THE WIMBLEDON RIFLE MEETING

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 143, 9 October 1863, Page 3

THE WIMBLEDON RIFLE MEETING

The regular shooting of the Wimbledon meeting was commenced on Tuesday, when in a match between the three counties in which Liverpool, Bristol, and London are situated, Lancashire won, and Gloucestershire was second, Middlesex losing that place by only one point. Hereafter groat prominence will bo given to these matches, and arrangements are in progress for offering a challenge cup, open to all the associations connected with the parent society. The number of competitors has, in fact, already increased, for the last year the struggle for precedence lay between Lancashire and Middlesex. Laxcasihre.

The county matches ■were succeeded by county competitions for the bronze medal of the National Rifle Association, 'which were protracted till a very late hour. Gunfire, in fact, was postponed until near eight o’clock, and it was impossible to investigate the returns brought in from the different ranges without some hours labor afterwards. It was generally understood, however, that in the Oxford and Cambridge competition, Capt. Ross, of the Cambridge University, was the winner of

the As-ociation medal. The entries for pool and sighting targets, mid at the “ running deer ” range, must have been fabulous.

It is greatly to be regretted that the proceedings did not pass off without casualties—one rather serious. One of the first, if not the very first shot fired, glanced from the target and struct a marker, and two other soldiers were injured later in the day. The leaden splash is described as having cut the first slightly on the forehead, and then entirely removed the covering of one eye, leaving the eye itself apparently intact. The two ©the? markers received flesh wounds in the side and hip. In their cases there is some reason to believe that the accidents were caused by premature discharges from the firing points.

The performances at the final competition of the gentlemen who arc to have the honour of representing Scotland show them to be no unworthy competitors of the English Eight. They each fired 90 rounds—3o at 800 yards, 30 at 900 yards, and 30 at 1,000. The points made were—Capt. E. Eoss 312, Mr. I. Earquharson 294, Mr. Colin Eoss 279, the Master of Lovat 278, Mr. A. Henry 259, Captain Maxwell 246. As the leader of the Eight, Captain Horatio Eoss did not compete. In all probability Lord Elcho will take the place of one of the competitors just referred to ; his performance with the rifle was still more astonishing. Firing 45 rounds at the same distances as the others, he made 162 points, which was at the rate of 324 points for 90 rounds, or a higher proportion than the highest of those already given. On "Wednesday the principal features of the proceedings were the public school matches, which created considerable interest. The following are the results:—Eton, total score, 246 ; Eugby, 238 ; Harrow, 229 ; Marlborough, 224; Winchester 223 ; Cheltenham, 193 ; Eton winning the Ashburton Challenge Shield. The highest scorer from each of the schools then shot for the Earl Spencer’s Cup, the winner being Sergeant Deedes, Winchester, who made some fine shooting. The first stage Queen’s Prize was shot oil" to-day. There were 80 competitors, whoso scores were 14 points and upwards. Capt. Henning, 2nd Bedford Eifles, made 20 points; Corporal Hill, Ist West York; Sergeant Millard, 11th Middlesex : and Corporal Eudd, Ist Cumberland, each made 18 points.—Eor tho House of Lords’ Prize, first stage, the highest scores at 500 yards; Sergeant Wilson, Stirling, 24 ; Corporal Plenderleath, South Middlesex, 24 ; Private Heppleston, Ist Manchester, 23 ; Private W. A. Block, South Middlesex, 20 points.—Enfield All-comers’, 200 yards, highest scores ; Ensign Perkins, 45th Eegiroent, 26 points ; Private Bailley, Ist Lancashire, 26 ; Private Iforris, 53rd Lancashire, 24. In the Ist series, extra prizes, any rifle, 800 yards, the highest scores are : Lieut.Colonel G. Chile, 26 ; Sergeant Eoss, 26 ; Private Ashton, Liverpool Brigade, 26 ; Sergeant Kemp, 3rd Manchester, 25. Two markers were hurt, but not seriously. Probably the old system of marking will be adopted to-morrow, not owing to any real defect in Captain Hill’s system, but because it is difficult lo prevent the volunteers firing at the wrong target, and thereby causing accidents. Somo of the volunteers’ shooting was very good. Capt. Benning’s 20 points in the Queen’s prize was made by live bull’s eyes. Captain Heaton’s (3rd Manchester) shooting was also very good.

On Thursday, the weather was again favorable. The shooting for the Queen’s Prize was continued, as also the competition for the Lords’ and extra prizes. The principal scores for the Queen’s Prize at 500 yards were—Corporal Hooker, 22nd Middlesex, 17 points ; Private Rhcad, 3rd Gloucester, 17 ; Private Noddall, Ist Notts, 17 ; Lieutenant Watson, Ist Newcastle, 19; Private Howe, sth Dorset, 17 ; Lieut. Shipway, 22nd Middlesex, 17; Sergeant Butler, Ist Wilts, 18 ; Colour-Sergeant Cook, 4th Warwick, 17 ; Sergeant Chase, 4th Suffolk, 17 ; Sergeant O’Rielly, sth Wilts, 17 ; Private Philips, Ist Shropshire, 17 ; and Sergeant Allen, 25th Somerset, 17. In the first stage of the House of Lords, 500 yards, the highest scores were—Corporal Wells, 3rd Hants, 24 ; Captain Goodliffe, 11th Herts, 23 ; Private Tothall, Ist Bristol, 23 ; Corporal Humphrey, 9th Surrey, 23 ; and Private Morris, Ist Hants, 23. In the extra prizes, first series, 800 yards, Turner, Hoare, and Gibbs each scored 24. In All-comers : at 600 yards Lieut. Brougham, 13th Stafford, scored 24; at 500 yards, Mitchell, 2nd Essex, and Thompson, 3rd Durham, each scored 25. In All-comers, 600 yards, small-bore, Capt. Heaton, 3rd Manchester, made 26. For the Enfield, all-comers, 200 yards, Private Dawson, 4th West York, made 26 points, and PrivatePanfon,Bristol Rifles, 25. Asregards the question of marking, General Hey and Colonel Steele, of the Coldstream Guards, which corps has hitherto attended the butts, issued a notice at noon, that they could not undertake the responsibility of allowing the men to continue to mark by the disc system. Lord Elcho having called upon the members of the Victoria corps, who were encamped on the ground, to act as markers, they and several other corps came forward. To-day the 17 discbutts will bo marked by volunteers and musketry instructors, and the others on the old system by the Guardsmen. No accidents took place to-day. Lord Elcho and Lord Ducie marked at one of the disc butts all the afternoon, to assure themselves of their safety. The accidents hitherto are attributed to the Guardsmen not being sufficiently cautious, and to the butts being rather too close together. A r oluntecrs who fire at wrong targets are now disqualified altogether. (To he continued,)

Total points at GOO yds. 800 yds. Tot. Sergt. Kemp, 3rd Manchester 31 . 32 ... 66 Capt. Fenton, 21th Lancashire 33 . . 25 ... 58 Ensign Brazil, Gist do. 31 . . 29 ... 60 Private Halsall, 21st do. 33 . . 33 ... 66 Capt. Heaton, 3rd Manchester 35 . . 36 ... 71 Capt. Maxwell, Liverpool 11. B. 28 . . 18 ... 46 Private Ashton. do. 34 . . 37 ... 71 Private Sprott do. 30 . . 34 ... 64 Private Formby, do. 32 , . 36 ... 68 Private Blanch, 1st Lancashire 33 . 33 ... 66 323 313 636 Q-loucesteesiiiee. Earl Ducie 30 .. 33 ... 63 Lt. Penny, 1st Gloucester Ar. 33 .. . 34 ... 67 Gunner Mvde, do. 31 .. . 20 ... 51 First. Lt. Hansom, do. 19 .. . 13 ... 32 Gunner Hansom, do. 22 .. . 28 ... 50 Ser. Gihbs, 1st Gloucester Rif. 33 . . 25 ... 58 J. Baker - , do. 33 . . 29 ... 62 G. Miller, do. 35 .. . 31 ... 66 Col.-Ser. Clutterbuck, Gth do. 29 .. . 32 ... 61 Sergt. Holloway, 5th do. 30 . 26 ... 56 295 271 566 Middlesex. Sergt. M. Smith,Victoria Rifles 36 . . 35 ... 71 Lord Bury, Civil Service 32 .. . 13 ... 45 Capt. McGregor, Lon. Scottish 28 .. . 28 ... 56 Private Porter, Queen’s 27 .. . 31 ... 61 Private Mills, Victoria Rifles 15 .. . 26 ... 41 Sergeant Thornbury 34 .. . 31 ... 65 Lieut. Hawker, S. Middlesex 33 .. . 36 69 Corporal Pell, Inns of Court 25 .. . 25 ... 50 Sergt. Brooks, 12th Middlesex 22 .. . 25 ... 47 Capt. Oxley, 19th Middlesex 30 .. . 30 ... 60 282 283 565 The general average of the shooting was Lancashire Gloucestershire . 56-6 Middlesex . 56 5