2-995-814 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The recent Tir National at Vincennes, near Paris - from a drawing by J. A. Beaucé, 1860. 'The English volunteer and the British officer in undress, with the military attendant carrying his rifle, are portraits of gentlemen present at the time our Artist made his Sketch, which was taken from the point of the spectators' gallery nearest the target of honour, and comprises a view of the three categories of shooters - viz., the amateurs of all countries, the National Guards, and the soldiers of the Imperial Army...The clerks seen at the desks in our Illustration were placed there to register the result of each shot of importance...The costumes of the competitors were most varied: there were French troops of all arms, and detachments of the National Guard of Paris; Swiss and Tyrolese; the gay scarlet uniform of several English officers (amongst whom were Captains Smith and Fletcher); and here and there the neat dress of some of our youthful volunteers attracted particular attention...The firing by the National Guard and the Army was with ordinary guns, the former having to pay three francs for each series of six shots...There were also prizes for pistol- and arrow-shooting...Jules Gérard, the celebrated lion-killer, [was] the second-best shot'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860.