CANADIANS EN ROUTE FOR BISLEY.

of Liverpool, with the fine score of 95 out of a possible 100. Sergt. Wattleworth enjoys the distinction of having won the same prize in 1897, and, of having also shot on the International team seventeen times. He has been in the Queen's final "hundred" seven times, and, although he has come within an ace of winning the blue ribbon of the meeting, has not yet succeeded.

Besides the numerous matches which are competed for by individuals, there are a great many team matches. The

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Evelyn Wood" is shot for in accordance with the conditions of the attack practice, formulated under direction of the General Officer commanding the Aldershot district, by companies from the infantry regiments of the regular army, 12 files from each company. march of eleven miles must be accomplished in three and a quarter hours. Then the team begins volley firing at disappearing targets at 800 yards. Rushes by alternate sections are made up to 250 yards, when bayonets are fixed, and independent firing is carried on. The match was won in 1899 by the team from the 2nd Northampton

Regiment with 169 hits out of a possible 300.

The "Mullens" prize of £200, being the interest for one year upon the sum given by Mr. J. A. Mullens, is open to three teams of six volunteers qualified to shoot in the Queen's. The ranges are from 600 yards to between 200 and 100 yards, the conditions require that the competition will take place at moving targets, each representing a man. The teams commence firing volleys at 600 yards, and advance at the double, firing volleys every 50 yards until within 200 yards when independent fire is kept up for 30 seconds, or until the cease fire is sounded. The first prize in this match is £100; £50 of this goes

to the winning team, and the remaining £50 to its battalion, for the encouragement of field firing at the discretion of the Commanding Officer. The first prize in 1899 was won by the 13th Middlesex R. V. team with 62 hits.

The Elcho Shield" match is open to teams of eight from England, Scot

Missed'

Getting Ready

In a match for the Duke of York's Cup Sergeant Woods, of the 1st V.B. South Staffordshire, compiled a score of 105 for 21 shots, fired at 200, 500 and 600 yards, the highest possible score attainable. Such is the precision of the modern service rifle, and the proficiency of the rifleman of the present day, that possibles are of quite common occurrence. In the first stage of the St. George's at 500 yards over sixty "possibles" were recorded. One of the competitors, Corpl. Ommundsen, of Leith, scored a possible at each range, 500 and 600, and thus came back to the 800-yards range without having dropped a point. Beginning at this range with two magpies, he then put on eight consecutive "bulls" and won the much-coveted Vase, Dragon Cup, Gold Cross and £30, a remarkable performance with the open sight

ed service rifle in the hands of a competitor but 21 years of age.

The Revolver matches occupy a prominent place in the Bisley programme, no fewer than 18 competitions being on the cards last year. Stationary targets, targets moving across the line of fire, appearing and disappearing, advancing and retiring, in fact every conceivable form of shooting which would be useful to a soldier on active service. Other competitions include the "Running Deer," the "Running Man" and the "Morris Tube."

The first day of the second week always marks the high-water point in the Bisley meeting. On that day the competition for the Queen's prize begins, and every marksman in the volunteer service who thinks he has even a remote chance of being the Gold Medallist of the year is in camp. The opening stage of the Queen's always puts on his mettle every man on the downs who carries a rifle. The weather last year, however, was not conducive to a display of energy. It was the hottest morning ever experienced at Bisley. A blazing sun made the inside of a tent intolerable, and the open air did not afford much relief. There was scarcely a breath of wind, and the flags down the ranges which serve as windgauges to the competitors, hung lifeless on their poles. A hot misty haze was in the air, and the smell of crushed heather filled the nostrils as one walked over the downs. The 1,770 contestants were on the ranges before

nine o'clock waiting patiently for gun fire and the hoisting of the red signal cone. The long line of multi-coloured figures waiting in the heat presented a most picturesque sight on the wide stretch of Bisley down. All along the wide front of the "90" Butt stretched a broad front of moving colour. Every uniform in the volunteer service was represented, but, whether a man wore the scarlet of the line, the in

visible green of the rifle corps, the blue of the gunners, or tartan or hodden grey, he topped it with a white cap. This Bisley headgear is unique. It is never seen elsewhere unless an odd specimen finds its way to another rifle meeting. Soon the gun fires and the red drum is hoisted and a savage fire is instantly commenced the whole length of the line. So earnest are the riflemen, and so fervent is the firing that one could almost imagine a lot of Mahdists were intrenched behind the butts. The first squad had hardly finished when the word passed round that a possible had been made, and then another, and another, and presently no less than five men had made a score in the first range which lacked no single point. Twenty-six men made. 34 each, and over a hundred made 33 each. When the shooting in the first stage, seven shots at 200, 500 and 600 yards, was completed, it Iwas found that one competitor had scored 101, and that all scores of 93 had to shoot off for final places in the 300.

For the third time in its history the Queen's prize contest of 1899 resulted in a triple tie, and for the first time on record, the gold medal, the blue ribbon of British marksmanship, went to the Channel Islands. Previous triple ties

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are interesting to look back upon. 1861, the very second year of the contest, Private Jopling, 2nd Middlesex, Viscount Bury, 21st Middlesex; and Sergeant Bingham, Bristol, stood equal with 18 points out of a possible 42; and in 1886, Private Jackson, 1st Lincoln; Colour-Sergt. Barrett, 2nd Lancashire and Corpl. Richardson, 2nd Cambridge, tied with 265 points out of a possible 330, whilst last year Private Wm. Priaulx, 1st Guernsey Militia; Col.-Sergt. Anderson, 4th Lanark and Private F. Jones, 1st Welsh Fusiliers, tied with 336 points out of a possible 380. No more sensational conclusion has ever attended the great trial of British marksmanship than the latter, and the contest will always remain a memorable one to all who had the good fortune to witness it.