The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-27
THE BISLEY RIFLE MEETING.
The New English RIno Range wImbie don
Closed Alter Thirty Years Service.

The New English RIne RanEe- VvImbie ion
Closed Alter Thirty IcRrS' Service.
After thirty successive yearly competitions
ut Wimbledon. the National Rifle Association
OF Great Britain is now holding its thirty FIRST
annual prize meeting on new range. The
necessary accommodations for the marks
men on its old grounds conlcted with the In
dividual interests OF land ownors, the Duke
Of Cambridge among them and In spite OF the
memories and tho triumphs connected with
that place. after efforts to avoid a change, tho
Rife Association was forced to leave It
The opening ceremonies OF the Bisley range
this year suggest at once comparisons and con-
trasts with tho establishment Of Wimbledon.
On that former occasion Queen Victoria pro-
ceede1 to platform. where Whitworth ride
had been carefully aimed aud fixed In posi-
ton. pulled the trigger, and the markers flag
credited her with bulls eye at 400 yards.
Thereupon tho range was declared open. Her
Majesty has since that time achieved other
military distinction. even short time ago
attaining very high honorary rank In En-
peror Williams cavalry, but she Is perhaps no
longer capable OF boating her old record Of
1860 at rifle shooting. At all events. 1t was the
Prince OF Wales who inaugurated the Bisey
range and the Princess who fired the FIRST shot
Other points OF comparison are suggested
between that day and ours Some Swiss Wis
itors. who numbered seventeen entries appear
TO have carried OF the laurels OF tho first VIM
bledou meeting. They took i've OF the seven
prizes at 200 yards. four OF tie fourteen at 800
and 500 yards, and the Duke OF Cambridge's
prize for breech-loaders at 1000 yards. while
the best score OF the whole meeting was by q
Geneva marksman who made nine shots out
Of possible ten at 800 yards. This last feat
would be inr from eHtra9rd!nary or even sre-
fSay ani Tb IKE sboonF S
proportion. But the rush OF patronage which
the first Wimbledon meeting received may oe
known from the fact that there were I2O en-
tries and that $4,000 was taken In gate money
from spectators.
open the Elcho Shield competition was estab.
lisned. Lord Echo. atterward made Earl OF
Womyss; taking great interest IN the lounda-
ton o. rli!n practice or tho British volunteers.
1t was extended to REPRESENTATIVES from ire,
land three years later. In ISL the Ralah OF
for competition. and from the ars; received
great deal OF attention from the Canadian
ma5ksmen Th9se Gtory lat year ibs was Ssrd iae
in This match. besides twice whining the
Colonial rrize in money that goes with It,
addict. with the result OF Offering not only
honors but Pecuniary rewards so great as TO
iusuro AWAY 8 very large number of entries
individual competition Is the Queens lriZe.
which has, beeu won at Hsley this week ny
ment. and cives him sl.250 and go!! medal;
Tho present meeting at Bisley is noteworthy
not only as being the first Of the National Niiie
Association held on this range. bu, also from
It's making several changes from former pro-
GrRmmes The new field competition for teams
OF twelve Tor the Standard prize. EMPLOYS
target Of the usual dimensions, with rings, but
adds the figures Of Two soldiers and a gun
Another change Is the revival OF sighting shots.
which are again allowed There i rapid fire
connection ri 800 yards. in which each com
petItor makes as many shots AS possible with
in the space OF sixty seconds. In one OF tho
matches no flags at the butts are shown until
the competitor has finished his score which
he must make in consecutive string within
fixed time. The increase Of distances IN some
cases is noteworthy. the old distance OF 900
yards being extended whore sporting rifles
are al lowed. to !. 100 yards.
What is somewhat remarkable at the Bisley
% at the Wimbledon competitions iS the reia-
tivev small number OF prizes given for firing
OF the sort that is most usual in battle. An
English military paper pointed out that at ono
OF Tho Wiablcdom meetings about $4,000 was
allotted for firing At fixed targets, and only
about one-twenIieth OF that sum for quick
firing and for shooting at moving targets and
at unknown distances. In the visit OF the
Massachusetts rifle team to Wimbledon last
year what excited most interest and admira-
ton In their shooting was their skirm!sh
firing: and yet skirmish firing in tho competi-
lions OF our National Guard has FAR less atien-
ton paid to II than in the regular army. The
Blsley meeting essays some Improvement IN
the direction OF firing under service condi-
tions, but there is room for more.