New-York tribune., 1872-07-08
vouD,.erY The spirit of emulation Is the manstsy of

the volunteer movement IN Enganu hcoor""K W 'no
authority Just quoted is the love of shooting that draws
the citizen into the corps it ia the desire to excel that
makes him the efficient soldier. 1t is, undoubtedly, the
rifle practice that has kept the force together in
England and it IL the company, regimentl and county
prize meetings that have f0sered the natural love OF
shooting which exists in almost every Briton from the
nobeman TO the pOacher; and 1t Is this intense interest
that has eliminated In the successful meetings OF the
National Rifle Association. Year by year the przeist
has increased, the number ofcompetorshas multiplied
ard the interest has deopened.
Prize shooting and match-shooting being the vital
principle Of an efficient military force In these days OF
advanced military science, it Is matter OF pollcy 10
provide prizes in order TO stimulate emulation In the
company matches the plan adopted In Great Britain is
usually each member to contribute voluntarily small
annuallysay from one dollar to ten and the ocers
from twenty to nftywhich Is set apart prize fund
to be shot for by the company in general competition
the sum collected being ordinarily divided into ten
prizes graduated according 10 merit The rcgimental
prize fund raised also from voluntary subscriptions OF
the members supplemented by a sum taken rom the
funds OF the corps well sub crptons obtained Dy
the members from their fen Is outside The competition
open the Snent, aud the prizes graduated
as in the company meetings the county and district
associations, subscription thereto from any enrolled
and active volunteer within the county or district,
constitutes membership OF such association, and entities
mn certain privileges at their meetings, some OF the
prizes being for only by members OF the association
These county and district associations being thrown
open not only the volunteers within their boundaries.
but in somo OF the competitions has already been re-
marked to those the whole country large gathering
OF skilled marksmen invariably attracted. From all
those intending TO compete, notice has to be gwen Dy
specified time-usuay few days before the meeting
and an entrance fee has paid just the same as in
entering horse for These entrance ices added
to tho subscriptions, form the prize fund'
The National Rifle Association differs from the smaller
associations in the fact that 1t makes bold appeal TO
the nation at large for support 1t open on payment
of an annual subscription of 81 80 from volunteers and
from all other persons As at the celebrated meetings at
Wimbledon only members, volunteers in UNIFORM ahu
visitors by payment Of admission fees. arc allowed TO
witness the contests and the and
of prizes on the last day OF meeting, cJnseIaOle su
thus raised The prize fund IL composed ot TINS money,
augmented By fees Of contestants, as - the
case at the county and district mtefngsj ana u IL
allotted IN proportion To the importance OF the various
competitions. The thus raised during the last
years has averaged about $4,000 Of which s6OOO nave
The Queens PIze is the hight OF the volunteers
ambition. Her Maesy's irbution sl25Oln goi 10
4 gold and silver medal wnlct are awarded tothe Lad
ing marksmen. For this 0ne competition about 209 OF
process selecting these candidates the work OF the
various corps throughout the country during the
atiye men--lmied to Two men from eacn company
make points ont OF 10 shots the highest number
CO. IL will thus be seen thai man must be able TO use
his weapon with Considerable skill Before he can become
contestant. The competition for the Queens Prize IL
divided stages the first stage being i've sh0ts
t this stage receives 1870 ana the silver eal OF the as
sociaon while the next 50 in order oI merit receive
snms varvng from SIS to SIS, and the first 60
roceIye in addition the coveted honor OF the
badge OF the National Rifle Association, which Is prom
inenflv worn on an occasions by the fortunate holders.
TIE contest in the second stage is limited To these first
Sixty winners in the first stage, the only prize IN TINS
stage being the chief one OF tue meengthe l25O pre-
seed by the Queen coupled with the gold medal OF the
Association. Tie competitors In tue second stage nave 70
fire shots each az s0 900 aud 1000 yards respect
iyely with weapon which Is handed them for the
purpose by the Government and which they are allowed
to retain II viii thus De seen tha u - no easy matter
any person but one or superior sKl as haIhshth
gam the enylabo honor Of carrying OH the green's
prize To enable one % compete IOr requires yGi. oi
previous rning and II Is evident that the institution
Of ths prize must have powerful Influence ~ the pro-
luctI0n or class Ol hiS5 sA ma hsIn; lHc
prize OF $780, given by the Prince OF wales whch Is
awarded to the in the competition, whlle an
equal amount divided into twenty prze, o 70 eacn' Is
gwen this % the next twenty IN order OF
merit. This contest Is confined TO winners OF medals OF
county associations Ia the previous tweHS %no't5 non o
whom fee Is required. Beside thls Tue can
ates from distant counties nave almost nyardDy their
expenses paid to tue Wno edOn meeting ny
I'VE county OcatiOn Tne number Of contestants beng
limited u rom each county seldom exceeds ory'
and il is unnecessary state that they all marks
OF high merit from the very fact OF iholr having
secured the principal prize IN their respective counties
The ranges for competition are what are called the
Queens Ranges" viz, hYe shots each at 200 900 ana
Coz yards There three leading prizes at Wimbledon,
OF which tue 81. George Is the third' ms contest
originated in prize offered by the 81 Georges Rifles an
influential corps belonging To the City OF London, which
continues to contribute portion or he pIAe.mohey the
remainder DcinS given iI ~ @ 'g il5 I o. ;t no Wv
ranging from Si5 10 Sl2j TINS match Is very popular IN
c0nSeucnce Oh the great number OF contestants who
can enter Tor IT, the OF selection being the same
as in the Queens ami II comprises the same men, with
an addition each regiment tie competition
divided into two stages aud resembles III principle
that Oi the Queens prize .,, o.. ,
In all the three aforementioned competitions it Is
impossible for the volunteers 10 enter OF their
own Tree will. They can only enter as the repre-
seutatyes of their respective corps or countless IN
which they have prove Their individual superiority
ana expenses aud entrance fees are invariably borne
by the corps county 10 which they belong Nearly an
lie other competitions open to volunteers and 10 all
comers in conformity with me rules ana regulations the
two principal prizes OF TINS are tue
audra" ana Windmill" In eaeh OF when prizes are
distributed amounting To about $1,000 Ia all the yOlnn
matches the only weapon useu Is that useh III the
service formerly the original Enfield now the 9nlder
aud ultimately to be the Martlnl-HenIy which Is pro-
uOunced 10 be the best Oreech-Oadef yet Invented
sMALLBoRE COMPETITIONS.
But the meeting at Wimbledon is not confined to vol
uneer shooting alone there several other important
competitions exclusively devoted TO smalbore rifles,
and intended to encourage the production of superior
weapons and scientific shooting among civilians gener-
ay though volunteers may enter the contests well,
bt not in their military capacity. The rifles employed
these matches having smaller BORE ana, from tner
finer aud more careful construction requiring slightly
heavier charge powder than the Snider have lesser
trajectory which not only insures more accurate shoot
Ing hut enables them TO carry to much greater
distance. Hence, all competitions with these
rifles are at what are termed "long ranges
or. In other words, from 700 10 1000 yards. IL Is
i'm these smallbOre rifle matches that the interest in
shooting is carried to It's greatest extent the principal
contest IN this class Is that for the "Elcho Challenge
Shield" which Is open 10 all nations, but confined 10
eight representatives OF each Thus far only England,
Scotland Ireland aud Canada have entered in THIS con-
test In consequence OF the representatives OF each
beIug limited in number competitions are previously
heh decide upon these representatives, who, as
matter course the best shots in the various eoun-
The competition consists OF Is shots each at 500
9O and yards and such is the degree OF excellence
exhibited In this contest that the exception IL Tor the
shot to be of the buh's-eye.
Tne prize excu.iyey one OF honor The contest Is
not an individual one, but OF nation against nation
the collective of the representatives or each
deciding the winning nation. The trophy Is only held by
the winners till the next meeting when IL Is again com,
neted fr The shield gncent work OF art several
feet in dameter and. while held by the respective con-
the custody of the chief gstrate OF
the principal city OF the winning naton and exhibited