THE BISLEY MEETING.

Evening Star, Issue 10412, 6 September 1897, Page 4

THE BISLEY MEETING.

A VISIT TO THE CAMP. "Writing on July 23 our London correspondent says : 1 took a run down to Bisley on Wednesday evening to see how the >iew Zealand marksmen were satisfied with what they had been iloin" in the competitions. Shooting had just concluded tor tho day, and as I approached the plain in tn« dim but long-drawu-out 'Euglish twilight everything looked rather dreary and forlorn. J.ne sky was threatening, and to mo thee appeared every prospect of a repetition of the severe thunderstorm of the previous day, when ;tne telegraph office was struck by the lightning *ut fortunately, owing to tho careful insulation, -no one was injured. A3 the train drew near the camp bands of volunteers were passed at short intervals trudging along the high road away from the ranges, and, I thought, rather dejtctcdly. iifee men passing away from a saddening field flt battle or the stragglers In the retreat «t a defeated army. However, at the camp "everything was very different. Close to the station was the telograph and post offices, both "doing a roaring trade, and adjacont the great avulding of the refreshment caterers was a blaze of light and animation. Everywhere groups of shootists were discussing the day's shooting—some bemoaning their ill luck, and others elated at their own success. Up the hill a little way a concert was proceeding—one of a series given, so I learnt afterwards, by the different rifle clubs. In and out I wandered in queat of a New Zealander, and I was lucky enough to drop on one after a very short search, in the person of Cor--poral Banks, who was busy licking stamps in the post office, and affixing them to a number of papers which bore various colonial addresses We walked up to a little tent on the rise outside, which has aboard bearing the two words New Zealand. This is for the [men to rest in, and is very comfortably fitted up. They sleep at night in 'a faimhouse about a mile and a-half from the camp, and on this particular occasion Corporal Banks was the last remaining at Bisley. We sat down, and in response to my first query I was informed that everyone was keeping in excellent health With regard to the shooting and what they had done they were all perfectly satisfied, including Major Sommerville, except in one particular, and that the Kolapore Cup. This was shot for on the previous Friday, and being the only team match for competitors from the whole pUe m Was conailJ ered °f very great import- ?? C f' h\ En « lißh tam were one of tfle best SQat could be picked, being composed of men of the calibre of Private Muirhead, of the 3rd Lanark Volunteers, more generally known by the nickname of " Old Reliable." The English seam were, of course, favorities, but the match resolved itself into a duel between the Victorians and New Zealauders, and the Victorians won by 3 points. Such is the irony of shooting. J.he Victorians were never believed to have a *i? o l™ e '• sho(v ' but ihe y won - an( l captured the ±,Bo'prize money, a silver bugle, and, best ot all, the Cup, which during all the years it has been competed for had previously only left England once, when the Canadians he'kl it for a year. The New Zealauders got absolutely nil irom this match. They seem to have had somewhat hard luck. The Victorians had completed their shooting at the last of the three ranges (&00 yards) and the New Zealanders had still three shots to go. Before thev had fired them, however, the wind chopped round, and Gunner Webs.er, of Auckland, with his one shot, and Bandmaster King, of Oamaru, with his two r 3ust went on, and their three shots onlv produced seven. Taking the other shots that"these men haajust fired at this ranee a few minutes betore, they might have been expected to mike more than ten shots out of the three. Ten woiud have made it a tie, and eleven would have won the Cup. Had srmeone •only known and told them what depended ?-n 1 tUree shots ' thc J' woultl have waited till the wind came round, instead of trying to gauge the change, but against that is the possibility that they might have become aervous. However, such was the result of the Kolapore Cup, aud although everyone sav 3 that no blame was attachable to the last two men to fire, and that they shot their best, still I don't think I should have cared to have been in their shoes for a little while after the match. Concerning the treatment of the men Coruoral ■banus (Christchurch) said : "We really have been excellently treat-d We are members of almost every club on the "round and it is wonderful what an interest everyone iakes in our shooting. I believe at first they were rather doubtful whether we could handle u gun at all, Out still they were curious to see, and the results.obtained by the Antipodeans was somewhat of a revelation to them. The shooting, you will have of course noticed, has been altogether exceptional ,his year, mainly owing to the introduction of the Lee-Metford, and our own scores arc much above anything we could tip t,ie colony with the Martini-Henry. i>ew has a somewhat warmer reception, 1- believe, than any, even of the other Australasian colonies.simr.ly because people know Uf,xt to nothing about it. It is amusing what a vague idea the majority have of its geography. 1 eople come up to you and mention the fact that they know Mr Brown in New Zealand or that their cousin air Smith is out there, and then they are surprised that you do not know the person intimately, for reason that " in such a small place surely everybody knows everybody else." They P" 1 in mind of the old lady who landed at Wellington wharf, and, hailing a cab, said; Cabby, kindly drive mo over to Auckland ■ I nave some friends there I wish to call on this afternoon." However, lam afraid I am wandering from the point. How do we compare with the other colonies ? Well, I think that we appear more often in the prize-list so far than anv of them; but it is impossible to form a just comparison till the close of the shooting. I ™. nJ l,°? e °t our be3t Performances was the Wimbledon Cup, ten shots at 600 yds. There wero close on 1,000 competitors, and out of <=ix pnze3 we secured two. Private A. was fourth with 49, and I secured sixth with 4& I was a tie with a great many others, but in deciding this they count the score backwards, and ray last five shots being " bulls " I was placed sixth. The whole of our men in this match averaged 45 out of the possible 50. The only really important social function we have had here was on Thursday.'the loth, when a most enjoyable evening party was given by Sir Henry Fletcher, chairman of the Association to the colonials at Bisley. Our remaining matches outside those left in the Queen's are the Graphic," Alexandra, ' Daily Telecjranh ' and Duke of Cambridge. ' As the hours are strictly " early " at Bisley, after a stroll round the camp with, its hundreds of tents, I siid good-night to Corporal Banks, and returned by train to town. THE WEEK'S SHOOTING. I am indebted to Corporal W. A. Banks for the following account of what contests the New Zealandera were engaged in up to Wednesday, the 21st : Wednesday (14th).—All took part in the Imperial Match, seven shots each at 200,500, and fitJO yards (Tunner J. L. Webster, of Auckland, with a score of 91 was the only prize-winner. The next best scorers among the New Zealanders were Gunner Howe (of Wellington) 91, Private Sommerville (bommeryille, jun., of Mounted Rifles) and private Simpson (of Christchurch) 90, and Corporal Banks (of Canterbury) 89. In the afternoon was the Secretary of State for War Match, ten shots at 800 yds. Corporal Banks (Canterbury) was the only prize-winner, his position of twelfth with 40 bringing him £2. Nine competitors with scores of 4a were counted outof the prize-list, and amon" these was Gunner Webster (Auckland). All took part. Thursday.—This was an off day with the colonial shootists, and they had no match compelling their attendance at the butts.

Friday.— J nday was the surprise day, Victoria winning the Kol-ipore Cup. It was thought that Canada, Queensland, and New Zealand had as good a chance as any of wresting the honor from the English team, but the unexpected happened and Victoria, with 751, bested New Zealand's score of 718 by three points. The Mother Country's reps, registered 732, Canadians and Cape team compiled 731, and the other scorers were • Guernsey 727, Natal 725, Jersey 710, Queensland t>SB, and India (a scratch team) 670. Saturday.—The Wimbledon Cup, ten shots at MOyds, was competed for by all the New Zealand team, and of the six prizes they carried off two Private A. Ballinger being fourth with a score of 49, and Captain Banks, who was a tie with half a dozen others with -18, was placed sixth when the scores were counted. The whole of the New ZeaHnders made the splendid average of 45. The Prince of Wales s Match was also fired on Saturday It was a match for holders of Association medals, and as these Association competitions have not taken place m New Zealand for a great many years, it was found that but two of the team were eligible. They were Private Richard--3 ( ww ! an + d C T- n l r \ (Auckland), and both failed to get into the prize-list Thp former s score was 00 and the latter's SB. ' Monday—On this day commenced the match of the meeting, " The Queen s," and on Monday and Tuesday the first stage was shot off. The match is a somewhat complicated one. The first stage comprises seven shots each at the 200, 500, and 600yard ranges. The top man out of this secures the bronze medal, and no les3 a number than the first 300 are eligible for the second stage. The ranges are ten shots at 500 yds and fifteen shots at 600 yds in the second stage, and the top man obtains the coveted silver medal. The first 100 out of the 300 competing all get badges, and are eligible for the final stage, which is a severe test of ten shots each at SUO and 900 yards. The top man pesiaes the' championship, receives no less a sura than £2oo. There were fully 2,000 entries this year, and-the New Zealand team got five men into the second stage The head was Gunner Howe gVellington) with 96, and the others were Private Richardson (Dunedm) 94, Private Hams (Canterbury) 94, and Bandmaster King (Oamaru) 94. There were 100 other competitors with 93 who had to fire off for nine places; and among them were Private A. Balhnger and C.P.O. Williams (Wellington) and Privates Simpson and Parsons (Canterbury), but none of them secured one of the nine places Tuesday.—ln the afternoon the colonials tnnlr part in the/Daily Graphic' Match"even shot* m any position at 200 yds. Corporal Banks (Canterbury) was one of the forty-two to put on the possible, and Privates Ballinger, Hawthorne and Harris were included in the 143 who scored 34 one under the possible. '

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