VILLAGE RIFLE CLUBS.

(TO THE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR.") Srn,—As the above subject is one which has received con- siderable attention in your columns, I venture to trespass on your space to call attention to their financial difficulties, and to suggest a remedy in the form of national aid to institutions of such great national importance. There are at present some two hundred and forty clubs (with either full or miniature ranges) affiliated to the National Rifle Association. This represents but a tithe of the districts too isolated for Volun- teer companies and yet suitable for rifle clubs; that these numbers could and would be very markedly increased is undoubted were the necessary funds forthcoming to defray the initial cost. To this end, and to enable would-be pro- moters to gauge the probable cost, I quote the figures of a village club of thirty-two members inaugurated last season. The range is a miniature one for Morris tubes :-

INITIAL COST.

d. 2 s. d.

To • Erection of butts 6 11 7 By Private donation ....... 14 10 6.

„ Purchase of two rifles 5 5 0

Stationery, printing, &c. 2 3 11

„ Affiliation fee to N.R. Asso- ciation 010 0

414 10 6

414 10 6 Woexiso Exeasese,1901.

s. d.

e. d.

To Wages — instructor and

By Subscription, thirty - two

marker 519 6 members at 2s. 6d.. 4 0 0 „ Targets 0 7 6 „ t Sale of ammunition 2 4 0 „ Ammunition (6,009 rounds) 4 10 0 „ Balance due to Treasurer

„ Sundries 1 12 11 and supplied by private

donation 6 511

212 9 11

212 9 11

From these figures we may draw the following conclusions :- (1) That the inauguration of a club is dependent on private generosity. (2) That a club of thirty odd members cannot be self-supporting on a subscription of 2s. 6d., which fairly represents the limit for the average village labourer.

Suggested remedies :—(1) We do not yet know in what way the National Rifle Association proposes to utilise the very generous donation of £10,000 given by Mr. Astor in aid of village rifle clubs. May I suggest one way which would rapidly increase the number of clubs,—namely, that the

• The site of the range was presented by the squire of the village. t Remaining ammunition in band. National Rifle Association should guarantee to defray the coat of providing and equipping mininture ranges for bond- fide village clubs of ' not less than thirty members, charging a small rate of interest on the capital expended, making, of course, an agreement for compensation in the event of failure of the club P In this way the capital could be expended to great advantage and yet yield interest. (2) For every efficient Volunteer a generous Government gives a grant to the corps of £3 10s. (I believe this is the correct figure). Could not this be extended on a smaller scale to every efficient member of an affiliated rifle club, the standard of efficiency depending (a) on marksmanship, (b) attendance at the range,—i.e., number of rounds fired annually P The grant might well take the form of one or two hundred rounds of ammunition per each efficient annually.

The difficulties in the formation of clubs that I have mentioned are, without doubt, real, and the remedies certainly feasible. I have confined myself to broad outline and not to detail, and my remarks refer to the miniature ranges, though the same would apply on a larger scale to full ranges ; yet these are seldom within the scope, owing to increased expense, of the village club. I am aware that in many villages outside help is freely given and the task is an easy one ; but there are many less fortunate and not blessed with generous aid from squire and landlord. That a cause of such great national importance should not be allowed to suffer on these grounds is my object in trespassing on your valuable space.—I am,