WITH THE BISLEY TEAM.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 19 July 1905, Page 6

WITH THE BISLEY TEAM.

NOTES BY THE WAY. A PLEASANT PASSAGE HOME. SHOOTING PRACTICE. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, 16th June. For the first three weeks of the voyage little can be said. Of sickness amongst the team there was practically none; amongst the remaining 200 passengers there was a great deal, two having since died. First, Sandow exercises, then ship games, kept the team and passengers fully occupied. In tournament games the team won almost everything. On 20th May Rio de Janeiro- was reacned. From a naval point of view the harbour must be considered one of the strongest and most serviceable in the world. The beauty of j Rio and its surroundings was at a distance admired by every one ; but, like many an Oriental city, it does not bear too close inspection. With the exception of the English element, which is rapidly increasing, and perhaps a few Europeans, its population of over 800,000 appear little better than the scum of the earth. Yet English capitalists seem to have faith in the resources of the country. British money is pouring in; in fact, everything that money can change is becoming British. In ]>lace of the mule car has come tho electric tram, in lieu of the slowmoving narrow gaugo railway has come tho 4ft 6in British express, whilst the once narrow, filthy, undrained streets are one by one becoming not unlike the broad boulevards of Paris. So much for John Bull's "money. The fact that there is no gold currency is proving a great drawback to the country's prosperity. Our next port of call was Teneriffe. Here the centre of attraction was its 500 years old Cathedral. It is here that the two flags captured from our great sea captain, Nelson, are kept. Encased in glass, they hold a prominent position within the building. Another place pointed out to us was the arena ; here, on tho Sunday previous to our visit, the last bull-fight of the season had taken place. The walls were still smeared with blood; four • bulls and twelve horses had been done to death to gratify the Spaniards' idea, of sport. From this last of Spain's once great possessions, our course right to the Thames lay over that battle ground where, for a thousand years, we have- struggled for supremacy in sea powj er. Passing Vigo, Finisterre, and Cam- ; perdown, ono wonders what navies will i light the next great battle in these seas. j Ihe Bay of Biscay we found calm as a mill-pond, utterly unlike the playground t of tho awful hurricanes which have sent [ so many good ships to the bottom. After a few days spent in London, whilst the necessary arrangements were being made in connection with our work, we- went out to Bisley, the practice ground of ouv great National Rifle Association. This Association, founded in 1859 by the amalgamation of the London Rifle Brigade and the volunteers, had for its object the upholding of the volunteer movement and the encouragement of rifle shooting throughout the Empire. Its first meeting was held on Wimbledon Common in 1860, the first shot being fired by the late Queen Victoria, who scored a bull'seye at 200 yds. By degrees tlie military element gained supremacy, military authorities also foreseeing that rifle shooting as a sport would be a leading factor in holding the volunteers together in time !of peace. To-day everything is military, except the shooting, which is far in advance of the army average. During the early years of the Association's existence Continental marksmen used to compete, but from the first Englishmen hare keenly practised long-range shooting. On the Continent and in the United States practically no long-range- work is done, consequently the British Empire to-day far out-classes any. other Power in long-range rifle shooting. And what was the Association's loss — namely, tho retirement of the European competitors — may now be the nation's | gain, as what is known as decisive range on the battlefield must be a much greater distance than that at which foreign marksmen practice so continuously. From being a very small affair the N.R.A. has grown, until in 1900 the entrance fees for that year's meeting amounted to nearly £13,000, whilst the expenses of running the meeting were Added to this, there are permanent disbursements amounting to over £2400. Owing to the numbers who practise, it is difficult to get targets without long previous notice. Our praciicea began on Wednesday by Major Hughes firing the first shot. The rifles being strange to us, and th'e surroundings new, some of the scores were not as high as may be expected later. The result of the first practice, Kolapore Cup conditions — viz., 200, 500, and 600 yards, seven shots at eaclv distance, was && follows : —

To-day's scores, Kolapore Cup conditions, aro as follows : —

The 19th annual report of the directors of the Wellington Building and Investment Company states that tho net profit on tho year's business, including £187 Is 3d brought forward from last year, amounted to £3697 12s. An interim dividend of 5 per cent, was declared and paid in January, and it was now proposed to pay a further dividend of £1387 6s Bd, and this with contribution of £500 out of year's profits towards payment of special dividend— viz., £19,250— w0u1d absorb £3262 6s Bd, leaving a balance of £435 5s 4d. Of. this amount of £435 5s 4d, it was recommended that £250 bo carried to reserve fund, and tliat the balance, £185 5s 4d, be carried forward 'to the ensuing year's profit and loss account. Messrs. R. M. Simpson and F. H. Fraser are the directors who retiro from the Board, in accordance with the articles of association, and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. The auditors, Messrs. D. T. Stuart and E. Bucholz, offer themselves for re-election. Mr. E. G. Jcllicoe booked his passage from London on tho 20th Jnno, and expocts to arrive in Wellington by the Moana on the 20th September. Mr. Kenneth Hume, of tho U.S.^. Co'-a staff, Hobart, has been transferred" to -tlie Sydney office ol the Company. Messrs. Lcvicn, Shallcrass- and Go. draw attention to a Halo of trees and plants in their rooms to-morrow,, as per- particulars! i in our- auction -ooluma. '

jieut. Martin ... 53 iergt. Shaw ... 33 *vt. Franklyn ... 33 jieut. Irvine ... 33 iergb. Drummond 31 Japt. Craw ... 32 *vt. Pearson ... 33 J vt. Jack ... 33 'vt. Wilkie ... 30 'vt. Milroy ... 32 'vt. Brown ... 32 'vt. Hawthorn ... 32 34 32 31 32 34 33 26 33 31 33 35 24 32 — 99 32 — 97 32 — 96 30 — 95 30 — 95 29 — 94 33 — 92 25— 91 29 — 90 23 — 88 19 — 86 28 - 84

l?vt. Franldyn ... 32 Sergt. Shaw ... '32 Pvt. Pearson ... '31 3ergfc. Drummond 33 Lieut. Irvine ... 34 Pvt. Jack ... 33 Dapt. Craw ... 31 Pvt. Milroy ... 30 Pvt. Wilkie ... 28 Pvt. .Brown ... 31 Lieut. Martii? ... 31 Pvt'. Hawthorn .... 29 31 34 32 32 31 31 30 30 32 24 25 32 34 — 97 30 — 96 32 — 95 29 — 94 29 — 94 29 — 93 31 — 92 29 — 89 28 — 88 31 — 8630 —86 25 — 86