The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-09-06
Firing on Hersebaek.


practical lessons for the volunteers,
apart from the mere mastery of accurate
shooting. The Lloyd, Lindsay and the
Mappin prfges were instituted with the
object of testing what calvary and in
fantry volunteers could no under condi-
tlons similar in many respects to those
that would have to be encountered on
active service. In the one, Yeoman
mounted rifemen, or volunteer light
horse, have to ride distance of three
hurdles in the course, dismounting ct
two points, end, firing, each man five
rounds, and the whole has to be done in
ten minutes. In the other similar work
has to be performed. only the distance
to be covered is only quarter of mile,
and the time allowed is five minutes. At
the Loyd-Lindsay course yesterday after
noon q considerable number of specta-
| tors, on horseback, in carriages or drags
and on foot, had gathered, and they evil
IDENTIFY watched the proceedings with
much the same kind of interest that
| would be taken by country folk in their
local steeple-chases. For this competi-
ton thirteen sections had entered, and
rarely indeed has the contest for the
prize been closer or so distinguished by
higher proficiency on the part of the
teams engaged. It commenced soon
after 3 o'clock, and for two hours and
half the spectators were delighted by
display of good riding, soldierly bearing
and skillfui workmanship under difficult
circumstances. The Ayrshire section was
the first to start, and they did the course
in eight seconds less than the prescribed
| time, but in their shooting there was evil
dence of hurry. The misses were fire.
quent and the good hits very few. Then
came the Dorset section, distinguished
| by the silver hussar braiding of their
jackets, and sitting their horses as hunt
! ing men from the Blackmoor Vale
should do. It was not the same section
that had previously attained fame at
| Wimbledon, and there was want of
smartness about the movements of the
men, which proclaimed slight acquaint-
ance with the requirements of such q
competition. Their time was IL minutes
and % seconds, and in the forty rounds
| fired by the four men at 500 and 600
yards, they only scored 10 points alto
| gether. From this five points had to be
| deducted from each half minute occupied
over the time laid down. As the Dorset
| section had exceeded the allowance
| by nearly minute and half, their
net number of marks stood at
exactly nothing. Then came the
Leicestershire d section, which like the
| Ayrshire, fired far too hastily. They
made the best time of all, and came
| home in admirable order in minutes,
81 seconds, but they only scored Is
marks between them. The Leicester
shire G troop took more time, but scored
| txr &xx,< L.
Der ten had to be deducted. Then came
another section of the Ayrshire regiment,
which not only moved very leisurely,
A section made both good time and good
shooting, and came back from the firing
| points in almost perfect order, showing
that they could not only ride like true
followers of the Quorn and Cottesmore,
but that they had acquired something of
the discipline of regular troopers. The
| Oxfordshire G section followed They
were slow in getting their aim, and did
not seem to be making good practice at
the target, but they came home well in
line, and but for the misplaced enthusi-
asm of one of their number, who forgot
that cavalry soldier should never have
q whip-hand, or at all events should
never use it as such, their work would
have been very well done. The Royal
Bucks, mounted on good weight carriers,
behaved in much more soldierly fashion.
They rode we'll and shot with precision.
They only took minutes and 40 seconds
to do the course, and got on the very re-
spectacle number of 81 points before
they left the targets. The Oxfordshire
D troop looked very soldierly and moved
well. After scoring fair number OF
hits at the 500 yards range, they re-
mounted very smartly, and getting back
to the 800 yards firing point quickly and
in good order, got on the target at the
first shot. Firing at regular intervals
with deliberation, but without delay,
they scored hit after hit. Presently.
however, the wind shifted, and seemed
to puzzle them somewhat, as it blew the
smoke straight up the range, obscuring
the target and necessitating hazardous
delay. Directly the bugle sounded to
cease fire, however, they mounted with
} alacrity and came back in good order,
riding well; and, although one of the
horses hit the last fight of hurdles
rather hard, their line was never broken
until the post had been reached. The
Warwickshire second section went down
the course in dashing style, sitting theil
horses in true soldierly manner. Theil
, shooting at the first range was rapid, and
appeared somewhat wild. At 600 yards
they were equally quick in getting te
work, but scarcely more successful ir
i settling to their aim. Then they tried
what slower shooting would do, and GO
. in several hits, but at the sacrifice o
} much time, which they endeavored t.
r make up afterward, with the result tina
7 they came back little raggedly, one Oh
e two of them using their hands and heel.
a little more vigorously than a cavalry
!, martinez would be likely to approve of
The Warwickshire first section was ad
mirably mounted, and the men KEEP
!, their dressing well as they topped tn,
hurdles in good hunting style. They go
! through their twenty rounds at 500 yard
: quickly, and nearly every shot seemed
. to tell. At the next range, however
!, they wasted much time, and reaped littl
n were very quick in remounting, an.
4 though they came back at racing spec,
o they kept their dressing well to the end
J, The delay at 600 yards, however, handi
capped them fifteen points The Wor
e cestershire men when they get the com
e mand, ''Gallop march," went away as i
: each were struggling for the lead, an,
!, they jumped the first fight of hurdle
y almost in Indian style. At firing the
did not make SO much progress either il
z time or points, and the limits of the min
!. utes had been passed long before tn
y last round was fred. As they were com
Z ing home the inevitable dog crossed tn
: course, two of the horses shying, sweryet
i and carromed against the Others. For
q moment it looked as if all must come +
J. grief, but fortunately they kept thei
d seats and cleared the hurdles withou
ir any mishap. All three sections had fires
q with Wesley Richards carbines, but tn
q last to start, the Royal First Devon 1eo
ir manry, carried their short Sniders slun,
i across their backs, according to tn
n fashion of the Indian irregulars. Smar
, and soldierly in their scarlet uniforms
IS with royal blue facings, they prove,
l. worthy of the reputation that was wol
rs along ago by their countrymen of tn
8 Devon mounted rifles. They cleared th
IS hurdles we'll, but, unaccustomed to th
3 course, they went too fast, and one horse
% having broken rein, carried his ride
= far beyond the first firing point hefor
:, he could be pulled up. At 900 yard
!, they got on the target once, and steadil
=, ~ kept there without single miss. At GO
"a yards they did not do so well, but sti
~ they finished with more brilliant scor
than has been made by any of the oths
competitions score that could bear
IN