The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-09-07
RIFLE-sHoOTING IN ENGLAND.

RIFLE.SHOOTING IN ENGLAND.
Great attention is now given by the peo-
pie of England to acquire skill in the use of
the rife, and laudable efforts are made, by
those in authority. in offering prizes to fos-
ter and encourage this spirit. The whole
nation appears to have become vast vol
unteer corps of riHemen No less than
SOC, 600 volunteers have become organized
into regiments, companies and squads, in
all the different cities, towns and counties,
and for the past two years, nearly, they
have been drilled under experienced officers
and fuglemen belonging to the regular army;
and now. 1t is stated. that in point of drill
they rival the regiments of the line, while
they far surpass all the soldiers of Europe
as marksmen.
In the regular army there is school for
training soldiers to shoot with the rifle at
marks ranging from 200 to 900 yards dis
lance, but this practice is limited in COM
parison with that of volunteer rifemen, who
can fire away at their own expense as much
as they please. To give unity and coher-
ence to the different regiments. they have
formed National Rife Association"
which holds an annual meeting to contend
for prizes at Wimbledon Common, near
London. The best rifle shots of all the
| volunteer companies and regiments in the
empire contend for victory on these occa-
sions, the second of which took place on the
second week of July. and continued for three
days. ..
The highest prize was the "Queen's
Silver Cup" valued at E250, which was
awarded to the best shot; the " Prince Of
Wales Prize" valued at ElOO; Duke of
Cambridge PRICE," ESQ; twenty prizes of
WhiIworIh rifles, each worth G25, besides
numerous smaller prizes. The Queens
prize is only allowed to be commended for
by those who have made the best shots at
the successive distances of goo, 500, 600,
800, 900 and 1000 yards. Seven shots
were allowed to each trial, excepting the
last, which was reduced to FIVE shots. The
twenty best shots al 200 yards received each
Whitworth rifle, and the best marks
man of the last named silver medal addi-
tional.
At 600 yards the best shot obtained the
Prince of Wales prize, and at 900 yards
the best received the Queens prize. The
best at 600 yards was Capt. Robertson, oil
the Tenth Perthshire Rifles the victor OF
all, who obtained the Queens prize, was
Mr.. Joplin, Of the Second South Middlesex
Rifles, who scored twenty points at the
ranges of 200, 500 and 600 yards, and eigh-
teen points at tina ranges of 800, 900 and
1000 yards. He gained the prize by pre-.
cisely one point, from Mr.. j. Bingham, Of
Bristol.
The shooting of this year is said to have
greatly excelled that of last year, and the
prizes were taken by persons who had OBJ.
tanned all their knowledge of the rifle
through their company practice. Each
contestant had to fire with an Enfield rifle
of the army up to six hundred yards then,
for the ranges beyond this, Whitworth rifles
were used, as the Enfield cannot be relied
on for such long distances. All those who
gained seventeen points and upward had 8
right to contend for the chief prize, but none
below this. The victor of the cup made q
total of thirty-eight points out of forty
shots.
The extreme range for target rite shoot
greater than the American, which is 22C
yards.
AS we understand the descriptions given
in English newspapers of the rife practice
at Wimbledon Common, it surpasses the
Swiss and American rifie-shoOting. When
a bull's-eye of eight inches in diameter is
when bullet strikes within the circle OF
FIVE inches, il counts two points, and within
one of twelve inches it counts one point
Mr.. Joplin, the winner of the Queens Cup
made thirty eight points out of forty shots
four points being made with FIVE shots al
: 900 yards. which is the best shooting
ever made, so far as we know. The rifle.
man, Mr.. E. Ross, who won the first prize
last year, was also a competitor for it this
year, but he was easily beaten by forty
others.
AS whole, the shooting of the Englist
Rife Volunteers was twice as good this year
as the last. Our most accurate American
rifes-those which are most esteemed fol
prize target all muzzle-load
ers, but the hest rifles for long ranges used
in England. seem to be the breech- leaders
All the shooting is executed off hand-no
rest alloWed-and the rifles are the common
kind used in the army drill.