RIFLE-SHOOTING AS A NEW WINTER EVENING PURSUIT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:'] Sus,—As the publication of some letters on the above subject in the Spectator a few weeks ago has called forth many inquiries from various quarters respecting the portable apparatus used by our Society, and how to apply it, a few observations on the subject may be interesting to your readers. The hall or place in which rifle practice is desired to be carried on should not he less than about 40 ft. in length. It does not matter whether it has a stage or not, but any persons contemplating the introduction of this kind of rifle-shooting in their locality should send to the Assistant- Secretary, Society of Working Men's Rifle Clubs, 17 Victoria Street, London, S.W., a rough sketch of the plan of the hall, with dimensions, stating whether it has a stage at one end, and, if so, what height the floor of the stage is above the floor of the room. We can then direct our manufacturer to have the legs of the standards made in each case the appro- priate length, so that the overhead travellers, which carry the targets, will run at a fairly uniform level; or we can attach the apparatus to brackets, if more convenient. Illustrations of the apparatus, directions for fixing it, sug- gested rules, hints for the use of committees and members of rifle clubs, and other persons who wish to adopt this kind of rifle-shooting will he forwarded to any one sending for them. The applications recently made to us have—besides those from Loudon—come from such diverse sources as Liverpool, Tewkesbury, Uxbridge, Ripon, Rickmansworth, Birmingham, Chester, Wimborne, Wateringbury, and Belfast ; from the London Diocesan Church Lads' Brigade ; from the Jewish Lads' Brigade ; from Oxford House, Bethnal Green ; from several schools ; from the 2nd V.B. Royal Fusiliers, and other Volunteer corps, for their drill halls ; from the officer commanding ',the 3rd Batn. Ghoorkas, for India ; from the Admiral-Superintendent at Chatham, and from the officer commanding the Cavalry Depot at Canterbury. Although this is neither a military nor naval matter especially, but essentially civil in its broadest aspect, Admiral Holland exactly hits the nail on the head when he writes I am anxious to help our local Volunteers and our young naval men to take a keen interest in becoming good shots, to make a pastime and a pleasure of it, and not a tiresome lesson, which some seem to suppose it must be." The time has indeed arrived for reviving this question : "Are not the recreations of a people a matter for public concern ?" and more especially so their evening recreations, particularly in cities and towns. It has never yet been realised how much good can be effected by occasionally spending an evening in rifle-shooting, for the means have not been forthcoming for utilising many places which may be available for the pur- pose. How many places are only partially used for other purposes, which on winter evenings could be temporarily used for rifle-shooting at no great cost? For a sum which represents the cost of a decent bicycle a small rifle club of the description indicated can be fairly started, and the cost of maintenance can be covered by the profit on the ammunition (even at the low price of from a farthing to a halfpenny a shot) and a very trifling subscription according to circumstances. An example of the apparatus can be seen at our office at any time, or, for a short period, at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, by appointment with the hall-porter at that place. As an adjunct or a preliminary to more advanced and more expensive rifle-shooting at open ranges, it would be difficult to over-estimate its value, providing as it does for the combination of accurate with rapid shooting at moving targets, which will be a determining factor in the future lives of nations. As a matter of public policy it is exceedingly urgent, but it would be impracticable, at the present stage, for such an operation to ha dealt with by the Government of the country. Car aim is to induce large numbers of wage-earning people CC a-; onally to utilise their evenings, the only time which is at their disposal, in a manner which will be thoroughly interesting to themselves and profit- able to the State. We are justified in asserting that the importance of our being able to prosecute our operations with rapidity gives place to few, if any, other matters before the public at the present time, and we trust- it may receive from you, by the promulgation of this information, the
support which is at your disposal and within your discretion. I am directed by the Committee of the Society to sign this letter, and to forward the accompanying communication from Field-Marshal Lord Roberts.—I am, Sir, &e.,
C. E. LIIARD,
Chairman of Committee.
Society of Working Men's Rifle Clubs, 17 Victoria Street, Westminster.
"War Office, London, S.W. December 12th, 1901. DEAR GENERAL LIJARD,—I have read with great pleasure the letter written by the Committee of the Society of Working Men's Rifle Clubs for the purpose of describing the manner in which rifle-shooting may be made a winter pursuit, and I sincerely trust it will be the means of arousing still greater interest in the work of the Society. I cordially approve of the scheme, and hope that the efforts of the Committee will meet with the success they deserve in the coming winter. I am sure that there must be many working men and lads who will gladly avail themselves of the opportunity which is offered to them of spending a pleasant and instructive evening, and at the same time obtaining a know- ledge of the use of the rifle which would be of great value should their services ever be required in defence of their country.—
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