PRACTICAL PATRIOTISM.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPEDFATOR.• 1 SIR,—On several occasions during the last twelve months you have been good enough to help the national training scheme initiated by Lord Roberts, notably in the financial support given by yourself and your readers in helping to provide a "Spectator Tent" at our Primary Boys' Camp at Bisley.
(The tent cost £16, and provided instruction, ammunition, &c., for twenty boy-marksmen for the ten days of camp.) On August 2nd last our boys' team made the best score in a match (.22 calibre rifle) with boys in New Zealand and Australia. We have extended the scope of this match for 1908, and we propose to fire it on May 23rd (for Empire Day) simultaneously, if possible, with all our Colonies and dependencies. A full account of the conditions controlling this competition was printed in Wednesday's Times. May I ask your readers to be so kind as to encourage any schoolboy marksmen with whom they may be acquainted to enter for this competition ?* It is to be in three stages :—No. 1 Competition, a post match (individual entries); No. 2 Competition (semi-final) ; No. 3 Competition (final). The forty best marksmen in No. 1 will be entitled to enter for No. 2, and from No. 2 will be selected the "England eight" and "strings." Flag salutation and Imperial catechisms are very useful for boys and girls. More than this, the boys may be encouraged to train themselves as sharpshooters while there is yet time. Meeting upon the common ground of the rifle range, following a patriotic and pleasant pastime, our boys this year will link themselves up with other British boys throughout the Empire. The schoolboys' headquarters at Bisley Camp, to be erected shortly on a site (leasehold) allocated by the National Rifle Association, will assist to infuse an Imperial spirit amongst the boys. Only to-day (April 8th) I have received from Toronto a letter stating that a patriotic citizen there is despatching a gift of Canadian-made roof- tiles for this building. May I ask you, Sir, with your readers, again to provide a "Spectator Tent" at Bisley in August, and also to assist to furnish and equip our headquarters hut at Bisley ? Gifts in kind (such as -303 match rifles) will be especially valued.—I am, Sir, &c.,
REGINALD J. E. HANSON, M.A.Cantab., R.N.V.R., Hon. Sec. "Lord Roberts's Boys," City (Primary) Schoolboys' Shooting Club.
P.S.—Cheques may be made payable to the Hon. Herbert Gibbs (hon. treasurer), and sent to me at 42 Sun Street, London, E.C.
[The "Spectator Tent" was a great success last year, and we trust it may be repeated.—En. Spectator.]
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