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The National Rifle competition was opened at Wimbledon on Monday. It has continued all the week.

It so happened that Monday was the second summer's day we have had since 1859; and a great concourse of people of all kinds were gathered at Wimbledon, both within the space enclosed for the shooting

and without. A pavilion had been erected for the Queen ; places were appropriated for those who went in carriages, those who went on horse- back, and the multitudes on foot. The scene was very gay. Wimbledon set up its arch oftriumPh. A. canvass town of tenth rose on the Common. Flags of all nations fluttered in the.light breeze, and men and women in varied and showy costume overspread the ground. The range is one of 1000 yards. The scene reminded the spectators of the Derby day. A Whitworth rifle, fixed on a rest, and adjusted to hit the centre of a target at 400 yards by Mr. Whitworth himself, was to be fired by the Queen. About half-past two, the volunteer competitors for the prizes formed line on the path leading to the fixed rifle ; and soon afterwards, 150 Switzers appeared, deputed to contend for the prize offered to all corners. The Queen arrived a little before four o'clock, and her pre- sence was notified to the crowd by the hoisting of the Royal standard. She was accompanied by the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Alice, and the younger children and received by Mr. Sidney Herbert on the part of the Association. children, Herbert presented to her Majesty the following address :—

" May it please your Majesty—We, the President and Council of the Na- tional Rifle Association, humbly approach your Majesty with sentiments of devoted attachment to your throne and person.

" We tender to your Majesty our grateful acknowledgments for the pa- tronage and encouragement so graciously extended by your Majesty and

your illustrious and Royal Consort to our association, which has been formed to give permanence to the Volunteer force. This force, of which a small portion had recently the honour of being reviewed by your Majesty, has sprung from the intuitive loyalty and patriotism of your Majeety's_people.

"We hope that, wide as is the present development of the Volunteer force, it may yet attain to much larger proportions. To aid in this develop-

ment, and to give permanence to this force by fostering and diffusing a taste for rifle shooting, are the objects of the National Rifle Association. These, we think, can best be effected by establishing a great annual meeting for competition in rifle shooting similar to the Tirrederal of Switzerland, where every two years prizes to the value of 10,000/. are competed for, and where riflemen from the different cantons meet together in friendly rivalry. "The use of the longbow and the cloth yard shaft was once the pastime of the English people, and at the same time the terror of England's foes.

The spirit which animated our fathers still lives in their descendants, and the National Rifle Association hope, by establishing rifle shooting as a na- tional pastime, to make the rifle what the bow was in the days of the Plan- tagenets—the familiar weapon of those who stand forth in the defence of their country.

"Such being the objects of our Association, it has been honoured in a special degree with your Majesty's favour and countenance ; for not only has your Majesty been graciously pleased to express your approval of our

undertaking, and munificently founded a prize which will be the highest honour that can be gained by the competitors, but your Majesty has even condescended to inaugurate in person this the first prize meeting of the asso- ciation. We most cordially and respectfully thank your Majesty for this special mark of your favour, and we fervently pray that health and hap- piness may long attend your Majesty, your Royal Consort, and every member of your illustrious family."

Her Majesty rose from her chair, and in a very clear and distinct manner made the following reply :— " I receive with sincere satisfaction the sentiments of attachment to my throne, person, and family which have been expressed by the President and

Council of your association ; and I assure you that I, together with my. Royal Consort, have gladly given encouragement to a body whose object it is to render permanent an armed force, limited exclusively to defensive purposes, and founded upon voluntary exertions.

• I have witnessed with pleasure the manner in which the ancient fondness of the English people for manly and sylvan sports has been con-

verted by. your association to-more important ends, and has been made an auxiliary, instrument for maintaining inviolable the safety of our common country.'

An address was presented to the Prince Consort, and he answered as follows :—

Gentlemen,—I thank you sincerely for your kind address, and beg you to be assured that I am very sensible of the flattering manner in which you speak of any support which it may have been in my power to afford to ob- jects of national interest. "Fully appreciating the value and importance of the National Rifle As-

sociation as a means of encouraging the Volunteers in their endeavour to acquire that skill in the use of their weapon on which their whole effi-

ciency depends, it is with peculiar pleasure that I have accepted your invi- tation to become its patron ; nor can I doubt, when I look around me and see the manner in which the call of the Council has been responded to, that the result will answer the most sanguine expectations of those who set the present movement on foot.

"In establishing a prize open to the competition of all nations, my -object was to give our British marksmen an opportunity of comparing their own arms and their own skill with those of other countries ; and I am con- vinced the result will be to show that, as the British.manufacturer is already second to none in the fabrication of the arm itself, so the people of this country are not to be engrossed by any in the knowledge how to use it."

A narrow platform, about eighty yards long, also covered with crim- son, led from the dais in front of the royal pavilion to a small tout, cir- cular and quite open at the sides; under this tent, fixed to a frame, with a Whitworth rifle, the shot from which, fired by her Majesty, was to open the competition. As soon as the ceremony terminated, her Ma- jesty, accompanied by Prince Albert, advanced along the narrow walk

above described, to the rifle tent. One light touch on the string, at- tached to the trigger, and the "first shot" was fired that announced the

opening of the competition which will not close till Saturday next. The red and white flag held before the target apprised those of the spectators who knew its meaning that the bullet fired by the Royal hand had hit

the "bull's eye ;" her Majesty, therefore, scored three points, according to the rules of the Association. The report of the rifle was followed by a hearty cheer from all parts of the ground.

As her Majesty and -suite returned to the ,pavilion a Royal salute was fired ; she remained for some time afterwards on the dais, overlooking the whole scene, and the general arrangements and plan of the ground

were explained to her Majesty by Lord Echo. During this interval the business of the meeting had commenced in earnest; the sharp crack of

rifles firing at the targets on the right of the line being constantly audible. About five o'clock the Royal party reentered their carriages, drove across the ground, just in the rear of the 300yards' distance points, from which the firing grew more rapid, and quitted the in.cloaure on the oppeaite side of the common near the windmill. The prizes contended for have consisted of sums of money and rifles. The shooting, under the direction of Major-Generalliay,las been 'spirited and sustained. But as the account are very imperfect, and as the great match for the Queen's prize only takes place today, we propose to defer any description of the shooting until we can present it in a complete form.

The prizes won at Wimbledon will be distributed at the Crystal Palace on Monday, by Mr. Sidney Herbert. The ceremony will begin at three o'clock. A number of military bands will be in attendance.

At a Court of the City Sewers' Commission, a bill before Parliament regulating the supply of gas to the metropolis, was brought under the consideration of the Court. This measure, which was reprinted on Monday, as amended by the Select Committee of the Commons to which it was recently submitted, recites that all the leading gas companies in the metropolis (enumerating them), instead of supplying gas, as now, by several mains in the same district, have agreed, as far as possible, each one to confine its supply to a separate district, in order to economize capital and avoid the too frequent opening of the public streets. The bill is intended to give a legislative sanction and practical effect to that arrangement, and is to apply to all persons already or hereafter supply- ing gas within the metropolis, with some inconsiderable exceptions. It assigns the districts to be supplied by each of the companies, and sub- jects those districts to a triennial revision by the Home Department. The Secretary of State is empowered to appoint gas inspectors lathe pub- lic interest, who are to hold periodical meetings and hear complaints that may be preferred against any gas company by any local authority or consumer. They are also, from time to time, to test the quantity, pressure, quality, and illuminating power of the gas supplied by any company, and to make reports to the Home Office, which are to be laid annually before Parliament. The companies are to provide, under penal- ties, pipes and supply gas and meters at prescribed rents, and to light the streets when required by local authority. The quality of the gas supplied by any company is to be, with respect to illuminating power, at a distance not exceeding 1000 yards from the works, such as to pro- duce from an argand burner consuming five cubic feet of gas an hour a light equal in intensity to that of not less than twelve sperm candles of six to the pound ; and the price for a light of that quality is not to ex- ceed 4s. ed. the thousand cubic feet, but there is a graduated scale of charges, ranging up to 68. a thousand, for different degrees of illu- minating power produced from fishtail burners. The inspectors are em- powered to investigate the accounts of the several gas companies, and to determine the rate of dividend which should have been paid as profit on their paid up-share capital during the last three months. The Home Secretary is authorized to direct proceedings to be instituted by the At- torney-General against gas companies for violations of any of the pro- visions of the bill.

The Court decided to refer the bill to a Committee, in order that they might take steps to oppose its passage through Parliament, in its present shape.

The inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without have held a meet- ing to protest against the "religious profession" clause in the Census Bill, and to appoint a depuation which is to present a petition to Lord John Russell on the subject.

Lord Stanley presided on Tuesday over the annual ceremony of dis- tributing prizes to successful students of University College, London, and delivered the customary address. Among others there were present, Sir Edward Ryan, Mr. George Grote, Dr. Booth, and Lord Forteseue.

Mr. Bingham, the esteemed senior Magistrate of the Marlborough Street Police Court, has been compelled by sudden illness to send in his resignation. He was formerly Recorder for Southampton and Ports- mouth, and was appointed to the Metropolitan Magistracy some twenty years ago.

The annual festival of the American Association in London is always held on the 4th of July. The Association was founded for two great objects. The first was to bring Americans and Englishmen into closer contact with each other. The second was to provide for the relief of Americans in distress. Both of those objects had been fairly and suc- cessfully carried out. Of the manner in which the latter object was dealt with, the following facts afforded sufficient proof :—Since February 22, 1869, the executive committee had examined eighty-three eases. Of these, thirteen were found not to be within the rules, and twenty were proved to be impositions. The remaining fifty were adequately relieved, eighteen being sent to the United States, three being sent to the Conti- nent, and eleven provided with employment. A whole family, consist- ing of husband, wife, and boy, the former being bed-ridden, had likewise been supported by the association. Clothing had been furnished to twenty-one persons, and many others had been visited and assisted in sickness. Every case brought under the notice of the Association was in- vestigated, and every deserving case relieved.

This year the dinner took place at the London Tavern, General Campbell in the chair. A great number of Englishmen were present. Mr. Dallas replied to the great toast "the day we celebrate." Then came "the President of the "United States" and "the Queen," both drunk with hearty good will. General Campbell said that her Majesty had most kindly lent her celebrated portrait by Winterhalter, for the purpose of its being copied by an American artist, and:placed in the club. room of the American Association. Many other toasts followed, English and Americans spoke, and the utmost harmony prevailed.

At the Middlesex Sessions on Tuesday, Jane Bateman was sentenced to twelve months hard labour for stealing a damask table-cloth, the property of Sir George Lewis; and Sidney Marks received a similar sentence for stealing two uniform coats, the property of Lord Bury.

Two girls threw themselves into the New River, at Righbury Vale last week, and one Ann Page was drowned. It appeared that Miss Page had stayed out all night—she had been to a ball. The next day she went out in comrny with a Miss Harden, determined never to return. The two girls ered about for three days, discussing how they should die. At length they went to Highbury Vale. Here a touching scene oecurred. Miss Harden atked her friend if .she would .go home. She replied, " I never will." She then asked Miss Harden if she would agree to die -with her ;

and, after an expression of their love, they joined hands, and exclaiming, "Oh, love ! love !" jumped into the water together. Miss Harden was saved. A Coroner's Jury has returned an open verdict.

Drinking fountains are in danger of pollution. At the Southwark Police Court, a young costermonger, named James Crawley, was charged by Mr. Wellman, the Inspector of Nuisances of St. George's, with washing filthy fish in the public drinking fountain attached to the church-wall in High Street. The case was clearly proved. Mr. Burcham said that he was sorry that there was no law to protect the public fountains from such nuisances, and he was Berry for it, as it was necessary that they should be kept clean and wholesome, otherwise the public would not patronize them, and the object of the benevolent founders would be frustrated. It was disgraceful donduct on the part of the prisoner, and he hoped that before the present session was over an Act of Parliament would be passed giving power to punish such offenders. He must be discharged.

Mr. Edwin Courtenay, a captain in the merchant service, has been com- mitted for trial on a charge of indecently assaulting a married lady in a railway carriage, while travelling on the North Kent line. Her husband was present. Mr. Courtenay denies the charge. There is considerable evi- dence against the accused.

A serious fire broke out on Wednesday in the type-founding establish- ment of Messrs. Figgins, West Street, Smithfield. As a large number of important establishments stand in this neighbourhood, the fire caused great apprehension ; but by the exertions of the fire brigade the destructive effects were confined to the type-founding premises, which are fully insured.