The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-18 00:00:00

The Gun Club Pigeon Shoot'ng.

Notwithstanding the quantity of shooting there has been
this season, including the great champion sweepstakes,
which Mr. Frank Ileathcoto so zealously and admirably
carried out, the Ascot open Handicap of the Gun Club shot
on Saturday at the ground on Wormholt Scrubs opened
with the capital entry of 37, of which number 19 came to
the post. The handicap was the 6th of the season by this
club, and speaks much for the energy and activity of Mr.
Arthur Battcock, the secretary, to whose obliging courtesy
every one is much indobted.
During the bye shooting the following betting was cur-
rent :-100 to 12 on Mr. C. Hambro ; 8 to 1 on Mr. Berke-
ley Lucy; 9 to 1 on Mr. J. Jee, V.C., C.B. ; 10. to 1 on
Mr. R. C. Musgrave, Viscount Stormont, and Mr. William
Watts ; 12 to 1 on Captain Dymoke, Colonel Murray, and
Captain A. L. Ricardo ; 20 to 1 Mr. Corballis. The books
against Mr. C. Hambro were " full" directly, and Vis-
count Stormont's "price," opening at 15 to 1, came
down very rapidly to the closing figure above quoted.
The conditions were :—A sweepstakes of 5 sots each, £1
forfeit ; post entries after the publication of the card, 6 sovs
and no forfeit—at six birds each. For peers, members of
Parliament, officers in the army and navy on full pay, and
members of the following clubs :—The Army and Navy,
Arlington, Arthur's, Boodle's, Brooks's, Carlton, East India
Military, Egerton Pratte, Guards', Junior Army and Navy,
Junior Carlton, Pratts', St. James's, Travellers', Union,
White's, and Windham ; also the Gun Club, the new club
at Edinburgh, certain Paris clubs, and all the jockey clubs
of Europe. Guns of 11 bore or less. Charge of lfoz. of
shot, and gentlemen shooting with less to go in at the rate
of half a yard for every loz. of shot less than lioz. All to
load from the sable bowls. No wire cartridges allowed, and
cartridges to be shown to the handicapper, Mr. G. Arthur
Battcock. The Gun Club rules to be strictly observed.
The handicap
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was begun by Mr. R. C. Muagravo, who
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sew
Thethe second
non-successbrt•
eliattMerrlyHof.
this usually fine shot may be attributed to his shooting too
much. Mr. Montague hit hard with the second barrel, but
the "flyer" fell to the lot of the scouts, and the Swiss
count let his bird get too far off before firing. Captain
Hervey Talbot was the fourth in succession to whom 0 was
put down, and though Captain A. L. Ricardo scored his
pigeon smartly that example was not followed by Mr.
Lysley. Viscount Stormont shot his bird the instant it
rose, and Sir John Blois also dropped his with the first
barrel, only using loz. of shot. Mr. W. Watts and Mr.
C. Hambro both killed; but Mr. George Stone, who by
virtue of using only ioz. of shot stood a yard and a half
nearer than handicapped, did' not ; Mr. S. Bateson also
missed; and, though Mr. G. Lee, V.C., C. 8., hit his bird
very hard, the fielders had it. Tho pigeon pulled for Mr.
•
Corballis flew over the fence untouched , and Col. Murray,
who was regarded as a most " likely customer," never
touched his bird. Mr. W. W. Beecher only had occasion
to let off the first barrel ; but Mr. Berkeley Lucy and the
lion. G. A. W. Winnf both missed, thus closing the first