RIFLE-SHOOTING.
[To TICE EDITOR OF TEE "SPECTATOR,'?] Biz—The orders issued by Lord Roberts to general officers commanding districts, with a view to encouraging the learning of elementary drill by schoolboys in secondary schools under military supervision, and of shooting with carbines fitted with Morris tubes, are excellent; but I much fear that there are many secondary schools the masters of which will not be able to avail themselves of the terms on which the carbines will be supplied by Government, for two reasons. First, because the carbines are only to be supplied to schools which have suitable ranges, and they have not got such ranges. Second, because the cost of the carbines, amounting to £13 14s. 3d., and of the ammunition, is beyond their means. The second difficulty might be got over by charging the boys who shoot a sufficient sum per shot to pay for the cost of the ammunition and of the carbines in a certain number of months or years, but that might deter the boys from shooting, while the initial difficulty about the range would remain. Will you allow me, therefore, to point out that the League of the Children of the Empire is endeavouring to encourage the teaching of elementary shooting in schools by means of steel- tube ranges, fifteen feet long, with miniature targets which are fired at by small air-guns ? The cost of such an installation complete is only about 27. One has been recently put up in the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kensington Place, Campden Hill, under the supervision and control of the Rev. J. Robbins, vicar of St. George's, Campden Hill, who, if applied to, would gladly show any schoolmaster anxious to set up such a range on his school premises how to do so. All particulars regarding the ranges, air-guns, itc, can be pra• cured from Colonel A. Hutchins, 43 Ladbroke Grove, Notting
Hill, the honorary secretary to the Kensington Branch of the League of the Children of the Empire.—I am, Sir, &c.,
- • H. QARSTIN (Member of the Council of the League of the Children of the 12 Vere Gardens, Kensington, W.
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