difficulty that eight good marksmen, natives of
the sister, isle, could be got together, but Major
Leech, of the London Irish, was most unremitting
in his exertions, and a tolerable team was got toge-
ther, and, considering the hurried way in which the
matter was arranged, the only surprise was that the
Irishmen had done so well. The contest between
England and Scotland was a very close one, Eng-
land winning at the close by only two
.marks. In
the first range of 800 yards, England made 377
marks; Scotland, 378—a difference of only one point,
while Ireland made 338. In the second range of
900 yards England made 333 marks ; Scotland, 339
and Ireland, 298. In the third range of 1,000 yards
Englandmade 343 ; Scotland, 334 ; and Ireland, 299.
The totals being—England, 1,053 ; Scotland, 1,051:;
and Ireland, 935. The competitors were as follows
—England : Baker, H. Evans, Fletcher, Wells, Mil-
ler, Pell, Bland, Norsworthy. Scotland : Edward
Ross, Malcolm, the Master of Lovat, the Hon. IL
Gordon, Mitchell, Maxwell, Dunlop, Wilkin. Ire-
land : J. Rigby, Barlow, Cash, W. Rigby, Major_
Leech, M'Coyd, Rogers, Martin. Each one of the
eight had to fire 15 shots at the respective ranges of
800, 900, and 1,000 yards.

The next item of any consequence in the pro-
gramme was a continuation of the Rifle Oaks, for
which representatives from nearly every county in
England, Scotland, and Ireland were entered. The
prizes consist of a sweepstakes of 10s. each, divided
' into three prizes. Five shots each, at 200, 500, and
600 yards. The Windmill Prizes were again con-
tested at the second stage of 600 yards, and the
Any Rifle Association Cup was also continued at
600 yards. Some new prizes were offered for breech-
loaders, and the interest felt in them was fairly
divided between them and the contest going on at
the same time for the Elcho shield. Some extraordi-
nary shooting was made by Sergeant Brookes, of the
12th Middlesex, in rapid firing; for in three minutes,
with a Spencer repeating rifle, he made 10 bull's-
ores, 15 centres, and 10 outers, or 105 marks in 36
shots. There was no miss, and one bullet went on
the mark of one already on the target, or probably
three marks would have been added to this large
number. At the range of 500 yards, in three minutes
also, Sergeant Brookes made 32 shots and 24 hits,
scoring 68, consisting of 8 bull's-eyes, 4 centres, and
12 outers. Mr. Peterkin, of the London Scottish,
made 82 marks at 200 yards, and 51 at 500. The
Rile Oaks was exceedingly well contested at every
stage, but the star of Scotchmen was in the ascend-
ant, for the principal prize fell to Sergeant W. Fer-
guson, of the Ist Inverness, who gained it by 50
marks ; Capt. J. Macrosbie, of the 12th Surrey,
won the second, by 49 marks ; and Private the
Rev. J. H. Doe, of the Victorias, the third, by 46.
The second stage of the Windmill Prizes drevt
together a large number of competitors, but the
chief prize was won by Ensign Grieve, 4th
Roxburgh. The Elcho Shield competition lasted
all day, but the Scotch, as before, in the
case of the Queen's Prize, were victorious, and the
result was greeted with loud cheering. The winning
score of Scotland was 1,170 ; last year the winning
score by England was 1,053 ; showing that there
were 117 marks over and above the former year.
Even the losing score of England was 68 above

their winning score of last year, showing the great
improvement in shooting since that period.
The following is the score for the Elcho Challenge
Shield :