RIFLEMEN AT THEIR CUPS.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 272, 29 May 1860, Page 4

RIFLEMEN AT THEIR CUPS.

' " The cup which cheers but not inebriates." It has been often and truly said that the success and permanence of the volunteer force in England will depend on the amount of interest taken in rifle shooting. Marching past in review order, a smart uniform, with silver chains and whistles, may. have their attractions for a while; but the real question for the defence of the country will be how many men in each county in England can make sure of hitting their mark at 500 yards; or, when Whitworth's rifles are more generally accessible, at 1,000 yards, that is over half a mile, or across five ten acres fields. .....■•■..

We are glad to learn that a foundation lor a county competition has been laid by the volunteers from the West of England, who have just, completed their course of instruction at Hy the. ■. Nine gentlemen from the West entered the course, representing four counties, which are given as follows, in Geographical order. Wilts and Dorset were not Eifle Volunteers (Faloiouth),- Oapfc. Reid, late Scotch Greys,

1 Ist Devon Mounted Rifle Volunteers (Clyst Vale), Capt. Acland. Ist Somerset Rifle Volunteers (Bath), Ensign Inman. 2nd Somerset ditto (Bathwick), Lieutenant Burne. 3rd Somerset ditto (Taunton), Lieutenant Allen. ....... , Ist Gloucestershire (City of Bristol),. Capt. and Adjutant Jones, Ditto . ditto' : Lieutenan Wetherman. 3rd Gloucestershire (City of Gloucester), LiMitenant Dowling. ' Bth Gloucestershire (Tewkesbury), Lieutenant - Sargeant. The first object to be attained in the target practice at Hythe is to pass out of the third class into the second by obtaining 15 points in 20 rounds of firing, standing at distances increasing from 160 to 300 yards. ' This object was attained by 5 of the West of , England candidates at the first trial, and by the rest at subsequent trials. The numbers of those successful at the first trial were as follows :— Shooting from 150 to 300 yards standing:—Burne 21 points; Aclaud and Wetherman, 19 points; Jones 17 points; Allen 15 points. The other gentlemen subsequently obtained points varying from 20 to 15. At the second stage it is necessary to obtain 12 points in 20 rounds, fired kneeling, at [distances varying from 400 to 600 yards. None of the West of England'candidates succeeded in their first attempt in what is called the second period, but in the first or third period the following gentlemen passed into the first class. ' ■ Shooting from 400 to 600 yards kneeling :—Allen 14 points • Acland 13 points; Inman and Wetherman 12 points. : Mr. Allen consequently became entitled to. the sweepstakes cup of the West of England for the highest number of points gained in the highest class. ' .'•'.':.

Two other cups were also given—one for the greatest aggregate number of points "gained in the three periods. For this contest points gained at short distances on the second attempt were counted at one third, being the comparative score actually attained by the other candidates in the same period at longer ranges. .. ■ . A second cup was given for the greatest aggregate number of hits during the three periods, not counting extra points for bull's eyes, &c. These two,cups were adjudged to Mr. Wetherman, the scores at the end of the third period being as follows:— : Shooting in three periods from 150 to'6oo yards. Aggregate points:—Wetherman 39, Acland 38, Allen 36, Inman, 32. Aggregate hits:—Wetherman 34, Acland 32, Allen 31, Inman 27. A further trial remained to obtain the number of points required for the title of marksman; the standard being 7 points out of 20 rounds, fired at long ranges from 650 to 900 yards. Only two were successful, Mr. Inman putting in his last shot at 900

yards. Shooting at long range, 650 to 900 yards: -Acland 8 points, Inman 7 points. One most remarkable feature of the Hythe course, is the progress made by candidates after discovering the causes of their failure in jthe early stages of target practice. One of the two West of England marksmen failed to enter the second class at his first trial; and still more remarkable was the case of a Scotch gentleman who failed in like manner at first, but improved so fast by determined attention, that he eventually obtained more points at long ranges than had been obtained the day before by the winner of the prize rifle.

It is much to be hoped that the western counties will not let this competition drop. Some great gathering, such as the meeting of the Bath and West of England Society, at Dorchester, in June, might be used for a spirited local competition, preparatory to the meeting of the Great Nationul Rifle Association, in July. The rules of the Devon County Volunteer Association have made provision for some such arrangement.