The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-22 00:00:00

The National Rifle Association.

The annual report of the association has just been
issued, and some facts of general interest, as well
as of importance to the volunteer world, are
contained in the bulky volume which records
another year's practice at the now national pastime
of rifle shooting, It will be remembered that the
general election and last year's contest at Wimbledon
ran side by side, and it was anticipated that the
meeting on the common would be a failure; but
this gloomy expectation was not realised, for in at-
tendance and shooting the meeting was no less suc-
cessful than its pl'edecessors, and the competitors
for the various prizes who had to fulfil the duties of
citizenship by recording their votes in the various
boroughs and counties had opportunities given them
for doing so. Though the meeting was very suc-
cessful, the balance carried forward was not so large
as in previous years, owing to a greatly increased
expenditure, which this year the council will feel it
their duty to reduce where practicable. With re-
spect to the smallbore competition of the gunmakers,
as to what arm should be used in the second stage
of the Queen's Prize of 1866, there were three en-
tries. Mr. Rigby (whose rifles gave so much satis-
faction last year), Mr. Henry, and the Birmingham
Small Arms Company, with the Whitworth. Mr.
Rigby was disqualified through not depositing his
rifles two days before the competition, which was
owing to a:train breaking down, and the competi-
tion lay between the Whitworth and Henry rifles.
The former was fired with the mechanically fitting
(hardened lead) bullets ; and, though victory was
declared for the Whitworth's, it was won by three
decimals only. The Whitworth will therefore be
placed in the hands of the competitors for the second
stage of the Queen's Prize, subject to an objection
that the Whitworth contravened the rules by using
a copper " scraper" for pushing down the fouling in
the ammunition. With a view to encourage very
long-range rifle shooting, the council have offered
two prizes of £25 each for competition with heavy
rifles at 2,000 yards—one prize for muzzle-loaders,
the other for breech-loaders, the first-named to be
not more than 151 b. weight, the other 121 b. The
council has suggested to Government the advisa-
bility of making a little change, involving no cost,
in the back-sight of the Enfield rifle, for it has been
found that by flattening the bottom of the V sight
by a few strokes of a file the blur which interferes
with the shooting is done away with. A suggestion
that the smallbore competition should be confined
to the cylindrical bullets—the cheaper ammunition
—on the ground that the use of the mechanically-
fitting bullets, which are very costly, debarred many
from entering these competitions, had been considered
by the council, but it was felt that to do this would
be a retrograde step, and inconsistent with the asso-
ciation's position as promoters of improvements in
rifles and rifle shooting. With respect to the much
mooted questions of reducing the cost of sighting
the shots from ls. each to 6d., and at the same time
giving more prizes and subscribing to All-comers'
Meetings, the council state such a course might be
safely taken if the association were supported by
Government money, like the Belgian Association,
who are well supported by their Government, the
Tir building and enclosure being government pro-
perty, and of the 62,000 f. offered for competition,
25,000 f. are given by Government, 5,000 f. by the
King and Royal Princes, and 5,500 f. by the city of
Brussels—a statement showing that no comparison
can be drawn between the two associations. The
council, however, consider that the experiment of
lowering the cost of the sighting shots to 6d. each
is worth a trial, and they promise to consider in
what competitions it can be most safely tried. The
council regret that the Belgian riflemen did not
come last year, and so give them an opportunity of
doing the honours of Wimbledon in return for the
great kindness shown by the Belgians to our Volun-
teers who visited Brussels. A reception committee
was appointed, consisting of Earl Spencer, Colonel
31,111urdo, and Colonel Kennedy, and it is hoped
nothing will this year interfere with this interna-
tional visit. After showing that the complete adop-
tion of the Wimbledon system of targets for class
shooting would be beneficial in every respect, the
report goes on to show the various arrangements
in connection with the last meeting on Wimbledon
Common. There were 2,200 persons encamped on
the common during the meeting, of whom 765 were
Volunteers. The Wimbledon Grand Trunk Railway,
worked by the Military Train, had continued a
decided success, and an extension to the " iron
house" was under consideration at some future time ;
and thanks were tendered to the Ist Surrey Volun-
teer Brigade, under Capt. Irvine, for guarding the
camp. Within the last year the Cumberland,
Buckinghamshire, Ross-shire, Lincolnshire, and
Otago (New Zealand) Associations have affiliated
15 colonies now connected making a total of
with the
38
Bemscouenlvtiees it
counties
wandhs
central body. The number of visitors last year was
greater than on the previous occasions, there being
in 1864 20,253, and 21,839 in 1865. The •
prizes had
increased in value, though not •in number, there be-
ng in 1864 627, of the value of £5,918, and in 1865
580, of the value of £7,590. The degrease in num-
ber was owing to there being
last year no City of
London prizes, as in the previous year. The total
income of the association from all sources for last
year amounted to £15,544 19s. 6d., and the expen-
diture to £14,729 3s. 5d., which shows less income
than the previous year by £638 15s. Bd., while the
expenditure was greater by £1,275 18s. 9d• This
increased expenditure is most satisfactorily ac-
counted for by the payment of additional prizes,
•
arrears of War-office charges, and increased staff of
markers. The council look upon the condition of
the association as most satisfactory to all concerned
in its welfare, and this concern is very general, even
if it is not shown in the most substantial manner
by the large body of the public.

THE SUICIDE AT GUILDFORD.—The mystery
attaching to the suicide of Mrs. Wesley, who drowned
herself in the river Wyo, at Guildford, on Sunday morn-
ing last, as previously reported, is now cleared up. it
appears that last Thursday she prosecuted
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assault, when ho was convicted and sentenced to six
months' imprisonment with hard labour. After this the
wife relented, and endeavoured to procure a remitment of
under
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is thought
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possible, she became strange, anxious, and troubled in
found.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY.—Morning, Gh. 54m.--Afternoon, 7h. 20m.
Ta-Moratow.-31ornipg, 7u. 50m.—Afternoon, Bh. 26m.